Rookie drafts are done, trades have been debated to death, and every sleeper’s been hyped a dozen times. Now it’s time for the only thing that really moves the needle: live football.

Week 1 is where dynasty value can flip overnight. Rookies get their first shot, backups push for bigger roles, and sleepers either prove it or fade away. This is the week where dynasty managers cash in on their patience. Let’s go game by game and spotlight the assets you need to keep your eyes on as the season kicks off.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Los Angeles Chargers

Kansas City’s receiver room is the early-season storyline. Rashee Rice is suspended, and promising rookie Jalen Royals won’t be available for Week 1. That leaves Xavier Worthy and Hollywood Brown as the focal points. The question isn’t just ‘who’s the WR1’ but rather, ‘who can keep the job until Rice returns?’

On the Chargers’ side, the intrigue is in the backfield. Jim Harbaugh made it clear last season that he wants to establish the run, even if it means leaning heavily on his backs. Before the bye in 2024, Justin Herbert was attempting fewer than 23 passes per game. After some self-reflection, the offense opened up, and Herbert’s attempts jumped to over 31 per game the rest of the season. Still, Harbaugh’s DNA is to control the line of scrimmage, and that points to a decent workload for both Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons

For Tampa Bay, the player to watch is rookie Emeka Egbuka. With Chris Godwin out to start the year and Mike Evans entering the twilight of his career, the door is wide open for Egbuka to command meaningful work right away. Managers don’t just want to see him on the field—they want to see if Baker Mayfield leans on him in critical downs. A strong Week 1 showing would confirm the rapport we’ve been hearing about throughout training camp and make Egbuka valuable even when Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan return to action.

For the Falcons, some will be locked in on Kyle Pitts—waiting for the long-hyped breakout. But the bigger story might be the connection between Michael Penix Jr. and Drake London. In Penix’s three starts at the end of 2024 (Weeks 16–18), London saw an absurd 39 targets, which projects to a 221-target pace over a full season. That’s alpha WR1 volume. Context matters, of course: Darnell Mooney was out for Week 18, but in the two games he did play with Penix, Mooney averaged just 5.5 targets compared to nearly 7 per game with Kirk Cousins earlier in the year. Still, if London continues to dominate looks with Penix under center, this could be the beginning of a true breakout pairing.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns

For Cincinnati, the offense is stable with Burrow, Chase, and Higgins, so I’m only curious about one thing: Does Chase Brown hold on to the heavy workload he carried at the end of 2024, or will rookie Tahj Brooks and veteran Samaje Perine chip away at those touches? The snap distribution in passing downs and red-zone spots will be especially telling.

For Cleveland, all eyes are also on the backfield. Jerome Ford offers a relatively safe fantasy floor with his proven ability to handle volume, while rookie Dylan Sampson is more of an unknown but carries the higher ceiling. How the Browns balance those two profiles will be one of the key storylines to track in Week 1.

Las Vegas Raiders @ New England Patriots

For New England, the spotlight is on rookie TreVeyon Henderson. How much work does he command in the backfield, and just as importantly, how is he deployed in Josh McDaniels’ offense? Reports suggest Henderson could see time lined up out wide, and if he’s running legitimate routes in addition to carrying the ball, his dynasty ceiling rises fast.

For Las Vegas, the dynasty buzz is around rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, but the more intriguing long-term storyline is Brock Bowers. In 18 years at the NFL level, no receiver has ever topped 100 catches in a season under Pete Carroll. Can Bowers be the first?

Miami Dolphins @ Indianapolis Colts

For Miami, the underlying question isn’t just about individual players—it’s whether the offense looks functional again. After another dysfunctional ending to the 2024 season and a bizarre offseason surrounding Tyreek Hill, the spotlight is on how this unit comes together. How much does unretired Darren Waller factor in? And while De’Von Achane remains a PPR machine, Ollie Gordon might already be the Dolphins’ best runner between the tackles. We saw flashes of that in preseason—but did Mike McDaniel?

For Indianapolis, it’s all about the next chapter in the Daniel Jones experiment. Can he resuscitate his career in a fresh setting? The Colts have no shortage of pass-catching options, but the mystery is which of them benefits most from Jones’ “stable” presence under center.

Carolina Panthers @ Jacksonville Jaguars

For Carolina, it really comes down to one thing: Does Bryce Young continue the upward trajectory he showed at the end of the 2024 season? Oh, and they finally have a true WR1 with Tetairoa McMillan—that should be fun to watch. And yes, apparently Hunter Renfrow is starting. What year is it?

The Jags will usher in Liam Cohen as OC, and we hope to have answers to the Trevor Lawrence enigma finally. However, the headline story is Travis Hunter, who will play both ways. Everyone wants to know how much of a factor he’ll be on offense versus defense. But the real dynasty mystery is the backfield. How do the Jaguars split touches between Tank Bigsby, Travis Etienne, and Bhayshul Tuten? However they choose to deploy the trio will be fascinating to watch.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ New York Jets

For the Jets, the new regime has been preaching a true split backfield, so Week 1 will give us the first look at how that actually plays out between Breece Hall and Braelon Allen. Meanwhile, plenty of eyes are on Justin Fields—can he finally unlock Garrett Wilson and give him the consistent quarterback play dynasty managers have been waiting on since Wilson entered the league?

For Pittsburgh, the intrigue lies in two places. First, the backfield: How does the split shake out between Jaylen Warren and rookie Kaleb Johnson? Warren has shown juice when given opportunities, but Johnson’s size and physicality could make this a true timeshare. And then there’s Arthur Smith’s love of tight ends. No, seriously—there have been training camp reports of a four–tight end formation. The question isn’t if Smith uses multiple tight ends; it’s how heavily he leans into it, and does this team even have a fantasy-viable WR2?

New York Giants @ Washington Commanders

For the Giants, fans will probably have to wait a few weeks for the Jaxson Dart show, but in the meantime, Malik Nabers should be solid regardless of who’s under center. He has the profile to thrive even with inconsistent quarterback play. Beyond him, it’s worth watching how much work Tyrone Tracy gets and whether we see much of Cam Skattebo, who spent most of camp battling a hamstring injury.

For Washington, the backfield is the clear point of intrigue. Austin Ekeler is currently listed as the RB1 on the depth chart, but dynasty circles have been buzzing about Jacory Croskey-Merritt, and the Brian Robinson Jr. trade only added fuel to the fire. Week 1 should provide the first real look at how the workload is divided in this backfield and whether Croskey-Merritt can make an immediate impact.

Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints

Arizona rolls into 2025 with rare continuity, bringing back the same group of starting skill-position players from last year. The focus will be on whether Marvin Harrison Jr. makes the leap from promising rookie to full-fledged superstar in his second season. At tight end, does Trey McBride take a slight step back in overall volume but evolve into more of a true red-zone weapon? And can Michael Wilson finally emerge as a consistent, impactful WR2 in this offense, giving the Cardinals another dependable option behind Harrison?

For New Orleans, the intrigue lies with new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Will his past work with quarterbacks like Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts translate to Spencer Rattler—and eventually Tyler Shough if he sees time? In the backfield, does Alvin Kamara maintain his trademark PPR-heavy usage, or does age begin to catch up to him? And on the perimeter, can Chris Olave stay healthy long enough to cement himself as a true WR1 for the Saints?

Houston Texans @ Los Angeles Rams

The Texans might be the biggest wild card of Week 1. Do we see the 2023 version of C.J. Stroud, who looked like the league’s next superstar, or the inconsistent 2024 version that left managers questioning his long-term ceiling? The backfield is also a mystery with Joe Mixon gone—there’s no clear lead, and usage should offer the first real hint of how that rotation shakes out. Add in a completely reshaped pass-catching group with Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, and rookie Jaylin Noel, and the question becomes how the targets are distributed. And hanging over all of it is the offensive line—can they keep Stroud upright after last year’s struggles?

For the Rams, the spotlight falls on Matthew Stafford’s health. Training camp worries about his back make this the first true test of whether he can hold up for another full season. In the backfield, Kyren Williams cemented himself as the centerpiece last year and was rewarded with a contract extension, but does he maintain that grip on the role? How much work goes to rookie Jarquez Hunter and second-year back Blake Corum could provide major dynasty subplots.

Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers

For Detroit, offensive intrigue centers on new offensive coordinator John Morton, who took over after Ben Johnson’s departure. Week 1 will be the first look at how Morton puts his stamp on this unit. Another thing to watch is whether rookie Isaac Teslaa can carve out a role. In the Dan Campbell era, the Lions’ WR3 has never been fantasy relevant—does that trend continue, or can Teslaa break through?

For Green Bay, the focus is on the backfield. Josh Jacobs carried a massive workload in 2024, but will that continue now that Jordan Love is back healthy and no longer limited by the injuries that hampered him last year? If the Packers open up the playbook and lean more on Love’s arm, Jacobs’ volume could dip slightly, though his goal-line usage should remain strong.

San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks

For San Francisco, dynasty managers everywhere will be glued to one thing: Is Christian McCaffrey still the same elite force, or does the ‘wear and tear’ finally start to show after years of injuries? Beyond that, there’s been plenty of buzz about the connection between Ricky Pearsall and Brock Purdy—Week 1 will be the first chance to see if that chemistry translates into real volume on Sundays.

For Seattle, the curiosity centers on the backfield. How much will Zach Charbonnet eat into Kenneth Walker’s carries, and will this be more of a split than years past? At wide receiver, Tory Horton won the WR3 job, but does that role carry much weight in a run-heavy offense that also features Jaxon Smith-Njigba returning healthy and newcomer Cooper Kupp demanding targets?

Tennessee Titans @ Denver Broncos

For Tennessee, I only have one primary concern: Can Cam Ward even finish this game in one piece? The Broncos return a defense that ranked top five in multiple statistical categories last season and added Jahdae Barron in the draft to make it even tougher. Still, if Calvin Ridley was able to be fantasy relevant with Will Levis and Mason Rudolph, what might his ceiling look like in an offense led by Ward?

For Denver, the intrigue runs deep. How much of the backfield role does J.K. Dobbins command, and when will we see RJ Harvey featured? For me, though, the most important piece to monitor is Evan Engram’s impact. If he becomes a steady target earner in this system, he could reshape the passing hierarchy and provide rare stability at the tight end spot.

Baltimore Ravens @ Buffalo Bills

Whew—MVP versus ‘almost MVP.’ Josh Allen and the Bills’ offense feel largely the same heading into 2025, but I’m keeping an eye on Dalton Kincaid. Drafted in the first round with expectations of becoming an elite tight end, he’s yet to fully deliver. This year is pivotal—Can he finally emerge as a consistent, reliable weapon for Allen, especially now that the wide receiver group is led by Keon Coleman, Josh Palmer, and Khalil Shakir?

For Baltimore, the offense remains familiar, but a few wrinkles could shift fantasy outcomes. DeAndre Hopkins joins the group—Does he bring meaningful production at this stage of his career, or is he more of a complementary piece? Meanwhile, Keaton Mitchell looks healthy after his gruesome 2023 injury. Will he carve out real touches alongside Derrick Henry and Justice Hill, or will the backfield look much like it did last season?

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears

For Minnesota, all eyes will be on J.J. McCarthy as he takes his first meaningful snaps in nearly two years. How comfortable will he look leading this offense? Does he operate in a system similar to what he ran at Michigan, or does Kevin O’Connell open up the playbook and let him rip it downfield? In the backfield, Jordan Mason should have a role, but his workload will likely hinge on Aaron Jones’ health. If Jones eventually misses time, Mason’s value could spike in a hurry.

Chicago enters 2025 as one of the most intriguing offenses in the league thanks to the sheer number of pass-catching weapons. Does Olamide Zaccheaus really hold down Luther Burden to start the year, or does the rookie break through quickly? Is Cole Kmet still fantasy relevant (probably not)? And is there enough volume to keep all of these pass catchers fed consistently? In the backfield, D’Andre Swift looks like the clear lead back, but how much does rookie Kyle Monangai cut into his touches?