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Who should I start for Week 1? Fantasy football outlooks for DeVonta Smith, George Pickens, Jalen Tolbert. Our expert fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks.
The 2025 NFL season kicks off with a bang on Thursday night as the Philadelphia Eagles square off against the Dallas Cowboys in a prime-time divisional showdown. Beyond the playoff implications that come with every NFC East matchup, fantasy managers will have their eyes locked on the wide receiver talent taking the field. With high-powered passing attacks on both sides, this game has the potential to deliver fireworks and plenty of tough lineup decisions.
Three players in particular stand out heading into Week 1: DeVonta Smith, George Pickens, and Jalen Tolbert. Smith enters the season looking to build off another strong campaign as Philadelphia’s dynamic No. 2 option, while Pickens makes his highly anticipated debut in Dallas after leaving Pittsburgh’s struggling offense behind. Tolbert, meanwhile, comes off a breakout 2024 season but now faces increased competition for targets with Pickens added to the mix. All three receivers will play critical roles for their teams, but their fantasy outlooks for this opener couldn’t be more different.
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AJ Brown>CD Lamb
Devonta Smith>George Pickens https://t.co/Jvps0MjjIg— ★𝐉𝐂 𝐄𝐆𝐎★🪼 (@JalenCarterHOF) August 29, 2025
With the Eagles boasting one of the league’s stingiest secondaries and the Cowboys reshuffling their passing game around Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Pickens, fantasy managers face some tough choices. Can Smith repeat last year’s success against Dallas? Will Pickens hit the ground running in his Cowboys debut? Can Tolbert carve out enough volume to stay fantasy-relevant in a crowded offense? Let’s break down each wideout’s Week 1 outlook.
Should I Start DeVonta Smith for Fantasy Football Week 1?
The Philadelphia Eagles open their 2025 campaign in prime time, facing the rival Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night. Wideout Smith will be a key player to watch after torching Dallas in both meetings last season. Across those contests, Smith totaled eight receptions for 134 yards and two touchdowns, consistently finding ways to exploit mismatches in coverage.
This year’s matchup tilts even more in Smith’s favor with the Cowboys adjusting to life without their top pass-rusher. That absence should give Jalen Hurts more time in the pocket, allowing Philadelphia to push the ball downfield. Expect Trevon Diggs to spend most of his snaps shadowing A.J. Brown, leaving newcomer Kaiir Elam as Smith’s likely assignment. Elam arrives from Buffalo with length and athleticism, but he remains untested against a route runner as polished as Smith.
We are 6 days from Eagles football so it’s only right to honor #6 himself DeVonta Smith.
“The Slim Reaper” has been nothing but reliable since arriving in Philly:
- 4 Years as an Eagle, 4 playoff appearances with 2 Super Bowl Trips
- One of the smoothest route runners in the… pic.twitter.com/Be7kVmiT3c
— Fly Eagles Fly Bets (@Fly_EaglesBets) August 29, 2025
If Dallas rolls extra coverage toward Smith, it could open things up elsewhere, but the Eagles will still scheme their third-year star plenty of opportunities. Fantasy managers should treat Smith as a strong flex option with legitimate WR2 upside in this divisional clash.
Should I Start George Pickens for Fantasy Football Week 1?
Pickens enters 2025 with a fresh opportunity, joining the Dallas Cowboys after three uneven seasons in Pittsburgh. Despite flashes of brilliance, he was often held back by a stagnant Steelers passing attack that ranked just 27th in the league last year. Even so, Pickens managed 59 receptions for 900 yards, showcasing his big-play ability in tough circumstances.
In Dallas, the outlook is much brighter. The Cowboys finished with the league’s 11th-ranked passing offense in 2024 despite Dak Prescott missing nine games. With Prescott back healthy and CeeDee Lamb commanding attention on the other side, Pickens should benefit from softer coverage and more consistent quarterback play.
Week 1 presents a difficult test against an Eagles defense that allowed a league-best 174.2 passing yards per game in 2024. However, Philadelphia’s pass rush was far from dominant, ranking middle of the pack with just 41 sacks and a 17.9% pressure rate. That could give Prescott enough time to find his new weapon.
GEORGE PICKENS TD OH MY
📺: #PITvsWAS on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/rFXdORC9VE— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024
Fantasy managers should view Pickens as a safe flex or low-end WR2 play in Week 1, with long-term upside as a breakout candidate in this high-volume offense.
Should I Start Jalen Tolbert for Fantasy Football Week 1?
Tolbert enters 2025 coming off a breakout season in Dallas, where he posted 49 receptions for 610 yards and a team-leading seven touchdowns. While he carved out a consistent role last year, the Cowboys’ offseason addition of Pickens clouds his path to targets in what suddenly looks like a crowded passing attack.
Tolbert will continue to start alongside Lamb and Pickens, but his weekly fantasy value hinges on volume. With tight end Jake Ferguson heavily involved near the goal line, Tolbert’s red-zone opportunities may be further limited. That leaves him in a precarious spot as the potential odd man out in Prescott’s pecking order.
The matchup doesn’t do him any favors, either. The Eagles pass defense was among the NFL’s toughest in 2024, holding opponents to a league-best 174.2 passing yards per game. Unless Dallas schemes specifically to get Tolbert involved, his ceiling in Week 1 feels capped.
Fantasy managers should keep Tolbert rostered in deeper leagues, but touchdown dependency makes him a risky play against Philadelphia. Safer alternatives like Wan'Dale Robinson, Marquise Brown, or Cedric Tillman offer more upside for opening week lineups.
Who Should I Start Tool
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 1 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like DeVonta Smith, George Pickens, and Jalen Tolbert outlooks. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 1. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start ... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 1 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players -- DeVonta Smith, George Pickens, and Jalen Tolbert. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 1.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed that our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, half-PPR scoring, or standard (non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 1 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 1 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 1 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 1 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for DeVonta Smith, George Pickens, and Jalen Tolbert compared to others:
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