We're in the Wide Receivers Era of fantasy football. The most in-demand position -- if maybe equally or marginally less important than running back -- dominates interest and trust among league circles.
For Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, starting your studs lines up for fantasy leagues. No WR-CB matchup stands out among top options as a reason to bench or significantly downgrade them.
Indeed, much of the uncertainty comes in WR2 and WR3 tiers, so stick with your draft plans and roll out your star snares.
Check out our Week 1 WR fantasy football rankings below, which will focus on point-per-reception (PPR) leagues, which reward at least half a point for each catch.
FANTASY WEEK 1 RANKINGS: QB | RB | WR | TE | DST | PK | Non-PPR Flex
Fantasy Football WR Rankings Week 1: PPR tips on who to start, sit at wide receiver
This list positions wide receivers for Week 1 expected value in point-per-reception (PPR) leagues.
After reading this WR breakdown, click for our full group of fantasy football weekly rankings.
Note: Players who have already had their game are in italicized, strikethrough font.
| Rk | Tr | Wide Receiver | TM | OPP | Week 1 Value |
| 1 | 1 | Ja'Marr Chase | CIN | @CLE | Elite WR1 |
| 2 | 1 | Malik Nabers | NYG | @WAS | Elite WR1 |
| 4 | 1 | Justin Jefferson | MIN | @CHI | Elite WR1 |
| 5 | 1 | Nico Collins | HOU | @LAR | Elite WR1 |
| 6 | 2 | Brian Thomas Jr. | JAC | CAR | WR1 |
| 7 | 2 | Drake London | ATL | TB | WR1 |
| 8 | 2 | Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET | @GB | WR1 |
| 9 | 2 | Puka Nacua | LAR | HOU | WR1 |
| 12 | 3 | Mike Evans | TB | @ATL | WR1/WR2 |
| 13 | 3 | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | SEA | SF | WR1/WR2 |
| 14 | 3 | Tee Higgins | CIN | @CLE | Strong WR2 |
| 15 | 4 | Courtland Sutton | DEN | TEN | Strong WR2 |
| 16 | 4 | Marvin Harrison Jr. | ARI | @NO | Strong WR2 |
| 18 | 4 | Tyreek Hill | MIA | @IND | Strong WR2 |
| 19 | 4 | Terry McLaurin | WAS | NYG | WR2 |
| 20 | 5 | Jerry Jeudy | CLE | CIN | WR2 |
| 21 | 5 | DJ Moore | CHI | MIN | WR2/WR3 |
| 22 | 5 | Emeka Egbuka | TB | @ATL | WR2/WR3 |
| 23 | 5 | Garrett Wilson | NYJ | PIT | WR2 |
| 24 | 5 | Davante Adams | LAR | HOU | WR2/WR3 |
| 25 | 5 | Tetairoa McMillan | CAR | @JAC | WR2/WR3 |
| 27 | 6 | Jaylen Waddle | MIA | @IND | Strong WR3 |
| 28 | 6 | Zay Flowers | BAL | @BUF | Strong WR3 |
| 29 | 6 | DK Metcalf | PIT | @NYJ | Strong WR3 |
| 31 | 7 | Jameson Williams | DET | @GB | WR3 |
| 32 | 7 | Chris Olave | NO | ARI | WR3 |
| 33 | 7 | Stefon Diggs | NE | LV | WR3 |
| 34 | 7 | Ricky Pearsall | SF | @SEA | WR3 |
| 35 | 7 | Jakobi Meyers | LV | @NE | WR3 |
| 36 | 8 | Rome Odunze | CHI | MIN | WR3/Flex |
| 37 | 8 | Travis Hunter | JAC | CAR | WR3/Flex |
| 38 | 8 | Khalil Shakir | BUF | BAL | WR3/Flex |
| 39 | 8 | Matthew Golden | GB | DET | WR3/Flex |
| 40 | 8 | Deebo Samuel Sr. | WAS | NYG | WR3/Flex |
| 41 | 8 | Josh Downs | IND | MIA | WR3/Flex |
| 42 | 8 | Cooper Kupp | SEA | SF | WR3/Flex |
| 43 | 8 | Calvin Ridley | TEN | @DEN | WR3/Flex |
| 44 | 8 | Cedric Tillman | CLE | CIN | WR3/Flex |
| 45 | 9 | Rashid Shaheed | NO | ARI | WR3/Flex |
| 46 | 9 | Michael Pittman Jr. | IND | MIA | WR3/Flex |
| 47 | 9 | Jauan Jennings | SF | @SEA | WR3/Flex |
| 48 | 10 | Jayden Higgins | HOU | @LAR | Flex |
| 49 | 10 | Xavier Legette | CAR | @JAC | Flex |
| 50 | 10 | Romeo Doubs | GB | DET | Flex |
| 51 | 10 | DeMario Douglas | NE | LV | Flex |
| 52 | 10 | Keon Coleman | BUF | BAL | Flex |
| 53 | 10 | Marvin Mims Jr. | DEN | TEN | Flex |
| 55 | 10 | Adam Thielen | MIN | @CHI | Flex |
| 56 | 10 | Rashod Bateman | BAL | @BUF | Flex |
| 57 | 10 | Wan'Dale Robinson | NYG | @WAS | Flex |
| 58 | 11 | Dont'e Thornton Jr. | LV | @NE | Flex/Bench |
| 59 | 11 | Joshua Palmer | BUF | BAL | Flex/Bench |
| 61 | 11 | Darius Slayton | NYG | @WAS | Flex/Bench |
| 62 | 11 | Alec Pierce | IND | MIA | Flex/Bench |
| 63 | 11 | Luther Burden III | CHI | MIN | Flex/Bench |
| 64 | 11 | DeAndre Hopkins | BAL | @BUF | Flex/Bench |
| 65 | 11 | Elic Ayomanor | TEN | @DEN | Flex/Bench |
| 66 | 11 | Tyler Lockett | TEN | @DEN | Flex/Bench |
| 67 | 11 | Quentin Johnston | LAC | KC | Flex/Bench |
| 68 | 11 | Andrei Iosivas | CIN | @CLE | Flex/Bench |
| 70 | 11 | Dontayvion Wicks | GB | DET | QUE |
| 71 | 11 | Calvin Austin III | PIT | @NYJ | Flex/Bench |
| 72 | 11 | Tory Horton | SEA | SF | Flex/Bench |
| 73 | 11 | Ray-Ray McCloud III | ATL | TB | Flex/Bench |
| 74 | 11 | Tre Tucker | LV | @NE | Flex/Bench |
| 75 | 11 | Xavier Hutchinson | HOU | @LAR | Flex/Bench |
| 76 | 12 | Kyle Williams | NE | LV | Bench |
| 77 | 12 | Michael Wilson | ARI | @NO | Bench |
| 78 | 12 | Isaac TeSlaa | DET | @GB | Bench |
| 79 | 12 | Devaughn Vele | NO | ARI | Bench |
| 80 | 12 | Pat Bryant | DEN | TEN | Bench |
| 81 | 12 | Sterling Shepard | TB | @ATL | Bench |
| 82 | 12 | Malik Washington | MIA | @IND | Bench |
| 83 | 12 | Dyami Brown | JAC | CAR | Bench |
| 84 | 12 | Tim Patrick | JAC | CAR | Bench |
| 86 | 12 | Tutu Atwell | LAR | HOU | Bench |
| 87 | 12 | Roman Wilson | PIT | @NYJ | Bench |
| 88 | 12 | Jordan Whittington | LAR | HOU | Bench |
| 89 | 12 | Marquez Valdes-Scantling | SF | @SEA | Bench |
| 90 | 12 | Jalen Nailor | MIN | @CHI | Bench |
| 91 | 12 | Adonai Mitchell | IND | MIA | Bench |
| 92 | 12 | Brandin Cooks | NO | ARI | Bench |
| 93 | 13 | Kayshon Boutte | NE | LV | Bench |
| 94 | 13 | Jack Bech | LV | @NE | Bench |
| 95 | 13 | Parker Washington | JAC | CAR | Bench |
| 96 | 13 | Josh Reynolds | NYJ | PIT | Bench |
| 97 | 13 | Olamide Zaccheaus | CHI | MIN | Bench |
| 99 | 13 | Nick Westbrook-Ikhine | MIA | @IND | Bench |
| 100 | 13 | Troy Franklin | DEN | TEN | Bench |
| 102 | 13 | Arian Smith | NYJ | PIT | Bench |
| 103 | 13 | Elijah Moore | BUF | BAL | Bench |
| 104 | 13 | Jaylin Noel | HOU | @LAR | Bench |
| 105 | 13 | Kalif Raymond | DET | @GB | Bench |
| 106 | 14 | Noah Brown | WAS | NYG | Bench |
| 107 | 14 | Isaiah Bond | CLE | CIN | Bench |
| 108 | 14 | Mack Hollins | NE | LV | Bench |
| 109 | 14 | Hunter Renfrow | CAR | @JAC | Bench |
| 110 | 14 | Jaylin Lane | WAS | NYG | Bench |
| 111 | 14 | Van Jefferson | TEN | @DEN | Bench |
| 112 | 14 | Allen Lazard | NYJ | PIT | Bench |
| 113 | 14 | Savion Williams | GB | DET | QUE |
| 114 | 14 | Tai Felton | MIN | @CHI | Bench |
| 115 | 14 | Zay Jones | ARI | @NO | Bench |
| 117 | 14 | Jamari Thrash | CLE | CIN | Bench |
| 118 | 14 | Greg Dortch | ARI | @NO | Bench |
| 119 | 14 | Tez Johnson | TB | @ATL | Bench |
| 120 | 14 | Curtis Samuel | BUF | BAL | Bench |
| 121 | 14 | Luke McCaffrey | WAS | NYG | Bench |
| 122 | 14 | Jalin Hyatt | NYG | @WAS | Bench |
| 123 | 14 | Xavier Restrepo | TEN | @DEN | Bench |
| 126 | 14 | Chimere Dike | TEN | @DEN | Bench |
| 1 | |||||
| 128 | 15 | KhaDarel Hodge | ATL | TB | Bench |
| 129 | 15 | Jimmy Horn Jr. | CAR | @JAC | Bench |
| 130 | 15 | Jordan Watkins-QUE | SF | @SEA | Bench |
| 131 | 15 | Casey Washington | ATL | TB | Bench |
| 132 | 15 | David Moore | CAR | @JAC | Bench |
| 133 | 15 | Skyy Moore | SF | @SEA | Bench |
| 134 | 15 | Tylan Wallace | BAL | @BUF | Bench |
| 135 | 15 | Trent Sherfield Sr. | DEN | TEN | Bench |
| 136 | 15 | Xavier Gipson | NYJ | PIT | Bench |
| 137 | 15 | Scotty Miller | PIT | @NYJ | Bench |
| 139 | 15 | Tyler Johnson | NYJ | PIT | Bench |
| 140 | 15 | Ryan Miller | TB | @ATL | Bench |
| 142 | 15 | Russell Gage Jr. | SF | @SEA | Bench |
| 143 | 15 | Gage Larvadain | CLE | CIN | Bench |
| 144 | 15 | Ben Skowronek | PIT | @NYJ | Bench |
| 145 | 15 | Trey Palmer | NO | ARI | Bench |
Who are the best fantasy football WRs to start in Week 1?
The bona fide top nine wideouts all remain in the top tiers of Week 1's positional rankings.
Malik Nabers especially gets an upgrade within the top portion of wideouts, though, as he should be fed by Russell Wilson against the Washington Commanders.
Ladd McConkey earns a top-10 listing due to a likely barrage of midrange targets for the Los Angeles Chargers, on the notion that he should pile up catches on what could be a treacherous Brazil playing surface Friday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Who are the top fantasy WR sleepers for Week 1?
Major upgrades to note:
- Courtland Sutton should earn a fantasy WR1 target share against the Tennessee Titans' secondary and dominate a likely matchup with L'Jarius Sneed.
- Even with questions about his workload, Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Travis Hunter should offer a fine first impression, especially if he can get slot reps against the Carolina Panthers.
- Buffalo Bills security blanket Khalil Shakir will always be in lineup consideration for PPR leagues, and a matchup with the Baltimore Ravens' tough defense is no different. Shakir should prove more reliable for snaps than Dalton Kincaid.
- The Panthers' Xavier Legette will see a high-ROI snap count with Jalen Coker on IR-R. Flex-desperate fantasy managers should consider him as a lineup round-out piece, especially if QB Bryce Young has to lead garbage-time duty.
- The Green Bay Packers' group of WR injuries -- headlined by Jayden Reed (foot) -- may allow Romeo Doubs to sneak into fantasy WR3 or better numbers.
WEEK 1 FANTASY TIPS: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em | Sleepers | Busts