Boom or Bench: Week 1 start/sit fantasy tips

Boom or Bench provides insight and analysis to help you handle your difficult fantasy football starting lineup decisions every week.

QB: Packers' Jordan Love vs. Lions

Love was banged up for a good portion of the 2024 campaign despite playing in 15 games. He still managed to throw for 3,389 yards and 25 touchdowns despite being far from healthy. Combine a healthier Love with first-round wide receiver Matthew Golden and the Packers are primed for fireworks in Week 1 against the Lions' defense.

Only the Ravens and Jaguars allowed more passing yards per game than the Lions last year. Plus, Detroit still lacks a proven edge rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson, who's returning from a broken leg.

Projection: 273 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 18 rushing yards

Other QBs primed to boom:

• Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa at Colts
• Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence vs. Panthers

RB: Browns' Jerome Ford vs. Bengals

You'd be forgiven for wanting to avoid Cleveland's entire offense this week, but the Bengals offer Ford a favorable fantasy matchup to open the season. The 25-year-old had arguably the best game of his career against Cincinnati in Week 16 of last season, rushing for 92 yards and a touchdown while adding 39 yards on five receptions.

The Bengals have Trey Hendrickson back in the building, but there are still plenty of question marks surrounding Cincinnati's defense. The unit allowed 348.3 total yards and 25.5 points per game last season, and the team will trot out most of the same starters in 2025.

Projection: 78 rushing yards, 33 receiving yards, 4 receptions, TD

RB: Jaguars' Travis Etienne vs. Panthers

No team allowed more fantasy points per game to running backs than the Panthers in 2024. Part of that susceptibility came from Pro Bowl defensive tackle Derrick Brown missing almost the entire season, but many other returning starters were liabilities.

Etienne, meanwhile, is coming off a down season that's made him much easier to acquire. He's set up for a bounce-back game to start the season with Trevor Lawrence healthy, the team adding another offensive weapon in Travis Hunter, and new head coach Liam Coen being an upgrade over Doug Pederson in the play-calling department.

Projection: 65 rushing yards, 43 receiving yards, 5 receptions, TD

Other RBs primed to boom:

• Patriots' TreVeyon Henderson vs. Raiders
• Commanders' Austin Ekeler vs. Giants
• Vikings' Jordan Mason at Bears

WR: Packers' Matthew Golden vs. Lions

Part of what makes Love such an appealing start against Detroit is Golden's matchup with the Lions' secondary. Golden has elite speed and is capable of leaving them in the dust, as evidenced by his 4.29-second 40-yard dash at the combine.

The Texas product is also the first wide receiver the franchise has picked in the first round since 2002. It's difficult to imagine the Packers breaking that infamous streak and then not doing everything they can to maximize his impact against a division foe.

Projection: 12 rushing yards, 89 receiving yards, 5 receptions, TD

WR: 49ers' Ricky Pearsall at Seahawks

Pearsall should see plenty of targets in San Francisco's opener with Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Skyy Moore below him on the depth chart. The Florida product only had one game with double-digit targets in 2024, and he turned it into an eight-catch, 141-yard, one-touchdown performance.

The Seahawks' defense will likely be a stingy unit that won't give up quite that much receiving production, but Pearsall is positioned to see plenty of work early and often.

Projection: 96 receiving yards, 8 receptions, TD

Other WRs primed to boom:

• Buccaneers' Emeka Egbuka at Falcons
• Saints' Rashid Shaheed vs. Cardinals
• Vikings' Adam Thielen at Bears

TE: Falcons' Kyle Pitts vs. Buccaneers

Pitts deserves a look in Week 1 regardless of your stance on the divisive tight end. The 6-foot-6, 250-pounder has put up at least 57 yards in four of his six career games versus Tampa Bay, including 88- and 91-yard performances in his two matchups against the club in 2024.

Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David was still very productive last year, but the 35-year-old isn't getting any faster. His expected running mates in the middle of the field are SirVocea Dennis, who played in just four games a year ago, and Deion Jones, who only appeared on special teams last season.

Projection: 78 receiving yards, 5 receptions, TD

Other TEs primed to boom:

• Bengals' Mike Gesicki at Browns
• Bears' Colston Loveland vs. Vikings

QB: Broncos' Bo Nix vs. Titans

This has less to do with Nix himself than it does with the likely outcome of this game. The Broncos are favored by more than a touchdown and will likely employ a run-heavy game plan that relegates Nix to game manager for most of the contest.

Despite finishing last season tied for the worst record in the league, Tennessee was middle of the pack in terms of fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. The Titans ranked 30th in points surrendered per game (27.1) but placed second in passing yards allowed per contest (177.3).

Projection: 218 passing yards, 1 passing TD, 21 rushing yards

Other QBs to bench:

• Cowboys' Dak Prescott at Eagles
• Jets' Justin Fields vs. Steelers

RB: Titans' Tony Pollard at Broncos

Pollard's likely to be hampered by the same game script that landed Bo Nix on this list since the Titans are likely to throw the ball far more than they run it. Pollard's 2024 campaign was one of the least efficient in his career, too, so there are few reasons to be excited about his Week 1 prospects.

The Broncos allowed the 12th-fewest fantasy points to running backs last season and surrendered the third-fewest rushing yards and total points. Once you factor in those metrics, it's easy to see Pollard letting fantasy managers down.

Projection: 52 rushing yards, 20 receiving yards, 2 receptions

RB: Steelers' Jaylen Warren at Jets

Warren should have plenty of opportunities to contribute this season, but don't expect too much in Week 1. The 26-year-old has never been a true workhorse in the NFL, and he's hardly had any superb fantasy performances in his career.

Warren will likely need to rack up fantasy points as a receiver to be a viable start in Week 1, considering the Steelers are returning the bulk of last year's defense that ranked 12th in average total yards allowed (326.7), sixth in rushing yards surrendered (98.7), and eighth in points allowed (20.4). Unfortunately, Warren has only eclipsed 50 receiving yards in two of his 48 career contests and has yet to snag a receiving touchdown.

Projection: 44 rushing yards, 16 receiving yards, 2 receptions

Other RBs to bench:

• Chiefs' Isiah Pacheco at Chargers
• Bears' D'Andre Swift vs. Vikings
• Cowboys' Javonte Williams at Eagles

WR: Raiders' Jakobi Meyers at Patriots

Meyers enjoyed his first 1,000-yard campaign in 2024 but may get off to a slow start in trying to tally his second. He's likely to draw the attention of second-team All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez when these AFC foes take the field Sunday.

Gonzalez has allowed just three touchdowns against three interceptions in 20 career games. The 23-year-old has also only conceded a 59.2% completion rate and a 75.5 passer rating on 120 career targets. Those figures improve to 55.7% and 71.7, respectively, when accounting for his 2024 campaign solely.

Projection: 52 receiving yards, 4 receptions

WR: Saints' Chris Olave vs. Cardinals

Olave earns a spot in the bench section partly due to unproven quarterback Spencer Rattler, partly due to his inability to stay on the field, and partly due to the Cardinals adding some new defensive weapons this offseason.

Let's examine those factors, beginning with Rattler. The 24-year-old appeared in seven games last year, completing 57% of his passes for 1,317 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions. If we look at Olave's availability next, we find that he missed nine complete games and only played 59% of the offensive snaps in the eight games he suited up for. Lastly, while not the only addition, second-round cornerback Will Johnson scored more touchdowns (three) on his nine interceptions than he allowed in coverage (two) across his 32 career games at Michigan.

Projection: 38 receiving yards, 3 receptions

Other WRs to bench:

• Broncos' Courtland Sutton vs. Titans
• Commanders' Deebo Samuel vs. Giants
• Seahawks' Cooper Kupp vs. 49ers

TE: Colts' Tyler Warren vs. Dolphins

Warren will likely be a better football player for the Colts than he is a fantasy asset to begin his career. Week 1 starter Daniel Jones owns a 42.8% passing success rate and has averaged just 208.3 passing yards per game and 6.5 yards per attempt. Meanwhile, backup signal-caller Anthony Richardson has struggled to the tune of a 50.6% completion rate, a 37.9% success rate, and 159.4 passing yards per game.

Shifting focus to Warren's opponent, the Dolphins finished fourth in total yards (314.3), ninth in passing yards (210.6), and 10th in points allowed per game (21.4) last season. And they did so with pass-rusher Bradley Chubb missing the whole campaign, edge rusher Jaelan Phillips playing in just four games, and without safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, whom the club reunited with this offseason.

Projection: 6 rushing yards, 31 receiving yards, 3 receptions

Other TEs to bench:

• Broncos' Evan Engram vs. Titans
• Steelers' Pat Freiermuth at Jets

Andrew Dixon is a contributing fantasy analyst for theScore.