Unless you pulled off the perfect draft, you probably have a Mr. Irrelevant out there on your squad waiting to be cut. And while Week 1 of the fantasy football season typically exemplifies confidence that your squad will go 13-0 en route to a fantasy title, the reality is that you probably could’ve made some moves to solidify your 9-4 season that will end firmly with a third place bronze chocolate coin.
So it’s time to work the waiver wire, early and often. Week 1 has no shortage of talent that you should at the very least tuck away in case they happen to do something brilliant in a few weeks and usurp the starter that isn’t delivering you any points.
PHI RB Wendall Smallwood: At some point, Darren Sproles will finally stop playing, and the Eagles coaches will realize that LeGarrette Blount will likely only be usable for them in the red zone, which will put Smallwood between the 20s and the main guy in the Eagles backfield. Smallwood will require patience (and/or a deep bench), but he could pay off.
https://twitter.com/Dan_Thomas28/status/902504730034921473
LAR WR Cooper Kupp: Remember when the Rams had Danny Amendola and he was the next coming of Wes Welker? Cooper Kupp could be the next coming of the Amendola that was the next coming of Wes Welker. The guy runs crisp routes, has good hands, and Goff trusts him in this newfangled offense. The best part? Sammy Watkins and Todd Gurley keep the pressure off him, which means he could be looking at a solid 7+ targets a game. Pick him up in your PPR leagues and enjoy.
.@RamsNFL rookie WR @CooperKupp is off to a good start; and it starts with good play design pic.twitter.com/s5fDrZDyeA
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) August 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/FirstDownFR/status/899345292797128705
CHI WR Kendall Wright: With Cameron Meredith out for the year and Kevin White undependable, Kendall Wright could be soaking up a massive amount of targets because there’s simply no one else to throw to, and the Bears will be losing. Garbage time points are just “points” in fantasy, my dear friends. Wright is 11% owned in Yahoo leagues. Get him.
https://twitter.com/BearsBacker/status/903005889984172033
NE RB Dion Lewis:
The theme of the week is “Stash and Hope,” which is a lot like the plot of Star Wars: Episode IV, but in real-world terms, Bill Belichick is the Emperor and Dion Lewis could be the deus ex machina of fantasy points that come out of nowhere to send the pesky rebels packing. In other words, scoop up Lewis now and wait for the army of running backs ahead of him to go down, then profit. We know he’s still got it, he just happens to be surrounded by Super Bowl hero James White, Rex Burkhead and Mike Gillislee. Lewis is available in nearly 60% of all leagues.
It's running straight, but the acceleration here from Dion Lewis is, well, something. pic.twitter.com/Xhsj8z5nGX
— Oliver Thomas (@OliverBThomas) August 20, 2017
DEN RB Jamaal Charles: Former fantasy great Jamaal Charles is currently the second option in Denver, and could be the third if Devontae Booker has something to say about it, but could he do something? If it weren’t for a potpourri of destroyed knee tendons, Charles would probably still be well on his way to a Hall of Fame career, but now, unlike Adrian Peterson (who we don’t suggest you play this week), his worth is pretty much a mystery. We don’t know what we’re going to get. In 2015, he averaged 5.1 yards per carry on 70 carries before going down. In 2016, he rushed for a pedestrian, Trent Richardson-esque 3.3 YPC on 12 attempts before he was done for the year. There could be something here worth stashing. It’s Week 1, if you have room, let him simmer.
🔊 #Broncos RB @jcharles25 Could be set to have a good year. #FantasyFootball https://t.co/SlbAW32u3u
— DB (@FantasyJunkie24) September 5, 2017
HOU TE C.J. Fiedorowicz: Fiedorwicz just got paid and he’s going to remain a safety net for… Tom Savage? He’ll be a solid TE2 and good BYE week replacement no matter who the QB is in Houston, and we know this because we’ve seen his basement in 2016, which is 54/559/4 due to horrendous QB play. Hell, a few injuries around the league, a couple extra touchdowns, and he can crack the top 12 easy.
Bonus pickup because he’s better than Fiedorowicz and criminally underrated despite being approximately 75 years old: Jason Witten. It’s shocking how few leagues the guy is in, despite having a solid preseason and finishing as the number ten TE in PPR leagues last year. Also, Zach Miller. TE gets weird after TE 10. These guys are available in the majority of leagues.
Surprising Underowned Player of the Week: Jacquizz Rodgers, who may or may not play this week with a hurricane headed towards Florida. If he does play, he’s in for a big workload stepping in for Doug Martin. He’s currently owned in 60% of Yahoo leagues.
