Fantasy Football Week 1 Waiver Wire: Last-Minute Adds, Drops For Your Lineup
It’s only Week 1 of the NFL season, but some fantasy football owners still will be scrambling to fill in their lineups after a last-minute schedule change.
Hurricane Irma, which is headed for Southern Florida, forced the league to postpone the Miami Dolphins’ home opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers until their shared bye in Week 11. So if you’re one of the people who was ready to start Jameis Winston, Mike Evans, Jay Ajayi, Jarvis Landry or any other player from that game, you might be in a bit of a sticky situation.
But luckily for you, most of the waiver wire activity hasn’t ramped up yet, so you still have options. Here’s who you should consider adding (or dropping) before Sunday’s slate of games.
ADDS
Quarterback: Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills (50 percent owned in Yahoo! leagues)
We don’t necessarily recommend keeping Taylor in the long run, but he has an extremely high upside in the Bills’ matchup against the lowly New York Jets on Sunday. The 28-year-old passed for 297 yards and three touchdowns in his one start against the Jets last season, and he’s also a threat on the ground. Taylor is available in plenty of leagues, so you shouldn’t have much trouble snagging him.
Other quarterbacks to consider: Eli Manning (NYG), Carson Wentz (PHI)
Running back: Latavius Murray, Minnesota Vikings (38 percent owned)
Dalvin Cook might be the guy in Minnesota, but the Vikings face a pretty terrible run defense Monday in the New Orleans Saints, which could open the door for Murray to pick up a touchdown. Murray is a boom-or-bust option for this week, but the Saints gave up the third-most fantasy points to running backs in standard leagues in 2016, so there’s less of a chance of him laying an egg. It’s also still unclear who the goal-line back will be in Minnesota, but Murray has the edge there at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds.
Other running backs to target: Jamaal Charles (DEN), Chris Thompson (WAS)
Wide receiver: Devin Funchess, Carolina Panthers (17 percent owned)
Funchess is another guy with a high upside matchup Sunday, as the San Francisco 49ers gave up the fifth-most points to wideouts in standard leagues last season. With Ted Ginn in New Orleans, the 23-year-old will have a bigger role for the Panthers this season, making him a safe option to gain some yardage — and maybe a touchdown — in Week 1.
Other wide receivers to check out: Tyler Lockett (SEA), Zay Jones (BUF)
Tight end: Coby Fleener, New Orleans Saints (52 percent owned)
Fleener’s stock rose this week after Saints wide receiver Willie Snead was suspended for three games, and he should get a lot of looks in a receiving corps that’s not exactly elite. The 28-year-old also has a lot to prove after a rough first season in New Orleans, making him a good pickup for at least the first few weeks.
Other tight ends to consider: David Njoku (CLE), Charles Clay (BUF)
DROPS
Wide receiver: Julian Edelman, New England Patriots (8 percent owned)
We don’t have much advice on who to drop before more than two teams have played, but we were a little surprised to see Edelman still is owned in 8 percent of Yahoo! leagues, which is as many as his teammate Phillip Dorsett, who actually will play this season. Unless you’re in a keeper league with unconventional rules about dropping players and picked up Edelman in a middle round, there’s no good reason for him to be taking up bench space.
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
