Week 1 fantasy football outlooks center on a mix of proven veterans and high-upside plays: Swift in Chicago, Metcalf in Pittsburgh, Olave in New Orleans, Kraft in Green Bay, Mason in Minnesota, Coleman in Buffalo, Lawrence with Jacksonville, Downs with Indianapolis, Bateman in Baltimore, and Evans in Tampa Bay. Each player carries a defined floor and ceiling based on role, QB stability, and opponent, with several depth options and handcuff considerations baked in. The guidance emphasizes targeted upside, workload splits, and week-to-week matchup risk to help you build winning Week 1 lineups.

Expect Swift to handle a robust role early in Chicago’s backfield, Metcalf to be a volume-driven WR2/3 in a tough Jets matchup, Olave to anchor the Saints’ aerial attack despite QB questions, Kraft to mix in as a potential red-zone threat for Green Bay, and Mason to emerge as a flexible option in Minnesota’s run-game committee. Coleman’s Bills opportunity hinges on volatility at WR, while Lawrence and Downs offer value with stable completions and target shares. Bateman and Evans shape Week 1 floors with clear upside paths, and the slate invites careful stacking and matchup-based pivots for an optimal Week 1 lineup.