Fantasy football managers know that every lineup decision can make or break a week, and choosing the right players to start or sit is where championships are won. With the 2025 NFL season underway, matchups, stats, and trends are more important than ever. From favorable matchups and scoring trends to players you should avoid in tough spots, my weekly positional start and sit guide is built to give you an edge.
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Wide Receivers to Start
Emeka Egbuka TB
Rookie wideout Emeka Egbuka is stepping into a prime role for the Buccaneers in Week 1. With Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan sidelined and Cade Otton banged up, Egbuka projects as Tampa Bay’s No. 2 target behind Mike Evans. That’s great news against an Atlanta defense that gave up the most fantasy points to receivers in 2024 while also ranking top-five in touchdowns and catches allowed to slot WRs. Egbuka’s versatility as both a slot and outside weapon makes him one of the best fantasy football starts for Week 1.
Jerry Jeudy CLE
Jerry Jeudy gets a clean slate in 2025, and Week 1 provides a chance for him to shine. While he struggled against Cincinnati last season, Joe Flacco under center changes everything. In the second half of 2024, Jeudy ranked 15th in target share, 20th in yards per route run, and second in receiving yards per game behind only Ja’Marr Chase among qualified wideouts when Deshaun Watson wasn’t the starter. This Bengals-Browns matchup has shootout potential, and Flacco should lean heavily on Jeudy as his primary weapon.
Jameson Williams DET
Jameson Williams looks poised to build on his breakout 2024 campaign, where he finished WR23 in fantasy points per game. His efficiency metrics,15th in separation and 23rd in yards per route run, show room for growth if his target share rises. The Packers’ secondary matchups are favorable as well, with Keisean Nixon and Nate Hobbs both allowing catch rates above 66% and passer ratings around 97 in coverage last year. I love Williams to pick on both of those players on the perimeter, potentially leading to a nice game.
Wide Receivers to Sit
Calvin Ridley TEN
Calvin Ridley is a Week 1 fade against Patrick Surtain II and the Broncos’ secondary. Surtain shadowed seven times last year and didn’t allow more than 54 receiving yards to any of those WR1s, holding six of them under 40 yards. With rookie quarterback Cam Ward making his first NFL start in Denver, the Titans’ passing attack could struggle badly. Even in three-WR leagues, Ridley is a risky play against one of the league’s most dominant shutdown corners.
Chris Olave NO
Chris Olave is a talented receiver, but his Week 1 outlook is weighed down by his situation. The Cardinals quietly ranked among the toughest defenses for perimeter receivers in the second half of 2024, allowing the ninth-fewest receiving yards and fourth-fewest fantasy points to outside WRs. Now they add rookie Will Johnson to bolster their secondary. More concerning is quarterback Spencer Rattler, who posted more interceptions than touchdowns last season, averaged under 6.0 air yards per attempt, and took drive-killing sacks. New Orleans scored over 20 points just once in his seven starts. Until Rattler proves reliable, Olave is best treated as a WR3/FLEX option at most.
Cooper Kupp SEA
Cooper Kupp is no longer the elite fantasy WR1 he once was. Now in Seattle, the 32-year-old wideout projects as a complementary option behind emerging star Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who also dominates slot routes where Kupp has thrived. That could force Kupp outside, where he’s less effective after back-to-back seasons under 2.0 yards per route run. Adding to the concern is new quarterback Sam Darnold, who brings plenty of uncertainty to this offense. While Kupp may still deliver usable weeks in the right matchups, Week 1 is not the spot to trust him against an improved 49ers defense.
