Welcome back everyone! Week 1 of the NFL season is finally here, which means it’s time to set those fantasy lineups in 2025 fantasy football.
I’ll be breaking down my quarterback, tight end, wide receiver, and running back rankings for Week 1, along with a must start player at each position that I think can give your team a big edge. Let’s jump right into it.
Week 1 Quarterback Rankings
Tier 1
1. Jalen Hurts vs DAL
2. Jayden Daniels vs NYG
3. Lamar Jackson @ BUF
Tier 2
4. Josh Allen vs BAL
5. Baker Mayfield @ ATL
6. Joe Burrow @ CLE
7. Bo Nix vs TEN
8. Patrick Mahomes @ LAC
Tier 3
9. Kyler Murray @ NO
10. Drake Maye vs LV
11. Brock Purdy @ SEA
12. Trevor Lawrence vs CAR
Tier 4
13. Dak Prescott @PHI
14. C.J. Stroud @LAR
15. Justin Herbert vs KC
16. J.J. McCarthy @CHI
17. Justin Fields vs PIT
Tier 5
18. Jarod Goff @GB
19. Bryce Young @JAX
20. Daniel Jones vs MIA
21. Russel Wilson @WSH
22. Tua Tagovailoa @IND
23. Caleb Williams vs MIN
24. Jordan Love vs DET
Must Start: Quarterback
Drake Maye vs LV
ESPN Projection – QB 12
My must start quarterback for Week 1 is sophmore Drake Maye against the Raiders. He comes in at QB12 in my rankings, but he has the upside to finish even higher. The Raiders’ secondary was one of the weakest unitslast seasons, and Maye brings both passing and rushing ability to the table. With weapons around him and a favorable matchup, he’s a strong streaming option and could easily crack the top 10 in his 2025 debut.
Week 1 Tight End Rankings
Tier 1
1. Trey McBride @ NO
2. Brock Bowers @ NE
3. George Kittle @ SEA
Tier 2
4. Sam LaPorta @ GB
5. T.J. Hockenson @ CHI
6. David Njoku vs CIN
7. Travis Kelce @ LAC
8. Evan Engram vs TEN
Tier 3
9. Mark Andrews @ BUF
10. Tyler Warren vs MIA
11. Dallas Goedert vs DAL
12. Tucker Kraft vs DET
13. Hunter Henry vs LV
Tier 4
14. Cade Otten @ ATL
15. Colston Loveland vs MIN
16. Jake Ferguson @ PHI
17. Dalton Kincaid vs BAL
18. Kyle Pitts Sr. vs TB
19. Brenton Strange vs CAR
20. Zach Ertz vs NYG
Tier 5
21. Chig Okonkwo @ DEN
22. Darren Waller @ IND
23. Theo Johnson @ WSH
24. Jonnu Smith @ NYJ
Must Start: Tight End
Evan Engram vs TEN
ESPN Projection - TE10
At tight end, I’m rolling with Evan Engram as my must start. He’s TE10 in projections, but the matchup against the Titans sets him up nicely. Tennessee has consistently struggled to defend athletic tight ends, and Engram remains a key piece of Denver’s offense. He should see plenty of targets and volume, making him a safe play with top 5 upside this week.
Week 1 Wide Receiver Rankings
Tier 1
1. Ja’Marr Chase @ CLE
2. Ceedee lamb @ PHI
3. Nico Collins @ LAR
4. Malik Nabers @ WSH
Tier 2
5. Justin Jefferson @ CHI
6. Amon-Ra St. Brown @ GB
7. Drake London vs TB
Tier 3
8. A.J. Brown vs DAL
9. Puka Nucua vs HOU
10. Brian Thomas Jr. vs CAR
11. Mike Evans @ ATL
12. Tee Higgins @ CLE
13. Ladd McConkey vs KC
14. Jaxon Smith-Njigba vs SF
Tier 4
15. Tyreek Hill @ IND
16. Marvin Harrison Jr. @ NO
17. Tetairoa McMillan @ JAX
18. Xavier Worthy @ LAC
19. Emeka Egbuka @ ATL
20. Terry McLaurin vs NYG
21. Jerry Jeudy vs CIN
22. DJ Moore vs MIN
23. Davante Adams vs HOU
Tier 5
24. DeVonta Smith vs DAL
25. Zay Flowers @ BUF
26. Courtland Sutton vs TEN
27. Jaylen Waddle @ IND
28. George Pickens @ PHI
29. DK Metcalf @ NYJ
30. Garrett Wilson vs PIT
Tier 6
31. Jameson Williams @ GB
32. Ricky Pearsall @ SEA
33. Michael Pittman Jr. vs MIA
34. Travis Hunter vs CAR
35. Calvin Ridley @ DEN
36. Matthew Golden vs DET
Must Start: Wide Receiver
Tetairoa McMillan @JAX
ESPN Projection – WR28
My must start wide receiver for Week 1 is rookie Tetairoa McMillan against the Jaguars. He’s ranked WR28, which means he’s more of a flex option in most leagues, but I think he’s got legitimate WR2 upside this week. McMillan brings size, speed, and redzone ability, and Jacksonville’s defense has been vulnerable against perimeter receivers. If you’re looking for a breakout start in Week 1, he’s your guy.
Week 1 Running Back Rankings
Tier 1
1. Saquon Barkley vs DAL
2. Bijan Robinson vs TB
3. Jahmyr Gibbs @ GB
Tier 2
4. Bucky Irving @ ATL
5. Chase Brown @ CLE
6. Jonathon Taylor vs MIA
Tier 3
7. Derrick Henry @ BUF
8. De’Von Achane @ IND
9. Christian McCaffery @ SEA
10. Chuba Hubbard @ JAX
11. Ashton Jeanty @ NE
12. Josh Jacobs vs DET
Tier 4
13. James Conner @ NO
14. Kenneth Walker III vs SF
15. TreVeyon Henderson vs LV
16. Alvin Kamara vs ARI
17. Kyren Williams vs HOU
18. James Cook vs BAL
Tier 5
19. Omarion Hampton vs KC
20. Isiah Pacheco @ LAC
21. Tyrone Tracy Jr. @ WSH
22. David Montgomery @ GB
23. D’Andre Swift vs MIN
24. Aaron Jones Sr. @ CHI
25. Jerome Ford vs CLE
Tier 6
26. RJ Harvey vs TEN
27. J.K. Dobbins vs TEN
28. Tony Pollard @ DEN
29. Travis Etienne Jr. vs CAR
30. Breece Hall vs PIT
31. Jaylen Warren @NYJ
Tier 7
32. Nick Chubb @ LAR
33. Rhamondre Stevenson vs LV
34. Javonte Williams @ PHI
35. Kaleb Johnson @ NYJ
36. Tank Bigsby vs CAR
Must Start: Running Back
TreVeyon Henderson vs LV
ESPN Projection – RB19
And finally, at running back, I’m going with TreVeyon Henderson against the Raiders. Ranked RB19, Henderson steps into a big role right away, and the matchup is extremely favorable. Las Vegas struggled to stop the run last year, and Henderson’s mix of explosiveness and pass catching ability makes him a player who could smash his projection. I expect him to outperform his ranking and push into the top 15 this week.
Conclusion
So those are my must start players for Week 1 in 2025 fantasy football: Drake Maye, Evan Engram, Tetairoa McMillan, and TreVeyon Henderson. Each of them is ranked outside the very top tier but has the matchup and opportunity to beat expectations. Make sure you set those lineups, stay flexible, and remember Week 1 always brings surprises.