Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, September 7th, 2025, 1:00 ET
Location: Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland, OH
Network: FOX
Cincinnati Bengals
Quarterback
Joe Burrow: START, QB1
You don’t need me to tell you to start Joe Burrow. But did you know Burrow can play the guitar but only knows how to play Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin”?
Running Back
Chase Brown: START, RB1
Samaje Perine: SIT
Tahj Brooks: SIT
In line to handle the majority of touches out of the backfield for the Bengals, Chase Brown is an every-week start and an elite Week 1 option. Brown had ten or more fantasy points in 13 of his final 14 games last season, finishing with 20 or more in five games. He could cede some passing-down work to Samaje Perine and Tahj Brooks, but neither is a threat to his Week 1 workload.
Wide Receiver
Ja’Marr Chase: START, WR1
Tee Higgins: START, WR2
Andrei Iosivas: SIT
You don’t need me to tell you to start Ja’Marr Chase. Did you know Chase was a long jumper in high school, winning the Louisiana state championship in 2017? Tee Higgins may be second on the Bengals depth chart, but he’ll have plenty of WR1 spike weeks. He’s locked in as a high-end WR2.
Tight End
Mike Gesiki: SIT
Noah Fant: SIT
Ba da ba ba ba, Double McDouble.
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback
Joe Flacco: SIT, QB2 (Startable in SuperFlex)
Considering the matchup with the putrid Bengals defense, it wouldn’t shock me to see Joe Flacco finish among the top 12 quarterbacks in Week 1. I’m not confident enough to start him in a 1QB league, but he makes for a decent streamer if you’re in a pinch, and a solid QB2 in Superflex leagues.
Running Back
Jerome Ford: FLEX, RB3
Dylan Sampson: FLEX, RB4
Quinshon Judkins: SIT
With the Quinshon Judkins situation yet to be completely resolved, the Browns’ ground game will run through Jerome Ford and Dylan Sampson. I’d prefer to start neither of the two, but if you need a FLEX, they should both be involved. Sampson is the more exciting athlete, but Ford is more likely to handle a higher workload in Week 1, placing him higher in my rankings (RB34) than Sampson (RB42).
Wide Receiver
Jerry Jeudy: START, Borderline WR2
Cedric Tillman: FLEX, WR5
Jamari Thrash: SIT
The Browns offense isn’t one I’m eager to get a piece of in fantasy, but both Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman had their value elevated with Joe Flacco being named the starter. Against a porous Bengals secondary, both are startable, but the upside for Jeudy is much higher as the team’s WR1. He had seven top-20 finishes in the team’s last nine games in 2024 and should be able to keep it rolling in this matchup.
Tight End
David Njoku: START, TE1
Harold Fannin Jr.: SIT
As long as “ELITE” Joe Flacco is starting for the Browns, David Njoku is locked in as a low-end TE1 with potential for spike weeks. Harold Fannin Jr. also has an elite skill set, but he’s nothing more than a stash in deep leagues until we see he is being consistently involved.