Las Vegas opens Week 1 on the road against New England in a clash of two clubs led by new head coaches on fresh rosters. Geno Smith must steer the Raiders’ tempo-heavy attack while the defense tries to blunt a Patriots unit dealing with early injuries, notably Christian Gonzalez. With Amari Cooper out of the picture, Las Vegas leans on other weapons and a dynamic tight end/receiving corps to stretch the New England secondary.

New England’s secondary issues and Gonzalez’s absence give the Raiders a clear path to push tempo, test the defense with quick throws, and let Smith act as a field general. Prisco’s Week 1 projection leans Raiders upset if Smith keeps control, the offense stays efficient, and the team avoids huddling too long or forcing bad plays. This Week 1 showdown doubles as AFC statements for both sides under new leadership.

In the end, the game emerges as a high-stakes opener in the AFC, with Week 1 setting the tone for both clubs’ seasons under fresh leadership and a narratives-rich battle worth fantasy attention.

Alabama rolled to a dominant 73-0 win over ULM, No. 21 stamping its bounce-back tone at Bryant-Denny. Kevin Riley topped 100 yards from scrimmage in his first career start, while Lotzeir Brooks hauled in four catches for 58 yards, flashing big-play ability as the Tide opened the season in style. Austin Mack saw a late-series cameo with first-team offense, signaling DeBoer’s growing depth-chart plan. The defense silenced Week 1’s concerns with a shutout and a clearer path forward into Week 2.

Amari Cooper retirement quiets SF 2025 WR speculation, removing a veteran option that could have come with heavy cost. San Francisco dodges a splash move while Brandon Aiyuk sits out until October and Deebo Samuel departs, leaving a thinner pool for depth roles. Bourne was in the mix, Watkins could contribute, and Raiders and Browns dynamics hover in the background, coloring potential depth moves and comp-pick considerations that now feel moot.

With the retirement, SF leans on youth and role players, emphasizing depth over a pricey signing. Fantasy implications center on how the WR room fills the gap week by week, how Bourne’s absence and Watkins’ opportunity play into projections, and how SF manages cap space while maintaining playmaking ceiling for 2025.

Jakobi Meyers is set to lead the Raiders’ passing attack in Week 1 against New England after Amari Cooper’s retirement, giving Meyers a clear path to the target chair. The piece stresses Meyers’ inside-out versatility, zero-drop profile, and space creation, with a 1,000-yard season recently under his belt and a contract-year push ahead. Dont’e Thornton Jr. looms as a deep sleeper, but Meyers should sit behind Brock Bowers in targets at worst, and the revenge angle vs. the Patriots adds a neat fantasy angle, especially with Christian Gonzalez sidelined.

The article notes Raiders OC Chip Kelly’s high praise for Meyers’ route discipline and football IQ, reinforcing Meyers as the veteran anchor for a young group. In short, Meyers is the popular Week 1 streamer with upside all season, and the matchup shifts some Week 1 planning toward his floor and ceiling rather than a committee path.