Fantasy Football Week 1 Wide Receiver Start/Sit: Travis Hunter, Calvin Ridley and More

After a long, long offseason, NFL football is finally back. We get the Eagles against the Cowboys tonight, the Chiefs and the Chargers tomorrow, and a glorious full slate on Sunday. 

Of course, with the NFL comes fantasy football, and with fantasy football comes start/sit decisions. Week 1 is one of the toughest weeks to make these decisions, with so many things still up in the air. If you're unsure which wide receivers you can trust this week, this is the article for you. I'll break down some of the toughest dilemmas of the week. Without further ado, let's do this. 

For more help with your toughest Week 1 Start/Sit decisions, check out FantasySP's NFL Start/Sit tool!

Wide Receivers to Start Week 1

Matthew Golden, Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions

Normally, it's prudent to wait a week or two before starting all but the most elite rookies in your fantasy leagues. We love rookies in fantasy for their late-season upside, but they tend to get eased in to start the season. 

However, if you find yourself deciding between Golden and an uninspiring option for your final WR or FLEX spot this week, I recommend simply sending it with the rookie. All signs indicate that the first-rounder will have a lot on his plate to start his career. He has generated buzz all offseason and was rested with the starters in the preseason. 

Meanwhile, fellow Packers WR Jayden Reed is reportedly playing through a Jones fracture in his foot, an injury that usually requires surgery. If the Packers have to pass to keep up with this high-flying Detroit offense, Golden should be on top of the podium (pun intended) in their passing game.

Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks

Jennings has been one of my favorite players all offseason, and I'm putting my money where my mouth is in week 1. We may never know how much of his calf injury was real and how much was related to his contract dispute with the 49ers, but he got his raise and is expected to play in week 1.

When he does take the field, I expect Jennings to pick up where he let offf: As the WR1 in Kyle Shanahan's fantasy-friendly offense. In games without Brandon Aiyuk last season, Jennings averaged 11.2 half-PPR points on a 25% target share. For the whole season, he ranked 15th among WRs in PFF Receiving Grade and 14th in yards per route run. He should be a viable flex option, at least, against the Seahawks this week. 

Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Admittedly, this is more of a deep-league suggestion. In shallower formats, you should have a better option than Mooney for your week 1 lineup. But this is a very fantasy-friendly matchup for Mooney, who averaged a massive 21.8 half-PPR points in his two outings against the Buccaneers last season.

I should note that the veteran WR is dealing with a shoulder injury; there's a chance he doesn't suit up this week. But he currently seems to be on track to play. As long as he does, he should be around or above an elite 90% route share, as the Falcons run one of the most condensed offenses in the league. Against this beatable Buccaneers secondary and with the proclivity for the deep ball that Michael Penix Jr. showed last season, we have a recipe for fantasy success. 

Honorable Mentions: Emeka Egbuka, Deebo Samuel Sr., Cedric Tillman (deep leagues)

Wide Receivers to Sit Week 1

Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Carolina Panthers

This one hurts me to write, as Travis Hunter may literally be the player I was the highest on compared to the fantasy market this offseason. I'm confident that he will eventually be playing close enough to a full-time role on offense for his incredible talent to make him a weekly fantasy option. But I'm not confident enough to guarantee that will happen in week 1.

If you've got no other options, Hunter is still playable. This is a great matchup, and we know he has big-play ability. But it's week 1. There are very few injuries, byes haven't begun yet, and you almost certainly have at least a couple of receivers you drafted before Hunter on your roster. Hunter will hopefully force his way into fantasy lineups sooner rather than later, but give him a chance to prove it on your bench first. 

Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans @ Denver Broncos

Normally, I'm a big believer in ignoring individual cornerback matchups. In the NFL, the offense has the advantage, and talented receivers will get theirs regardless of their opponent. Perhaps even more relevant, top corners rarely actually follow the opposing team's WR1 around the formation, meaning competent offense coaches can put their playmakers in a position to succeed. With all that said, I'm scared of Pat Surtain II.

According to PFF, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year was targeted only once every 11.5 snaps in 2024, easily the best among qualified CBs. And he posted a 54.2% shadow rate, the fourth-highest in the league. Ridley is the clear top target for the Titans, so he should expect to see Surtain on over half of his snaps in week 1. 

Especially given that this is also Cameron Ward's NFL debut against a Broncos defense that should be one of the best in the league across the board, I'm sitting Ridley where possible this week. 

Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers @ Seattle Seahawks

This is simply the flipside of my take on Jennings. I believe Jennings is the 49ers' best receiver and their WR1. With Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle also expected to be heavily involved, that doesn't leave much meat on the bone for Pearsall. 

Pearsall was inefficient as a rookie, posting a very mediocre 1.31 yards per route run. To be fair, we should probably cut him some slack, given that he started his NFL career by being shot in the chest. 

But aside from first-round draft capital (which was considered a reach at the time) and two big games to end the 2024 season, there's very little evidence to believe Pearsall is a standout talent. Given how many good options there are this week, I'd rather be burned by him going off on my bench than start him when he could easily be an afterthought in San Francisco's offense. 

Ted Chmyz is a fantasy football contributor for FantasySP. Find him on Twitter and Bluesky @Tchmyz for more fantasy content or to ask questions.