2025 Fantasy Football DST Start/Sit: Week 1

Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts: Despite some personnel questions, Miami enters the year as one of the finest streaming choices. The defense gets a crack at Daniel Jones behind a suspect offensive line, and the Dolphins have just enough pass rush to keep him on the move. Bank on Jones being harassed into a few mistakes, and Miami presents a worthwhile pivot if you have a premium defense with a poor matchup (see below).

Atlanta Falcons vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Now armed with a potentially lethal a pass rush, the Falcons could take full advantage of an undermanned Tampa offense. Star left tackle Tristan Wirfs (knee) is out of the fold, and wideout Chris Godwin (ankle) also won't be available. That leaves a rookie receiver paired with Mike Evans and a banged-up Cade Otton at tight end, so just how much firepower does this prolific offense -- one with a new OC, mind you -- have to offer? Atlanta invested two first-round picks plus a free-agent signing of Leonard Floyd to upgrade its quarterback hunters.

Week 1 Fantasy Football Sit 'em: Defense/Special Teams

Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills: Despite shellacking the Bills 35-10 in Week 4 last year, Baltimore's fantasy defense mustered only three sacks and a lone takeaway. These two AFC powerhouses duked it out again in the playoffs and the only fantasy-relevant stat in the Ravens' favor was a lone sack. Not ideal. The Bills are just too dangerous of an opponent to confidently start Baltimore's defense, and fantasy gamers should consider all other choices before settling on this talented group.

Buffalo Bills vs Baltimore Ravens: The other side of this matchup coin pits the Bills against one of the most formidable offenses in the game, and it's not yet clear that Buffalo has definitively upgraded its ability to contain Lamar Jackson. Baltimore scored 35 points in the first meeting last year and 25 in the playoff tilt. In all likelihood, you'll start Buffalo's defense because of the draft investment, but exploring other options would be a wise move for lineup optimization.