Week 1 of the 2025 fantasy football season featured a little bit of everything, from big scores by rookies to surprisingly quiet games from some of the top players in the NFL.
Who were the big winners and losers?
Matt Bowen and Tristan H. Cockcroft offer their analysis.
Jump to a topic:
Ranking winners | Ranking losers
Biggest injuries and what's next
Ranking fantasy winners of Week 1
1. Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A popular preseason sleeper, his ADP in ESPN leagues improving by more than three rounds over the past months, Egbuka was up to his billing in his NFL debut. His 23.6 PPR fantasy points were the most by a wide receiver in his first career game since Hollywood Brown's 30.7 in 2019, and he caught the game-winning touchdown with 59 seconds remaining. Egbuka lined up equally from the slot as outside, though he was much more successful in the latter alignment (14.8 of his points). He has a tougher Week 2 matchup in the Houston Texans but is a potential WR2 for so long as Chris Godwin Jr. is sidelined. -- Cockcroft
2. Justin Fields, QB and Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets: Both Fields and Wilson scored 20-plus points in a tough Week 1 draw versus the Pittsburgh defense. Fields (29.52 points) looked really comfortable in the Jets' passing game, completing 16-of-22 for 218 yards and score, while he also produced on designed carries and scramble attempts, rushing for 48 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson (22.5 points) caught seven of a team-high nine targets for 95 yards, which included a 33-yard touchdown grab. Given Fields' dual-threat usage in the Jets game plan, he'll be in my QB1 ranks for the Week 2 home matchup against the Bills, while Wilson's target share bumps him up into the upper-tier WR2 range. -- Bowen
3. Daniel Jones, QB, Indianapolis Colts: Jones' 29.48 points in the Colts' blowout win over the Dolphins ranked second among all players in the Week 1 early window. Jones was really efficient throwing the ball (22-of-29 for 272 yards and a score), plus he added 26 yards rushing and two touchdowns on QB sneaks. With a tough Week 2 matchup at home versus the Broncos defense, Jones will remain in the QB2 ranks. However, if you play in a 2QB superflex format, Jones fits here as a starter given the Colts passing structure, and he is currently available in 95.1% of ESPN leagues. -- Bowen
Tristan H. Cockcroft weighs in on Joe Burrow's tough fantasy performance vs. the Browns.
4. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers: If he's to author a comeback campaign at the age of 41, he's off to a great start. In his return to the Meadowlands against his 2023-24 team, the New York Jets, Rodgers scored 25.66 fantasy points, completing passes to seven different receivers and totaling four touchdowns. He was particularly successful on intermediate throws to Calvin Austin III, who totaled 15.9 of his 17.0 PPR fantasy points when matched up with Jets CB Brandon Stephens. Rodgers' Week 1 success, coupled with his Steelers' running game struggles, make him a viable No. 2 option for two-quarterback and superflex leagues. -- Cockcroft
5. Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers: He was the star of the Chargers' upset of the Kansas City Chiefs in Friday's game at São Paulo, Brazil, scoring 27.92 fantasy points. He attempted 34 passes, a threshold he reached on only six occasions in Jim Harbaugh's first year as head coach, a promising sign especially after Herbert's passing workload ramped up late last season. Herbert's accuracy can prop him up as a prospective top-10 positional option if that trend sticks. Treat him as one for his Week 2 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders. -- Cockcroft
6. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers: Seeing McCaffrey on the injury report (calf) this past week created some real concern for managers. However, in the Week 1 win over Seattle, McCaffrey totaled 31 touches and finished with 23.2 points. McCaffrey didn't have great numbers on the ground, averaging 3.1 YPC on 22 attempts, but he led the team with 10 targets, catching nine for 73 yards. When McCaffrey is healthy and gets the volume, he is still the league's premier dual-threat back. -- Bowen
7. Deebo Samuel, WR, Washington Commanders: Samuel dropped 22.6 points on the Giants defense in the Week 1 win, and we saw the scheme fit under Commanders' coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. Samuel caught seven of a team-high 10 targets for 77 yards. In-breaking concepts here. Catch and run. Plus, Samuel scored on a 19-yard rushing attempt, which caters to his ball carrier vison on manufactured touches. With Samuel's alignment versatility, Kingsbury can continue to set up the wide receiver on concepts that lead to fantasy production. Keep Samuel in the lineup as a Flex play for the Week 2 game at Green Bay. -- Bowen
8. Michael Penix Jr., QB, Atlanta Falcons: In the Week 1 loss to the Bucs, Penix had 24.02 points, showing his ability to distribute the ball as a passer, while using his movement skills in critical game situations. Penix finished with 298 yards passing in this one, plus he added 21 yards rushing and a score on a low red zone scramble attempt. Penix will stay in the QB2 ranks for the Week 2 game against Brian Flores' pressure-heavy defense in Minnesota, but he can be played in 2QB Superflex formats given his ability to elevate an Atlanta offense featuring multiple playmakers. -- Bowen
Ranking fantasy losers of Week 1
1. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals, and his wide receivers: His Bengals might've gotten off their Week 1 schneid, snapping a three-year losing streak in the opening week, but Burrow himself continued to deliver his fantasy managers lackluster numbers, his 8.82 fantasy points representing his third straight season scoring fewer than 10 in Week 1. For his career, Burrow has never exceeded 18.64 points in six Week 1 games, but he has exceeded that number in 34 of his other 64 regular-season contests. He simply couldn't get much done deep against Greg Newsome II, Denzel Ward and the rest of the Cleveland Browns defense, completing only three of seven passes thrown at least 10 yards downfield, which helps explain the similarly forgettable scores of Ja'Marr Chase (4.8 PPR FPTS) and Tee Higgins (6.3). Here's hoping it's merely one week of Burrow and friends shaking the early rust, and a Jacksonville Jaguars Week 2 matchup certainly sets up a potentially big follow-up for all. -- Cockcroft
2. Detroit Lions offense: While we'll always have this stunning, fourth-quarter Isaac TeSlaa touchdown catch, the Lions' offensive performance otherwise in no way resembled Ben Johnson's 2024 juggernaut, one which led the league in points by a 39-point margin. Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown, their two most-started players in ESPN leagues, scored 15.0 and 8.5 PPR fantasy points. Quarterback Jared Goff attempted 39 passes in a game his team trailed for all but nine minutes, 31 seconds, but 30 of them were short throws or tosses behind the line of scrimmage. Queue the inevitable post-Ben Johnson midweek panic, especially with a head-to-head meeting of these Lions and Johnson's Chicago Bears in Week 2. The fact remains, however, that this is still a supremely talented team that was facing one of its tougher matchups of 2025, a road game against a Green Bay Packers team that has earned some NFC champions prediction picks. Next week should tell us more, but fantasy managers should have faith this was more aberration than trend. -- Cockcroft
3. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles: Brown was a non-factor in the Eagles' Thursday night win, catching his only target with under two minutes to go in the game. One grab for eight yards (1.8 points). That's it. Now, Dallas did play zone coverage on 85.7% of Jalen Hurts' dropbacks, which forces the ball underneath. After watching the tape, however, the Eagles can scheme better here to create more open voids for their No.1 wide receiver. Sure, Week 1 was pretty rough if you roster Brown. But I don't have major concerns here after one football game. Look for the Eagles to flip the script for Brown in Week 2 at Kansas City. -- Bowen
4. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins: Hill and the Miami pass game failed to show in the 33-8 road loss to the Dolphins. Hill caught four of six targets for 40 yards (8.0 points) on a day when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who turned the ball over three times (two interceptions, one fumble lost), struggled to establish any sense of rhythm as a thrower. Tagovailoa finished with 114 yards passing, averaging only 5.0 yards per attempt. Miami will look to bounce back in the Week 2 home game against a Patriots defense that just allowed 326 yards passing to Geno Smith in Sunday's loss to the Raiders. -- Bowen
5. Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans: Put part of the blame on C.J. Stroud and the Texans' overall offensive funk for it, but Collins' poor fantasy score (5.5 PPR FPTS) let down a slew of managers (98.8% start rate, sixth-best at the position). He simply could not find open space against Los Angeles Rams CBs Ahkello Witherspoon and Emmanuel Forbes Jr., totaling only 1.4 of his points when lined up across from them. Expect better fortunes against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2. -- Cockcroft
6. Trevor Lawrence, QB, and Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars: Considering the strength of their matchup -- the opposing Carolina Panthers allowed more points and yards per game than any team in 2024 -- Lawrence's 10.32 and Thomas' 9.0 PPR fantasy points were plenty disappointing to fantasy managers. Thomas' game surely raised the most eyebrows, as he was held scoreless deep into the second quarter, finishing his day with only one catch on seven targets despite 30 routes run. It's not something we should expect to see every week, and a Week 2 matchup against the mediocre Bengals defense should help both of these two get back on the right track. -- Cockcroft
7. Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos: A popular Week 1 sleeper -- he was started in 74.2% of ESPN leagues, eighth-highest among quarterbacks -- Nix scored 6.84 fantasy points. Though he didn't face an extreme amount of pressure overall, when Nix did face it he was downright awful, accounting for both of his interceptions and his lost fumble. He also struggled to find chemistry with any of his receivers besides Courtland Sutton. Nix faces a tougher matchup in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts, so consider him only a midrange QB2. -- Cockcroft
8. Kenneth Walker III, RB, and Cooper Kupp, WR, Seattle Seahawks: I didn't see the juice/burst with Walker in the Week 1 loss to the 49ers. Walker finished with just 5.4 points on 13 touches, and it was Zach Charbonnet who led the Seahawks in both carries (12) and rushing yards (47), which makes the Seahawks' backfield one to monitor moving forward. Kupp failed to make an impact in his first game with the Seahawks, catching two of three targets for 15 yards (3.5 points). Remember, Kupp's separation speed started to decline on tape last season, and he gets the Steelers defense up next in Week 2. Let's see if the volume increases for the veteran wide receiver. -- Bowen
Injury impact
Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
What we know: He scored 15.3 PPR fantasy points on eight targets before leaving the game late with a knee injury, from which he was unable to return.
What's next: Bowers was spotted on the sidelines during the fourth quarter, which at least offers encouragement that it wasn't a serious issue. He'll nevertheless need to be monitored throughout the practice week. Michael Mayer, who caught all four of his targets for 7.8 points, would most stand to benefit if Bowers needs to miss further time. -- Cockcroft
George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
What we know: Kittle caught all four of his targets for 25 yards and a touchdown (12.5 points) before leaving the game in the first half with a hamstring injury. He did not return.
What's next: If Kittle is down for the Week 2 game, it's possible that third year pro Jake Tonges gets more looks in the 49ers' game plan. Tonges caught three passes for 15 yards and the game-winning touchdown in the Week 1 win over the Seahawks. -- Bowen