Updated Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings: Pre-Week 1 - Malik Davis, Emmett Johnson, Tre' Harris, Caleb Douglas, Michael Mayer, Kaelon Black, Adonai Mitchell, Kayshon Boutte, more

September 12, 2026

Nick Mariano's updated top 85 waiver wire rankings ahead of Week 1 fantasy football in 2026. He ranks priority QB, RB, WR, TE free agent pickups for all league sizes.

Hey RotoBallers! The 2026 NFL season will kick off shortly, which means it's time to update our waiver wire rankings before Week 1. Even though the season hasn't begun, it is crucial to scan the waiver wire for potential high-upside players. Below, we have updated our rankings to reflect the latest news and injuries, with our updated fantasy football waiver wire rankings before Week 1 of 2026 to help you prioritize who to add ahead of your Week 1 matchup.

Despite a single snap yet to be played, many important players are dealing with injuries that managers need to monitor, including Arizona Cardinals rookie Jeremiyah Love, Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze, and Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty. Additionally, Las Vegas Raiders star tight end Brock Bowers underwent a meniscus trim, which will keep him out for a "game or two."

Our Week 1 fantasy football waiver wire rankings will help answer these questions and many more -- they've been a staple on RotoBaller for years, bringing readers a quick-hit list of the top 85 fantasy football player names to consider as free agent pickups. For those new to this article series, RotoBaller's lead NFL analyst Nick Mariano brings you these waiver wire rankings in priority order. Good luck on waivers!

Who To Pick Up Ahead of Fantasy Football Week 1?

Waiver wire pickup options, including how to prioritize them for your league, depending on the league size. Quarterbacks and Defenses (D/ST) are grouped together at the bottom of the list:

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Outlooks

Top names include Malik Davis, Emmett Johnson, Adonai Mitchell, Kaleb Johnson, Caleb Douglas, and more. We recap why these players rostered under 55% in Yahoo! leagues should be on your waiver wire radar before Week 1:

Malik Davis, RB, Cowboys

Week 1 Waiver Wire Ranking: 37

Dallas Cowboys running back Malik Davis is the undisputed No. 2 option on the depth chart, making him a priority target on the waiver wire in fantasy football. Specifically, he has appeal as a handcuff for managers in 14+ team leagues, as well as managers who have Javonte Williams in leagues with 10 or 12 teams. Williams is expected to occupy an every-down role this season, which means he's a candidate for some wear and tear. If he were to miss any time due to injury, his managers would want to be ready to plug-and-play his replacement, which would be Davis.

Adding Davis off the waiver wire doesn't give managers a running back with standalone weekly fantasy value, but rather protects those managers in case Williams misses any time this season. We saw what Davis could do in the lead-back role last year, as he totaled 28 carries, 124 rushing yards, and one touchdown across the two games in which Williams played less than 50% of the snaps.

Emmett Johnson, RB, Chiefs

Week 1 Waiver Wire Ranking: 38

Kansas City Chiefs running back Emmett Johnson may be a fifth-round rookie, but he's already on the fantasy radar as a potential waiver wire target. Johnson will open the year as the Chiefs' No. 2 running back, largely because he impressed the coaching staff so much with his pass-blocking ability. We may not see Johnson carve out standalone fantasy value on a weekly basis in his current role, but he would jump to the lead-back role and possess RB2 value if workhorse Kenneth Walker III were to miss time.

It's worth noting that the ex-Seahawk missed at least two games every year from 2022 through 2024, so Walker's managers would be justified in adding his handcuff off the waiver wire. Because of his potential to feast if Walker misses any time, Johnson should be picked up off the waiver wire in all leagues with 12+ teams.

Adonai Mitchell, WR, Jets

Week 1 Waiver Wire Ranking: 41

New York Jets wide receiver Adonai Mitchell has the potential to post a breakout season in his first full year with the Jets if he can build on a strong training camp. The speedy receiver has the raw tools to make him relevant in all formats, but he has struggled to be consistent throughout his NFL career. The Colts drafted Mitchell in the second round out of Texas, but he never earned consistent playing time before being traded to the Jets as part of the Sauce Gardner deal.

With New York, he averaged over seven targets per game and finished the year with 24 catches for 301 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. None of those games were with top receiver Garrett Wilson in the mix, so his target share could drop with Wilson's return and the additions of rookie pass-catchers Omar Cooper Jr. and tight end Kenyon Sadiq.

Even with a slightly smaller workload, though, Mitchell still has upside after receiving praise for his work in training camp to develop his connection with new QB Geno Smith. He appears set to open the year as the WR2 in New York, and he is the WR62 in RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings against the Titans. While he doesn't look like a Week 1 starter in most formats, he does make sense as a stash in deep leagues due to his long-term potential and solid role.

Kaleb Johnson, RB, Packers

Week 1 Waiver Wire Ranking: 57

Green Bay Packers running back Kaleb Johnson is worth keeping an eye on while Josh Jacobs remains unavailable. The Packers traded a 2028 sixth-round pick for Johnson on Aug. 30 after his quiet rookie season in Pittsburgh, where he managed only 69 yards on 28 carries. The opportunity in Green Bay is better.

MarShawn Lloyd should get the first crack at leading the backfield, but Johnson has already worked alongside him with the first-team offense, while Chris Brooks is better suited for passing-down work. Johnson also has some familiarity with Matt LaFleur's system after playing in a similar offense during his final season at Iowa. None of that makes him a Week 1 starter, and RotoBaller currently has him at RB70 for the opener against Minnesota. The waiver outlook is more interesting than the immediate lineup value.

RotoBaller recommends Johnson in leagues with 14 or more teams, which fits where things stand. He's a speculative stash with a path to more work if this backfield stays unsettled.

Caleb Douglas, WR, Dolphins

Week 1 Waiver Wire Ranking: 43

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Caleb Douglas had a strong showing in training camp and the preseason, and the rookie has the potential to be the team's top receiver this season. After trading Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos, the Dolphins will count on Douglas, Malik Washington, and Jalen Tolbert as their expected starters.

Douglas was a third-round pick out of Texas Tech and brings big-play potential, as he showed with highlight-reel catches throughout the preseason. He may be held back by the run-heavy Dolphins' offense with QB Malik Willis under center, but since he could develop into the team's No. 1 receiver by midseason, he definitely has the upside to be a fantasy factor.

If you can stash him off the waiver wire in deep leagues, he's one of the few options with such a large potential role so easily available. He's only the WR84 in RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings, so he isn't a flex option yet, but his later-season potential gives him intriguing upside.

Running Backs: Pre-Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Wide Receivers: Pre-Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Tight Ends: Pre-Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Quarterbacks: Pre-Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order, with emphasis on Week 1:

Defenses (D/ST): Pre-Week 1 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order, with emphasis on Week 1:

Pre-Week 1 Waiver Wire Articles

After diving into the Week 1 rankings, check out some other free waiver wire resources available at RotoBaller, including more articles which are coming soon.

Each week, our NFL team puts out a complete array of fantasy football waiver wire articles to complement our slick Who Should I Pickup? Waiver wire player comparison tool. Bookmark it!

In addition, be on the lookout for our other waiver wire articles all season long. We will be releasing weekly waiver wire articles for each position, FAAB bidding recommendations, streamers, and more. Here are some links:

• Nick Mariano's Waiver Wire Pickups before Week 1
• Rob Lorge's Waiver Wire Pickups before Week 1
• Rookie Waiver Wire Pickups before Week 1
• High-Upside Bench Stashes before Week 1
• Week 1 defense streamers (D/ST)
• Week 1 kicker streamers

Who Should I Pickup Tool

Trying to decide who to pickup off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here:

Who Should I Pickup for Week 9?

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Who Should I Pickup? Some common 2026 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Malik Davis, Emmett Johnson, Tre' Harris, Kaelon Black, Adonai Mitchell, Kayshon Boutte, Caleb Douglas, Dontayvion Wicks, Ja'Kobi Lane. But not to worry, we are here to help make these waiver wire decisions and build winning teams in 2026. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups in 2026. Our free Who Should I Pickup? tool will help make your fantasy football waiver wire decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to pick up... all free! Make the right decisions.

2026 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Malik Davis, Emmett Johnson, Tre' Harris, Kaelon Black, Adonai Mitchell, Kayshon Boutte, Caleb Douglas, Dontayvion Wicks, Ja'Kobi Lane. These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy football waiver wire pickups.

Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy football rankings, projections, and more.

Recent Improvements For Who Should I Pickup? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Pickup? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win on the waiver wire in 2026. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!

How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football waiver wire rankings and projections based on their research, and updates them constantly throughout the week. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.

Popular Waiver Wire Searches. Curious to see some tough waiver wire decisions for 2025? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Pickup? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.

Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup

Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for Malik Davis, Emmett Johnson, Tre' Harris, Kaelon Black, Adonai Mitchell, Kayshon Boutte, Caleb Douglas, Dontayvion Wicks, Ja'Kobi Lane: