Kicker & Defense Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Players For Fantasy Football's Week 1

Michael Fabiano | Sep 5, 2025

Chase McLaughlin is a start this week. / Sports Illustrated

Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Josh Allen, Bijan Robinson or Ja’Marr Chase. Instead, I'll look at the players who could exceed or fail to meet expectations at each position. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the 2025 NFL season.

Fab's Top 10 Fantasy DST

1. Broncos defense vs. Titans
2. Cardinals defense at Saints
3. Steelers defense at Jets
4. Bengals defense at Browns
5. Eagles defense vs. Cowboys (Thurs.)
6. Vikings defense at Bears (Mon.)
7. Commanders defense vs. Giants
8. 49ers defense at Seahawks
9. Rams defense vs. Texans
10. Patriots defense vs. Raiders

Start Em, Sit Em: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs

Week 1 Start ‘Em Defenses

Start of the Week

Cardinals defense at Saints (1 p.m. ET, CBS): The Cardinals' defense has a fantastic matchup this week, facing a Saints' offense that has all kinds of question marks … none more than at quarterback. Spencer Rattler won the job in camp, beating out rookie Tyler Shough, but he has much to prove before I won’t target him in my defensive matchups. The Cardinals are available in a lot of fantasy football leagues too.

Start ‘Em

Bengals defense at Browns (1 p.m. ET, Fox): The Browns quarterback situation isn’t great either, as the team will roll with 40-year-old Joe Flacco as their starter. The team also won’t have their projected starting running back, Quinshon Judkins, so this unit has some real question marks heading into Week 1. Much like the Cardinals, you can probably find the Bengals' defense on a lot of waiver wires this week.

Rams defense vs. Texans (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): The Rams' defense has a plus matchup at home this week, facing C.J. Stroud and a Houston offense with a questionable backfield situation and concerning line. Joe Mixon is out for the foreseeable future, and PFF has the Texans offensive line ranked dead last in the league. Los Angeles’ pass rushers should smell blood, and I expect DC Chris Shula to blitz early and often.

More Starts

• Vikings defense at Bears (Mon. 815 p.m. ET, ESPN, ABC)
• Commanders defense vs. Giants (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Patriots defense vs. Raiders (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

Week 1 Sit ‘Em Defenses

Sit of the Week

Bills defense vs. Ravens (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): The Bills have one of the better fantasy defenses in the NFL, but it’s difficult to start them against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Their offense has rarely been prone to turnovers, and Vegas is expecting this to be a high-scoring affair (O/U 50.5 at FanDuel). What’s more, the Bills gave up a combined 60 points to Baltimore in two games last season (including the playoffs).

Sit ‘Em

Ravens defense at Bills (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): See above. It’s a bad idea to start a defense against Jackson, and it’s equally bad to start one against Josh Allen. The Bills have one of the league’s top offensive attacks, and the high Vegas total indicates this game could be an absolute scoreboard scorcher. With turnovers likely hard to come by on either side of the ball, I’d keep Baltimore’s defense on the sidelines.

Packers defense vs. Lions (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): The Packers' defense has their work cut out for them this week (even with the addition of pass rusher Micah Parsons) against the Lions. In their last four meetings, this unit has surrendered 34, 24, 22 and 34 points to the men in Honolulu blue. The total in this game is also among the highest in the league (O/U 47.5 at FanDuel), so I’d keep the Cheesehead in the fantasy closet this week.

More Sits

• Cowboys defense at Eagles (Thurs. 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
• Chiefs defense at Chargers (Brazil, Fri. 8 p.m. ET, YouTube)
• Texans defense at Rams (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)

Fab's Top 10 Fantasy Kickers

1. Chase McLaughlin at Falcons
2. Brandon Aubrey at Eagles (Thurs.)
4. Will Reichard at Bears (Mon.)
4. Chris Boswell at Jets
6. Cameron Dicker vs. Chiefs (Fri.)
7. Jake Bates at Packers
8. Wil Lutz vs. Titans
9. Joshua Karty vs. Texans
10. Cam Little vs. Panthers

Week 1 Start ‘Em Kickers

Start of the Week

Chase McLaughlin at Falcons (1 p.m. ET, Fox): McLaughlin is coming off a career year, scoring 162 fantasy points and finishing tied for fifth among kickers. I think he’ll have a nice start to this season too against the Falcons, who McLaughlin beat for 22 points in two games last season. This game has a high total (O/U 47.5 at FanDuel), and McLaughlin comes in at even money to go over 7.5 points on BetMGM. He should post a solid number.

Start ‘Em

Wil Lutz vs. Titans (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Lutz had a strong 2024 campaign, finishing eight in fantasy points among kickers while averaging better than nine points per game. He was also very productive at home, scoring at least eight fantasy points in each of his last four at Mile High. Vegas is expecting a nice stat line from Lutz too, as he’s at -125 to score more than 7.5 fantasy points at BetMGM. Look for Lutz to have a top-10 performance.

Chris Boswell at Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Boswell was the best kicker in fantasy football a season ago, scoring 188 points. He should have a nice start to this season too, as he goes up against a Jets team that was one of the most generous to opposing kickers in 2024. Also, Boswell comes in at -105 to go over 7.5 points based on BetMGM. He’s also at -190 to kick multiple field goals there, showing that Vegas expects him to post a nice total.   

More Starts

• Cam Little vs. Panthers (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Joshua Karty vs. Texans (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Will Reichard at Bears (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC)

Week 1 Sit ‘Em Kickers

Sit of the Week

Jake Moody at Seahawks (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Moody is coming off a disappointing 2024 campaign that saw him finish just 23rd in fantasy points among kickers. In his lone game against this week’s opponent, the Seahawks, Moody scored just five fantasy points. He’s also failed to score more than seven points against them in three meetings. I’d keep him on the sidelines in a game that comes with one of the lower totals (O/U 43.5 at FD) of the week.  

Sit ‘Em

Brandon McManus vs. Lions (4:25 pm. ET, CBS): McManus will certainly be a fantasy starter in most weeks of the season, especially after he averaged nearly nine fantasy points in his 11 games in 2024. Still, this week's matchup against the Lions isn't great on paper. Last season, their defense allowed fewer than eight points per game to opposing kickers. McManus is also at plus money to score more than 7.5 points on BetMGM.

Daniel Carlson at Patriots (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Carlson was one of the better kickers in fantasy last season, finishing 10th in points at the position. I’d beware the veteran this week, however, as he faces New England in a game that’s not expected to be a high-scoring affair. The 43.5 O/U total (FD) is tied for the seventh-fewest on the week, so Carlson might struggle to earn opportunities in the contest. Keep him on the sidelines.  

More Sits

• Harrison Butker at Chargers (Brazil, Fri. 8 p.m. ET, YouTube)
• Jason Myers vs. 49ers (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Matt Prater vs. Ravens (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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