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Who Should I Start for Week 1? Fantasy Football outlooks for Justin Herbert, Omarion Hampton, Najee Harris, Ladd McConkey, Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco, Jalen Royals, Marquise Brown, Patrick Mahomes, Kareem Hunt.
Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some of the most common Week 1 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Justin Herbert, Omarion Hampton, Najee Harris, Ladd McConkey, Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco, Jalen Royals, Marquise Brown, Patrick Mahomes, Kareem Hunt. 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.
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Fantasy Football Matchup Outlooks
Below are some fantasy football outlooks written by our NFL team here at RotoBaller, bringing you their fantasy football analysis and advice on which players to consider starting in Week 1:
Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton is poised to make his mark in Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs in São Paulo, Brazil. The first-round pick out of North Carolina has looked explosive in limited preseason action.
While veteran Najee Harris (eye) is off the injury report and will play, his usage is uncertain after missing most of training camp. This provides an excellent opportunity for Hampton to take on a significant workload and establish himself as the lead back in an offense that leans on the run under offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
The Chiefs, however, boast a stout run defense that allowed only one carry over 40 yards last year. Hampton's explosiveness will be crucial for breaking through this strong front. Despite the tough matchup, the team's reliance on the run and Harris's uncertain status put Hampton in a good position. RotoBaller projects him as the RB18 this week, making him a solid RB2/FLEX option with high upside.
Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce will face the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday in Week 1. Kelce had a down year in 2024, finishing as the TE5 in total points and TE7 in points-per-game in PPR. The 35-year-old was still able to produce TE1 numbers, but he did not provide the positional advantage that he had in years past.
The Chiefs tight end now enters 2025 in better shape, perhaps in preparation for his upcoming wedding, and looks to bounce back from a statistical standpoint. Kelce was drafted as the TE5 in most leagues this draft season, but he could beat that position if the Kansas City offense returns to its high-octane play style.
The Chiefs will also be without star wideout Rashee Rice, which should set Kelce up for even more production to begin the season. The Chargers were decent against opposing tight ends last season, but Kelce is not your average tight end, and Kansas City knows how to scheme him open. Kelce should be considered a strong TE1 in their first game of the season.
Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco will start the season against the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday. The Chiefs will have the first international game of the year in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Pacheco should be considered the most valuable back to roster from Kansas City, but he does have some competition. In his absence last year, the Chiefs signed Kareem Hunt, and he performed well in his opportunities.
The Chiefs liked his production so much that they decided to bring him back for this season. In their last preseason game, Pacheco and Hunt took drives with the starting offense. Pacheco should see the majority of the work, but it should be noted that Kansas City brought Hunt in for a goal-line carry and targeted him in the endzone during the preseason. If Pacheco can lock down the goal line role while handling the majority of carries, he will easily be a locked-in starter for fantasy.
The usage in Week 1 will be interesting and could determine how we view Pacheco as a fantasy asset this season. The Chargers were a good defensive unit against the run in 2024, but it remains to be seen how they will perform this year. The Chiefs running back is ranked RB25 in our RotoBaller rankings this week, putting him on the borderline of the RB2 range.
Justin Hebert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is set to face a tough Week 1 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs in São Paulo, Brazil. Herbert is entering the season fully healthy and will have his primary weapons back in Ladd McConkey, returning veteran Keenan Allen, and a healthy Quentin Johnston (concussion).
However, the Chiefs are ranked among the top 10 defensive units this year and will look to pressure Herbert frequently. The Chargers' offense, led by offensive coordinator Greg Roman, is expected to lean on the run game this year, but Herbert must make plays with his arm. Herbert's impressive 2024 stats of 3,870 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just three interceptions show his efficiency.
Still, this tough matchup between two solid defenses on the road makes it hard to predict a high ceiling performance. RotoBaller projects Herbert as the QB23 this week. He is a low-end QB2, and fantasy managers outside superflex leagues should consider other options.
Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey is ready to build on his impressive rookie season in Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs. McConkey performed well in the second half of his rookie year, recording 82 receptions for 1,149 yards and seven touchdowns.
With Quentin Johnston (concussion) only recently cleared from concussion protocol and Keenan Allen joining the team mid-camp, McConkey is positioned to see plenty of targets from quarterback Justin Herbert. He also had a favorable matchup with Chiefs cornerback Kristian Fulton.
McConkey's ability to create separation and his role as a reliable chain-mover should lead to a strong performance, even against a tough Chiefs defense. RotoBaller ranks him as the WR11 this week, confirming his status as a low-end WR1. Fantasy managers should feel confident starting McConkey.
Who Should I Start Tool
You can also see the Who Should I Start tool here.
Week 1 Player Decisions. Today's focus in on specific players - Justin Herbert, Omarion Hampton, Najee Harris, Ladd McConkey, Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco, Jalen Royals, Marquise Brown, Patrick Mahomes, Kareem Hunt. 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 name. In the second box, search for the second player 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, 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, stats, projections, strength of schedule, players news, and enhanced search results with data to compare with 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 that 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 circle), 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 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Week 1 for Justin Herbert, Omarion Hampton, Najee Harris, Ladd McConkey, Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco, Jalen Royals, Marquise Brown, Patrick Mahomes, Kareem Hunt:
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