Week 1 streaming tight ends hinge on roles and matchup juice rather than ceiling alone. Jonnu Smith tabs a favorable Jets inn to start the season with Pittsburgh, where his talent could yield solid targets on the inside. Zach Ertz brings a reliable floor for Washington in a Giants game that should feature middlegame targets. Brenton Strange steps into Evan Engram’s Jacksonville role, offering a sleeper path in a Carolina matchup. Ja'Tavion Sanders is intriguing for Carolina, though he’ll need a smooth acclimation. Engram’s Denver move tightens the pool, so Week 1 becomes about disciplined, matchup-aware streaming rather than chasing upside alone.

A closer look at five wide receivers priced as fantasy staples for 2025 reveals red flags worth fading. Tetairoa McMillan sits WR19 in an offense projected to stay low-volume with Thielen, Legette and Sanders clogging targets. Xavier Worthy showed late-season flashes only when Rashee Rice was out, and June pressure suggests a secondary role when Rice returns. Courtland Sutton flashed midseason but Denver’s run-first shift and added competition threaten sustained output. Stefon Diggs faces age and injury questions with a shaky NE QB path. Jauan Jennings benefitted from favorable 2024 circumstances that aren’t guaranteed to repeat in 2025. Play the board around verified opportunity, not name-brand hype.

A closer look at five wide receivers priced as fantasy staples for 2025 reveals red flags worth fading. Tetairoa McMillan sits WR19 in an offense projected to stay low-volume with Thielen, Legette and Sanders clogging targets. Xavier Worthy showed late-season flashes only when Rashee Rice was out, and June pressure suggests a secondary role when Rice returns. Courtland Sutton flashed midseason but Denver’s run-first shift and added competition threaten sustained output. Stefon Diggs faces age and injury questions with a shaky NE QB path. Jauan Jennings benefitted from favorable 2024 circumstances that aren’t guaranteed to repeat in 2025. Play the board around verified opportunity, not name-brand hype.

Jaylen Warren led Pittsburgh as the Steelers’ primary early-down back in the third preseason tilt, with Kaleb Johnson flashing as a potential late-arrival to that role. The Raiders split starter time between Michael Mayer and Brock Bowers, hinting at a by-committee approach in 11/12 personnel. Arizona leaned on Kyler Murray and James Conner in their command, while Ja’ Tavion Sanders showed upside for Carolina at tight end. Engram and Kelce anchored their teams’ top TE usage, underscoring the importance of 11/12 personnel trends and early-down vs third-down splits for fantasy projections.