Notre Dame’s 2024 talent pipeline to the NFL showed in Week 1 of the 2025 season. Xavier Watts started for Atlanta, piling up six tackles with two passes defended and flirting with interceptions, signaling a fast ramp to the pros. Mitchell Evans logged limited stats for Carolina but flashed versatility on offense and special teams. Benjamin Morrison’s return to health should cement Tampa Bay’s secondary, while Jack Kiser contributed on Jacksonville’s kickoff unit and Beaux Collins appeared for the Giants in a depth role.

Six Notre Dame players were drafted in 2025, with several others signing as undrafted free agents, underscoring the program’s continued NFL impact. Watts’ early production headlines the class, Evans’ Notre Dame production hints at future roles, Morrison’s health becomes a catalyst for TB’s defense, Kiser’s special-teams value could grow, and Collins’ path remains contingent on roster moves. This Week 1 snapshot suggests ND’s depth and NFL-readiness remain a fantasy-friendly theme into 2025.

Jamel Dean accepted a steep 2025 pay cut with the Buccaneers, dropping his salary to 4.25 million and trimming his 2025 cap hit dramatically while preserving free agency in 2026. The move signals TB’s intent to move on from Dean after 2025, clearing the path for Benjamin Morrison to potentially step in sooner, health permitting. Morrison’s hamstring and Week 2 timeline add uncertainty, while Vita Vea’s Week 1 status also shapes immediate defensive expectations. The shift heightens TB’s early-season CB depth questions and could influence midseason moves or a trade window for Dean.

Week 1’s Falcons clash and Morrison’s recovery pace will be critical for fantasy managers monitoring TB’s secondary, while the looming trade talk around Dean remains a possible lever for cap flexibility and roster reshaping in 2025.

Tampa Bay faces a Week 1 test with key injuries to Godwin, Wirfs, Izien and Morrison, while Vea is a game-time gamble and Lavonte David rests. Mayfield must lean on Evans and Cade Otton, with Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson sliding into a bigger role. Atlanta counters with Michael Penix Jr. and a spruced-up receiving corps, setting up a Week 1 clash that will stress depth, timing, and scheme in fantasy lineups.

Tampa Bay’s Week 1 status includes a big unknown: Benjamin Morrison’s health. Bowles said Morrison could return, but it isn’t guaranteed as a hamstring issue lingers since training camp and preseason. The first injury report on Wednesday should pin down his debut chances against Atlanta.

For fantasy, Morrison clearing would lift a TB secondary that’s had questions, while a Morrison-absent moment could push veteran corners into bigger roles and shift Week 1 targets and snap shares for TB’s coverage units and Falcons’ armament.