Introducing TST Fantasy Football/Week One Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

The wait is finally over! NFL regular season ball officially kicks-off its 2025-26 season on Thursday with the reigning champs the Philadelphia Eagles defending their title against their NFC East rivals the Dallas Cowboys.    

Much like the annual turn from off-season to Week One, all teams will now be placed under the spotlight, set to be observed and analyzed for the additions they’ve made. Whether if the changes reveal to be a boom or a bust, today will launch the first exciting step geared toward the solutions and the season long goals they're ultimately pursuing. 

And with that, the Sporting Tribune would like to introduce a new installment, where I will release a weekly column going over all things fantasy football. Aiming to propel readers to glory, I will feature segments that will go over weekly rankings, projections, and a "Start 'Em, Sit 'Em" element that's based on weekly matchups, recent performance trends, player health and game-time weather conditions.

This week's column will cover Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em for Week One. While looking to help fantasy managers make difficult decisions to their lineup, we won’t be mentioning the players that are obvious no brainers (ex. Ja’Marr Chase, Josh Allen, Saquon Barkley, CeeDee Lamb, etc.). So instead, we will explore more debatable scenarios. 

Quick note: I know not every player made the cut in this week’s column; I had to draw the line somewhere. Keep an eye out for expanded coverage in future weeks where I hope to create a full rankings list for every player at their position. 

WEEK ONE START ‘EM, SIT ’EM

Quarterbacks:

Start ‘Em

Drake Maye (New England Patriots; Projected: 17.7 points) vs. Las Vegas Raiders: Second-year quarterback Maye is one of the most intriguing players in fantasy this season. Beginning his second year with new head coach Mike Vrabel, Maye is a wickedly talented and athletic quarterback with a much improved roster around him. The comparisons to other NFL QBs like Josh Allen and Justin Herbert are legitimate. He presents elite arm talent and is mobile when called upon, especially now with the additions to skill-players Stefon Diggs and rookie standout TreVeyon Henderson. It is safe to expect to see an increase in running plays for Maye. Entering Week One, he faces a Raiders team that allowed the third-most fantasy points-per-game to QBs last season. Even though the Raiders did make moves this off-season, Maye is a viable streaming option and is only rostered in just under 73% of leagues according to ESPN Fantasy.   

Baker Mayfield (Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Projected: 20.4 points) vs. Atlanta Falcons: From around the league, nobody has gained more trust than Mayfield. Week One of fantasy football as a whole is filled with unknowns along with anxiety ridden decision making, however one thing that is safe and certain is Mayfield's reliability. Mayfield finished 2024 with career highs in passing yards (4,500), QB rating (106.8), touchdowns (41) and completion percentage (71.4%). It is fair to question if he can live up to the hype again, but he has shown a high ceiling as he has finished as a top-10 fantasy QB in two consecutive years and was a top-10 QB 12 different times last season. Against the Falcons, he threw three touchdown passes in both games. Falcons have allowed the second-most TD passes last season while also giving up the seventh-most fantasy PPG to QBs. Another thing to note is that the last couple of matchups between the two teams have finished with high scoring affairs (31-26, 36-30, 29-25). 

Bo Nix (Denver Broncos; Projected: 19.2 points) vs. Tennessee Titans: Earning the trust of head coach Sean Payton, Nix was an absolute game changer in fantasy last season. Not throwing a single touchdown until Week 4, Nix still finished as the QB8 in fantasy PPG and threw the second-most TD passes ever by a rookie quarterback (29), only chasing Herbert’s 31 in 2020. With his accurate and lethal arm, Nix also presents a sneaky, opportunistic element with his legs, running for 430 yards and four touchdowns. In this week's matchup, the Titans allowed the sixth-most rushing yards to quarterbacks (435 yards) and tied for the third most touchdowns allowed to quarterbacks (6). Even though the Titans are a better pass coverage unit, this should not stop you from putting him in your lineup.   

Sit ‘Em

C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans; Projected: 16.0 points) vs. Los Angeles Rams: When he is locked in, Stroud is one of the most entertaining and impressive QBs in the entire league. However, his high-end talent and excitement often gets muted by the five people that stand in front of him. It is simple to make the case that his O-line has gotten even worse after trading Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Now, Stroud will take on a Rams team that has finished in the top 10 in QB pressure percentage. It is very plausible to see him get harassed by a D-line consisting of Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner, Byron Young and Jared Verse.  

Justin Herbert (Los Angeles; Projected: 16.3 points) vs. Kansas City Chiefs: Herbert is a very solid QB with a lot to prove this upcoming season. Nonetheless, this week there are better options available. This game is full of uncertainty being that the game will take place on a Friday in São Paulo, Brazil. Starting the season facing a familiar division foe is one thing, but they have struggled in the last three meetings against the Chiefs, averaging 217 passing yards with three touchdowns and throwing a pair of interceptions. The Chargers haven’t scored 17 or more points against the Chiefs in the almost three years. Herbert will have plenty of favorable matchups this season, just not this week. 

Jordan Love (Green Bay Packers; Projected: 16.8 points) vs. Detroit Lions: This one was tough to add to the list with all the hype surrounding the Micah Parsons trade and the first round selection of wide-out Matthew Golden. Drafted mainly as a QB2, Love has a 2-4 record, with a 86.2 passer rating, 1,127 passing yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions against the Lions. After getting ravaged by injury last season, the Lions will start the season off in better shape health wise. In the last two home games against Detroit, Love has thrown for one touchdown and three interceptions.  

Running Backs:

Start ‘Em

Aaron Jones (Minnesota Vikings; Projected: 12.8 points) vs. Chicago Bears: There are things to worry about with Jones, entering his ninth year in the league. Being viewed as a RB2, he will now be splitting carries with Jordan Mason, who was traded by the 49ers this off-season. It remains to be seen how the game script will turnout in the backfield. However, I would feel confident starting Jones this week against the Bears as he has owned them in recent history. In his last dozen meetings going back to 2019, Jones averaged 18.3 points-per-game in PPR leagues. Last season, he ran for at least 86 yards rushing and scored twice in both games against Chicago. He also presents a decent receiving role with 51 catches last season on 62 targets and recorded over 400 yards receiving.      

TreVeyon Henderson (New England Patriots; Projected: 13.0 points) vs. Las Vegas Raiders: Second round rookie Henderson has experienced a fair amount of hype this summer. He is somebody I have been targeting in most drafts. With only Rhamondre Stevenson battling for carries, there is little to no competition ahead of him. He will get his fair share of the workload very early on. If you drafted Henderson, one of the reasons why you picked him is because you expect big things from him. It wouldn’t make sense to sit him. He is a home run hitter. Truly, when his first play in his NFL career was a 100 yard kick return, it’s hard not to imagine how dynamic he will be. The Raiders were average in fantasy PPG against running backs but his talent is too great to be ignored, which should favor his chances to succeed this week.  

Chuba Hubbard (Carolina Panthers; Projected: 13.8 points) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: This matchup is certainly a lock in my eyes. Hubbard became a no-doubt starter by the end of last season, finishing as the 13th best running back in fantasy. From Weeks 3 to 16, Hubbard averaged 14.6 fantasy PPG, which was ranked as the seventh highest. Jacksonville gave up the sixth most fantasy points to running backs (23.44) and finished with the second highest in receiving yards allowed (709). Even with the few moves made during the summer, the Jaguars will have a difficult time trying to shut down the fifth-year back from Oklahoma State with third-year quarterback Bryce Young under center, behind an much improved O-line.   

Sit ‘Em

Jacory Croskey-Merritt (Washington Commanders; Projected: 7.1 points) vs. New York Giants: Bad news erupted for fantasy football managers after the Commanders released their Week One depth chart which had the rookie running back listed as the fourth string behind Austin Ekeler, Chris Rodriguez Jr. and Jeremy McNichols. Things can obviously change very quickly as the team has no solidified tailback. During training camp, Croskey-Merritt was second on the team in running back drills behind Ekeler. With Washington trading Brian Robinson Jr. to the Niners, the hype around him seemed very real and still can be. It is smart to view Croskey-Merritt as a flex option at best, but I would comfortably sit him and observe his role this week against the Giants. 

Nick Chubb (Houston Texans; Projected: 8.9 points) vs. Los Angeles Rams: With Chubb expected to start for the injured Joe Mixon (foot), this backfield could see a committee approach with Dameon Pierce, Woody Marks and Dare Ogunbowale. And facing against the Ram’s front could result in an underwhelming performance. The highest rushing yards Chubb had last season was 59 yards, and the last 100 yard outing happened back during the 2023 season opener. It is likely that Chubb will emerge as the fantasy relevant back, but this week on the road, I would hope you would have other people that you can start over him.      

Javonte Williams (Dallas Cowboys; Projected: 10.3 points) vs. Philadelphia Eagles: The Dallas Cowboys' running back room is honestly one of the most unknown in the entire league. Williams looks to be the guy leading the race but not by much with Jaydon Blue and Miles Sanders behind him. It will be interesting to see how each will do in the season opener but facing the Eagles, who allowed the second fewest fantasy points to RBs last season, is not the ideal matchup you want. I would avoid Williams, and any Dallas RB, entirely this week.  

Wide Receivers:

Start ‘Em

Xavier Worthy (Kansas City Chiefs; Projected: 15.0 points) vs. Los Angeles Chargers: Worthy will, once again, likely conduct as the Chiefs’ WR1 and as Patrick Mahomes’ top target with Rashee Ricee suspended for the first six weeks. Known for his down the field speed, Worthy was utilized more during the end of last season. He scored 19 or more fantasy points in three of his last four games and put up a tremendous performance in the Super Bowl, going for eight catches, 157 yards with two TDs. In his two meetings against the Chargers, Worthy had 16.3 and 9.6 fantasy points. With the Chargers giving up the fifth-most TDs allowed to receivers last season and the Chiefs trending toward airing the ball out more this season, Worthy has a very favorable matchup on Friday. 

Emeka Egbuka (Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Projected: 13.2 points) vs. Atlanta Falcons: Egbuka has quickly shot up as one of the most highly regarded receivers from this year’s rookie class. With Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan out, Egbuka should be the No. 2 target behind Mike Evans and over Cade Otton. From his role in college, he will typically spend his snaps in the slot, which gives him an excellent matchup against the Falcons, who have tied for the fifth-most TDs allowed to slot receivers. Atlanta has also given up the most fantasy PPG and touchdowns to receivers in 2024. With Mayfield, the Buccaneers have averaged 28 points in the last two games against the Falcons. 

Khalil Shakir (Buffalo Bills; Projected: 11.5 points) vs. Baltimore Ravens: Shakir has shown how safe of a fantasy producer he can be as Josh Allen’s go-to guy. Last season, he led the Bills in targets, receptions and receiving yards. He was 12th in the league in fantasy points per target and sixth in yards in the slot. The Ravens have allowed the ninth-most yards to slot receivers and the fifth most to the position. Shakir also finished with at least 10 points in both games against Baltimore.  

Sit ‘Em

Chris Olave (New Orleans Saints; Projected: 12.7 points) vs. Arizona Cardinals: This isn’t really Olave’s fault. Having Spencer Rattler as your starting quarterback would hurt the greatest receivers in the game. It is very possible that he puts up a solid outing, but Rattler has to prove to me that he can do anything remotely positive before I feel comfortable again with Olave. Rattler had a higher interception rate than touchdown rate and was the recipient of multiple drive-ending sacks. The Saints only put up 20 points one time in Rattler’s seven games. To be quite frank, Olave’s fantasy outlook will be largely generated by hope and that’s not what you are looking for. Only consider starting him if you are in a deeper league. 

Michael Pittman Jr. (Indianapolis Colts; Projected: 12.0 points) vs. Miami Dolphins: The Colts situation at quarterback isn’t much better than the Saints with the only difference being in veteran presence but tied together with poor play. Daniel Jones is the starter which might benefit some receivers, but I don’t think Pittman Jr. is one of them. Jones likes to dump off passes underneath and target the middle of the field, so players like Jonathan Taylor and rookie Tyler Warren could experience a fair share of targets. Pittman Jr. primarily is set up as the X, spending 68% of his snaps out wide last season. Jones also tends to hit slot receivers, which makes Josh Downs a better option, but nothing trustworthy. I’d look for other options until we see Pittman Jr. become a more productive fantasy choice with Jones at QB. 

Calvin Ridley (Tennessee Titans; Projected: 12.3 points) vs. Denver Broncos: While expecting to get plenty of targets, Ridley will likely struggle this Sunday on the road at Mile High. Now retrieving passes from rookie quarterback Cam Ward, he will likely be shadowed by NFL Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain II. This is not a great week to use Ridley. He will have better days ahead without a doubt. 

Tight Ends:

Start Em’

David Njoku (Cleveland Browns; Projected: 12.8 points) vs. Cincinnati Bengals: This should be a fantastic bout for Njoku, facing the Cincinnati Bengals, who allowed the second most fantasy points, fourth most yards allowed, and tied second for most touchdowns allowed to tight ends. He is very familiar with their secondary. Njoku went off against them in their two meetings last season, reaching 18 receptions, 142 yards receiving and one touchdown. With Joe Flacco as his starting quarterback at the moment, Njoku has thrived with him, averaging 18.6 fantasy PPG.  

Evan Engram (Denver Broncos; Projected: 10.1 points) vs. Tennessee Titans: It is true that the Titans are a stingy team to face for tight ends. However, this is an example to not overthink the matchup. Engram is a beast and has been for years. He is Sean Payton’s “Joker”, which entails the role of being fed the ball as the No. 2 target behind Courtland Sutton. His catch-and-run abilities are unmatched, which has helped him become a top-12 tight end in fantasy PPG for three straight seasons.   

Tyler Warren (Indianapolis Colts; Projected: 9.9 points) vs. Miami Dolphins: Like how I mentioned with Pittman Jr., Warren should be a name that will have a promising role in the Colts inferior offense. Being a big bodied target, Jones should be focusing on Warren, if he wants to make his side of the ball efficient. Warren is fantastic after the catch, which will aid the Colts and spark fear to Miami’s defense, who have lost a number of key pieces. Warren is a must-start regardless of this being his debut.     

Sit ‘Em

Jake Ferguson (Dallas Cowboys; Projected: 9.9 points) vs. Philadelphia Eagles: There isn't much to say with Ferguson in his week one matchup. He gets a tough clash on the road, facing a defense that has allowed the fewest fantasy PPG and yards to tight ends last season. Ferguson was held to quiet, humbling performances last season, going for 24 yards in the first game and 18 yards in the second and coughed up the football each meeting. Definitely consider starting somebody else this week. 

Dalton Kincaid (Buffalo Bills; Projected: 9.2 points) vs. Baltimore Ravens: With the Ravens bringing back most of their starters from last season and acquiring Malaki Starks in the draft, Kincaid is expected to have a difficult game on Sunday night. Baltimore allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy PPG to tight ends last season. In the playoff game against the Ravens, Kincaid was held to one catch for 11 yards. And like how it's been for the last few seasons, he will also be splitting snaps with veteran tight end Dawson Knox. 

Colston Loveland (Chicago Bears; Projected: 8.2 points) vs. Minnesota Vikings: With a lot of mouths to feed in an offense featuring DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III and D’Andre Swift, Loveland might have to wait until he becomes a reliable and consistent option in fantasy. He will also most likely be splitting snaps with veteran Cole Kmet. The first round talent will eventually earn a set role with this offense considering where they drafted him, but it remains to be seen.    

Defense:

Start Em’

Arizona Cardinals (vs. New Orleans Saints; Projected: 8.3 points): If you see the Cardinals still available, you better stop what you are doing and snag them up while you can. This is all about the matchup, plain and simple. Rattler is the starter and has a higher interception rate (2.2%) than touchdown rate (1.8%). The Saints scored fewer than 20 points in all but one of his six starts, and four of them, they were held to 10 points or fewer. He was sacked at a 8.8% rate (22 sacks). With nothing being considered a lock in fantasy, this is the closest it's going to get. I would strongly encourage you to pick up the Cardinals this week. 

Los Angeles Rams (Houston Texans: Projected: 7.3 points): Now this game can be a coin flip. The Texans’ have top tier weapons like Stroud and Nico Collins. However, the Rams should have no problems wreaking havoc on the Texans’ lackluster O-line, which had the second highest sack rate only behind Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears. The O-line managed to somehow get worse with the loss of Tunsil. Sacks and turnovers will play a big part in this game.    

Pittsburgh Steelers (New York Jets; Projected: 8.7 points): It is debatable to pick either defense this week in a game filled with many storylines between both quarterbacks. I believe the Steelers defense, based on injury reports, are lined up for a better day than the Jets. Yes, the Jets will take on an older and less mobile Aaron Rodgers, but the Steelers will take on a sack and turnover prone Justin Fields. It really depends if Fields has improved his mechanics this summer and from his time in Pittsburgh. With the Jets not having guard Alijah Vera-Tucker in the fold, it is easy to imagine the Steelers intimidating and furious D-line to create a long and frustrating afternoon for Fields.    

Sit ‘Em

Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Kansas City Chiefs; Projected: 6.0 points): If I could avoid facing Mahomes, no matter the recent success, I would. To their credit, the Chargers’ defense has done a decent job at getting pressure onto him, sacking him three times in both games last season. The sacks still don’t surmount the 10-2 record Mahomes has over them, dating back to 2018. With the Chiefs looking to rewind back to their days with an explosive offense, I would look elsewhere for options.

Buffalo Bills (vs. Baltimore Ravens; Projected: 5.8 points): This is a tough matchup for the Buffalo Bills. They have a strong unit but are severely underpowered to stop Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and the rest of the Ravens’ offense. The Ravens averaged 30 points per game in the two games they played against the Bills. I would not touch this team.   

New York Giants (Washington Commanders; Projected: 5.8 points): The New York Giants can be one of those teams that could shock a lot of people this season. Maybe not on offense, unless Jaxson Dart takes the starting job and has a Jayden Daniels like season, but lets not get ahead of ourselves. One of the strongest positions on the Giants is their D-line. However, they kick-off their 2025 campaign against Daniels and their high-octane offense that acquired more weapons this off-season. You should wait and see how they perform against the Commanders before putting them into your lineup. 

Kickers:

Start ‘Em

Chris Boswell (Pittsburgh Steelers): Projected: 7.2 points.

Will Lutz (Denver Broncos): Projected: 9.7 points. 

Chase McLaughlin (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): Projected: 8.7 points. 

Brandon Aubrey (Dallas Cowboys): Projected: 8.7 points. 

Sit ‘Em

Daniel Carlson (Las Vegas Raiders): Projected: 7.1 points. 

Chad Ryland (Arizona Cardinals): Projected: 7.5 points. 

Andres Borregales (New England Patriots): Projected: 6.8 points. 

Nick Folk (New York Jets): Projected: 5.7 points.