X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Week 1 Running Backs: Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds

Up until this point of the fantasy season, the draft is the pick topic of discussion. What pick do you have? Who did you get? Who are your sleepers? The draft is definitely a huge factor in winning your fantasy league, but it's important to remember that the roster that you leave your draft with is not the roster that is going to be competing for the league title at the end of the year. Upgrading your roster throughout the season is absolutely key and one way to do that is by being active on your league's waiver wire.

The waiver wire is where league's can be won. Just last season, we saw players like Odell Beckham Jr., C.J. Anderson, and Justin Forsett be waiver wire adds that ended up top 10 at their respective positions. My goal on the waiver wire is to try to find players that, with the proper opportunity, can be top players at their positions. This ultimately creates value in two potential ways: either you are able to play the added player in a starting spot of your weekly lineup, or it gives you a trade chip to use to find help at a position of weakness.

Each week, this article will aim to highlight running backs that you should consider targeting on your league's waiver wire. I've split these players up into three tiers from most desirable to most desperate. Additionally, I've included players at the bottom of this list that I would be comfortable cutting as I don't see them contributing in a major way this season.

Editor's Note: Our friends at FantasyFeud are hosting Survivor and Seasonal Leagues perfect for the non-DFS fantasy manager, and you can enter for as little as $1. If you sign up and deposit now, you'll receive a 100% bonus AND a get free full season of RotoBaller's NFL Premium Tools & DFS Lineups Picks ($39.99 value).

 
 

Cream of the Crop Running Backs for Week 1 Waiver Wire

These are running backs that I would add no matter what if they are available on your waiver wire. These players have a chance to be starters and weekly contributors to their NFL teams:

Knile Davis (RB, KC) - 57% owned on Fleaflicker

Only Ryan Mathews rivals Davis as a handcuff for the upcoming season, and that has more to do with Chip Kelly's system than Mathews' talent. In the two games that Jamaal Charles missed (or missed significant time) last season, Davis average 119 total yards per game and scored 3 total touchdowns. Davis is a talented runner and almost a guarantee to finish as a top-12 RB if Charles weren't in the picture. The Chiefs were ranked as the #2 run blocking team last season by ProFootballFocus, and as long as Andy Reid sticks to the run, I see Davis as a must-own running back.

Matt Jones (RB, WAS) - 23% owned on Fleaflicker

In case you've been living under a rock, here at RotoBaller we are very high on Matt Jones and have been writing about him ad nauseam for months. Some people may look at this situation and say - he's just a backup or handcuff, and we've been down this road with Roy Helu before. But there's more than meets the eye. First of all, he's a better RB than Roy Helu, and the Redskins coaches absolutely love this kid. He's young, talented, strong and fast. They hand picked him. Jones is going to be getting touches regardless, taking away work from Alfred Morris. And since the Redskins will most likely be playing from behind a lot, he should get a lot of passing targets as the receiving back. Morris can't catch, so Matt Jones may be getting as many touches as him early in the season, and eventually surpassing him as the lead back. Add him now. Seriously, go pick him up if he's still sitting on your league's waiver wire.

Honorable Mentions: Danny Woodhead (RB, SD) - 49% owned, Duke Johnson (RB, CLE) - 45% owned

 

Wait and See Running Backs for Week 1 Waiver Wire

These are running backs highly available on the waiver wire who you should consider stashing if you have room:

Khiry Robinson (RB, NO) - 17% owned on Fleaflicker

Saints lead-back Mark Ingram is also highly regarded by draft experts and is being taken as a top-15 RB based off of his stretch run in 2014. Listen, Ingram had a decent 10 game stretch to finish the season where he averaged 91 total yards and scored 6 total touchdowns. However, the TDs drove Ingram's value last season. He still only averaged 4.2 yards per carry over that 10 game period. Additionally, he's been hurt every season of his career, playing in just 50 of 64 potential games, most of that being before he was scheduled to get a heavy workload.

There has also been a lot of talk about C.J. Spiller in the offseason and rightfully so. Spiller has the talent to be a top-10 RB as we saw him do in Buffalo. He's inheriting the Reggie Bush / Darren Sproles role in the New Orleans which has been fruitful in the past. Similar to Ingram though, Spiller is no guarantee to stay on the field, playing just 9 games last season and being a week to week headache in the past.

Ultimately, Robinson should fill in for either one of these guys if they were to get hurt. The running back position is all about opportunity and I expect that Robinson will not only get that chance at some point, but he'll also be very good when that opportunity arises.

Terrance West (RB, TEN) - 48% owned on Fleaflicker

West isn't an especially talented running back, averaging just 3.9 yards per carry behind a very good run blocking Cleveland Browns offensive line. Once again though, this is about opportunity. Titans starting running back, sophomore Bishop Sankey, was equally as mediocre last season with a pedestrian 3.7 yards per carry. The Titans were pushing hard for rookie David Cobb to split time in the backfield with Sankey before he was put on injured reserve with a calf injury, at which point they immediately went out and traded for West. I have to imagine West will get his chance at some point this year.

Honorable Mentions: Reggie Bush (RB, SF) - 46% owned, Darren Sproles (RB, PHI) - 41% owned

 

Hail Mary Running Backs for Week 1 Waiver Wire

These are desperation plays who shouldn't be starting for you. The injury bug, bye week troubles, or something else needs to be affecting your team to add these players:

DeAngelo Williams (RB, PIT) - 58% owned on Fleaflicker

Williams' day as a lead back in the NFL are long gone, and he probably will struggle with health again this season, but with Le'Veon Bell out for the first two weeks of the season, Williams at least offers a running back that will get some consistent touches if you are in a pinch.

Bryce Brown (RB, BUF) - 5% owned on Fleaflicker

Bryce Brown is a talented running back who has had success backing up LeSean McCoy in the past when McCoy has gone down. The Bills cut Fred Jackson last week, opening up the backup role for Brown, and with McCoy already dinged up, you have to imagine that Brown will get some touches in Week 1 while McCoy eases back in.

Honorable Mentions: David Johnson (RB, ARI) - 21% owned, Denard Robinson (RB, JAX) - 12% owned, Christine Michael (RB, DAL) - 12% owned, Terrance West (RB, TEN) - 5% owned

 

Running Backs to Consider Cutting for Week 1

These are players that I would be comfortable releasing for a "Cream of the Crop" or "Wait and See" player:

Jonas Gray (RB, FA) - 52% owned on Fleaflicker

Gray had DeAngelo Williams type week 1 appeal with the potential for more if LeGarrette Blount found himself in any more trouble. The Pats cut him loose though this week which means he can be dropped in all formats.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
A.J. Dillon

Not a Lock for a Roster Spot?
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Cooper Flagg

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
LeBron James

Hasn't Requested a Trade
Quinshon Judkins

Following Quinshon Judkins Arrest, NFL Declines Comment
Travis Hunter

Earning Praise in Jaguars Camp for Work Ethic
Memphis Grizzlies

Cole Anthony, Grizzlies Agree to Contract Buyout
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Lars Nootbaar

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Jake Burger

Scratched on Sunday
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Back in Action on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Julius Chestnut

Kalel Mullings Competing for RB3 Role
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
Kimani Vidal

Fighting for No. 3 Job
Cam Hart

Recovering From Shoulder Surgery
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
Quentin Johnston

Might Not Get Many Chances to Prove Himself
Tre Harris

Officially a Holdout
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

. Should Move Up on Sunday
Ross Chastain

is a Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Josh Berry

Should Be Avoided in Fantasy at Sonoma
Chris Buescher

is A Great DFS Option to Consider for Sonoma Lineups
Riley Herbst

a Deep Sleeper at Sonoma
Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Wan'Dale Robinson

Wants More Downfield Opportunities this Season
Quinshon Judkins

Arrested on Saturday for Battery and Domestic Violence
Terry McLaurin

Could be a Holdout at Training Camp
Roger McCreary

a Candidate for a Contract Extension?
Mike Evans

Buccaneers Could Have Difficult Time Retaining Mike Evans
Charles Cross

Could Sign Extension Before Training Camp
Xavier Restrepo

One to Watch Going into Training Camp
Calvin Ridley

Appears Re-Energized
Mark Andrews

Still a Key Piece in Ravens Offense
Ndamukong Suh

Officially Announces his Retirement
Jaylen Waddle

Motivated After Disappointing Season
Tre Harris

Still Unsigned
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Dalton Knecht

Avoids Serious Injury
Javon Small

Signs Two-Way Deal
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF