You Should Add This Receiver Amid Bengals Uncertainty Vs. Patriots

Getting a head start on the waiver wire before the Week 1 Sunday slate might seem too early, but it could make a big difference toward winning your fantasy football league.

The Cincinnati Bengals faced uncertainty regarding Ja’Marr Chase’s status. The star wide receiver did not practice this summer and performed a hold-in to get a new contract. He was at practice Wednesday, but Tee Higgins could miss Sunday’s matchup against the New England Patriots after he popped up on the injury report with a hamstring injury. He was not seen at practice Friday, which puts his Week 1 status up in the air.

All of this might be a precaution, but the Cincinnati offense led by Joe Burrow always is one to target for fantasy. And if Chase or Higgins went down, that could lead to an enticing role for their backup.

Jermaine Burton might get touted by national media since he’s a former Alabama wide receiver drafted in the third round of this year’s draft. But it’s more likely Andrei Iosivas would see increased production. He’s expected to line up in three-receiver sets and was proficient in the slot last season. The Princeton product enters his second season in the NFL and continues to build chemistry with Burrow. Iosivas did not feature much in the preseason, which actually is a good thing because it showed how much the coaching staff values him and didn’t want to risk him getting injured.

A lot will happen in Week 1, and there will be opportunities and more information to gather for fantasy football. Kyren Williams and Puka Nacua were among the most popular waive wire adds after Week 1 of last season. If you picked one or both of those guys up, you likely won your league or come close. It’s ambitious to think Iosivas will come close to a Nacua, but he’s a wide receiver with legitimate upside, which is what you should be striving for in fantasy.

Iosivas is available in 97% of Yahoo leagues, and if you have a player you’re not very high on, you should consider dropping them for a player who could present WR3 or WR2 upside. You probably aren’t starting him right away, but he’s a worthy stash over a high-floor, low-ceiling option. Also, the first part of his last name is pronounced “Yoshi,” so that also helps with unique fantasy team names.