RADIO
The time for overreaction is nigh. The first week of the NFL season, just like every other, was filled with surprises. It's too soon to say which standout performers are legit and can provide rest-of-season fantasy value. For now, we'll look at players who might be worth consideration on the waiver wire based on very early returns.
Below, you will find the top waiver wire options at each position with analysis of their values, both immediate and long-term. We will look only at players who are rostered in 50% or fewer leagues, according to Yahoo. Players are listed in descending order by rostered percentage, not in order of priority.
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Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options
Matt Ryan, Indianapolis Colts - 43% rostered
By the time the afternoon slate was over, Ryan led all passers with 352 yards. It took 50 pass attempts in a comeback effort against the Texans, which ultimately resulted in a tie, to get to that point.
It does speak to the level of confidence the Colts have in their passing game this year. The Colts get to play in Jacksonville next week, so those who stream at quarterback should fire him up with confidence after just allowing Carson Wentz to put up big numbers.
Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints - 46% rostered
We didn't have enough revenge narratives in Week 1, so here's another. Winston faces Tampa Bay, the team that selected him No. 1 overall in 2015 and then let him as a free agent in 2020. He was solid in a narrow Week 1 victory over Atlanta with 269 yards and two TDs.
Winston has shown that he isn't a turnover machine any longer and he'll be hungry to eat a big W against his former team. If you suddenly need a Dak Prescott replacement, Winston might be a wise choice.
Carson Wentz, Washington Commanders - 13% rostered
Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Carson Wentz. Those are your top-three fantasy scorers at the QB position after Week 1. Wentz threw four touchdowns, two of which went to rookie Jahan Dotson. On the one hand, this came against Jacksonville and we shouldn't overreact to one game.
On the other hand, Washington travels to Detroit next week and this passing offense looks much more formidable with the quick emergence of their rookie wideout and a healthy Curtis Samuel. Wentz looks like a great option in Week 2 but the schedule gets harder with Philly and Dallas the following two weeks.
Others to consider: Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (21% rostered); Baker Mayfield, Carolina Panthers (18% rostered)
Running Backs - Waiver Wire Options
Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions - 47% rostered
Call him a vulture if you want. Jamaal Williams only gained 28 yards on the ground compared to D'Andre Swift's 144 but Williams scored twice while Swift scored once. The touches were pretty close as well with Swift carrying 15 times and Williams 11.
Williams is more valuable in non-PPR leagues and doesn't really have standalone value in PPR most weeks if Swift is healthy. He is a decent depth stash and high-end RB3.
Brian Robinson, Washington Commanders - 46% rostered
There's no exact timetable for Robinson to return to the field after being shot in the leg but it might not be as far away as initially feared.
Washington Commanders rookie running back Brian Robinson, who was shot twice in his leg during an attempted robbery, has a realistic chance of returning in Week 5, per sources.https://t.co/OC6By9Sg69
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 11, 2022
If you've got an empty IR slot, stashing Robinson is a smart move.
Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears - 45% rostered
Although Herbert was running well behind David Montgomery in terms of rush attempts (17-9), he managed to outgain him by 19 yards and get into the end zone.
Herbert may turn out to be the more effective runner and see his touches increase as the weeks progress but he will not be a factor as a receiver, giving him a low weekly floor in PPR leagues.
Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs - 31% rostered
Either you're fired up that Pacheco wound up with 62 yards and a touchdown in his first NFL game or you're rolling your eyes because he put up garbage-time production in a blowout.
This game might not be the best marker for how the KC running game will shake out the rest of this season. It is still interesting to note that Pacheco led the team with 12 carries while Clyde Edwards-Helaire had just seven carries.
Pacheco is at least worth a roster spot in 14+ team leagues or 12-teamers with deep benches even if he is still the backup. At least he was running ahead of Ronald Jones, who didn't sniff the field.
Jeff Wilson Jr., San Francisco 49ers - 16% rostered
UPDATE 9/13: Elijah Mitchell was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury, and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks.
The initial speculation on Elijah Mitchell's knee injury is an MCL tear that could sideline him for a few weeks. Rookie Tyrion Davis-Price was a healthy scratch and Jordan Mason didn't touch the ball in Week 1, so the backfield seems to belong to Wilson alone.
That's a bit misleading, though. The leading rusher was QB Trey Lance and next up was WR Deebo Samuel. This offense is going to manufacture rushing yards in unique ways, so don't expect Wilson to see 20 carries per week. He does possess touchdown upside, assuming this offense can turn things around after a sad showing in Chicago.
Rex Burkhead, Houston Texans - 13% rostered
Pour one out for the drafters who reached on Dameon Pierce by taking him in the fifth round or sooner. Actually, this backfield will belong to Pierce before long and he should be fine by the time it matters most in the latter part of the season.
For now, it's Burkhead who led the way with 19 touches and 70 combined yards. He will be hard-pressed to put up better numbers on the road in Denver next week but then gets the Bears in Week 3. There's low-end flex appeal here based on volume.
Dontrell Hilliard, Tennessee Titans - 6% rostered
Tilting all Derrick Henry stakeholders, Hilliard scored twice and wound up with more fantasy points on the day than the man who nearly broke fantasy last year before getting hurt.
Hilliard won't be reaching the end zone nearly that often but he looks to be a key part of the passing game and more than just a handcuff for Henry. He looks to be a decent add in PPR leagues as long as you temper expectations.
Second TD of the game for Dontrell Hilliard ⚡
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/e3jR46e4V9
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 11, 2022
Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers - 4% rostered
If (and only if) Najee Harris is set to miss any games, which now seems unlikely, Warren is the player to add. The undrafted free agent won the backup RB job by beating out Benny Snell Jr. and Anthony McFarland Jr. in training camp.
He doesn't have blazing speed but he was productive at Oklahoma State, has good hands, and clearly impressed the coaches this summer. Harris owners need to be on standby with waiver claims if his foot issues flare up again.
Others to consider: Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles (48% rostered); Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - (34% rostered); Mark Ingram II, New Orleans Saints (22% rostered); Eno Benjamin, Arizona Cardinals (8% rostered); Ty Davis-Price, San Francisco 49ers (3% rostered)
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options
Jarvis Landry, New Orleans Saints - 42% rostered
All the attention in New Orleans is on Michael Thomas playing and scoring twice. It's almost like nobody's talking about the fact that Jarvis Landry doubled his yardage output and is a top-10 receiver.
Landry isn't the most exciting receiver but he's productive and could easily lead the Saints in receptions this season.
D.J. Chark, Detroit Lions - 40% rostered
Chark is another Lion who benefited from garbage time in the fourth quarter. His late touchdown padded the stats in an otherwise lackluster performance. That said, he's got the big-play ability and the Lions may be playing from behind often.
Devin Duvernay, Baltimore Ravens - 31% rostered
One of the biggest surprises of opening week was Duvernay emerging as a legitimate threat in the Ravens' passing game. He was quiet all preseason and had done little in his first two NFL seasons.
So naturally, he matched his career total of two touchdowns in the first contest of 2022. Duvernay scored twice and was the leading fantasy scorer among Flex players on the Baltimore roster. That's unlikely to repeat itself often, as Duvernay saw limited route participation.
Devin Duvernay scored two touchdowns but only participated in 51% of the routes and registered a 14% target share.
Long way to go before you can put him in any lineups, don't overspend on the wire.
— Dwain McFarland (@dwainmcfarland) September 12, 2022
Still, the lack of receiver depth has led to an opportunity for him to carve out a larger role, and so far, he's taken advantage. He's not a strict avoid, just don't go crazy because of this outburst.
Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders - 23% rostered
The first-rounder cashed in twice in his pro debut, including the game-winning score. It was a highlight-reel catch that showcased his hands that drew compliments all preseason.
It looks like the hype was justified. Dotson will compete for targets with Terry McLaurin but he has the type of big-play ability that makes him less volume-dependent. He is worth adding in all formats.
Joshua Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers - 18% rostered
UPDATE 9/14: Keenan Allen has officially been ruled out for Week 2 against the Chiefs.
The second-year wideout wasn't very active in Week 1, catching three passes for five yards. The Bolts spread the ball around to multiple players with nine different players catching a pass.
Palmer will have to step up his game if Keenan Allen is out, which sounds more likely than not.
Chargers WR Keenan Allen says he “possibly” can go Week 2 after suffering hamstring injury today. On a short week? “Small possibly.”
— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) September 12, 2022
Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars - 12% rostered
The preseason connection carried over for Trevor Lawrence and Zay Jones. Christian Kirk led the way as expected with 117 yards but Zay Jones was second on the Jags across all receiving categories with nine targets, six receptions, and 65 yards. I suspect the Jags will be passing a lot this season and Jones will be one of the main beneficiaries.
K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings - 11% rostered
Unlike Week 1 of the 2021 season, Justin Jefferson proved he is the undisputed alpha in the Minnesota offense. That left crumbs for the other guys like Adam Thielen and K.J. Osborn, who finished with 36 and 14 yards, respectively.
Osborn should see more action in future weeks but as the third option in the passing game, his output will be uneven on a weekly basis.
Robbie Anderson, Carolina Panthers - 10% rostered
The final stat line is deceiving in this case. Seeing that the artist formerly known as Robby Anderson came away with 102 yards and a touchdown and finished as a top-10 fantasy WR on the week is jolting.
Consider that most of that came on one play due to a busted coverage where Anderson scampered 75 yards to the end zone and it makes more sense. Anderson will be a boom-or-bust asset.
Sterling Shepard, New York Giants - 9% rostered
It's like Shepard never even tore his Achilles... In a move that should be every bit as surprising as Cam Akers suiting up for last year's playoffs, Shepard was active in Week 1 after suffering the season-ending injury late in 2021. And he was very active.
Shepard hauled in a 65-yard TD and looked like the best receiver in New York. With Wan'Dale Robinson getting injured and Kadarius Toney looking like he has no grasp of the playbook, it would be less surprising if Shepard was the WR1 here.
Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders - 4% rostered
It looks like we have the Curtis Samuel of old back. It was a lost season for Samuel in 2021 due to injuries so expectations were low heading into 2022. So far, so good. He caught eight passes for 55 yards and a TD, as well as being involved as a runner with four carries for 17 yards.
His activity level is a good sign that he's back to 100% and doing the things that made him so valuable in fantasy football when he was in Carolina. If Antonio Gibson suffers an injury or recurrence of fumble-itis, we could see Samuel serve as the lead runner and receiver.
Donovan Peoples-Jones, Cleveland Browns - 4% rostered
DPJ was more than just a deep threat in the season opener. He led the Browns with 11 targets, almost twice as much as Amari Cooper and more than the rest of the WR/TE group combined.
That's an unexpected development for sure. This passing offense won't be dynamic for another 10 weeks when Deshaun Watson is eligible to return so Peoples-Jones hasn't quite entered Flex territory yet; he is someone to keep an eye on for now.
Kyle Philips, Tennessee Titans - 1% rostered
Philips is a player who I've previously profiled as a high-upside sleeper. He was the main target for Ryan Tannehill on the day and led all rookie receivers in target share at 27%.
The target share leaders in the Titans new-look passing game?
Kyle Philips (9 targets, 27% target share), followed by Treylon Burks (5) then Geoff Swaim.
Robert Woods 2 targets.
Austin Hooper 2 targets.
Nick Westbrook 2 targets.
No
— Andrew Erickson™ (@AndrewErickson_) September 12, 2022
It's not an exaggeration to say he could be this year's Hunter Renfrow providing tons of value in PPR leagues.
Greg Dortch, Arizona Cardinals - 0% rostered
Not Marquise Brown, Zach Ertz, or A.J. Green. Not even Andy Isabella. The leading receiver for the Cardinals in Week 1 was Greg Dortch, a former undrafted free agent out of Wake Forest who has strictly been used on special teams the last couple of years.
It's hard to imagine this continues once they get Rondale Moore and DeAndre Hopkins back but for the time being, Dortch could be a consideration in very deep leagues.
Others to consider: Treylon Burks, Tennessee Titans (46% rostered); Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots (39% rostered); Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers (34% rostered); Olamide Zaccheaus, Atlanta Falcons (0% rostered)
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options
Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers - 27% rostered
Although it was a little disconcerting to see guys like Tre' McKitty, Richard Rodgers, and Zander Horvath getting a combined seven targets, it didn't prevent Everett from scoring and putting up a nice fantasy day with 54 yards and a touchdown on three grabs.
If Keenan Allen misses time due to a hamstring injury that forced an early exit, Everett could see even more attention in what should be a shootout with the Chiefs next week.
Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers - 25% rostered
The more you watch the Packers' offense, the more you realize why they're going with a WRBC (wide receiver by committee). No wideout gained as much as 40 yards and the leading receiver was A.J. Dillon.
Tonyan wasn't overly impressive, gaining 36 yards on three receptions but he looked healthy after suffering an ACL tear a year ago and should serve as a red-zone target going forward. If Allen Lazard isn't ready for another couple of weeks, Tonyan could be a solid streamer.
Hayden Hurst, Cincinnati Bengals - 11% rostered
Only three tight ends were targeted more than Hurst in Week 1. He came away with five catches for 46 yards and didn't reach the end zone, so it won't go down as a standout performance. With Tee Higgins possibly in the concussion protocol, Hurst should see plenty more targets when they face the Cowboys.
O.J. Howard, Houston Texans - 1% rostered
Raise your hand if you knew Howard was on the active roster in Houston. Hands down, liars.
Howard was allowed to walk from Tampa and released by Buffalo in the preseason, ending up in Houston just days before the season began. Apparently, he didn't need much time to insert himself into the lineup and become a factor in the passing game.
Howard caught two touchdowns in his first game as a Texan. They were his only two catches on the day but he still somehow wound up second on the team with 38 receiving yards. Spending big on Howard with your early FAB might prove to be a mistake, so consider him a TD-dependent replacement for injuries or byes.
Others to consider: Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars (25% rostered); Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks (18% rostered); Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9% rostered)
Team Defense - Waiver Wire Options
Cincinnati Bengals Defense - 45% rostered
Before the season, a matchup with the Cowboys would seem like a great time to avoid a DST. The way they looked on Sunday night was bad enough but now that Dak Prescott is set to miss several weeks, it's a good time to test the Bengals' defense against the mostly inexperienced Cooper Rush.
Pittsburgh Steelers Defense - 30% rostered
It's understandable why the Steelers were passed over in the season opener as they faced the defending AFC champion Bengals on the road. It also logically follows that they will be the most-added DST in fantasy after picking off Joe Burrow four times, forcing a fumble, and sacking him seven times.
In Week 2, they will be at home to take on a Patriots team that struggled to move the ball under OC Matt Patricia. Unfortunately, they'll be without Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt, who suffered a pectoral muscle injury and will miss this game. Don't expect a performance like we just witnessed from this version of the Steel Curtain, but feel free to fire them up in Week 2.
New York Giants Defense - 1% rostered
This is your deep-league/desperation streaming option for the week. The G-Men only came away with one sack and one turnover against Tennessee but the defense did enough to eke out the win. They should have an easier path to sacks when they face Baker Mayfield and the Panthers next week.
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