On September 4th, the NFL makes its triumphant return, and it does so with an opening night cracker at the Linc. The reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles, fresh off their 40-22 dismantling of the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX, square off against their eternal NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys, in a primetime showdown that promises fireworks. Online odds providers are certainly already salivating.
Despite heading into the new campaign as the defending champs, the Birds aren’t the team that the bookies make the favorites to claim the Lombardi in San Francisco next February. Instead, that is an honor that has perhaps surprisingly been bestowed on the Buffalo Bills, with the latest NFL futures odds making them the shock +600 favorites to claim a maiden Super Bowl championship at the end of the season.
But the 2025 NFL kickoff game won’t be solely explosive on the field; it will also set fantasy leagues across the nation alight. For millions of fantasy managers, opening night represents the culmination of countless hours spent analyzing depth charts, studying injury reports, and debating draft strategies with league rivals. The first round of your fantasy draft carries immense weight. Make the right call, and you’ve anchored your roster with a difference-maker who can single-handedly swing matchups. Choose poorly, and you’re climbing uphill all season long – just ask anyone who selected Christian McCaffrey first overall 12 months ago.
So, bearing in mind that disastrous selection, who should fantasy football players be looking at ahead of their upcoming drafts? Here are our picks.
Top of the Board – Ja’Marr Chase
Ja’Marr Chase is the consensus No. 1 overall pick for 2025—and the numbers explain why. The 25-year-old Cincinnati Bengals wideout delivered an all-time great season last term. He led the league in terms of receptions (127), receiving yards (1,708), and receiving touchdowns (17) last season, becoming just the third player in the last two decades to win the Triple Crown. But even with that, as well as league-leading numbers from his quarterback Joe Burrow, the Bengals still missed out on the playoffs for the second straight year.
This season, fantasy football managers can expect to see more of the same. Cincinnati’s passing-heavy offense is built around Chase, feeding him a torrent of targets throughout every single game. His presence collapses coverage, his explosiveness catalyzes big plays, and his almost telepathic rapport with Burrow borders on the uncanny. For PPR formats, this is the axis around which winning teams are built.
Drafting Chase first overall delivers both unrivaled safety and nuclear upside: a weekly rock who turns opportunity into game-breaking fantasy totals. Plus, with added motivation following back-to-back playoff misses, the former LSU Tiger is the only option for fantasy managers with the first overall pick in the bag.
Mid Range – Amon-Ra St. Brown
Consistency. That’s the gospel of Amon St. Brown’s supporters, and the statistics are their scripture. While the aforementioned Chase is almost certain to be selected at the top of the board, as will the likes of Saquon Barkley and Justin Jefferson, the Detroit Lions superstar could well be available for selection for fantasy managers who aren’t blessed with a high spot in their respective drafts. If he is, you should select him immediately.
Deep dives track an astonishing 120+ targets and over 1,500 yards in 2024, underpinning a role that has grown into one of fantasy football’s safest foundations. As well as that, his Motor City team managed to finish the regular season as the NFC’s top seeds last year, amassing an impressive 14-3 record and a bucket load of points scored, many of them taken home by St. Brown. But don’t mistake reliability for mediocrity.
The Lions’ turbocharged attack, powered by Jared Goff’s unwavering faith in his top receiver, pushes St. Brown into red zone battles week after week. His mastery in the slot devastates defenses, stretching the field and manufacturing mismatches. At 26, he is entering prime years, fusing long-term security with immediate scoring power. Drafting him is a statement of intent: yes, you might have Ja’Marr Chase, but I have someone almost as explosive with far lower capital expended.
Late First Round – Nico Collins
If 2024 was Nico Collins’ coming-out party, 2025 could be his coronation. Despite missing seven games due to injury, the former University of Michigan standout erupted for over 1,000 receiving yards last term, thriving in lockstep with the sensational CJ Stroud. Now, with Steffon Diggs shipped out to New England and having returned to full fitness, Collins is his quarterback’s undisputed number one target, and that means one thing for fantasy managers: points.
Houston’s newly minted identity as a high-octane, pass-first juggernaut only amplifies his credentials. The Texans are locked in a lackluster AFC South, which they are expected to dominate for the third straight year. At 26, the arc of improvement for the wideout remains steep, and with managers looking toward the aforementioned players, as well as running backs such as Jahmyr Gibbs and perhaps even rookie Ashton Jeanty, Collins could well be available for selection if you’re the last one to pick in your respective fantasy draft first round.
For managers craving both reliability and a whiff of breakout potential, Collins is your ticket in the late first round—especially as Stroud’s trust in him deepens by the week. He could leave managers further up the board rueing their selections, while taking you all the way to fantasy league glory.
