September 5, 2025
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver
Rashod Bateman finally flashed a bit of the talent last season that the team has been patiently awaiting. Entering his fifth year, Bateman more than doubled his career touchdown total last season as he hauled in nine touchdown passes. He also registered career highs in targets (72), yards (756), and yards per target (10.5). With that being said, Bateman is often third in the receiving pecking order, behind
Zay Flowers and
Mark Andrews.
Isaiah Likely (foot) has already been ruled out, but the Ravens picked up
DeAndre Hopkins in the offseason. That leaves Bateman as a touchdown-or-bust type of option against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. RotoBaller's projections currently have him down for around eight fantasy points in PPR formats, which would only make him relevant in deeper leagues.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
September 5, 2025
Cleveland Browns kicker
Andre Szmyt will open the 2025 season with a home game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. In a bit of a surprise, Szmyt won the starting kicker job over
Dustin Hopkins, who had been Cleveland's kicker the past two seasons and had signed a three-year, $15.9 million extension ahead of the 2024 season. Szmyt will now go up against a Cincinnati defense that allowed just the 26th-most fantasy points per game to opposing kickers last season. The 26-year-old sets up as a low-end fantasy option heading into Week 1.
--Matt TerelleSource: NFL.com
September 5, 2025
Houston Texans running back
Nick Chubb will begin the season as the primary early-down option for the Texans since
Joe Mixon (ankle/foot) is on the reserve/non-football injury list. Chubb was brought in as a free agent this past offseason after he spent his first seven seasons in the NFL with the Browns. He has been limited to a total of 10 games by multiple injuries during the last two seasons and had just 332 yards on his 102 carries last year, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry and scoring just three touchdowns. He will need to be more effective and efficient to keep his spot atop the depth chart with
Dameon Pierce and rookie
Woody Marks also expected to mix in the rotation. Chubb does have upside since he should have a good-sized workload against a beatable Rams run defense, but he's a touchdown-dependent FLEX play as the RB38 in RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings.
--Zach ThompsonSource: NFL.com
September 5, 2025
Cleveland Browns tight end
Harold Fannin Jr. will make his NFL debut at home against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. Fannin drew rave reviews for his pass-catching skills throughout training camp and hopes to carry that over to the field once the regular season starts. The rookie tight end was insanely productive in 2024, setting an FBS record for tight ends with 117 receptions and 1,555 yards. Fannin draws a nice matchup for his debut game as the Bengals allowed the most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends in 2024. That being said, Fannin's role on offense could be limited with
David Njoku ahead of him on the depth chart. For now, Fannin is a player worth keeping tabs on in case he gets a larger-than-expected role on the team's offense.
--Matt TerelleSource: NFL.com
September 5, 2025
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback
Joe Burrow is coming off a stellar 2024 campaign. The signal-caller finished the year by throwing for 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns, both the highest marks in the National Football League. Without question, he had an MVP-caliber season. Unfortunately, the Bengals defense struggled, resulting in Cincinnati finishing with a 9-8 record and missing the playoffs. With a meeting with the Cleveland Browns on the horizon, Burrow and company will look to begin the year with a win. Last season, the 28-year-old played well enough against the Browns, combining for 433 yards and five touchdowns (no interceptions) off 38-for-55 passing. With that said, Burrow should remain productive in Week 1, considering he'll have
Ja'Marr Chase,
Tee Higgins, and
Chase Brown at his disposal. It's also realistic to assume he could finish as the week's top producer at the position, so he must be starting in any fantasy format imaginable.
--Dennis ClausenSource: ESPN
September 5, 2025
Atlanta Falcons tight end
Kyle Pitts Sr. has one of the highest ceilings and lowest floors of any tight end in the league. The former first-round draft pick logged six games of four catches or more in 2024, but also had eight games where he caught just two passes or fewer. Despite that dynamic, the 24-year-old still managed to finish just outside the top 12 TEs in receiving yards and in fantasy points thanks to the third-highest average yards per reception (12.8) among TEs and four touchdown receptions. In two contests against the Buccaneers last year, Pitts Sr. hauled in 11 passes for 179 yards and two scores, and he could be in for another productive day on Sunday against a Tampa defense that struggled to cover the middle of the field in 2024. Also, with
Darnell Mooney (shoulder) in jeopardy of missing or being limited in this contest, the 6-foot-6 pass catcher could see a few extra targets. The fifth-year pro projects as a volatile high-end TE2 in Week 1.
--Jarod RuppSource: Pro Football Reference
September 5, 2025
Cleveland Browns tight end
David Njoku will make his 2025 debut against the Cincinnati Bengals at home in Week 1. With
Joe Flacco back under center after a stint with the team in 2023, Njoku is primed to get off to a hot start this season. Flacco and Njoku showed excellent chemistry together two years ago, combining for 30 receptions, 390 yards, and four touchdowns in five games together. The Bengals were the worst team in the league against tight ends last season as they allowed the most fantasy points per game to the position. Njoku is a top-six fantasy tight end heading into Week 1.
--Matt TerelleSource: NFL.com
September 5, 2025
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver
Zay Flowers was one of the most popular names among the potential breakout candidates last season. In the end, he averaged almost the exact same amount of fantasy points per game in PPR leagues (12.1 vs 12.3). The speedy wideout finished as WR1 and a WR2 in three games each last season, which left him as a WR3 or worse in the 12 remaining weeks. The good news is that he's seen at least 100 targets in each of the last two seasons, which is why he continues to have WR2 upside, especially in PPR formats. Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1, RotoBaller's projections have Flowers registering 11.2 fantasy points and finishing as the WR32.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
September 5, 2025
Cleveland Browns wide receiver
Isaiah Bond will make his NFL debut against the Cincinnati Bengals at home in Week 1. Bond, whom the Browns signed as an undrafted free agent in mid-August, will begin the year on the second team as he is still getting up to speed. The rookie out of Texas was a top prospect at this time a year ago, with some expecting him to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Off-field issues caused him to go undrafted, but he has a chance to overtake
Jamari Thrash as Cleveland's No. 3 receiver this season. Bond doesn't need to be rostered in redraft leagues at the moment, but he is a must-stash in dynasty and is worth keeping tabs on throughout the year as he hopes to make a positive first impression against Cincy this weekend.
--Matt TerelleSource: NFL.com
September 5, 2025
Cleveland Browns wide receiver
Cedric Tillman will open up the 2025 season with a home matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. Tillman had a very productive three-game stretch from Weeks 7 through 9 of the 2024 season before a concussion in Week 12 ended his year early. The third-year wide receiver is fully recovered and is ready to slot in as the team's No. 2 wideout opposite
Jerry Jeudy this year. Tillman sets up as a solid flex option in fantasy as a dart throw in deeper leagues heading into the opening weekend of NFL action.
--Matt TerelleSource: NFL.com
September 5, 2025
The Houston Texans held a workout with free-agent running back
Deuce Vaughn, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston. The back was waived by the Dallas Cowboys earlier this offseason and is looking for a new team, while the Texans might need help in their backfield.
Joe Mixon (ankle) is starting the season on Injured Reserve, leaving Houston to rely upon
Nick Chubb, rookie
Woody Marks, and
Dameon Pierce. Even if Vaughn is signed, however, he's unlikely to have much fantasy appeal, even in the deepest of leagues.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: KPRC2
September 5, 2025
Cleveland Browns wide receiver
Jerry Jeudy will kick off the 2025 season with a home matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. Jeudy opens the year as Cleveland's No. 1 receiver after posting career highs in targets, catches, and yards in 2024. The Bengals were tough on receivers last season, allowing just the 24th-most fantasy points per game to the position, but Jeudy should be heavily targeted in the season opener on Sunday. The veteran wideout sets up as a low-end WR2 heading into a game where the Browns should have to throw frequently to keep up with a high-powered Cincy offense.
--Matt TerelleSource: NFL.com
September 5, 2025
The Minnesota Vikings listed offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee) as a full participant for the team's walk-through on Friday prior to their season-opening game at Chicago. The big left tackle is less than a year removed from ACL surgery and did not practice Thursday, though his designation Friday was certainly a good sign. It will be worth monitoring the official injury report on Saturday, but all signs point to Darrisaw being available to protect new quarterback
J.J. McCarthy when the Vikings begin the season.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: Minnesota Vikings
September 5, 2025
Baltimore Ravens running back
Justice Hill is set to reprise his role as the pass-catching back this season after one of his best years in 2024. Throughout the 2024 season, Hill saw 42% of the offensive snaps, and he received 47 carries compared to 51 targets during those opportunities. His average depth of target was -0.5, so most of his work through the air came on dump-offs and screen plays. He's likely to see a lot more of the same as long as
Derrick Henry is healthy. He's currently ranked around RB68 in the RotoBaller Week 1 rankings with a projected 3.7 fantasy points against the Buffalo Bills in PPR leagues. So, those in standard-sized leagues can look to better options in Week 1.
--Alex Fischbein - RotoBallerSource: RotoBaller
September 5, 2025
The Minnesota Vikings logged safety Harrison Smith (illness) as completing a limited practice on Friday, a sign he could be available when the team opens its season Monday at Chicago. The veteran safety has missed significant practice time the past few weeks with the undisclosed illness, but was estimated to be limited for Friday's walk-through. Whether Smith will be actually fit enough to play right away remains to be seen. Minnesota often plays with three safeties on the field, though Joshua Metellus is likely to have the most appeal in IDP formats.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: Minnesota Vikings
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