Dominating the waiver wire could catapult you into championship territory regardless of how much you struggled during the draft or while making trades. Read on for eight season-long waiver wire targets, as well as a few players who you can comfortably cut loose.
Adds
Let’s check out eight players that warrant consideration ahead of the upcoming waiver wire cycle. All players listed here are rostered in less than 35 percent of ESPN leagues and could have legitimate impacts down the stretch.
Jameis Winston
Rostered in 26.1 percent of leagues
Winston had a phenomenal Week 1 showing against the Packers, proving that his strong preseason finale was no fluke. The former first-round pick only passed for 148 yards, but he racked up five passing touchdowns while adding 37 yards on the ground. At the very least, this asserts Winston’s presence in the mid-QB2 range and suggests that he can be a viable fantasy weapon despite a depleted receiving corps.
Mark Ingram
Rostered in 11 percent of leagues
Lindsay was listed in the last waiver wire piece, but the nod goes to his backfield-mate this time round. Ingram saw a whopping 26 carries and found the end zone once during a Week 1 rout of the Jaguars. He was fairly inefficient (3.3 yards per carry), but the Texans showed a clear commitment to giving him a large workload. It’s too early to comfortably start Ingram, but at the very least, he represents a top waiver-wire option.
Elijah Mitchell
Rostered in 1.9 percent of leagues
Mitchell was thrust into action on Sunday following Raheem Mostert‘s (knee) early exit and Trey Sermon’s (coach’s decision) absence. The 49ers’ coaching staff is not comfortable with where Sermon is at this early in his rookie season. Meanwhile, Mostert is set to miss roughly two months. With that in mind, Mitchell, a rookie, could see a steady workload going forward. He showed flashes of potential in Week 1, racking up 104 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Cordarelle Patterson
Rostered in 3.1 percent of leagues
Patterson saw an uptick in touches after Wayne Gallman (coach’s decision) was inactive. While he’s still stuck behind Mike Davis, the former Panthers running back was fairly inefficient (3.3 yards per carry) in his Falcons debut. Patterson, meanwhile, logged seven carries for 54 yards (7.7 yards per carry) plus an additional 13 yards through the air. While he likely won’t ever start in this backfield, his dynamic playing ability makes him worth rostering.
Christian Kirk
Rostered in 3.6 percent of leagues
Kirk silenced the Rondale Moore hype by catching all five targets for 70 yards and two touchdowns. While Moore did catch four passes of his own, Kirk asserted himself as the WR3 in this offense for the time being. In a high-powered Kyler Murray-led unit, Kirk is someone who should be rostered in most leagues. He should have relevance for most of the season and will be worth starting as a FLEX if he continues to log high-yardage showings.
Zach Pascal
Rostered in 2.4 percent of leagues
You’ll want to get your shares of Pascal before it’s too late. The biggest benefactor of the T.Y. Hilton (neck) injury, Pascal caught four passes for 43 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1. While he won’t be able to keep up this scoring clip, the wideout is still a top target in the Colts’ offense. His roster share deserves to increase exponentially during the upcoming waiver period.
Nelson Agholor
Rostered in 29.8 percent of leagues
Agholor had an impressive Patriots debut, catching five passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. Notably, he garnered seven targets in the effort, which would be enough to give him fantasy relevance for the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, Mac Jones‘ strong and efficient debut adds further value to Agholor’s stock.
Dalton Schultz
Rostered in 1.2 percent of leagues
One of the most underrated stories from Week 1 is the Cowboys’ usage of tight ends. Projected starter Blake Jarwin was on the field for just 58 percent of snaps, catching three passes for 20 yards. Meanwhile, Schultz saw a 69 percent snap share, racking up 45 yards on six catches. Not only has Schultz likely surpassed Jarwin in fantasy value, but it appears he has now slotted into the top-24 range among tight ends. He’s worth rostering in leagues where you’re looking for a second tight end.
Drops
Let’s check out three players that you can comfortably cut loose from your roster. All players listed here are rostered in more than 50 percent of ESPN leagues and aren’t expected to have legitimate impacts down the stretch.
Michael Carter
Rostered in 67.1 percent of leagues
Depending on the depth of your league, Carter might be worth dropping after this week. The Jets’ backfield is just too busy and the offense is too inconsistent to trust any of the running backs here, let alone a fourth-round rookie. Add in the fact that New York will often be playing from behind and you’re looking at one of the most unappealing backfields from a fantasy football perspective. After logging just 20 scrimmage yards on four carries and one catch, Carter can be dropped in leagues of 12 teams or fewer.
Indianapolis Colts D/ST
Rostered in 62.6 percent of leagues
The Colts’ defense has been a top fantasy option in the past, but a poor Week 1 coupled with a tricky upcoming schedule renders them irrelevant for the next few games. After facing a dominant Seattle offense, Indianapolis has equally challenging clashes against the Rams, Titans, Dolphins, and Raiders over the next four weeks. Managers who tend to stream defenses (which is the majority) can dump the Colts from their rosters.
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