The 2025 NFL season has arrived and that means it’s time for another fall with fantasy football. With drafts in the rearview mirror and Week 1 closing in, it’s time to dive into the wide receiver position and what might unfold this weekend.
Let’s dive into our in-depth Week 1 fantasy WR rankings, providing some NFL stats and matchup analysis that helped determine why our top 20 wide receivers landed where they did in our Week 1 fantasy rankings.
1. CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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The game script has a lot to do with CeeDee Lamb landing atop our Week 1 fantasy WR rankings. The Dallas Cowboys defense is probably going to take a further step backward in 2025, meaning Dak Prescott has to pass even more to try and play catch-up. In a game where we expect the Philadelphia Eagles to be leading by two scores, Lamb will have all the targets he can handle in the NFL Kickoff Game on Thursday.
Related: Week 1 Fantasy QB Rankings, Analyzing Matchups
2. Malik Nabers, Giants at Washington Commanders
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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There’s some risk with New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, considering the back and shoulder injuries that hampered him this summer. What we can’t deny is the talent. As a rookie, he led the NFL in target share (34.9 percent) and averaged the sixth-most fantasy points per game. In two starts against the Washington Commanders, he averaged 93 receiving yards per game on 29 targets with 19 receptions. The volume and talent are a combo that just can’t be ignored.
Related: Week 1 Fantasy RB Rankings, Analyzing Matchups
3. Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals at Cleveland Browns
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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Most weeks, Ja’Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson will sit atop our fantasy WR rankings. It’s a little different in Week 1, with the Cincinnati Bengals facing the Cleveland Browns. Game script is part of the issue, as we don’t envision the Browns’ offense putting up enough points to make this a shootout. It’s also worth highlighting that Chase averaged just 76 receiving yards per game last season vs Cleveland, but he did score 2 touchdowns. With the Browns’ defensive line able to generate some pressure on Burrow and Cincinnati likely not needing to put up a ton of points, Chase’s ceiling is just diminished a bit.
Related: NFL Defense Rankings, Week 1 D/ST Rankings
4. Puka Nacua, Rams vs Houston Texans
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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The Houston Texans have one of the best defensive lines in the league and an outstanding cornerback tandem. However, the Los Angeles Rams can shift Puka Nacua into the slot to get him away from All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. Nacua is a magician at getting open quickly underneath, as evidenced by his 7.9 average depth of target (aDOT) last season that ranked 88th among wide receivers. He’ll be the go-to guy with Matthew Stafford needing to get the football out quickly to avoid being sacked.
5. Brian Thomas Jr, Jaguars vs Carolina Panthers
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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Fantasy managers can feel good about starting just about anyone if they are facing the Carolina Panthers defense. It’s even more appetizing when a wide receiver as talented as Brian Thomas Jr. faces a defense that allowed the most passing touchdowns (35) in the NFL last season. While high-scoring games in Week 1 are rare, with offenses acclimating slower than defenses, we’re expecting a lot of points from both sides. A 100-yard game with a touchdown is absolutely on the table for BTJ.
Read More: NFL Predictions 2025, Projecting Win-Loss Records for Every Team
6. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions at Green Bay Packers
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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In two games against the Green Bay Packers last season, wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown averaged just 49.5 receiving yards per game with 1 total touchdown. We expect much better results in Week 1. Green Bay is weak at corner and St. Brown, 7.7 aDOT (91st in NFL) is the pass-catcher Jared Goff will be targeting the most often when Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary are creating pressure mere seconds after the snap.
Related: Best NFL Wide Receivers 2025
7. Justin Jefferson, Vikings at Chicago Bears
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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Our Week 1 fantasy WR rankings are probably one of the few instances when we’ll be this cautious on Justin Jefferson. Part of it has to do with the Minnesota Vikings coming off a hamstring injury that limited him for the majority of training camp. We also have to recognize that, for all the hype surrounding him, quarterback J.J. McCarthy is still unproven. Lastly, the Chicago Bears limited Jefferson to 50 receiving yards per game last season. If Jefferson is going to have a pedestrian week, this might be it.
Related: NFL Week 1 Predictions, Projecting Every Game on NFL Schedule
8. Drake London, Falcons vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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Drake London loves facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who he put up 188 receiving yards and a touchdown on 16 receptions in two contests last season. We do have some concerns about the Atlanta Falcons missing blindside blocker Kaleb McGary, but Michael Penix Jr. will still find chances to throw it London’s way. Another reason to like this matchup, it should be one of the highest-scoring games in Week 1.
Read More: NFL Power Rankings 2025, Evaluating All 32 Teams Before Week 1
9. Ladd McConkey, Chargers vs Kansas City Chiefs
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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We’re fully on board the Ladd McConkey fantasy train in 2025. As a rookie, the Los Angeles Chargers receiver had the sixth-highest yards per route run (2.56) and he was one of the best pass-catchers in football versus man coverage. Coincidentally, the Kansas City Chiefs had one of the highest man coverage rates in the NFL last year. He only played once against Kansas City in 2024 – 5 receptions, 67 receiving yards and 1 touchdown – we think he’ll put up even better fantasy production on Friday night in Brazil.
Related: Game-by-Game Los Angeles Chargers Predictions 2025
10. A.J. Brown, Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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Because we expect the Eagles to win convincingly on Thursday night over Dallas, we’re tempering our expectations regarding A.J. Brown’s ceiling. He was very productive versus the Cowboys in 2024 – 8 receptions, 145 receiving yards and 1 touchdown on 12 targets in two games – but there are a lot of mouths to feed in this offense. We still view Brown as a WR1 this week, but fantasy managers should temper their expectations a bit for his realistic upside.
Related: Game-by-Game Philadelphia Eagles Predictions 2025
11. Nico Collins, Texans at Los Angeles Rams
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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If only we could trust the Houston Texans offensive line in pass protection against Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner, Byron Young and Jared Verse. Los Angeles easily has a bottom-10 cornerback room this year, creating an enticing opportunity for Nico Collins to burn this secondary deep for multiple touchdowns. Unfortunately, C.J. Stroud just isn’t going to have that many opportunities to drop back and sling it downfield. Still, there’s an intoxicating upside with Collins and just a few opportunities make him a low-end WR1 in Week 1.
Related: Worst NFL Offensive Lines 2025
12. Tyreek Hill, Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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Tyreek Hill feels like a mystery this season. He’s coming off a career-worst season, though it could be argued that playing through an injury caused him to fall short of 1,000 yards for the first time since 2019. However, he hasn’t exactly earned back the complete trust of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. For now, we’re a bit skeptical of Hill returning to his glory days as one of the best wide receivers in fantasy football. However, that ceiling might still be there.
Related: Game-by-Game Miami Dolphins Predictions 2025
13. Tee Higgins, Bengals at Cleveland Browns
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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Cleveland can put Denzel Ward on Chase, finding ways to contain the Bengals’ No. 1 receiver more frequently. However, that allows Tee Higgins to thrive. He put up 12 receptions for 140 receiving yards (70 per game) and two touchdowns on the Browns’ defense in two games last season. It truly feels like even a mid-tier outcome for Higgisn in Week 1 could be 60-plus yards and a touchdown.
Related: Game-by-Game Cincinnati Bengals Predictions 2025
14. Mike Evans, Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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As we mentioned before with Drake London, we’re anticipating both Tampa Bay and Atlanta to put up plenty of points on Sunday. Another factor working in Mike Evans’ favor, at least regarding target share, is that Chris Godwin is out for Week 1. So, Evans gets a higher volume against the same secondary he scored two touchdowns on in Week 5 last season and has scored 13 touchdowns against in 19 career games. Maybe fantasy managers don’t get 90-plus yards from him, but a trip to the end zone is customary against Atlanta.
15. Marvin Harrison Jr, Cardinals at New Orleans Saints
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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We understand that plenty of fantasy managers felt burned by Marvin Harrison Jr. in his rookie season, considering he was viewed as a generational prospect heading into the 2024 NFL Draft. We’re confident predicting a breakout season is coming from MHJ. That will start in Week 1, facing a New Orleans Saints defense that allowed 11 passing touchdowns in its final seven regular-season games in 2024.
Read More: NFL Breakout Candidates 2025
16. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seahawks vs San Francisco 49ers
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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Jaxon Smith-Njigba gets to be the No. 1 guy in this Seattle Seahawks‘ passing game this season. While our level of trust in quarterback Sam Darnold behind this offensive line is very low, JSN did piut up great numbers (15 receptions, 163 receiving yards on 20 targets) in two games against the San Francisco 49ers last year. He’s a security blanket for Darnold and all those targets, even if there aren’t many big plays, make him an easy WR2 this week and for the rest of the season.
17. Courtland Sutton, Broncos vs Tennessee Titans
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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The Denver Broncos could have one of the best offenses in the NFL this season. In Week 1, they get to kick things off against a bottom-five Tennessee Titans defense. Tennessee can’t get after the quarterback, especially against one of the best NFL offensive lines, and Sutton draws L’Jarius Sneed in coverage. It’s a very fantasy-friendly matchup to open the season.
Related: Game-by-Game Denver Broncos Predictions 2025
18. Terry McLaurin, Commanders vs New York Giants
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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Thankfully, the Commanders did the right thing by paying Terry McLaurin before Week 1. Now, coming off a career-best season, Washington’s Pro Bowl wideout faces New York. The Giants’ defensive line will pose problems up front for Washington and free-agent signing Paulso Adebo gives New York a No. 1 corner to line up against McLaurin. With those concerns noted, having an elite quarterback with the rapport McLaurin has with Jayden Daniels balances things out a bit.
Related: Game-by-Game Washington Commanders Predictions 2025
19. Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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As mentioned before, there should be plenty of scoring in Sunday’s Panthers vs Jaguars game. While we wouldn’t ordinarily be this high on a rookie wide receiver in Week 1, that changes when they are facing a Jaguars’ defense that allowed the most passing yards in football this past season. Tetairoa McMillan has already shown great chemistry with Bryce Young and we’d ride with him as a strong WR2 this week.
20. DeVonta Smith, Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys
Week 1 Fantasy WR Rankings
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Dallas will be without corner Trevon Diggs on Thursday night, so their ability to contain both the Eagles’ receivers is greatly limited. DeVonta Smith averaged 85 receiving yards per game vs the Cowboys’ secondary last season, scoring two touchdowns on 10 targets. He doesn’t have an extremely high floor, but there’s a viable scenario where he comes out of Week 1 with 60-plus yards and a touchdown on at least 4 receptions.
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NFL, MLB & college football writer for Sportsnaut. Graduated from San Diego State University with BA in Journalism, 2019. ... More about Matt Johnson