2025 Fantasy Football Week 1 Rankings Published by Experts

New York, NY – The 2025 Fantasy Football season is underway, and ESPN has published its Week 1 rankings for various players and defenses. The rankings, released on August 31, include insights from multiple analysts including Matt Bowen, Mike Clay, and Tristan H. Cockcroft.

In the write-up, ESPN emphasizes the significance of the opening week, noting that it offers the first real glimpse of how teams will perform after an offseason filled with speculation. Analysts discussed the importance of defensive matchups and the impact of rookie players.

Rankings are segmented into various tiers, with Tier One identifying ‘elite’ plays and Tier Two highlighting strong options. For Week 1, the Denver Broncos top the list as they face the Tennessee Titans, while the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings follow closely against the New York Jets and Chicago Bears, respectively. The Broncos’ defense, noted for its high performance last season, is expected to pose a challenge for rookie quarterback Cam Ward.

Analyst Mike Clay explains the methodology behind the rankings, stating, “We consider not just the matchups but how each team’s defense performed in the previous season, while factoring in off-season changes.” He emphasized the need for caution with teams that performed poorly last year, even if they face weak offenses this season.

This year’s rankings are vital for managers making benching or starting decisions, particularly with players like De’Von Achane and Matthew Stafford listed as questionable for their upcoming games. Weekly updates will continue leading up to game days, ensuring fantasy managers are well-informed.

As excitement builds for the opening week games, fans and fantasy managers are urged to keep an eye on news updates affecting each team’s performance leading into Sunday.