Week 1 is officially upon us, and nailing that x-factor position, the FLEX, could swing your entire season from day one. Joel Smyth is here to cut through the noise with his breakdown of 10 players across five tiers, ready for your flexes, double flexes, or even those desperate third WR slots. Let’s dive into who you absolutely need to consider right now.
Lock It In: Your Set and Forget Power Plays
First up, Chicago’s wide receiver, Luther Burden III. This guy logged a full practice on Wednesday, which is a massive green light for Week 1. Yeah, the Panthers were a tough matchup for receivers last season, we all know that, but Burden is different. He’s not as matchup-dependent as his teammate Rome Odunze, who’s still limited in practice. Burden gets a ton of easy targets underneath and avoids those brutal one-on-one matchups on the outside with Jaycee Horn. Ben Johnson has had all summer to cook something special up, and you just know we’re going to see a lot of work early for this second-year receiver. He’s got a solid floor with that quick passing attack, but still has all the explosive ability to break one. Don’t even think about benching your fourth-to-fifth round pick because of a couple missed weeks of practice. This kid is ready.
Then there’s Green Bay’s Christian Watson. He was drafted to be a clear starter, simple as that. Even with a tough Week 1 matchup against Minnesota, Watson is set for a less volatile season overall. The Vikings pressure quarterbacks more than anyone, and that’s a huge issue for Green Bay’s shaky offensive line, just like it was in their last 2025 game. In the past, Watson was all about those deep shots, a real boom-or-bust guy. But his versatility in 2025? It leaped, man, he became a truly all-around wide receiver. In an evolving offense that’s going to push the pace, Watson is going to snag some easy underneath targets he might not have seen in previous years, especially with those now vacated targets in the receiver room. He’s a must start.
Matchup Masters: The Weekly Wonders
Carolina running back Chuba Hubbard? This could be his absolute best week all season. Both Panthers running backs are off the injury report, but I fully expect Hubbard to lead the backfield as the experienced veteran. Last season, Carolina was in a very similar spot with Rico Dowdle, and Hubbard got a whopping 21 opportunities in Week 1, turning it into 89 yards and a touchdown. He just kept that volume rolling for the first three weeks of the season. Even if there’s a bit more of an immediate split, the Chicago defense is not scary at all. This gives Hubbard a Week 1 spot that makes him totally trustworthy.
And for those double-flex or three-wide receiver leagues, Tampa Bay’s Chris Godwin Jr. can absolutely step in for you Week 1. After his gruesome injury back in 2024, Godwin had limited production in 2025. But he’s starting the year against a Cincinnati defense that struggled big time against interior receivers in the passing game last season. That’s exactly where Godwin will get the majority of his targets, right out of the slot. With D.J. Turner covering Emeka Egbuka for most snaps, Godwin can start strong in what should be a big bounce-back year for him.
Treading Carefully: The Vanilla Tier
It’s always tough to bench a Round 5 running back in Week 1, and that’s why Cleveland’s Quinshon Judkins is still in the Vanilla Tier for me, an “okay” option, but definitely below average. Last season, Judkins scored under 10 fantasy points per game in six games where the Browns lost by 14 or more points. And guess what? They’re set up for a similar game script this week, as 10-point road underdogs against Jacksonville. The Jaguars were second-best against rushing fantasy production, and they should be comfortably in the lead throughout the game. Tread lightly here.
Week 1 is everything, folks. It sets the tone, it builds the momentum, and it can win or lose you those early matchups. Make these calls count, and here’s to a dominant season from the jump!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply