Week 1 brings Buffalo at Baltimore under prime-time lights, and fantasy managers will be watching three one-on-one battles that could tilt the narrative. Rashod Bateman faces the Bills’ upcoming CB2, while Matt Milano slides into Derrick Henry’s path in the opener. Odafe Oweh vs Spencer Brown caps the trio, a pair of edge duels that could set the tone for the first fantasy indicators of the season.

Bateman’s separation, Henry’s power, and Oweh’s sack potential shape not just the game flow but which players push into top-12 territory in weekly lineups. Brown’s blocking against Baltimore’s fearsome pass rush could swing Buffalo’s play-action and run game. The outcomes of these matchups will guide Week 1 value across fantasy teams.

Expect high leverage plays in the passing game, a few big plays against CB2, and a night where the defensive lines set the tempo. In short, these three matchups will tell you where early season fantasy upside and risk live in this divisional rematch.

Buffalo at Baltimore in Week 1 sets early fantasy floors. Buffalo rode a league-best turnover differential in 2024 and did not commit a turnover in either 2024 meeting with Baltimore. James Cook tied for the NFL rushing TD lead with Derrick Henry (16), a mark that underscores both teams’ ground-game upside. Baltimore counters with Lamar Jackson’s explosive rushing and the edge-rush of Kyle Van Noy, plus Henry joining the Ravens’ backfield. Expect Cook and Allen to shape Week 1, with Henry and Van Noy looming as key pivots in lineups.

Historical matchups show Bills dominance in postseason meetings, while the Week 1 stage will reveal early-season fantasy leverage for Cook, Allen, and Baltimore’s backfield. Stay close on Kerr’s plan for Ravens’ run-fit and Buffalo’s ball-security discipline to gauge early season ceilings and risk in this marquee clash.

Tyrell Shavers' one-handed TD catch and preseason breakout put him squarely in Buffalo’s 53-man roster conversation, even as the Bills weigh a crowded WR group. He led the preseason in receiving yards (123) and a 58-yard grab, plus kickoff coverage snaps that could swing a final cut. Buffalo is expected to keep five or six receivers, with Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman and Joshua Palmer likely locks, leaving 2–3 spots contested with Samuel, Moore and Shenault.

Shavers’ Week 17 TD on a Mitchell Trubisky screen showed big-play upside, while his special-teams impact signals versatility for a depth role. If he makes the roster, his production hinges on injuries to others and how Buffalo deploys a reserve corps around Shakir, Shenault and Palmer. Fantasy managers should watch the WR battle closely into the final cuts.

Bottom line: Shavers has the athleticism and NFL track record to flash as a sleeper, but the odds tilt with the other vets and Palmer’s presence. His upside is real if he lands in a flexible role, but Buffalo could still favour veterans and established targets in a tight cut process.

Khalil Shakir earns No. 8 on Bills 2025’s top-30 countdown after a breakthrough 2024 season that saw him post career highs in targets (100), receptions (76) and receiving yards (821) while Josh Allen leaned on him as Buffalo’s primary outside weapon. He locked in a four-year, $53 million extension, underscoring the team’s plans to lean on him again in 2025. With Josh Palmer and Elijah Moore adding, Shakir’s role remains pivotal though a persistent ankle sprain could delay Week 1 usage. The Bills’ offense should continue to funnel targets his way, especially if he maintains Week 1 readiness.

Buffalo’s 2025 outlook centers on Shakir as the WR1-ish talent in a revamped group that also includes Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid, plus a backfield led by James Cook. Shakir’s route-running elusiveness and catch-after-the-catch ability remain his calling cards, even as external additions pressure the defense to respect more options. The health question—an ankle sprain in August—remains the wild card that could shape his early-season workload and fantasy value.

Beyond Shakir, the countdown highlights Bills core contributors who shape fantasy upside: James Cook at running back, Connor McGovern at center, Tyler Bass as a reliable kicker, and a defensive line anchored by Ed Oliver, AJ Epenesa and DaQuan Jones, plus Tre’Davious White in the secondary. Together they form a high-upside, offense-driven core with room to grow as Buffalo chases a Lombardi.