Start 'Em, Sit 'Em For Fantasy Football Week 1: Start Jaylen Warren, Sit ... All of Your Jets?!

Everyone, please put your textbooks and laptops away, the test is about to begin…

As stressful as potentially botching Week 1 decisions can be for fantasy GMs, don’t freak out - it’s not the end of the world (ducks). Feel free to queue up your own favorite corny mantra, but football’s truly a marathon, not a sprint. It’s true,

Back by popular demand, your favorite dynamic duo is re-racking our world-famous start/sit article for the 2025 season. Sure, Week 1 can be very tricky—but my best advice? Use a combination of quality projections and sportsbooks’ posted lines to make informed decisions that don’t require new precedent. Easy game, right?

What follows are my starts and sits for the week, accompanied by Gene's BOLD starts and sits. And speaking of Gene, a few words from Coach before we dive in ...

I'm here to tell you to swing big! Take risks in fantasy. So much of our lives is calculated and meticulously planned that we become afraid of taking risks for fear of failure or setback.

Fantasy is where you are supposed to take chances, throw caution to the wind, and let the chips fall where they may. We know every season there are players who surprise us and become valuable assets for fantasy managers. Go hunt them fervently and don't wait for someone else to discover them. Fortune favors the bold, and we are all after whatever our definition of fortune might be.

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Start These Players In Week 1 Fantasy Football

Darnell Mooney, WR, ATL vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

LAGHEZZA: Starting with the second-highest implied game total this weekend, the Falcons head for Tampa to face their divisional rival. Targeting the Bucs' secondary paid dividends all of 2024, as the Buccaneers finished 31st or worse in completions (24.6) and passing yards allowed per game (243.9). Not great.

Todd Bowles' history of deploying a zone-dense, heavy Cover-3 approach often leads to above-average WR production. In fact, TB finished last season as one of only four teams to allow +13.5 receptions per game to opposing wideouts. In fact, the matchup bodes well for anyone lining up wide next to Michael Penix, who targeted his WRs (70.5%) more than any other starting QB not named Matthew Stafford.

No one’s asking whether or not to roll with Bijan Robinson or Drake London this Sunday, I get it—but Mooney’s a different story. The fourth-year speedster out of Tulane plays every down with matchup-tilting upside yet could spend Week 1 on many benches. Don’t be that GM—Mooney torched TB with a combined (13-191-3) line in two meetings last year.

(whispers) Everything above could also apply to desperate tight end streamers and Kyle Pitts. Shhhh ...

Ja'Tavion Sanders, TE, CAR at Jacksonville Jaguars

LAGHEZZA: Maybe the books know something we don’t (shocker!) because two of the worst defenses in recent memory face off with just a 46.5 total on the board. Neither of these teams sufficiently improved defensive units that couldn’t stop a spark with a tsunami in 2024. We’re talking about shared bottom-5 finishes in points/game, yards/game, EPA/play, success rate, and explosive plays allowed, to name a few.

Unfortunately for the Panthers, no sooner than trading away slot stalwart Adam Thielen did presumed replacement Jalen Coker head for IR. Suddenly short on depth in the pass-catching department, someone’s got to absorb the nearly 200 targets vacated by the departures of Adam Thielen, Jalen Coker, Diontae Johnson and Jonathan Mingo.

Ja'Tavion Sanders just wrapped up a strong preseason as the clear TE1 with Tommy Tremble working his way back from disc surgery this spring. I expect a full complement of routes run in a game with shootout potential between two ascendant offenses.

NOTE: Extend this working theory to Xavier Legette as well if stuck needing to fill any desperation FLEX roster holes.

Bold Starts For Fantasy Football Week 1

Jaylen Warren, RB, PIT at New York Jets

CLEMONS: So many people were ready to throw Warren away because of the presence of Kaleb Johnson—the Steelers' rookie draft pick—but if the Steelers depth chart is any indicator, then Warren may be in line for his most productive season ever in the Steel City.

The current depth chart shows Warren as the RB1 and Philadelphia Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell as the RB2. Johnson is RB3. Warren is still the best pass catcher in the backfield, so he will get targets to keep pressure off new quarterback Aaron Rodgers and he will get the first crack at carrying the rock full-time. What he gets will depend on what he does, but he has always produced when given the opportunity and there is no reason to believe he will not in Week 1's matchup against the Jets. Rodgers will be motivated and so will the Jets defensive players. Warren will not be their main focus.

Tory Horton, WR, SEA vs San Francisco 49ers

CLEMONS: What's not to love about Horton? He has size, speed to burn and quickness in short areas. Normally with rookies, I like to take a wait-and-see approach, but everything seems to be set up for Horton to thrive quickly in this offense. The team cleared the runway so that he could take off. They cut Marques Valdez-Scantling, who was the big-bodied downfield threat that the team was looking to replace DK Metcalf with. If he is gone, they still need that guy who can stretch the field, and that is why things look so bright for Horton.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp are both great receivers, but neither is a downfield burner. Horton will be WR3 in what is likely to be a three-receiver base offense. Even if he does not get the same targets as the top two receivers, his depth of target should be much deeper. So he could potentially get fewer targets but still produce big numbers.

Sit These Players In Week 1 Fantasy Football

Colston Loveland, TE, CHI vs. Minnesota Vikings

LAGHEZZA: Let the records reflect a genuinely unbiased opinion because this one hurts … bad. Coming from a place where punting tight end is the standard, few players appear on more of my fantasy rosters than Colston Loveland. What’s not to love? Size, athletic ability, draft capital—name your appeal, he’s got it in spades.

Now, the downside. Sure, we’re dreaming on the ceiling case of a team-wide Ben Johnson-inspired breakout. But what if the linchpin to success lies with Jared Goff’s processing, manifesting in ~2.8 seconds to throw, compared to Caleb Williams' closer to 3.2?

While I’m remaining bullish on Loveland rest-of-season, the temptation to stream someone like Cade Otton for one week’s calling my name. There’s also the case of first-year TEs struggling, or Caleb Williams’ incredibly low 12.3% TE target rate last season. Seemingly everywhere I look, another red flag arises.

None of that even mentions the Vikings’ top-5 scoring defense or EPA/play in 2024. Call me crazy, but at this point, I’d rather miss out on a big game that will instill confidence going forward than chase so many unknowns with no exit plan.

All New York Jets’ Skill Position Players

LAGHEZZA: It could be a lifetime of torment talking, but the Jets project for fewer Week 1 points (17.4) than the entire league—and it still may be too high. Prepare yourself to avoid the Steelers all season in fantasy. PIT combines all the traits that drive us up walls by playing stout defense, complemented by a slow-as-molasses methodical offense.

Garrett Wilson’s going to get the Steeler secondary’s undivided attention—and if preseason usage is any indication, Breece Hall won’t get the touches to pay off his draft cost. Just count me out altogether until new information presents itself. For some reason, all offseason, multiple Jets got drafted in the top 50—just don’t go blaming me for it.

Bold Sits For Fantasy Football Week 1

George Pickens, WR, DAL at Philadelphia Eagles (TNF)

CLEMONS: Many believe that Pickens is due for a heavy workload this season in Dallas, and even I believe he will become immensely valuable in fantasy, but that does not mean I believe that is going to happen as soon as he steps foot on the field for the Cowboys.

Everything is new for him, but everything also feels new for the Cowboys. How comfortable is Pickens with his new surroundings and in his new role as the WR2 on the team? How will he handle not having passes thrown his way when he believes he is open? Is he ready to put all of his past transgressions aside for the team? That remains to be seen. A leopard does not change its spots.

The Eagles will bring one of the better defenses to the game and will make the Cowboys do what they least want to do: run the football. They will flood the passing lanes, be physical on the line of scrimmage, and frustrate Pickens with their overall presence. They will try to suffocate Pickens and not allow him room to get comfortable.

Breece Hall, RB, NYJ vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

CLEMONS: There's a new regime in New York with a familiar feel to it, as Aaron Glenn returns as the head man. The thing to understand wherever there is a change? The new staff does not owe the players anything that remains. They are only responsible for changing what was undoubtedly a losing climate. Hall is a back that came into the league with a lot of fanfare, but for many reasons, he has not truly lived up to the hype.

The Jets have three backs who have the ability to be the lead back. With Glenn coming from Detroit, where they just demonstrated that two backs can be effective in an offense, he will likely lean into not having a bell cow back but really embracing the committee model. Hall will likely get squeezed for goalline carries and overall touches as the team tries to keep all of the backs fresher. It's a fabulous idea for real football, not so much for fantasy. Take a wait-and-see approach.

John's Parting Start/Sit Thought for Week 1: Let’s Go To The Circus

Our start/sit piece wouldn’t be complete without my favorite research tool, updated weekly throughout the season!

Simply put, winning weekly fantasy matchups is all about attaching yourself to the highest-scoring games. When I’m in a pinch, this image is my favorite picture when I need a thousand words. If all else fails, just head toward the circus music …