Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Pickups - Week 1

September 9, 2021

Justin Carter's fantasy football wide receiver waiver wire pickups for Week 1 of the 2021 NFL season. These are free agent WRs to add, stream and stash.

Week 1 is just around the corner and most of you have done your fantasy drafts. But you don't need to wait until next week to start making moves. Drop that second quarterback or defense that you drafted and get another receiver instead.

Below, you'll find some wideouts that you should be targeting on the waiver wire ahead of Week 1.

Not all options are the same. Some players may be better in PPR or deeper leagues, so it’s not a one-size-fits-all comparison. Use your best judgment when deciding which of these players is the right fit for your roster. Check out our Waiver Wire Adds for Week 1 for help at all the skill positions. All players on this list here are around 40% rostered or below.

Sterling Shepard, New York Giants

39% rostered

Kenny Golladay has a hamstring injury. Rookie Kadarius Toney seems like he's going to take some time to get used to playing at the NFL level. And the Giants have an enticing Week 1 matchup against the Broncos.

Shepard will likely open the year with a high snap rate and a lot of targets. Maybe that fades as the season progresses, but for now, Shepard is a possible FLEX option.

Elijah Moore, New York Jets

39% rostered

It looks like Elijah Moore is going to play a larger role than expected as a rookie. There's the concern that he's a rookie who'll have a rookie throwing him the ball, but with veteran Jamison Crowder uncertain to play in Week 1 as he deals with both COVID-19 and a core injury, Moore could get a lot of snaps in the slot. Serving as a solid option in the short passing game for rookie Zach Wilson makes Moore an intriguing deep-league FLEX play this week.

Tyrell Williams, Detroit Lions

30% rostered

Welcome to the Lions passing game! Honestly, I have no idea what to think about the players in Detroit and who'll lead things, but Williams is set to start for now. On a team where the other starts are Amon-Ra St. Brown and Quintez Cephus, I'd expect to see quarterback Jared Goff lean on the only veteran wideout in the early going. He's a potential WR3 option right now.

Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons

26% rostered

How is Gage rostered in so few leagues? I get that he has to contend with Calvin Ridley and Kyle Pitts for targets, but quarterback Matt Ryan is going to throw for 4,500 yards because that's what Matt Ryan does. Last year, he led the NFL in passing attempts and he's led in completions two years in a row. Atlanta might be bad again, which will mean a lot of passing.

And, uhh...Mike Davis is still the No. 1 running back on the team, so you don't have to worry about too many touches being siphoned off to the run game. Gage started roughly half of the Falcons' games last year and had 72 catches for 786 yards and four scores. ROSTER GUYS WHO WILL GET 100-PLUS TARGETS, Y'ALL.

Terrace Marshall Jr., Carolina Panthers

18% rostered

Not totally sure what to think of Marshall, but PFF had him ranked as their top rookie receiver during the preseason and looks to be starting in Carolina. So in deeper leagues, I think it's worth rostering him in case he hits, especially with the schedule Carolina has, which sees them play some of the worst passing defenses in the league. The Jets in Week 1 might be one of the toughest defenses they face in the first half of the season! The Panthers' passing offense could be sneaky good!

Christian Kirk, Arizona Cardinals

12% rostered

Kirk is never going to be a top receiver, but his big drop in production last year doesn't necessarily mean that he should be in the garbage heap.

Kirk had 48 receptions for 621 yards and six touchdowns last season. With Larry Fitzgerald gone and the oft-injured A.J. Green replacing him, I think Kirk probably gets some more targets this year. He's not the most exciting player to roster, but he can be a WR4/5 play against the right defenses. And hey -- starting against the Titans, Vikings, and Jaguars seems like a good stretch for Kirk.

Parris Campbell, Indianapolis Colts

11% rostered

Campbell has struggled to be healthy through his first two seasons, but I think he has a real chance to find success this season. Carson Wentz likes slot receivers and Campbell should be in the slot a good bit of the time. And with a T.Y. Hilton injury right now, Campbell will be getting first-team snaps to open the year. He has to play the Rams in Week 2, but a nice Week 1 contest against the Seattle secondary is enticing if you're in need of a FLEX play in a deep league.

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions

8% rostered

Back to the Lions! St. Brown is less likely than Tyrell Williams to find immediate success, but we've seen evidence of Jared Goff supporting multiple fantasy-relevant receivers. St. Brown is the upside play in Detroit, and while I wouldn't start him in Week 1, I do like the idea of grabbing him now in case he has a larger role than anticipated.

Nico Collins, Houston Texans

2% rostered

Same story as St. Brown here but on an offense that's a lot shakier. Collins looks set to start across from Brandin Cooks, and he might be a solid fantasy option just out of necessity: the Texans will be behind a lot, so there will be garbage time points aplenty.

Like with St. Brown, I'm not starting Collins this week. But I am getting him on my bench in deep leagues and seeing what happens. Targets aren't necessarily a skill, but they are something that contributes to a player's fantasy value.

Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders

2% rostered

Yes, rostering Hunter Renfrow is boring. But he had 56 catches for 656 yards last year. He likely won't face any fight for playing time in the slot and with Nelson Agholor gone, he's the most reliable non-Darren Waller weapon for quarterback Derek Carr.

Renfrow won't ever win you a week. But if your lineup in a deep league is already getting decimated by injury and you need a reliable player with a decent floor, Renfrow could be your dude.

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