LOVE
Indianapolis Colts WR Josh Downs vs. Miami Dolphins CB Jason Marshall Jr.
Miami employs different looks under defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, who is in his second season with the Dolphins. Their secondary looks much different this season after trading star CB Jalen Ramsey for S Minkah Fitzpatrick, letting safeties Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer walk in free agency, and losing nickel corners Artie Burns and Kader Kohou for the season with injury. The Dolphins will turn to fifth-round rookie Jason Marshall Jr. to cover Downs in the slot for Week 1.
Downs will have quite the advantage coming into his third year and after seeing improvements in his numbers last season. With Daniel Jones as quarterback, Downs could see his fair share of targets. According to Yahoo Sports, Jones targeted Giants slot receiver Wan’Dale Robinson with 8.4 targets in 10 games that they played together. Downs is shifty and knows how to find the holes in the defense, so whether the Dolphins play man or zone, he will still find the ball.
Philadelphia Eagles WR DeVonta Smith vs. Dallas Cowboys CB Kaiir Elam
Coming off the Micah Parsons trade less than a week ago, the Cowboys have to prepare for the defending champs without their top pass rusher and another brand new defensive coordinator in Matt Eberflus. Eberflus likes to play zone defense a majority of the time and wants to stop the run. If the Cowboys can stop Saquon Barkley, that will force Jalen Hurts to make plays through the air, testing young corner Kaiir Elam. Elam was a first-round pick with Buffalo before the Bills let him walk this offseason. Elam did not perform well in Buffalo and was consistently beaten out by other guys. Now in Dallas, he had a great camp, but he still has plenty to prove.
DeVonta Smith enjoyed another good season despite the dip in passing volume due to Saquon Barkley’s performances all season. Smith is constantly undervalued in fantasy and on the field. Smith will test Elam mightily, and Smith will win that battle with his separation skills and crisp route running.
Arizona Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. vs. New Orleans Saints CB Kool-Aid McKinstry
The Saints have a new coaching staff in-house, with Brandon Staley as the new defensive coordinator. Staley wants to create pressure on the quarterback, and that will be even more of a focus based on the secondary he has to deal with. Staley will most likely show a lot of two-high safety looks this season. McKinstry was once touted as a first-round pick in 2024, but he fell into the second round to New Orleans. He showed flashes of the talent that earned him accolades in college, but he will need to prove he can be a top corner in the league this season.
Marvin Harrison Jr. had a solid rookie season, but did not live up to the expectations that were put on him coming out of college. Harrison Jr. now has another offseason to get comfortable in the offense and another offseason for Kyler Murray to get back to feeling like himself pre-ACL injury. Harrison Jr. is a precision route runner with incredible hands, and he will get off on the right foot to start the 2025 season against McKinstry.
HATE
Tennessee Titans WR Calvin Ridley vs. Denver Broncos CB Patrick Surtain II
Between Will Levis and Mason Rudolph, Ridley somehow put up another 1,000-yard receiving season. With an upgrade at quarterback, Ridley could be poised for his third straight 1,000-yard receiving season, but do not expect him to have an outstanding Week 1. The Titans will want to work rookie QB Cam Ward into the position and will likely lean on the run game and quick passing plays to get the ball out of Ward’s hand.
Another reason Ridley will not have a great Week 1 is the fact that the reigning Defensive Player of the Year will be shadowing him all game long. Pat Surtain II is THE premier corner in the league and the cornerstone of Broncos DC Vance Joseph’s defense that relies on man-to-man coverage. Behind Surtain will be one of the few free agency signings the Broncos made in S Talanoa Hufanga. Hufanga came over from the 49ers, where he played four seasons. Surtain has the upper hand in this matchup this week.
San Francisco 49ers WR Ricky Pearsall vs. Seattle Seahawks CB Riq Woolen/Josh Jobe
With WR Jauan Jennings’ status still up in the air for Sunday, Pearsall will either line up as WR1 or WR2 for the Niners in their opener. There is a little bit of hype for Pearsall’s breakout season as Brandon Aiyuk continues to recover from injury and the trade of Deebo Samuel. Wherever Pearsall lines up on Sunday, he will be facing a tough defense put together by HC Mike Macdonald.
Seattle boasts a solid secondary highlighted by Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon. Macdonald loves to disguise his coverages and pressures, making things difficult for the offense, but they love to play zone in the form of Cover 3. I expect Seattle to come out amped up at home to beat the Niners, who have been division favorites for a better part of the 2020s.
Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill vs. Indianapolis Colts CB Charvarius Ward
Hill has made headlines for all the wrong reasons for the better part of the last year. Whether it be injuries, a messy divorce, trade rumors, or, most recently, being stripped of his captaincy. Hill is still WR1 in Miami, but the vibes are off in the Sunshine State. Not many analysts are high on the Dolphins this season due to their questionable offensive line and secondary. To top it all off, Miami will go to Indianapolis to face off against a re-energized defense with new faces and a new defensive coordinator.
The Colts added DC Lou Anarumo in the offseason to revamp this defense. In addition to Anarumo, they added CBs Charvarius Ward and Xavien Howard and S Cam Bynum to reinforce the secondary that has been pitiful the past couple of years. Anarumo keeps things interesting on defense by showing different coverage disguises and pressure simulations to keep the quarterback guessing. With Ward being a bona fide lockdown CB1, the Colts can fare better against a weapon like Tyreek Hill. In Hill’s last matchup with Ward in 2024, Hill managed just seven catches for 29 yards. Do not bank on a vintage 2022 Tyreek Hill game in Week 1.
