RADIO
If Week 1 of the NFL season didn't go your way, there is no need to panic. It is easy to forget that it is a long season and many often get caught up in the hype of Week 1 in their excitement and forget to take a long-term approach to the season. In fantasy, we always want to be looking for backup running backs who are one spot away on the depth chart to have some fantasy value. While we aren't openly rooting for the starter to get benched or injured, unfortunately, injuries are a harsh reality of fantasy football that we must be prepared for.
If you are in a league that allows you to drop bench players after Thursday Night Football, you might be able to make some free additions to your teams. If you are rostering any Kansas City Chiefs like Mecole Hardman or Isiah Pacheco it might be time to drop them and look for someone else. The same goes for Los Angeles Chargers like Isaiah Spiller and DeAndre Carter. Since they can no longer help you this week you might as well get a free look at some other players who are still yet to play this week.
Week to week it is my job to keep my ear to the local scuttlebutt of all that is going on with 32 teams to help you bargain hunt for some free options on your league's waiver wire. Here are this week's selections.
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Weekend Waiver Wire Stashes Before Week 2
Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers - 17% rostered
While incumbent running back Najee Harris has been cleared for Week 2 against the New England Patriots this week, he was banged up during training camp and even had a sprained lisfranc. One medical journal from 2016 described this type of injury as having an 11-month recovery time on average.
Harris had just 10 carries in Week 1 for 23 yards. He also added 2 receptions for a total of 3 yards but had 1 touchdown. Najee is a solid option for fantasy when he is healthy due to the sheer volume he receives, but I'm not buying that he is completely 100% healthy currently. The Steelers have a quick turnaround this Sunday with a Thursday Night matchup against the Browns in Week 3.
If Najee is banged up at all there is a chance he could be rested for TNF next week. While the Steelers' offensive line has been less than stellar, Jaylen Warren is currently listed as the No. 2 RB on the depth chart and was featured heavily during the preseason. In fantasy, we always want to be looking for players who are just one spot away from being very relevant.
The undrafted rookie from Oklahoma State fits that profile this year. If you are currently hurting at running back with the likes of Cam Akers, Elijah Moore, Miles Sanders, or JK Dobbins on your roster, Warren could be a solid spot start in the coming weeks due to sheer volume alone.
Dontrell Hilliard, Tennessee Titans - 19% rostered
Hilliard is out for Tennessee's Week 2 matchup, but it doesn't appear that he will be sidelined for too long. If you have someone you can drop at the end of your roster, or your league allows for players who are "out" to be placed on IR, he is the perfect player to stash away for the time being.
The clear pass catcher on the team, Dontrell Hilliard is not currently a player being rostered on a lot of teams at the moment. While he is not yet a player we should feel confident starting, he is worth keeping an eye on in case something should happen to Derrick Henry. Hillard finished as the RB7 in Week One after catching 3 passes for 61 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also added 2 carries on the ground for 8 yards.
The Titans were near the top in vacated targets from 2021 with approximately 350. In years past running backs tend to benefit the most from vacated targets in the following season. Since Henry has never been featured heavily in the passing game, the 3rd down passing back role on the roster appears to be Hilliard's. While he is not yet at the level that we can start him with confidence, he would immediately become a top 15 fantasy running back if anything were to happen to Henry. As the season goes on Hillard is a player worth keeping an eye on.
Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions - 57% rostered
A more-rostered player than most on this list, this is just a friendly reminder that Jamaal Williams is worth rostering in case he is available on your league's waiver wire. While it is not expected that he will overtake D'Andre Swift anytime soon, Williams can have some standalone fantasy value this year.
Williams had all 3 of the carries inside the 5 as well as 7 red zone touches last Sunday. While this might not be the best news for Swift managers, Williams should play enough this season to help keep Swift fresh. Williams is a viable receiver out of the backfield and should see a handful of touches each week for fantasy.
After staring on Hard Knocks over the summer, Jamaal Williams gained a lot of new fans all across the country. If anything were to happen to Swift (and let's pray that it doesn't), Williams would become a must-start in fantasy. This doesn't look like it's going to be your same old Lions offense anymore. This team is fun.
Carson Wentz, Washington Commanders - 50% rostered
A player who is still not rostered in a lot of leagues outside of Superflex formats, Carson Wentz had a fantastic debut with the Commanders in Week 1. Wentz passed for 313 yards and 4 touchdowns while completing 27 of his 41 passes. He did throw 2 interceptions, but the Commanders were victorious 28-22 over Jacksonville.
If you are a fantasy manager who is rostering Dak Prescott and in need of a starter, for the time being, Wentz might be the guy. Wentz has plenty of weapons to work with in Antonio Gibson, Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Curtis Samuel, and Logan Thomas. The Commanders also feature some paltry defenses for the next few weeks including Detroit, Philadelphia, and Dallas.
While Wentz has struggled to stay consistent since his unfortunate injury at the end of the 2017 season, he is being overlooked in just about all leagues and all formats right now. If you are starting someone like Trey Lance at QB1 who seems to be fighting for his job in San Francisco (don't get me started on Shanahan), it doesn't hurt to have a backup plan just in case the eject button suddenly needs to be pushed.
Marcus Mariota, Atlanta Falcons - 11% rostered
While some were skeptical of Marcus Mariota's fantasy value after the Falcons signed him this offseason to make him the starting quarterback, Mariota and the Falcons' offense were solid in Week 1. As we know, mobile quarterbacks can be a relative sort of cheat code for fantasy purposes, especially in 4-pt passing TD leagues.
Mariota passed for 215 yards while completing 20 of his 33 pass attempts last week. The kicker is he rushed 12 times for 72 yards and a TD. While Mariota is now 28 and may not have the same blazing speed he had when he first came into the league, he is still relatively young as far as starting quarterbacks go.
With Cordarelle Patterson in the backfield along with rookie Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts, there are weapons around Mariota for him to be relevant for fantasy. This week's matchup against an angry Rams defense likely will be tough, but there is a soft spot in the middle of the Falcons' schedule where they get the Panthers, Bears, and Commanders.
If the Falcons continue to lose it seems inevitable that rookie Desmond Ridder will take over at quarterback halfway through the season so the team can see what it has. If they get on a winning streak and stay competitive throughout the season then Mariota could have some value.
Robbie Anderson, Carolina Panthers - 37% rostered
A player who is probably better suited in best ball and DFS compared to redraft where we aren't sure if we can start him with confidence each week, Robbie Anderson reminded us of his deep speed and playmaking abilities in Week 1 after he caught 5 passes for 102 yards and 1 TD.
While his long touchdown for 75 yards came on a play with broken coverage between Browns safety Grant Delpit and the cornerback, Anderson still deserves credit for flying down the field and making the play. Right now there is no viable pass-catching threat at Tight End on the Panthers and the only players who are likely to see more consistent volume through the air are Christian McCaffrey and DJ Moore.
Due to the reality that Carolina may not be very good this year, plenty of negative game scripts that will allow for quarterback Baker Mayfield to air the ball out could be great for Anderson's fantasy value. He is a player worth monitoring going forward.
Jarvis Landry, New Orleans Saints - 55% rostered
A player who has largely been forgotten this offseason, Jarvis Landry looked like the Landry of old on Sunday catching 7 of his 9 targets for 114 yards. While he didn't find the end zone, it was a nice thing to see from the wily veteran. While he is now 29 years of age, it's easy to forget that Landry has been great in PPR formats in years past.
In his first 6 seasons in the league, Landry caught at least 80 passes while going over 1,000 yards three times. While injuries did limit him some in 2021, Landry plays with a chip on his shoulder and seems re-energized now that he is back in his home state of Louisiana and playing for the Saints.
While he still has to compete with Michael Thomas, rookie Chris Olave, and Alvin Kamara for targets, it's encouraging to see Landry produce in Week 1. He is a good slot receiver who can make plays over the middle. For fantasy, he is better in full PPR formats.
While his lack of speed at this stage of his career likely won't result in a lot of long touchdowns or big plays, he is a reliable player that has a history of producing. The Saints found themselves in a bit of a shootout last week after their defense which was supposed to be good had a poor showing against the Falcons.
Honorable Mention Bench Stash
Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions - 23% rostered
There is a good chance that he will be able to come off of injured reserve by the time the Lions come off their bye week in Week 7. If your league has an injured reserve Williams is a free stash with upside.
He has the type of big play potential and could have a similar rookie season to Odell Beckham in 2014 when he missed the first four games of the season and still won Offensive Rookie of the Year. Him and Amon Ra St. Brown on the field at the same time is going to be a highlight reel.
I hope you enjoyed these picks. Feel free to follow me on Twitter for more waiver and player analysis throughout the season!
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