The NFL season is officially here! Fresh off fantasy football drafts, you likely know which QBs are locked into your lineups. That said, there are plenty of intriguing matchups around the league to open the year. Let’s break down my Week 1 start/sit fantasy quarterback picks.
Check out my full Week 1 start/sit article with picks at each position here!
Start ‘Em: Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars) vs. Panthers
Is this finally the year T-Law lives up to the hype?
I wouldn’t go that far, but there certainly seems to be a higher ceiling to his fantasy outlook than in past seasons. Lawrence now has a truly elite WR1 at his disposal in Brian Thomas, alongside another immensely talented rookie receiver in Travis Hunter. Tight end Brenton Strange is no slouch either, and multiple running backs on the roster can contribute in the passing game.
Along with an improved supporting cast, Lawrence also draws a highly favorable matchup to open the year. The Panthers were abysmal against opposing quarterbacks last year, allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to the position and the eighth-most passing yards. Lawrence could make a push for a top-five Week 1 fantasy finish.
Sit ‘Em: Dak Prescott (Cowboys) at Eagles — TNF
I’m actually quite high on Dak’s fantasy prospects for the 2025 season, with a return to form almost certainly looming. However, I don’t expect that return to form to occur against the NFL’s best defense.
This Eagles squad doesn’t feel like your typical Super Bowl hangover situation. Philly enters the year as one of the favorites to lift the Lombardi once again, and that starts on the defensive side of the ball.
Prescott and the Cowboys are going to air the ball out on offense this year, profiling as one of the most dynamic passing attacks in the league. Unfortunately for them, Philly excels against the pass, allowing just 186.9 yards to opposing QBs last season. Dak should return to your lineup after this matchup, but there are better options at QB in Week 1.
Check out my full Week 1 start/sit article with picks at each position here!
Start ‘Em: Drake Maye (Patriots) vs. Raiders
Week 1 is arguably the trickiest slate of the year to set your fantasy lineups. We believe we can predict workloads, target shares, and favorable matchups, but it’s really just a combination of projections and carryover from the previous season.
Maye was one of my favorite fantasy values in drafts this year, and I’m putting similar stock into a hot start for the second-year signal caller in New England. The Patriots added multiple high-caliber weapons for Maye to utilize in Stefon Diggs and TreVeyon Henderson, along with a potential dynamic deep-ball threat in Kyle Williams. The offensive line has also been upgraded thanks to the arrivals of Will Campbell and Morgan Moses on the outside.
Along with those improved situations, Maye also boasts strong rushing upside, and he’s set to face a Raiders defense that isn’t overly frightening outside of Maxx Crosby. We should see a strong start to Year 2 of the Drake Maye experience in Foxborough.
Sit ‘Em: Justin Fields (Jets) vs. Steelers
This isn’t the revenge game scenario that fantasy managers would typically salivate over.
From a full-season standpoint, Fields offers clear fantasy upside thanks to his rushing capabilities. However, there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the entire Jets offense heading into the year. While their new quarterback is dynamic carrying the football, there are blatant questions about his ability to succeed in the passing game. A matchup against the Steelers of all teams is not the time to test your luck with Fields. There will be plenty of opportunities for the 26-year-old to produce at a high level, but this isn’t one of them.
Those are my start ’em, sit ’em Week 1 fantasy football quarterback picks! Stay tuned for more fantasy advice throughout the week.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
