The Wire - Week 1
By Levi Ellis
It’s finally here and week one is already in the books which means it’s time for all of us to start freaking out about our players that under-performed this week and our positions that we need help at. Fantasy championships are won and lost from the waiver wire and if you want a championship you can’t afford to miss a single week. Every year star players are found from the wire. Who will be this year’s James Robinson? Take a look at our deep dive list below that should be applicable for any type of league whether it be redraft, dynasty, big leagues, small leagues, you name it, our list fits them all.
Quarterbacks
Tier 1 Quarterbacks
Jameis Winston - 14/20, 148 yards, 5 TDs - Winston looked outstanding on Sunday. He didn’t throw a lot, because he didn’t have to. You shouldn’t expect 5 TDs a week, but I could certainly see him finishing as a top 12 QB this season. If you took your QB late in your draft, and you’re unhappy.. go get Jameis. 10% of your FAAB
Sam Darnold - 24/35, 279 yards, 1 TD - Sam Darnold, no longer under the tutelage of Adam Gase, looked like an actual starting NFL QB on Sunday. Who knew? Obviously, he played the J-E-T-S, but he has talent and plenty of talent around him. Joe Brady could end up leveraging his work with Darnold into a HC job. 10% of your FAAB
Tier 2 Quarterbacks
Jared Goff - 38/57, 338 yards, 3 TDs - Ugh.. I’m not excited about Goff at all, but they will be playing from behind a lot this year. That means he should have plenty of garbage time points. Goff could be a nice bye week replacement or an injury replacement. 3% of your FAAB
Best of the Rest (Tier 3)
Taylor Heinicke - 11/15, 122 yards, 1 TD - Ryan Fitzpatrick was placed on the IR with a hip injury and will miss the next 3 weeks. In comes Taylor Heinicke, who was given a 2 year extension in the offseason. He has plenty of weapons at his disposal, and showed he is capable in last season's playoff loss to Tampa Bay. 1-2% of your FAAB
Running Backs
Tier 1 Running Backs
Ty’son Williams - 9 carries, 65 yards, 1 TD - Williams had a very solid 1st half on MNF against the Raiders...then he was put on a milk carton. He is a low-end tier 1 RB this week, since Lat Murray could eat into his workload and neither factored into the passing game at all. 15% of your FAAB
##Elijah Mitchell## Priority Pickup - 19 carries, 104 yards, 1 TD - Trey Sermon was a surprise inactive on Sunday for the 49ers, with Elijah Mitchell being named the backup to Raheem Mostert. Mostert was placed on the IR for 8 weeks with chipped cartilage in his knee *insert shocked face*. Mitchell lit up the Lions’ defense for over 100 yards in his 1st career game. He will have some competition for carries from JaMycal Hasty and Trey Sermon, but Mitchell can carry the load. 30% of your FAAB
Mark Ingram - 26 carries, 85 yards, 1 TD - Ingram continues to be productive at his advanced age. Even on a bad team, the former Raven and Saint can still tote the rock. He will need to improve on his ypc, but his 26 carries was 2nd in the NFL. 10% of your FAAB
Tier 2 Running Backs
Latavius Murray - 10 carries, 28 yards, 1 TD - It was a tale of two halves for the Ravens’ RBs on MNF. Williams got the bulk of the work in the 1st half, then Murray in the 2nd half. Williams was definitely the more productive of the 2 backs, but Lat Murray’s experience will get him more playing time as he gets more comfortable in the offense. 8% of your FAAB
Cordarrelle Patterson - 7 carries, 54 yards, 2 catches, 13 yards - if CP is available in your league as a running back, then he needs to be given a serious look. He will get plenty of carries out of the backfield to spell Mike Davis and he did a good job on Sunday against the Eagles. 7% of your FAAB
Best of the Rest (Tier 3):
JaMycal Hasty - 1 carry, 3 yards 1 TD, 1 catch 15 yards - 2 touches wouldn’t normally suggest an add in fantasy football. However, opportunity is key. With Mostert injured and Sermon being inactive, Hasty was the next back in line behind Elijah Mitchell. Will that continue? Do you want to take the chance on it not being the case? 5% of your FAAB
Wide Receivers
Tier 1 Wide Receivers
##Van Jefferson## Priority Pickup - 3 targets, 2 catches, 80 yards, 1 TD - He may have only had 3 targets but he is super talented and plays in a high powered offense with a great quarterback. Jefferson is a guy I loved in last year's rookie class and it’s only a matter of time before he is a consistent weekly fantasy starter. Grab him now while you still can. 25% of your remaining FAAB.
Sterling Shepard - 9 targets, 7 catches, 113 yards, 1 TD - Right now he’s the #1 wide receiver however I expect Golladay to assume this role once he’s fully healthy and acclimated to the offense. Just keep in mind that Shepard has had his share of injuries. 10% of your remaining FAAB.
Christian Kirk - 5 targets, 5 catches, 70 yards, 2 TDs - The talent has always been there but are we finally witnessing the Cardinals using him properly? 10% of your remaining FAAB.
Tim Patrick - 4 targets, 4 catches, 39 yards, 1 TD - Patrick played like a star last year and now with Jeudy set to miss the next 6-8 games his role in the offense is about to grow. 15% of your remaining FAAB.
Zach Pascal - 5 targets, 4 catches, 43 yards, 2 TDs - Pascal continues to be a very underappreciated player and as long as the Colts do not have a respectable tight end and TY Hilton is out Pascal is going to be very involved. 15% of your remaining FAAB.
Tier 2 Wide Receivers
KJ Osborn - 9 targets, 7 catches, 76 yards - After last week's game it is clear who the #3 wide receiver is. Osborn’s production may be limited to shootouts but with Irv out and if something happens to Thielen or Jefferson then Osborn will be very valuable. 5% of your remaining FAAB.
Nelson Agholor - 7 targets, 5 catches, 72 yards, 1 TD - With Mac Jones at quarterback Agholor may have some value this year. I think Meyers is the wide receiver to own but you could do worse and Agholor seems to be the big play guy. 5% of your remaining FAAB.
Best of the Rest (Tier 3 Wide Receivers):
Cedrick Wilson - 3 targets, 3 catches, 24 yards - Wilson has flashed at times but he’s on this list because Gallup is set to miss the next 3-5 games. 1% of your remaining FAAB.
Anthony Schwartz - 5 targets, 3 catches, 69 yards, 1 carry, 17 yards - Schwartz was very involved in the offense last week and even when OBJ comes back I think it may continue. The Browns appeared to have designed plays for him. I just think he will most likely be boom or bust all season. 1% of your remaining FAAB and deep leagues only.
Deonte Harris - 2 targets, 2 catches, 72 yards, 1 TD - Winston won’t throw 5 tds each week (at least I don’t think) but Harris has some upside. 1% of your remaining FAAB and deep leagues only.
Trent Sherfield - 3 targets, 2 catches, 23 yards, 1 TD - The 49ers have raved about Sherfield this offseason and if something were to happen to Deebo or Aiyuk then he may have a consistent role. 1% of your remaining FAAB and deep leagues only.
Quintez Cephus - 7 targets, 3 catches, 12 yards, 1 TD - Let’s face it, the Lions are going to play from behind a lot and as the season wears on they are going to want to get a good look at their young guys and Cephus is just in his second year. Also considering he received 7 targets in last week's game that is already a great sign. 1% of your remaining FAAB and deep leagues only.
Trinity Benson - 6 targets, 3 catches, 19 yards - All the same reasons as Cephus and Benson had a respectable 6 targets last week. 1% of your remaining FAAB and deep leagues only.
Chester Rogers - 6 targets, 4 catches, 62 yards - When teams focus all of their energy and attention on AJ and Julio this guy will get some targets. 1% of your remaining FAAB and deep leagues only.
Cordarrelle Patterson - 2 targets, 2 catches, 13 yards, 7 carries, 54 yards - I love the talent and like how involved he was in the offense. The hope is his role will only continue to grow. 1% of your remaining FAAB and deep leagues only.
Jalen Guyton - 5 targets, 3 catches, 49 yards - Any player who has a quarterback as good as Herbert and an injury prone wide receiver in front of him (Mike Williams) has to garner some attention. 1% of your remaining FAAB and deep leagues only.
KJ Hill - 3 targets, 3 catches, 30 yards - See above. 1% of your remaining FAAB and deep leagues only.
Tight Ends
Tier 1 Tight Ends
Rob Gronkowski - 8 targets, 8 catches, 90 yards, 2 TDs - If he’s available thank the fantasy gods and try to grab him. I don’t expect this kind of production each week but Gronk must be owned in all formats. 25% of your remaining FAAB.
Tier 2 Tight Ends
Juwan Johnson - 3 targets, 3 catches, 21 yards, 2 TDs - If you don’t know who this is you really need to pay more attention during preseason. Johnson clearly appears to be a redzone threat and the Saints need playmakers. This guy could end up being a star. 10% of your remaining FAAB.
Dalton Schultz - 6 targets, 6 catches, 45 yards - With Gallup out he should only receive more targets and he has played well. He’s not likely to ever be a star but he’s consistent. 5% of your remaining FAAB.
David Njoku - 5 targets, 3 catches, 76 yards - Is he finally putting it all together, I think maybe so but I would like to see a couple more games like this. 5% of your remaining FAAB.
Will Dissly - 3 targets, 3 catches, 37 yards - I’ve been a believer for a long time and now that he’s fully healthy and the offense likes to use the tight end I think his time is coming. 5% of your remaining FAAB.
Gerald Everett - 2 targets, 2 catches, 20 yards, 1 TD - Everett is talented and the offensive coordinator worked with him in LA. It doesn’t hurt that his quarterback is also one of the best in the game. 5% of your remaining FAAB.
Best of the Rest (Tier 3 Tight Ends):
Blake Jarwin - 4 targets, 3 catches, 20 yards - As he continues to recover from last year's injury we may see more and more of him. 2% of your remaining FAAB.
Albert Okwuegbunam - 3 targets, 3 catches, 16 yards, 1 TD - Talent is there and upside is off the charts. Jeudy is also now out. Fant has also had some injury issues so he’s only one snap away from a significant role in the offense. 2% of your remaining FAAB.
Adam Trautman - 6 targets, 3 catches, 18 yards - I love the talent, just curious how the snaps shake out with Juwan Johnson. 2% of your remaining FAAB.
Tyler Conklin - 4 targets, 4 catches, 41 yards - I think he’s going to be steady and I’m not worried about the trade for Herndon. 1% of your remaining FAAB.
Tyler Kroft - 5 targets, 3 catches, 26 yards - Ryan Griffen is there too but I think Kroft is likely to be the TE 1 this season. 1% of your remaining FAAB and deep leagues only.
Dawson Knox - 4 targets, 4 catches, 41 yards - He appears to be the only tight end relevant in the offense. 1% of your remaining FAAB and deep leagues only.
James O'Shaughnessy - 8 targets, 6 catches, 48 yards - Tight end is a crap shoot for the Jags and this guy got 8 targets last week. 1% of your remaining FAAB and deep leagues only.
Pharaoh Brown - 5 targets, 4 catches, 67 yards - See above but he only got 5 targets. 1% of your remaining FAAB and deep leagues only.
Dead to Me (redraft leagues only)
Titans OL - I know they aren’t owned in fantasy but I couldn’t resist
Taysom Hill - This just in, Winston throws for 5 tds and Taysom Hill is now dead
Tevin Coleman - He was on this list before the season even started
Rashaad Penny - He’s already hurt smh
Rhamondre Stevenson - It’s just not his time yet
AJ Green - Yes he still plays and Yes he should retire
Mecole Hardman - Mahomes only has eyes for Kelce and Hill
Ian Thomas - He shouldn’t be owned in any format
Eric Ebron - There’s only one football
Mo Allie-Cox - He’s not a weapon
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