Top fantasy football players of Week 1

The 2025 NFL season opened with a bang.

On Sunday, Sept. 7, Josh Allen led all players with 38.8 fantasy points in the Buffalo Bills' thrilling 41-40 comeback victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The Bills came back to win with a last-second field goal, despite being down by 15 points with less than four minutes to go in the fourth quarter. In fact, they were the first team in NFL history to make such a comeback in regulation with so little time left in the game. Allen was Superman in this win, finishing with 394 yards, two touchdowns through the air, and 30 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. This victory came despite valiant efforts from the Ravens' skill players, who put up impressive numbers themselves.

Early-season performances often set the tone for the entire fantasy campaign, whether it's identifying sleeper picks who outperformed their draft position or confirming that established stars remain must-start options. These opening weeks can transform waiver wire priorities and trade discussions, while disappointing showings from highly-drafted players create buy-low opportunities. Smart fantasy managers use early-season results not just for immediate lineup decisions but also to spot emerging trends and role changes that could pay dividends throughout the long campaign ahead.

However, not all players at the top of the list were clear stars—Daniel Jones, quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts, was proof of that, putting up a stellar performance by leading his team to a 33-8 win over the Miami Dolphins. Jones accounted for 272 yards through the air, 26 yards on the ground, and three combined touchdowns, adding up to 29.5 fantasy points, over 70% more than what ESPN had projected him to score.

Stacker analyzed data from nflfastR to determine the best-performing fantasy football players this past week. Points were calculated using PPR (points per reception) rules, with no bonuses or return yards in the scoring system. Rankings focus on single-week production to identify which players delivered the biggest fantasy impact.

Read on to see who the top 10 fantasy football players were for Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, and how well they did.

#10. Keon Coleman (WR, Buffalo Bills)
- PPR fantasy points: 25.2
--- Receiving stats: 8 receptions, 112 yards, 1 TD
- Season-to-date: 25.2 PPR (#2 among all WRs)

#9. Aaron Rodgers (QB, Pittsburgh Steelers)
- PPR fantasy points: 25.7
--- Passing stats: 244 yards, 4 TD
- Season-to-date: 25.7 PPR (#7 among all QBs)

#8. Patrick Mahomes (QB, Kansas City Chiefs)
- PPR fantasy points: 26
--- Passing stats: 258 yards, 1 TD
--- Rushing stats: 57 yards, 1 TD
- Season-to-date: 26 PPR (#6 among all QBs)

#7. Justin Herbert (QB, Los Angeles Chargers)
- PPR fantasy points: 27.9
--- Passing stats: 318 yards, 3 TD
--- Rushing stats: 32 yards
- Season-to-date: 27.9 PPR (#5 among all QBs)

#6. Zay Flowers (WR, Baltimore Ravens)
- PPR fantasy points: 28.1
--- Receiving stats: 7 receptions, 143 yards, 1 TD
--- Rushing stats: 8 yards
- Season-to-date: 28.1 PPR (#1 among all WRs)

#5. Derrick Henry (RB, Baltimore Ravens)
- PPR fantasy points: 29.2
--- Rushing stats: 169 yards, 2 TD
--- Receiving stats: 1 receptions, 13 yards
--- Fumbles lost: 1
- Season-to-date: 29.2 PPR (#1 among all RBs)

#4. Lamar Jackson (QB, Baltimore Ravens)
- PPR fantasy points: 29.4
--- Passing stats: 209 yards, 2 TD
--- Rushing stats: 70 yards, 1 TD
- Season-to-date: 29.4 PPR (#4 among all QBs)

#3. Daniel Jones (QB, Indianapolis Colts)
- PPR fantasy points: 29.5
--- Passing stats: 272 yards, 1 TD
--- Rushing stats: 26 yards, 2 TD
- Season-to-date: 29.5 PPR (#3 among all QBs)

#2. Justin Fields (QB, New York Jets)
- PPR fantasy points: 29.5
--- Passing stats: 218 yards, 1 TD
--- Rushing stats: 48 yards, 2 TD
- Season-to-date: 29.5 PPR (#2 among all QBs)

#1. Josh Allen (QB, Buffalo Bills)
- PPR fantasy points: 38.8
--- Passing stats: 394 yards, 2 TD
--- Rushing stats: 30 yards, 2 TD
- Season-to-date: 38.8 PPR (#1 among all QBs)