One of the keys to success in fantasy football whether you are a rookie or a seasoned veteran is realizing that a successful draft is only the start of a championship team-building process. One of the most important ways to make your team the best it can be is to stay active on the waiver wire.
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For new owners, the waiver wire is what most leagues call where all the undrafted or unowned players are available. Every league has slightly different procedure for claiming these players, so make sure you know how to add the gems off the wire and stay active to keep your roster finely tuned and performing at the highest level.
To help you know the names to look for, each Tuesday morning here on Fansided.com you can find my top ten waiver wire pickups. Throughout the week, we’ll have other positional helps and highlights, but the top ten are the names you need to know who are emerging from the long list of available players. Whenever a player appears on my list, they are available in over half of ESPN leagues and their ownership percentage is included. I also do my best to give you a variety of positions each week with at least one team defense, tight end, wide receiver, quarterback, and running back in each list.
Who is the right pickup for your team depends on who you have on your roster and your league scoring, but there are generally the top ten widely available options. If you have specific questions about your roster, you can drop them in the comments at the bottom of the page or find me @ZT_Sports on twitter.
Coming out of the draft, most people are happy with their team, but if you have a bit of morning after regret or had to resort to auto-pick for some or all of your draft, here are 10 players widely available that I think you’ll want to own going into the season.
James Jones-WR-Oakland Raiders (39.8%)
The Raiders offense became infinitely more fantasy interesting when Coach Dennis Allen decided to take the plunge and leave Matt Schaub on the sidelines going instead with rookie QB Derek Carr out of Fresno State. Carr had an impressive preseason excelling all exhibition season and leaving a lasting impression by carving up the Seahawks in week 4. With Carr under center, the Raiders offense should be able to stretch the field much more than with the weaker-armed Schaub.
Carr steps into an offense with pretty solid weapons across the board with James Jones, Rod Streater, and Denarius Moore at wide receiver. The clear number one of the group is James Jones who the Raiders brought in from Green Bay this offseason. While Jones suffered a little bit of regression last year due to a decrease in touchdowns and Aaron Rodgers injury, he’s still got the talent to be a solid fantasy option.
Jones has been the clear #1 this preseason and should get the majority of targets in the Raiders attack. Hopefully you don’t need a starter in week one so soon after your draft, but Oakland opens with the Jets whose secondary has been decimated by injury which makes Jones an intriguing flex play even the first week of the season. In a more ideal situation, Jones makes a great depth addition who could pay off and be a solid play when bye weeks hit later this season. If you need a boost at receiver, Jones is the first name I would look for.
Andre Caldwell-WR-Denver Broncos (0.8%)
Andre Caldwell was on the very fringe of fantasy relevancy based on Wes Welker’s injury in the preseason, but he quickly faded when it looked like Welker was going to be back for week one. However, that situation all changed yesterday with the news that Welker will not only miss Sunday Night’s opener against the Colts but the first four games of the season after he tested positive for PEDs.
With Welker firmly on the sidelines for the first four games, expect Caldwell to step right in and fill in his slot responsibilities. Caldwell is a six-year veteran who joined Denver before the 2012 season and had 16 catches for 200 yards while finding the end zone three times in limited action last year. When filling in for Welker, he was targeted 11 times against the Chargers catching six passes for 59 yards and a pair of scores.
Caldwell is the more ready option to step in on such short notice although rookie Cody Latimer has generated some wavier wire buzz as well. I think Latimer will be worked in more slowly at the position as the year goes on as is John Fox’s modus operandi. Caldwell is an easy swap in for Welker since he plays the slot as well and Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas can stay in their normal positions. The trick with Caldwell is there are so many options in the Denver offense it’s hard to say how much attention he’ll get from Peyton Manning, but there is definitely fantasy upside in the veteran option who I like more than the unproven rookie Latimer.
Andre Williams-RB-New York Giants (42.9%)
If you are searching on the waiver wire for an early-season RB sensation, you most likely will end up disappointed. In most leagues, RB is one of the thinnest positions on the wire since everyone tries to stock up on depth in the draft. However, there are some options available who have upside even if it isn’t short term.
The top RB available who has the longterm potential to have the most fantasy impact is Giants’ rookie Andre Williams. Williams had a solid preseason, but he still needs more work before he’s ready to take a regular role in the backfield along with Rashad Jennings. Jennings is now the three-down starter after David Wilson was forced into retirement this preseason. Even though Jennings will get the work early in the season, Coach Tom Coughlin has always preferred a rotation at running back, and the potential Jennings-Williams rotation shares many similarities with his best combo featuring Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. Jennings has never been a feature back and did have a few minor injury issues last season with the Raiders, so there’s also potential that Williams could be the starting back at some point this season.
Williams isn’t someone to plug in week one, but as the season goes on the Giants will seek to work him in more and more. He will most likely start with goal line carries and get increasing work as he adjusts to the NFL offense, but I think by midseason there’s a good chance he has at least flex value.
Heath Miller-TE-Pittsburgh Steelers (28.4%)
Grabbing Miller off the waiver wire won’t draw oohs and ahs from your fellow-owners, but it represents the kind of move that builds a solid team from top to bottom that’s ready for the long haul of the fantasy season. Miller may not have the upside of some of the riskier TE1 options, but he’s the ultimate insurance policy as your number two tight end if you do have a riskier option as a starter.
Last season, Miller’s numbers ticked down as he came back from a catastrophic knee injury at the end of 2012, but there have been positive reports out of camp this preseason that he’s fully recovered and his on the field results have reflected some of that optimism. The Steelers will need Miller to return to his pre-injury form as they search for receiving options after losing Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery. The reviews on new number two receiver Markus Wheaton have been mixed at best, so don’t be surprised when Big Ben returns to his faithful option in Miller.
While Miller doesn’t have the flash and upside of some of the younger tight ends, he also has very little risk involved and can be a solid fill-in if your sizzle pick at TE turns out to be more of a fizzle due to injury or ineffectiveness. Adding him as a depth option could pay off as the season goes along.
Jordan Matthews-WR-Philadelphia Eagles (8.7%)
Chip Kelly has made the Eagles offense a haven of fantasy goodness for fantasy owners, so adding an Eagle to your roster is almost never a bad idea. The Eagles offense did lose one of its weapons this offseason as DeSean Jackson headed to Washington, but it looks like there are other receivers ready to step up and contribute. Jeremy Maclin returns from a year off due to injury, and Riley Cooper is still around giving Nick Foles a couple of good options, but if you’re on the waiver wire looking for upside don’t overlook the Eagles third WR-rookie Jordan Matthews out of Vanderbilt.
Relying on Matthews early in the season on a weekly basis will be tough since the Eagles spread the wealth to so many options, but expect him to be in the mix as the season goes on. Remember as well that both Maclin and Cooper dealt with injuries this preseason and could give way to Matthews at some point this season. If Matthews gets a starting role in this offense, expect him to be an instant flex play.
Matthews is more of a long-term pickup whose role is yet to be clearly defined, but the Eagles are primed to put up a ton of points and having their third WR stashed on your bench could be a gamble that turns into an enormous win.
Devonta Freeman-RB-Atlanta Falcons (43.5%)
In addition to Andre Williams discussed earlier, another rookie rusher who could pay off long term is Devonta Freeman of the Atlanta Falcons. Freeman is on the waiver wire because he’s buried down the depth chart, but that situation could quickly change and Freeman would be a nice piece as part of Atlanta’s possibly rejuvenated offense.
The Falcons running back situation in front of Freeman is far from ideal. With Steven Jackson looking done last season and Jacquizz Rodgers still struggling to inherit the mantle, the Falcons took Freeman in the fourth round out of Florida State hoping he could develop into their next three-down workhorse. Freeman has yet to deliver on that promise, but he showed flashes of upside this preseason.
He may get very few touches in the first few weeks, but if Jackson and Rodgers struggle to bring balance to the Falcons attack, they could give Freeman an extended look sooner rather than later. It wouldn’t surprise me if Freeman is a flex option by the time bye weeks roll around, and he’s at least a name to know so you can snatch him if his situation changes.
Jonathan Grimes-RB-Houston Texans (3.4%)
The fact that Grimes is owned in less than four percent of ESPN leagues tells me that 95% of Arian Foster owners either aren’t paying attention (read auto-draft) or have complete faith in Foster to stay healthy. To be sure, Foster is great when he’s on the field and healthy and is a true three-down feature backe, but his health has been so sketchy lately that it only makes sense to have Grimes ready on your bench if Foster’s in your lineup.
Even if you don’t have Foster, Grimes has enough potential to be worth a back-of-your-roster stash. This preseason, the Texans cut Andre Brown giving Grimes the primary backup role behind Foster, and Grimes took all the starting snaps this preseason while Foster rested his latest nagging injury. If at any point this season Foster misses time, Grimes showed he can step in and take the same workload and be at least a solid flex play.
Grimes is another long-term running back pickup since he may not see work while Foster is healthy, but at some point this season he will have fantasy value and whoever has him will be able to play or trade him to an injury-riddled owner. With the Texans offense still a work in progress expect Coach Bill O’Brien to lean on his running game heavily which could make Grimes as high as an RB2 if he takes over the starting job.
Travis Kelce-TE-Kansas City Chiefs (7.4%)
The Chiefs receivers are unimpressive as a whole and not a big part of Kansas City’s gameplan on a week-to-week basis. Dwayne Bowe is their top WR but is suspended for week 1 due to violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy while the rest of their receiving corps is paper thin. However, the Chiefs don’t utilize their WR as much as other teams.
Normally, the Chiefs look to Jamaal Charles to carry the offense in both the running and passing game, but they will need some other options which will most likely come from other backs or possible from the tight end position. His potential role as a primary pass-catcher is part of what makes Kelce so intriguing as he plays his first year in the league. Last year, the rookie from Cincinnati injured his knee and missed the entire season. According to reports, he’s back healthy and ready to contribute to the Chiefs offense that desperately will be seeking options.
The QB that Kelce will work with, Alex Smith, has a very good history with tight ends going back to when he made Vernon Davis his primary weapon in San Francisco. If Kelce can establish that kind of connection he definitely has top 6 TE potential. There is some risk with Kelce which is why he’s on the waiver wire since he has to prove he has that connection. In fact, he’s actually behind Anthony Fasano on the depth chart in KC although I think he’ll be the more fantasy relevant of the two. Kelce is a sleeper pickup that could pay off if you’re looking to stash some potential in the back up tight end slot on your roster.
Houston Texans D/ST (40.7%)
The Texans were a mess last year and their secondary was horrible, but there are plenty of reasons to expect a turnaround this season at least from a fantasy perspective. Overall, I think the Texans were not as bad as their record this past season when everything went wrong in a hurry for them. This season with a new coach I do expect the team to be much better. As a result their defense won’t be put under so much pressure, and they are well-stocked with playmakers especially in the front seven.
The face of the defense is undoubtedly J.J. Watt who just signed a huge contract to anchor this unit into the future. Watt got a new running mate this offseason when the Texans used their #1 overall draft pick on Jadaveon Clowney. Clowney and Watt should form an incredibly disruptive duo and should create pressure and big plays which is what owners should look for from fantasy defenses.
Houston also starts the season with a very favorable schedule opening with the Redskins, Raiders, Giants, and Bills who all have looked shaky on offense this preseason. If you’re looking to grab a defense to roll with for the first part of the season, the Texans make a nice option in the leagues where they are available.
Josh McCown-QB-Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17.3%)
Hopefully you aren’t already hitting the wire looking for a QB to start week one in single-quarterback leagues, but McCown should be your top option if you are in a deeper league or one with dual staring QB’s. McCown showed he can contribute meaningful fantasy numbers last season in a great run with the Bears while Jay Cutler recovered from his injury. McCown used Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery to perfection and has similar weapons as he takes over as full-time starter in Tampa.
McCown isn’t the only new face in town that formerly was in the Windy City as he’s joined by new head coach Lovie Smith. Smith runs a more conservative attack than Marc Trestman, but I still think McCown can succeed. He has a true three-down back in Doug Martin along with huge targets Vincent Jackson, Mike Evans, and Austin Sefarian-Jenkins. I expect there to be plenty of “jump ball” throws to his big receivers especially in the end zone and McCown proved he could make those throws last season.
McCown is unproven and there is definitely risk involved, but if you are fishing on the waiver wire for QB help to start the season he’s the first name I would look for. Barring injury, McCown should be a solid QB2 most weeks this season.