Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kenneth Gainwell is set to make his regular-season debut for the team in a Week 1 contest against the New York Jets. Gainwell, who spent the first four years of his career in Philadelphia, is listed as Pittsburgh's RB2 to open the campaign and should mix in behind Jaylen Warren. While rookie RB Kaleb Johnson is expected to eventually carve out a significant role, it may take some time before he earns snaps over the proven veterans. Still, it's unlikely that Gainwell offers much fantasy value, especially in this matchup. The Jets were solid against opposing backs last season, and Sunday's contest isn't projected to be high-scoring. Fantasy managers can keep an eye on his usage, but Gainwell can be left on waiver wires for the time being.

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Houston Texans wide receiver Jaylin Noel will make his NFL debut on Sunday against the Rams, and there could be work available since Christian Kirk (hamstring) is out, moving him up the depth chart. While Jayden Higgins and Xavier Hutchinson will likely rotate across from Nico Collins, Noel is a more natural fit in the slot, where Kirk is expected to spend most of his time when healthy. If the Texans choose to keep Collins out wide, Noel could slide into Kirk's spot in the slot. The third-round pick is coming off a 1,000-yard season for the Iowa State Cyclones and will be a very important sleeper to watch in Week 1 to see how ready he is to contribute to Houston's offense if Kirk misses more time. Noel is ranked as just the WR91 in RotoBaller's rankings in Week 1, so he is still a long-shot starter, but definitely a sleeper to monitor.

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Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop has big shoes to fill in his first season after being drafted with the 186th overall pick this year. Despite the shaky last season and shady off-field allegations, the Ravens were used to one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history with Justin Tucker. Loop showed some impressive leg strength throughout training camp and the preseason, and he should get plenty of opportunities with the way this offense can move the ball. Another aspect in his favor is that head coach John Harbaugh is a former special teams coach who knows when to put trust in his guys. Loop's ADP was in the middle of the pack for his position, but he has the highest Week 1 projection in RotoBaller's rankings with 8.9 fantasy points against the Buffalo Bills.

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will make just the fourth start of his professional career on Sunday, coming into the Week 1 contest with a 58.1 percent completion percentage and a 3:3 TD:INT. While that may not inspire confidence, the former eighth-overall draft pick has had plenty of time to prepare for the home matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a team that ranked third-worst in terms of passing yards per game (245.3) and allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to opposing signal callers in 2024. However, the Bucs' pass defense will be healthier than they were last season, will have added veteran linebacker Haason Reddick, and the Falcons will be without starting right tackle Kaleb McGary and backup Storm Norton, leaving the 25-year-old's blind side to third-stringer Elijah Wilkinson. Mix in a banged-up Darnell Mooney (shoulder), and the University of Washington product should be considered a low-end QB2 in Week 1.

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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins looks to be stepping into the role that Nelson Agholor played over the last couple of seasons. That isn't saying too much, as Agholor only amassed 231 yards and two touchdowns on 14 receptions last year. Hopkins is obviously the better talent of the two, but the 33-year-old finished as the WR48 last season and totaled 56 receptions for 610 yards and five touchdowns. He'll likely flash in a few games this season, but will ultimately be hard to trust week-to-week. He's not recommended in 12-team leagues for Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills, especially with the six-point projection on RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings.

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Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson earned more playing time with a big training camp, and he could have a chance to secure a bigger role moving forward since the team will be without Christian Kirk (hamstring) for Week 1. Hutchinson finished last season with four catches for 52 yards in the playoff loss to the Chiefs, but the sixth-round pick from 2023 only has 20 catches for 207 receiving yards and no touchdowns in 32 games over his first two seasons. In camp, Hutchinson was operating as the team's third receiver behind only Kirk and Nico Collins, working ahead of rookies Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins. Without Kirk, he could have a chance to step up in Week 1 if the rookies aren't ready, even though he's in a tough matchup on the road against the Rams. He's the WR86 in RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings, so he's still a deep sleeper but does bring upside worth watching.

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Houston Texans Wide Receiver Nico Collins is usually a target magnet, and he could be even busier than usual in Week 1 since the Texans won't have offseason additions Christian Kirk (hamstring) or Braxton Berrios (hamstring) in addition to Tank Dell (knee), who is expected to miss most or all of the season. The rest of the Texans' targets are inexperienced, with rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel possibly getting a chance to step up, along with third-year receiver Xavier Hutchinson, who has just 20 regular-season catches. Collins is coming off his second straight 1,000-yard season despite being limited to only 12 games. He had seven regular-season touchdowns and was a top-10 receiver in fantasy points per game for the second straight year. Without many other proven options, C.J. Stroud could look his way early and often against the Rams. He'll be the focus of the passing game but will also get plenty of attention from the defense, leaving him as a strong starting option in all formats as the No. 9 WR in the RotoBaller rankings.

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Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews was the target of a lot of hatred and criticism the last time he took on the Buffalo Bills. His last-minute drop sealed their fate in the playoffs, then he had to hear his name in constant trade rumors. Despite the playoff miscue and a few goose eggs throughout the regular season, Andrews finished as the TE5 on the year with 55 receptions for 673 yards and 11 touchdowns on 69 targets. While the double-digit touchdown mark will be hard to hit again, Andrews has scored at least six times in five of his seven years. With Isaiah Likely (foot) ruled out for Week 1, Andrews' value gets a bit of a boost as well. He should be considered a mid-level TE1 for this matchup.

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Houston Texans Wide Receiver Jayden Higgins could be called upon as the team's second receiver in his NFL debut since Christian Kirk (hamstring) has been ruled out. Higgins was listed on the team's unofficial depth chart as starting next to Kirk and Nico Collins, but with Kirk out, he could draw even more targets against a tough Rams' defense. Higgins was impressive in training camp and finished with five catches on seven targets for 40 yards in the preseason. The No. 34 overall pick in last year's draft is viewed as a carbon copy of Collins' skill set, and he could be very involved right away. He's the WR58 in RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings, so he's still a long-shot starter, but he could be a FLEX flier worth considering in deep leagues. He's definitely an important rookie to watch in Week 1 to evaluate how ready he is to contribute moving forward.

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Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce should have an opportunity to contribute early in the season for his team, since Joe Mixon (ankle) is on the reserve/non-football injury list and will miss at least the first four weeks and possibly longer. Pierce is expected to share the workload in the backfield with veteran Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks. Chubb will likely take the lead on early-down work, with Marks playing on receiving downs and Pierce mixing in as well. Exactly how the timeshare is divided out will go a long way to determining the fantasy value of all three running backs at the start of the season. Chubb has been inefficient since returning from injury, but Pierce has also struggled since producing 939 rushing yards on 220 carries as a rookie back in 2022. He had just 40 carries last year but racked up 293 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. If Pierce stays healthy and Chubb struggles, the younger, more explosive back could play his way up the depth chart for new Offensive Coordinator Nick Caley if he comes out strong against the Rams in Week 1, so keep an eye on how the timeshare plays out. Pierce is extremely high-risk in the unclear situation, though, so he's only RB63 in RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings, and he shouldn't be started until his playing time is more certain.

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Cleveland Browns kicker Andre Szmyt will open the 2025 season with a home game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. In a bit of a surprise, Szmyt won the starting kicker job over Dustin Hopkins, who had been Cleveland's kicker the past two seasons and had signed a three-year, $15.9 million extension ahead of the 2024 season. Szmyt will now go up against a Cincinnati defense that allowed just the 26th-most fantasy points per game to opposing kickers last season. The 26-year-old sets up as a low-end fantasy option heading into Week 1.

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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman finally flashed a bit of the talent last season that the team has been patiently awaiting. Entering his fifth year, Bateman more than doubled his career touchdown total last season as he hauled in nine touchdown passes. He also registered career highs in targets (72), yards (756), and yards per target (10.5). With that being said, Bateman is often third in the receiving pecking order, behind Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews. Isaiah Likely (foot) has already been ruled out, but the Ravens picked up DeAndre Hopkins in the offseason. That leaves Bateman as a touchdown-or-bust type of option against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. RotoBaller's projections currently have him down for around eight fantasy points in PPR formats, which would only make him relevant in deeper leagues.

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Houston Texans running back Woody Marks will make his NFL debut on Sunday afternoon when the Texans head to SoFi Stadium to take on the Rams. Marks is expected to be the team's top receiving-down back and could play his way into a larger role with Nick Chubb and Dameon Pierce also expected to be involved while Joe Mixon (ankle) is on the reserve/non-football injury list. Marks was a fourth-round pick for the Texans out of USC, and he racked up 63 rushing yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, along with four catches for 20 yards this preseason. He worked mostly behind Pierce and Chubb, but depending on the game script, he could be a sneaky FLEX play down the road. In Week 1, he's the RB60 in RotoBaller's rankings, so he isn't a good start just yet, although he's a strong stash based on his long-term outlook and potential upside.

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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is coming off a stellar 2024 campaign. The signal-caller finished the year by throwing for 4,918 yards and 43 touchdowns, both the highest marks in the National Football League. Without question, he had an MVP-caliber season. Unfortunately, the Bengals defense struggled, resulting in Cincinnati finishing with a 9-8 record and missing the playoffs. With a meeting with the Cleveland Browns on the horizon, Burrow and company will look to begin the year with a win. Last season, the 28-year-old played well enough against the Browns, combining for 433 yards and five touchdowns (no interceptions) off 38-for-55 passing. With that said, Burrow should remain productive in Week 1, considering he'll have Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown at his disposal. It's also realistic to assume he could finish as the week's top producer at the position, so he must be starting in any fantasy format imaginable.

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Cleveland Browns tight end Harold Fannin Jr. will make his NFL debut at home against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. Fannin drew rave reviews for his pass-catching skills throughout training camp and hopes to carry that over to the field once the regular season starts. The rookie tight end was insanely productive in 2024, setting an FBS record for tight ends with 117 receptions and 1,555 yards. Fannin draws a nice matchup for his debut game as the Bengals allowed the most fantasy points per game to opposing tight ends in 2024. That being said, Fannin's role on offense could be limited with David Njoku ahead of him on the depth chart. For now, Fannin is a player worth keeping tabs on in case he gets a larger-than-expected role on the team's offense.

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Houston Texans running back Nick Chubb will begin the season as the primary early-down option for the Texans since Joe Mixon (ankle/foot) is on the reserve/non-football injury list. Chubb was brought in as a free agent this past offseason after he spent his first seven seasons in the NFL with the Browns. He has been limited to a total of 10 games by multiple injuries during the last two seasons and had just 332 yards on his 102 carries last year, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry and scoring just three touchdowns. He will need to be more effective and efficient to keep his spot atop the depth chart with Dameon Pierce and rookie Woody Marks also expected to mix in the rotation. Chubb does have upside since he should have a good-sized workload against a beatable Rams run defense, but he's a touchdown-dependent FLEX play as the RB38 in RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings.

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Cleveland Browns wide receiver Isaiah Bond will make his NFL debut against the Cincinnati Bengals at home in Week 1. Bond, whom the Browns signed as an undrafted free agent in mid-August, will begin the year on the second team as he is still getting up to speed. The rookie out of Texas was a top prospect at this time a year ago, with some expecting him to be a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft. Off-field issues caused him to go undrafted, but he has a chance to overtake Jamari Thrash as Cleveland's No. 3 receiver this season. Bond doesn't need to be rostered in redraft leagues at the moment, but he is a must-stash in dynasty and is worth keeping tabs on throughout the year as he hopes to make a positive first impression against Cincy this weekend.

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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers was one of the most popular names among the potential breakout candidates last season. In the end, he averaged almost the exact same amount of fantasy points per game in PPR leagues (12.1 vs 12.3). The speedy wideout finished as WR1 and a WR2 in three games each last season, which left him as a WR3 or worse in the 12 remaining weeks. The good news is that he's seen at least 100 targets in each of the last two seasons, which is why he continues to have WR2 upside, especially in PPR formats. Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1, RotoBaller's projections have Flowers registering 11.2 fantasy points and finishing as the WR32.

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Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku will make his 2025 debut against the Cincinnati Bengals at home in Week 1. With Joe Flacco back under center after a stint with the team in 2023, Njoku is primed to get off to a hot start this season. Flacco and Njoku showed excellent chemistry together two years ago, combining for 30 receptions, 390 yards, and four touchdowns in five games together. The Bengals were the worst team in the league against tight ends last season as they allowed the most fantasy points per game to the position. Njoku is a top-six fantasy tight end heading into Week 1.

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Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. has one of the highest ceilings and lowest floors of any tight end in the league. The former first-round draft pick logged six games of four catches or more in 2024, but also had eight games wherehe caught just two passes or fewer. Despite that dynamic, the 24-year-old still managed to finish just outside the top 12 TEs in receiving yards and in fantasy points thanks to the third-highest average yards per reception (12.8) among TEs and four touchdown receptions. In two contests against the Buccaneers last year, Pitts Sr. hauled in 11 passes for 179 yards and two scores, and he could be in for another productive day on Sunday against a Tampa defense that struggled to cover the middle of the field in 2024. Also, with Darnell Mooney in jeopardy of missing or being limitedin this contest, the 6-foot-6 pass catcher could see a few extra targets. The fifth-year pro projects as a volatile high-end TE2 in Week 1.

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