Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson produced a very forgettable rookie season in 2024. He registered a total of 69 touches (63 carries, six receptions), 350 yards from scrimmage, one rushing touchdown, and one fumble. The Cardinals hope he eventually becomes the successor to James Conner, but the veteran set career highs in yards and carries last year while Benson gave up touches to Emari Demercado and Michael Carter. During training camp and preseason, the team did talk about getting Benson more involved, but his upside currently revolves around whether or not Conner can stay healthy. In 12-team leagues, it's better to avoid Benson in Week 1 until we see how their game plan shakes out.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler won the starting job over rookie Tyler Shough and will lead Kellen Moore's new-look offense against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1. In three preseason games, Rattler completed 30 of 43 passes for 295 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while adding 41 rushing yards on seven carries. He's still trying to rebound from a rough rookie year in 2024 that saw him complete just 57% of his passes with four touchdowns, five interceptions, and five fumbles. Facing an Arizona defense that allowed the fifth-fewest passing scores last season, Rattler belongs on waivers in standard leagues and is only a fringe option in deeper two-QB or superflex formats.

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It's no surprise that New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara is locked in as the Saints' lead back ahead of Kendre Miller and rookie Devin Neal. Despite coaching changes, offensive line struggles, and shaky quarterback play, Kamara has averaged over 1,440 total yards and 10 touchdowns per season across eight years. The Saints' offense is likely to run through him, with Kamara handling the bulk of carries and seeing heavy involvement in the passing game. At 30, he enters the "dreaded" age for running backs, and it remains to be seen if his production as a pass-catcher will start to decline. With second-year QB Spencer Rattler under center, the offense as a whole is questionable, but Kamara profiles as a high-upside RB2 for Week 1 against the Cardinals.

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New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller appears locked into the backup role behind starter Alvin Kamara. Miller came through the preseason healthy, and head coach Kellen Moore has expressed excitement about the third-year back, saying, "What we've seen has been awesome." With the Saints potentially leaning on a committee approach and Kamara entering age 30, Miller is best viewed as a deep-league stash for now, valuable only if Father Time starts catching up to Kamara.

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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua remains a must-start in fantasy football, and he could be a legitimate mid-range WR1 in his upcoming matchup against the Houston Texans. Not only is Nacua a star receiver, averaging 6.6 catches and 88 yards per game throughout his young career, but he also benefits from a favorable matchup. The Texans allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to wide receivers last year, as well as the second-most touchdowns to the position. While Nacua isn't known for being a touchdown threat, his odds to find the end zone certainly increase against this Houston defense. Start him with confidence.

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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams will make his team debut against the Houston Texans on Sunday, and he carries significant value as a mid-to-low WR2 option. While Puka Nacua is expected to be the No. 1 receiver in Los Angeles, Adams will step in as an immediate contributor alongside him. Splitting last year between the Raiders and Jets, the veteran averaged 6.1 catches, 75.9 receiving yards, and 0.6 touchdowns per game. Now, with the Rams, he gets a quarterback upgrade while playing in an offense that should find the end zone far more often. Plus, he opens the year with a favorable matchup; the Texans allowed the eighth-most fantasy points and second-most touchdowns to wide receivers in 2024.

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Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is healthy for the 2025 season, and he'll have some low-end fantasy appeal when he takes the field in Week 1 against the Houston Texans. While Stafford lacks the rushing upside needed to be a top fantasy quarterback, his strong and accurate arm puts him in the conversation as a starter in two-quarterback leagues. The Texans ranked near the middle of the league in most metrics against quarterbacks last year, although their 19 interceptions did rank second-most in the NFL. However, Stafford has a track record of playing clean, turnover-free football, so this matchup isn't a major concern. The presence of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams should elevate his game (and his fantasy production) in Week 1.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine came to Miami this past offseason on a two-year, $6.5 million contract, but he doesn't look like he'll be very involved in Week 1. Westbrook-Ikhine showed a nose for the end zone in his five seasons in Tennessee and had nine touchdowns last year on just 32 catches for 497 yards. He's a big red-zone target that could emerge as a goal-line favorite for Tua Tagovailoa, but he doesn't have a clear path to a role coming into the year. One potential spot he could step into would be to fill in for Darren Waller (hip), since the Dolphins don't have any obvious pass-catching options at tight end. He's a long shot to be involved, though, so Westbrook-Ikhine is the WR99 coming into the week in the RotoBaller rankings, since he's behind at least Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Malik Washington in the Dolphins' receiver room.

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Arizona Cardinals running back James Conner has quietly built a solid career as he enters year number nine in the NFL. The former Pitt Panther is only 30 yards away from 6,000 and one touchdown shy of 60, which he could reach in the first week of the season, making him the 55th running back in NFL history to reach those marks (fifth on the active RB list). To open up the 2025 season, the Cardinals take on the New Orleans Saints, who finished as the D/ST22 last season and come into this year projected as the D/ST23. Conner should be able to find some running room and will likely continue to receive red zone touches despite Trey Benson being projected to get some more work. RotoBaller's rankers have him projected as the RB19 this year with a very enticing 17 fantasy point prediction in Week 1.

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Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams has been the topic of many backfield discussions this offseason, and there was plenty of speculation that the team could look to bring in running back competition. While the presence of Blake Corum and Jarquez Hunter can't be ignored, there's no doubt that this backfield belongs to Williams and that he should continue to have an every-down role. That will benefit him this week against the Texans, who allowed the sixth-fewest rushing touchdowns to running backs last year. Therefore, a high-volume role is necessary to justify starting a running back against the Texans in fantasy football. Williams fits that description, and he also has a track record of scoring touchdowns against stingy defenses. He belongs in fantasy lineups this week.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington is set to start the season as the team's third receiver behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. The second-year receiver could be in for a more involved role in 2025 after catching just 26 passes for 223 yards as a rookie. Washington was Miami's sixth-round pick out of Virginia and was able to work extensively with starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa this training camp and preseason, while Hill and Waddle dealt with injuries. Washington showed his playmaking ability in the return game last year, and offensive coordinator Frank Smith praised his growth and understanding of the offense over the offseason. He's only the WR102 in RotoBaller's Week 1 Rankings, so he shouldn't be starting in any format yet. However, he is definitely a player to keep an eye on and possibly stash from waiver wires since he brings a lot of upside if he secures a big role in Miami's offense.

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Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is entering his seventh season in the NFL with only one playoff appearance under his belt and a total record of 36-45-1. The two-time Pro Bowler has only led the league in any stat one time, and that was in his rookie year when he led in sacks taken. With those negatives out of the way, Murray has still amassed at least 3,700 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air in each season that he was healthy. He's also compiled 400+ yards and 4+ touchdowns on the ground in four of his six seasons. With that being said, Murray faces off against the New Orleans Saints, who are ranked as the 23rd D/ST in RotoBaller's defense rankings. More time to build chemistry with Marvin Harrison Jr. should pay off this past offseason, so Murray heads into this game with QB1 upside, especially due to his dual-threat abilities.

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New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry should be considered as a viable option for your starting lineup in fantasy football. The veteran tight end had arguably the best season of his career last year, setting personal bests with 97 targets, 66 catches, and 674 yards despite sharing some of his volume with Austin Hooper. His productivity could only increase this year as Drake Maye gets more comfortable in the offense and potentially looks toward Henry more often, especially in the end zone. In addition to having a favorable season outlook, Henry should benefit right away in Week 1 as the Patriots face the Raiders, who allowed the third-most fantasy points to tight ends in 2024.

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New England Patriots tight end Austin Hooper had a pleasantly surprising 2024 season, but he's not on the fantasy radar for the team's 2025 season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders. After all, Hooper is still the No. 2 tight end in New England and should continue to operate behind Hunter Henry. There will be two-tight end sets and opportunities for Hooper to get involved, but not enough to justify rostering him in fantasy football, especially when so many other tight ends are healthy and bye weeks haven't started up yet. Despite a matchup against the Raiders, who allowed the third-most fantasy points to tight ends last year, Hooper can be left on waivers.

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Miami Dolphins tight end Julian Hill is in line to get the start against the Colts after offseason acquisition Darren Waller (hip) was ruled out. Waller's return after a year off has not gone according to plan since he hasn't been able to stay healthy enough to get used to the offense or connect with Tua Tagovailoa. In his place, Hill will step into the lineup, but the third-year tight end from Campbell has shown limited fantasy potential in his first two years. He has caught a total of 18 passes in two years for 148 yards and no scores. He's off the fantasy radar as the TE46 coming into the week, but since he'll start, he does have a glimmer of touchdown-dependent upside.

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Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins has signed a fully guaranteed deal with the Cleveland Browns. After being arrested earlier in the offseason on domestic assault charges, Judkins was finally able to agree to a contract with the team that selected him in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. With Judkins signing his deal, all draft picks are now under contract. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network noted that even though no charges were filed against Judkins, the league is still conducting its own investigation. For the time being, Judkins should not face any potential suspension. The 36th overall pick played a key role in Ohio State's National Championship last season as he ran for 1,060 yards and punched in 16 total touchdowns. While Judkins is not expected to play in Week 1, he is expected to take over the Cleveland backfield eventually and potentially as early as Week 2. On Sunday, fantasy managers should expect Jerome Ford to operate as the RB1 while fellow rookie Dylan Sampson is deployed behind him.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs will make his team debut during Sunday's Week 1 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. The veteran receiver is expected to operate as the Patriots' WR1, providing plenty of support to second-year quarterback Drake Maye. The Raiders sneakily had an above-average pass defense last year, but Diggs should still see enough volume to justify starting him as a WR3/FLEX in fantasy. After all, outside of Hunter Henry, Diggs doesn't face a whole lot of competition for targets. Managers should feel confident deploying the veteran as a low-end WR3/FLEX in leagues with at least 12 teams.

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Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (undisclosed) missed practices during this training camp, but he was able to play in the preseason and is ready to start the season healthy in Week 1 against the Colts. He spent most of the offseason working as the team's top receiver since Tyreek Hill (wrist, oblique) was dealing with injury issues of his own. Waddle inked a big contract before last season, but he had his lowest output of his career, totaling 58 catches, 744 receiving yards, and 2 touchdowns. There have been rumblings that his strong connection with Tua Tagovailoa and improved hands could lead to him becoming the primary receiver in Miami, but with both Hill and De'Von Achane (calf) healthy, his workload is uncertain. He's the WR30 in RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings, making him a WR3 against the Colts, although he has a higher ceiling than some other options in that range.

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New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas is not a worthwhile fantasy starter in Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Not only did the Raiders allow the 11th-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers last year, but Douglas is likely headed for a smaller role than last season now that Stefon Diggs has joined the offense. While Douglas does have experience being a low-yardage target machine, he was still inconsistent in 2024 and could become even less dependable with reduced volume in 2025. Plus, while he projects as a potential streamer later this season, he's not worth starting right now when there are no bye weeks and most top receivers are still healthy.

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New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is technically listed as a starter on the team's unofficial depth chart, but he's expected to be the WR3 and is unlikely to carve out a significant role above Stefon Diggs, Hunter Henry, or DeMario Douglas. Furthermore, the Patriots could throw the football less now that they have a stellar one-two punch of Rhamondre Stevenson and Tre'Veyon Henderson out of the backfield. While Boutte did show flashes of upside last season, he still finished the year with a modest 589 yards and three touchdowns. With bye weeks still several weeks away and injuries being kept to a minimum for now, fantasy managers should start their studs and leave depth options like Boutte on the bench or waivers.

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