September 6, 2025
Green Bay Packers pass rusher Micah Parsons (back) is expected to play Sunday against the Detroit Lions, but his snaps will be limited. The three-time All-Pro has been managing a back injury that restricted his practice reps during his first week with Green Bay. Parsons was traded from the Dallas Cowboys just a week before the season opener, so a restricted workload is expected as he acclimates to the Packers' defense. He joins a pass rush that struggled in 2024, with Rashan Gary being the only player to record more than five sacks last season. Expect Parsons to be deployed primarily in obvious passing-down situations, where he can maximize his impact and do what he does best: pressure and sack the quarterback. His presence should immediately improve the Packers' pass-rushing effectiveness, even in limited snaps.
--Nathan HarveySource: Ian Rapoport - NFL Network
September 6, 2025
Minnesota Vikings running back
Aaron Jones Sr. should be viewed as a flex/RB2 candidate as his team takes on the Chicago Bears in Week 1. A polarizing mid-round draft pick, the veteran back is one of the bigger wild cards in fantasy this season. Jones is a strong receiver who caught 50 passes in addition to surpassing 1,000 rushing yards last year and plays on a capable offense that rebuilt its interior line, but is now 30 years old, playing alongside a first-time starting quarterback, and most importantly, now sharing touches with
Jordan Mason, whom the Vikings acquired this offseason. Though a rotation is likely, Jones is still the team's best pass-catching back and should continue to get a steady volume of receiving targets, which will be especially valuable in PPR formats.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: RotoBaller
September 6, 2025
Running back
Jordan Mason will make his Minnesota Vikings debut on Monday against the Chicago Bears, against whom he should be viewed as a viable flex option. The Vikings have been dreadful in short yardage in recent seasons, but completely revamped their interior line and traded for the 26-year-old running back, who rushed for a career-best 789 yards in relief of
Christian McCaffrey with San Francisco last season. Minnesota also brought back
Aaron Jones Sr., so uncertainty surrounding the Vikings' backfield relegated both backs to the middle rounds of fantasy drafts. Ultimately, there is a reason Minnesota traded for Mason, who is likely to see regular short-yardage carries, including those near the goal line. Jones is the better receiving back, but Mason figures to still get enough touches to be fantasy relevant.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: RotoBaller
September 6, 2025
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver
Justin Jefferson is a must-start option, as usual, when the Vikings open the season against the Chicago Bears in Week 1. The sixth-year receiver dealt with a hamstring injury during training camp, but was not listed on Minnesota's final injury report and should continue to be the team's runaway top option for passing targets. Especially with fellow wide receiver
Jordan Addison (suspension) out for the first three games, the All-Pro should receive plenty of volume from new starting quarterback
J.J. McCarthy. Jefferson should be in starting lineups in every format.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: RotoBaller
September 6, 2025
Wide receiver
Adam Thielen is a risky fantasy proposition in his return to the Minnesota Vikings, who will take on the Chicago Bears in this season's first Monday Night Football game. The Vikings traded for the veteran due to instability elsewhere in their receiver room, as
Jordan Addison (suspension) will miss the first three games and
Rondale Moore (knee) suffered a season-ending injury. The 35-year-old figures to play quite a bit right away, but the reality is that he was a late addition who is still behind receiver
Justin Jefferson and likely tight end
T.J. Hockenson in the pecking order, and he's attached to a quarterback in
J.J. McCarthy who has never thrown a pass in the NFL before. Thielen certainly has something left in the tank and a history of making big catches, but an uncertain target share makes him tough to rely upon in Week 1.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: RotoBaller
September 6, 2025
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver
Jalen Nailor should be left out of lineups when the club plays against the Chicago Bears in Week 1. Coming off a hand injury, the fourth-year pro has been given the all-clear to play, but the bigger issue from a fantasy perspective is his role within the offense. It looked for a time that Nailor could be the team's WR2 next to
Justin Jefferson with
Jordan Addison (suspension) set to miss the first three weeks, but the Vikings traded for
Adam Thielen and quickly squashed that idea. The Vikings like Nailor, a willing run blocker who caught six touchdowns a year ago, but with tight end
T.J. Hockenson fully back in the fold, Nailor is the team's fourth option and unlikely to see regular volume in the passing game.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: RotoBaller
September 6, 2025
With the Minnesota Vikings going through changes at wide receiver, tight end
T.J. Hockenson is a starting-caliber option as his team prepares to take on the Chicago Bears in Week 1. The veteran tight end figures to be a key part of Minnesota's passing game with wide receiver
Jordan Addison (suspension) set to miss the first three games, and could very well be the team's second option behind superstar receiver
Justin Jefferson. Hockenson started only nine times last season while recovering from an ACL injury the year prior, and figures to see a natural boost nearly two years post-surgery. He caught 95 passes in 2023 despite the Vikings playing half the season with backup quarterbacks, which bodes well for managers who drafted him as Minnesota breaks in first-time starting quarterback
J.J. McCarthy in 2025.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: RotoBaller
September 6, 2025
Chicago Bears wide receiver
D.J. Moore opens his eighth NFL season on Monday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings. Moore is coming off a down 2024 campaign, averaging 11.1 half-PPR fantasy points per game, ranking 32nd on the year. His efficiency dipped notably, with his yards per target falling from 10.0 to 6.9 and touchdowns dropping from eight to six, as rookie quarterback
Caleb Williams went through growing pains. The outlook for 2025 is more promising. With
Keenan Allen no longer in Chicago, over 120 vacated targets create an opportunity for Moore to re-establish himself as the clear WR1 in Ben Johnson's new offense. He also draws a dream Week 1 matchup against a Vikings secondary that surrendered the most fantasy points to wide receivers last season. The favorable matchup boosts Moore's floor, but his ceiling still depends on Williams taking a second-year leap. Moore enters Week 1 as a low-end WR2 with upside.
--Nathan HarveySource: Pro Football Reference
September 6, 2025
Minnesota Vikings kicker
Will Reichard should be viewed as a low-end starting option during his team's Week 1 matchup against the Chicago Bears. The second-year kicker had an excellent start to his first season -- he made every kick in his first seven games -- but saw his year go sideways with a quadriceps injury that required an IR stint and affected his performance during the season half. Now healthy, he's still attached to a talented Vikings offense that rebuilt its offensive line, added running back
Jordan Mason, and traded for receiver
Adam Thielen. Chicago can be a treacherous place to kick, but Minnesota will make the journey early in the season with pleasant weather in the forecast.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: RotoBaller
September 6, 2025
Chicago Bears wide receiver
Rome Odunze begins his sophomore season on Monday Night Football against the Minnesota Vikings. The 2024 ninth-overall pick had a quiet rookie year, averaging 6.9 half-PPR fantasy points per game and finishing as the WR49, while playing behind two veteran receivers. Now in 2025, Odunze has a prime opportunity to step forward in new head coach Ben Johnson's offense. With
Keenan Allen gone, the Bears vacate over eight targets per game, opening the door for Odunze and others to take on a much larger role. The matchup is ideal, as Minnesota's defense allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers in 2024. Still, Odunze's production will hinge on how quickly
Caleb Williams can take a step forward in year two. Given the favorable matchup, Odunze is a high-risk, high-reward WR3 in Week 1.
--Nathan HarveySource: Rome Odunze
September 6, 2025
Rookie wide receiver
Tai Felton of the Minnesota Vikings appears to have only a minor role as his team takes on the Chicago Bears on Monday, keeping him off the fantasy radar. The rookie from Maryland looked to have a pathway to playing time with
Jordan Addison suspended,
Rondale Moore (knee) out for the season, and
Jalen Nailor (hand) in jeopardy of missing the opening week, but Minnesota opted for veteran help instead by reacquiring
Adam Thielen in a trade with Carolina. With Nailor carrying no injury designation, Felton is realistically the team's sixth option behind its top three receivers, tight end
T.J. Hockenson, and pass-friendly running back Aaron Jones. Felton is a worthwhile taxi-squad stash in dynasty formats, but he can be left on the waiver wire in redraft leagues.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: RotoBaller
September 6, 2025
The Minnesota Vikings defense/special teams is facing an above-average season-opening matchup against the new-look offense of the Chicago Bears in Week 1. As Detroit's offensive coordinator, new Bears coach Ben Johnson helped the Lions beat the Vikings five times in a row, scoring 30-plus points each time, but this matchup is a different beast in his first game in Chicago. Bears quarterback
Caleb Williams was sacked an NFL-high 68 times and faced pressure on nearly 24% of all dropbacks as a rookie, while Minnesota blitzed more than any team in the league and tied for second in quarterback pressures. A road game against a new offensive scheme brings some risk, but there is good reason to think a Minnesota defensive line that added Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen can cause some havoc.
--Nick PiotrowiczSource: RotoBaller
September 6, 2025
Minnesota Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw (knee) is listed as questionable for Monday Night's matchup against the Chicago Bears. Darrisaw tore his ACL and MCL in Week 8 of the 2024 season and has spent the offseason recovering from the major injury. He practiced at full capacity on Friday and continued drills on Saturday, though head coach Kevin O'Connell cautioned, "It's going to depend on how (Darrisaw) feels on Sunday." If Darrisaw plays, he's set to face off against Bears edge rusher Montez Sweat, who tallied 5.5 sacks last season. With the Vikings relying on
J.J. McCarthy at quarterback, having their starting left tackle healthy is crucial for both pass protection and offensive consistency. Fantasy managers and game planners should monitor Darrisaw's status closely, as his availability will have a direct impact on McCarthy's performance and the Vikings' rushing attack.
--Nathan HarveySource: Alec Lewis - The Athletic
September 6, 2025
Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (illness) is doubtful for Monday Night's matchup against the Chicago Bears. The six-time Pro Bowler has missed most of Vikings training camp but participated in his first limited practice on Friday. Head coach Kevin O'Connell noted, "It's more of a physical ramp up as we move forward." With Smith unlikely to play, veteran Josh Metellus will step in at strong safety. This is a positive development for the Bears' offense, as Smith has long been a cornerstone of Minnesota's defense and a key player in defensive coordinator Brian Flores' scheme. Smith's next expected opportunity to play is Week 2 on Sunday Night Football against the Atlanta Falcons, assuming a continued health ramp-up.
--Nathan HarveySource: Alec Lewis - The Athletic
September 6, 2025
Los Angeles Rams kicker
Joshua Karty is a fringe top-12 fantasy option heading into Sunday's season opener against the Houston Texans. With a strong offense in place, Los Angeles should be able to move the football quite well, even against an above-average Texans defense. This should lead to several field goal and extra point opportunities for Karty, who went 29-for-34 on field goals and 32-for-36 on extra points as a rookie last year. SoFi Stadium's ability to protect kicks from elements such as wind also benefits Karty, especially if he attempts any long-distance kicks on Sunday. RotoBaller's experts have the Stanford product ranked as the overall K11 this week, making him startable in leagues with at least 12 teams.
--Andersen PickardSource: RotoBaller
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