Fab's Five Fantasy Football Sleeper Starts Week 1: Drake Maye Headlines List

Michael Fabiano | Sep 4, 2025

Patriots QB Drake Maye has real fantasy sleeper appeal in this week's matchup against the Raiders. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Fabs’ Five Sleepers is your weekly look at players who aren’t considered must-starts in fantasy football lineups but could exceed expectations based on a plus matchup or simple volume. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em and my weekly player rankings, which are updated daily throughout the season.

Fantasy Football Sleeper Picks Week 1

Drake Maye vs. Raiders (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Maye is one of my favorite breakout players among quarterbacks, and I like him as a low No. 1 fantasy option against the Raiders. Their defense has few standouts beyond pass rusher Maxx Crosby, and it allowed nearly 18 points per game to field generals last season. Maye is also even money to go over 31.5 pass attempts on BetRivers, and his rushing yards prop is 27.5 on FanDuel.

TreVeyon Henderson vs. Raiders (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Henderson is third on the Patriots unofficial depth chart, behind Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson. I’m not sure how much that ultimately matters, however, as he’s clearly the team’s best playmaker in their backfield. I can see the rookie out of Ohio State catching four-plus passes in this contest against the Raiders, so start him as a flex in leagues that reward for catches.

Jaylen Warren at Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Steelers just gave Warren an extension, and I see him as being the team’s lead back to start the season ahead of Kaleb Johnson. A very good pass catcher, Warren should play often in part due to his pass protection chops in an offense with a 41-year-old quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. So if you’re in a PPR league and need a flex starter, Warren fits the bill regardless of the matchup against the Jets.

Emeka Egbuka at Falcons (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Egbuka is one of my favorite fantasy sleepers this season, and he’ll be a fine flex starter in Week 1 against the Falcons. In 2024, Atlanta gave up the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers … and this unit doesn’t figure to be significantly better this year. Egbuka should see plenty of targets with Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan both out with injuries, and this game has one of the highest totals of the week.

Ricky Pearsall at Seahawks (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Pearsall, also among some of my favorite sleepers, should be in the flex starter conversation this week against Seattle. The Niners are a mess in terms of their pass attack with Brandon Aiyuk out and Jauan Jennings a huge question mark, so Pearsall should see plenty of targets alongside George Kittle. Until we see the Niners pass game get whole, it’s hard not to like Pearsall in fantasy.

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