RADIO
Welcome back everyone! Fantasy season is finally upon us, after month and months of anxiously waiting. Now that drafts are done, you may be looking to plug some holes in your lineup, or just looking to grab that Week 1 stud a week early.
Without further ado, let's check out some players who are likely out there in your waiver pool, who could help in Week 1 and beyond.
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Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Targets
Mohamed Sanu - WR, ATL - 54% owned on Fleaflicker
Mohamad Sanu went from the Bengals to the Falcons this offseason, and will attempt to fill the number two WR spot alongside Julio Jones. Sanu is moving to an offense that passed the ball a whopping 621 times last season; 116 more times than the Bengals threw the ball.
After Jones’ 203 targets, Roddy White had 70 targets and Leonard Hankerson had 46. With both of those receivers gone, Sanu has an excellent shot to meet and even exceed 90 or so targets. In that role Sanu could catch 60 or 70 passes, making him a prime upside target to take late in drafts, or to pluck off the waiver wire for some fill-in work. If anything were to happen to Jones, Sanu would gain an obvious boost in value.
Sanu has played in all 16 games each of the past three seasons, so health shouldn’t be an issue here. Sanu will just need to take full advantage of his opportunity here in Atlanta. If he does he would be a steal at this value given his high potential volume.
Mike Wallace - WR, BAL - 52% owned on Fleaflicker
After catching a measly 39 passes for 473 yards last season, Mike Wallace comes into the 2016 season in a much better situation. Ever since Wallace left Pittsburgh, he hasn’t been able to showcase his elite-level straightaway speed. Neither Ryan Tannehill nor Teddy Bridgewater flashes the same ability to throw the deep ball that Joe Flacco does.
While Flacco will have plenty of options this season with Steve Smith Sr., Breshad Perriman, and Kamar Aiken, none of those players provide the same ability to stretch the field that Wallace does. With the Steelers, he averaged 17.53 yards per catch; a number that would have put him in the top-five overall last season. Over his last three year’s he’s only averaged 12.57. Look for that number to again inch closer to 17 this season.
Another thing you can bank on with Wallace is him playing. He has played a full 16 game slate every year of his career except one when he played 15. Wallace could provide dividends for your team this season.
Will Fuller - WR, HOU - 49% owned on Fleaflicker
The Houston Texans had DeAndre Hopkins dominate targets last season, with Cecil Shorts and Nate Washington swimming in his wake. This season both of those players are off the roster, and rookie Will Fuller has been inserted.
Fuller was the Texans first round draft pick in 2016 from Notre Dame, where he was named Irish team MVP with 62 receptions for 1,258 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2015. Fuller has legit NFL speed, and can be a game changer on the field. Deep balls will be his specialty in 2016 for sure. While his hands are speculative at this point, he should still see enough volume as the WR2 in this offense to have plenty of value.
Fuller is currently dealing with some hamstring issues, so wait and see if he ends up playing on Sunday. If he does, you will want to grab him now instead of burning a claim on him after this week. Fuller has the potential to be the top rookie receiver in this class, so keep an eye on his health this week.
Other Wide Receivers to Consider Adding
Kenny Stills, WR, MIA - 28% owned on Fleaflicker
With Rishard Matthews out of the picture and DeVante Parker hurting, Kenny Stills can be a sneaky add this week. Landry will dominate the targets, but against the Seahawks, Miami will need to throw the ball to keep up. Stills doesn’t have break away, dominant speed, but is a legitimate deep threat capable of taking it to the house. Consider adding him for Week 1, even though he may not be useful the entire season.
Robert Woods, WR, BUF – 13% owned on Fleaflicker
Robert Woods is the WR2 to Sammy Watkins, and should see a handful of targets in this offense. Woods played injured for most of last season with a torn groin, but offseason surgery fixed the issue. He is back to 100%. Woods will surprise many this season, and with a full year of working with Tyrod Taylor under his belt he should be able to make the most of his targets. Woods is a good add for those in deeper leagues. If anything happens to Watkins he gets a huge boost in value also.
Chris Conley, WR, KC - 11% owned on Fleaflicker
Chris Conley has separated himself as the number two receiver in the Chiefs offense behind Jeremy Maclin. This week they play the San Diego Chargers, a team with a notably mediocre defense. The one thing they do have going for them is starting CB Jason Verrett, who is one of the best corner’s in the league. There is a good chance Verrett shadows and shuts down Maclin, leaving Conley as Alex Smith’s go-to receiver in the offense. Moving forward, can the Chiefs offense support two relevant WRs and a TE? Maybe not, but if you’re looking for some surprise production Week 1, Conley could be a sneaky add.
Eli Rogers, WR, PIT - 10% owned on Fleaflicker
With Markus Wheaton locked in as the WR2 alongside Antonio Brown, it wasn’t known who would take the slot position in the Steelers offense. Eli Rogers looked impressive this preseason, and was given the nod over early favorite Sammie Coates. Rogers is a talented, quick slot receiver with good hands who will help eat up the targets that Martavis Bryant leaves behind this season. With Le'Veon Bell, Bryant, and new TE Ladarius Green all out in this game, Rogers could make a big impact right off the bat. Keep an eye on his production Week 1 and moving forward.
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