Kansas City Chiefs running back Elijah Mitchell is a healthy inactive for the Week 1 regular-season opener on Friday night in Brazil against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers, according to Nate Taylor of ESPN. It's bad news for Mitchell heading into his first year with the Chiefs, as it looks like he's the RB4 to open the year, behind starter Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt and rookie Brashard Smith. The 27-year-old was getting some first-team reps early in training camp, but that was a long time ago in late July. Mitchell signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with KC in the offseason after spending his first three NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. In his three years in the Bay Area, the former sixth-rounder in 2021 out of Louisiana averaged 4.7 yards per tote on 327 rush attempts for 1,523 yards and nine touchdowns (five in his rookie season).

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Las Vegas Raiders rookie wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. enters Week 1 as one of the more intriguing sleepers of the 2025 draft class. The 6'5" playmaker earned a starting role ahead of Amari Cooper's retirement and will face a Patriots secondary that could be without cornerback Christian Gonzalez. Thornton's size and downfield ability have made him a favorite target for quarterback Geno Smith throughout camp, flashing legitimate big-play upside. While his early-season role carries promise, the Raiders are still expected to lean on their running game, limiting his immediate fantasy ceiling. Thornton should be stashed on benches with the potential to develop into a key contributor.

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Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker enters 2025 looking to build on a solid sophomore season in which he started 14 games and produced 47 receptions for 539 yards. With Jakobi Meyers and rookie Dont'e Thornton Jr. also in the mix, Tucker opens the season as a starter but faces an uncertain target share in a run-first offense. While his speed makes him a threat on any given play, he is shaping up as a touchdown-dependent contributor rather than a reliable fantasy option. Tucker should add value on special teams as a return man, but for Week 1, he remains well off the fantasy radar.

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Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright (knee) did not practice with the team all week and has officially been ruled out for the Week 1 contest on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, according to Travis Winfield of MiamiDolphins.com. Wright had a small surgery done on his lower leg at the end of training camp, which is expected to sideline him early in the 2025 season, so fantasy managers should not expect him to return for a Week 2 divisional tilt against the New England Patriots. The good news for Miami's backfield is that RB1 De'Von Achane (calf) has been cleared and will be active in the season opener, with Ollie Gordon II backing him up. Because of Wright's injury, he was passed over in favor of Gordon in most fantasy drafts, but he could quickly retake RB2 duties in Miami's backfield behind Achane when he moves past his knee injury.

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Las Vegas Raiders running back Raheem Mostert enters Week 1 in a reserve role behind rookie Ashton Jeanty. The veteran led the league with 18 rushing touchdowns in 2023, but a sharp decline in 2024 has left him fighting for touches in a crowded backfield. Mostert's explosiveness still gives him big-play potential, yet his usage is expected to be minimal against the Patriots, likely in the range of five to ten touches. Unless Jeanty is sidelined, Mostert profiles as a change-of-pace option rather than a fantasy starter. At this stage, he should be viewed strictly as a handcuff stash rather than a viable Week 1 play.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III is off the injury report and ready to go for a Week 1 bout with the New York Jets. Austin, who missed the entire preseason with an abdominal injury, is listed as Pittsburgh's WR2 on the depth chart and should earn some opportunities in an offense that lacks proven commodities at the position outside of DK Metcalf. Austin was efficient with his targets in 2024 and should get improved QB play with Aaron Rodgers under center, but it's a stretch to consider him a fantasy option, especially in this matchup. The Jets were stout against opposing receivers last season, and this contest is expected to be a low-scoring affair. Austin's utilization will be worth keeping an eye on, but the 26-year-old is just a dynasty or deep-league bench stash for the time being.

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Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith opens his tenure in silver and black with a favorable Week 1 matchup against the Patriots. New England's secondary is thin after releasing Jabrill Peppers and with Christian Gonzalez battling a hamstring injury, leaving exploitable holes in coverage. Smith's experience should help him move the ball, but questions remain about his supporting cast outside of second-year tight end Brock Bowers. The Raiders are expected to lean heavily on the run game, which caps Smith's fantasy ceiling. While the matchup is intriguing, Smith remains a risky play and is best avoided as a streaming option to open the season.

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Green Bay Packers All-Pro pass-rusher Micah Parsons (back) was listed as a limited practice participant all week and is officially questionable to make his Packers debut in the Week 1 season opener this Sunday in a divisional clash against the Detroit Lions. The Packers sent two first-rounders and run-stopper Kenny Clark to the Dallas Cowboys on Aug. 28 for Parsons in a blockbuster deal that makes them legitimate Super Bowl contenders, but the 26-year-old has been dealing with a back injury that could require an injection so that he can play this weekend. It's a good sign that he practiced all week, though, and Parsons is expected to play against Detroit. Parsons will be a bit more risky as a fantasy starter in IDP lineups if he's active, though, because Green Bay could manage his snap count.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf will get his first game action with the team in a Week 1 road matchup against the New York Jets. Metcalf is coming off his least productive campaign since his rookie season, though he still averaged an impressive 15 yards per catch in 2024. Now with a new contract and a new quarterback, Metcalf will hope to re-establish himself as a true WR1. This won't be an easy task, however, against a New York defense that ranked top-10 last season in receptions, yards, touchdowns, and fantasy points allowed to receivers. Still, Metcalf's potential target volume is tough to overlook given Pittsburgh's lack of depth at the position. While an explosive outing is relatively unlikely, Metcalf is a viable WR2 or flex play in most fantasy leagues this week.

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Las Vegas Raiders rookie running back Ashton Jeanty enters Week 1 with momentum and sky-high expectations after being drafted as a top-15 overall player in many fantasy leagues. The versatile runner will be the centerpiece of the Raiders' offense against a Patriots unit that is sturdy up front but lacks playmakers at the second level. Expect Las Vegas to establish the run early, giving Jeanty opportunities to control the tempo and showcase his explosiveness. While New England's interior defense can present challenges, Jeanty's combination of vision, pass-catching ability, and burst should allow him to produce in multiple ways. Fantasy managers should treat him as a reliable low-end RB1 with the upside to deliver a statement debut.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Noah Brown has been managing a knee injury that he sustained back during training camp and is all set to play in Week 1's matchup against the Giants. Brown was limited in practice both Wednesday and Thursday before showing up as a DNP in practice on Friday. Head coach Dan Quinn labeled it as a rest day for the veteran receiver and said that everyone should be good to go on Sunday. Brown signed in Washington following being waived by the Texans during roster cuts and ended up signing a one-year extension after carving out a role as their second outside receiver. He led the team in total receiving yards in the two games against the Giants last season, catching nine passes for 116 yards. Brown again projects to be the team's primary outside wide receiver opposite Terry McLaurin, but likely won't be relevant for fantasy purposes against the Giants.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton (groin) is off the injury report and cleared for Sunday's season opener against the Atlanta Falcons. The top tight end opened the week as a limited participant due to a groin injury on Wednesday. However, Otton was able to log back-to-back full sessions on Thursday and Friday and was able to avoid carrying a designation into the weekend. Last season, the 26-year-old enjoyed a career year in his third NFL campaign. Otton caught 59 passes for 600 yards and four touchdowns on 87 targets. With Chris Godwin (ankle) and Jalen McMillan (neck) not suiting up in this contest, Otton carries sneaky streaming appeal in deeper 14+ team formats and a budget play upside in DFS, as he should operate as the team's No. 3 pass-catching option alongside Mike Evans and Emeka Egbuka.

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Kaleb Johnson will make his regular-season NFL debut against the New York Jets in Week 1. A third-round pick in April's draft, Johnson has plenty of potential, especially in a Steelers offense that has ranked top-10 in rush attempts in each of the past three seasons. That said, it's unclear just how much of a role Johnson will have early on. Head coach Mike Tomlin recently labeled Jaylen Warren the team's "featured runner", and veteran Kenneth Gainwell currently sits ahead of Johnson on the depth chart. With Sunday's contest expected to be low-scoring, there is no reason to force Johnson into starting lineups. He should remain rostered in all formats, but fantasy managers would be wise to take a wait-and-see approach with Johnson.

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Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin is ready to roll for the season opener at home against the Giants after finally reaching an agreement with Washington on a three-year, $96 million extension. The deal was signed less than two weeks before Week 1, allowing McLaurin ample time to ramp up and get in proper conditioning for Kliff Kingsbury's up-tempo offense. He's coming off his best season as a pro, catching a franchise record 13 touchdowns. The 29-year-old receiver will immediately get back on page and make up for lost time with rising quarterback Jayden Daniels, something the second-year signal caller isn't concerned about. "I don't think it [chemistry] ever leaves," said Daniels when asked if he is confident that his connection with Terry McLaurin can pick up where it left off. McLaurin was relatively quiet in two meetings against the Giants last season, totaling eight receptions for 41 yards, but he found the endzone twice in the second game. For his career, McLaurin has always played well against them, averaging six receptions for 75 yards and scoring five touchdowns in 11 games. He projects as a mid to high-end WR2 for Week 1, always with the potential for a long score.

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Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren will begin his first campaign as the team's featured ballcarrier in a road bout with the New York Jets. Warren thrived in a complementary role through his first three seasons, averaging 4.8 yards per tote while adding 127 receptions. Although he is expected to lead Pittsburgh's backfield ahead of rookie Kaleb Johnson, Warren will be tested by a solid New York defense. The Jets shut down running backs in the passing game and held the position to the fifth-fewest yards per carry in 2024. This is expected to be a low-scoring affair, so while Warren doesn't offer extreme upside, he can be started as a volume-based RB2 or flex option in Week 1.

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Detroit Lions rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (illness) does not carry an injury designation into their Week 1 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. The rookie wideout was listed as a limited participant on Wednesday and Thursday. However, he was able to log a full session on Friday and avoid a questionable tag into the weekend. TeSlaa was selected in the third round (70th overall) in this year's NFL Draft out of Arkansas. During the preseason, TeSlaa flashed immense potential and made a strong case to open the season in a prominent role. Earlier in August, the Lions opted to trade veteran wideout Tim Patrick to the Jacksonville Jaguars, which opened the No. 3 spot for either TeSlaa or Kalif Raymond. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on his workload in the opener, as he could be worth adding in deeper 3-WR leagues if he were to carve out a significant role. However, for the time being, he is best to keep out of starting lineups, playing in a crowded offense.

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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (calf) said he "feels great" despite carrying a questionable tag into Sunday's season opener against the Seattle Seahawks. The star running back was not listed on Wednesday's initial injury report but was downgraded to limited on Thursday. However, on Friday, McCaffrey took a further step back, as he was listed as a non-participant. Fantasy managers should continue to keep a close eye on his status as he could end up being a game-time decision. Last season, the 29-year-old appeared in only four games as he missed time due to Achilles tendinitis in both legs. If McCaffrey were to miss Sunday's game, fantasy managers should expect Brian Robinson Jr. to see the bulk of the carries while Isaac Guerendo moves up to the backup spot.

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Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is set to begin his sophomore season in Week 1 against the Giants after winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and leading his team to the NFC Championship game. Daniels typically comes off the board as QB3 in the third-to-fourth round of fantasy drafts, behind perennial MVP candidates Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. He is viewed in high esteem for good reason after the season he had. The LSU product joined 2024 Lamar Jackson as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for at least 3,500 yards and rush for at least 800 yards in a season. With significant additions to the offense like Laremy Tunsil and Deebo Samuel Sr., and another year with the same offensive coaching staff, Jayden Daniels is primed to ascend even higher in 2025 and has the ability to break fantasy. Last season, the Giants' defense ranked middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. The defense projects to be much better this season with an incredibly stout defensive line after drafting Abdul Carter third overall, as well as an improved secondary after signing veterans Jevon Holland and Paulson Adebo in free agency. Daniels is an obvious must-start in the season opener.

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Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond is entering his fifth season in Detroit and appears to be the team's WR4 behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Isaac TeSlaa. Still, the 31-year-old brings a vertical element to the offense with his speed and has consistently found the field in his time in Detroit, albeit in a limited capacity. In eight career games against the Packers, Raymond has recorded 20 catches for 302 yards and a touchdown. He may eat into the Week 1 snap share of TeSlaa, who is playing on Sunday, but was limited in practice early in the week with an illness. Raymond should not be on the radar of fantasy managers, but he should be expected to see some work in Week 1 against Green Bay.

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San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings (calf) is off the injury report and will suit up in their Week 1 contest against the Seattle Seahawks. Earlier on Friday, head coach Kyle Shanahan said that regarding Jennings's status, he is "really confident" and that he's "gotten better and better throughout the week", and "I'm excited to see him out there Sunday." The 28-year-old wideout was diagnosed with a calf injury and was also expressing interest in signing a new contract. Jennings was able to not only move past his injury but also ink a new contract with the club that grants him incentives based on playing time in the upcoming season. In 2024, Jennings enjoyed a breakout campaign, totaling 975 yards and six touchdowns. Fantasy managers should expect him to operate as Brock Purdy's go-to option in the passing attack and carry high-end WR3 value facing the Seahawks.

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