Fantasy football has truly grown into a 24/7, 365-day phenomenon. It seems like every year we see draft days get earlier and earlier as fantasy fans get anxious to kick off the annual festivities. As much fun as it can be to select next season’s squad early, severe injuries, trades, benchings, and unexpected roster cuts can lead to a disastrous roster.

For some, entering the first week of the season with a haggard roster guarantees an opening loss, but a growing number of fantasy leagues open their waivers before the season kicks off. Not only can teams that lost a key starter to a season-ending injury bid on available replacements, all teams get a shot to really improve their rosters by adding depth or even filling out their kicker or defense.

In many ways, adding talent to your roster before Week 1 can be the most important move a fantasy owner will make all season. So whether you’re a Jerick McKinnon owner scrambling for a difference-making starter or just looking to shore up your depth, let’s take a look at the potential free agents to target for Week 1.

Ownership numbers courtesy of Yahoo!.

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Quarterbacks

Blake Bortles (JAC) 34% owned (5% FAAB)
Perennially underrated, Bortles finished just outside of QB1 range last year after compiling consecutive top-10 fantasy campaigns in 2015 and 2016. As the Jaguars are embracing their stellar defense and a run-first offense, Bortles’s passing production dropped off last season but he always supplements his fantasy output with solid rushing production. Jacksonville opens the 2018 season in New York against a Giants defense that surrendered the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks last season, making Bortles an excellent Week 1 streamer or replacement for Carson Wentz or Jameis Winston owners.

Andy Dalton (IND) 24% owned (5% FAAB)
Andy Dalton is also overlooked each season but probably has more season-long staying power than Blake Bortles. Dalton is far better at avoiding turnovers and the Bengals are all but assured to end up throwing the ball a lot more than the Jaguars this season, making Dalton the preferred snag for those looking for a multi-week commitment. As for streamers, Dalton also has a solid Week 1 matchup in Indianapolis.

Other QBs to consider: Case Keenum (DEN), Mitchell Trubisky (CHI), Tyrod Taylor (CLE)

Running Backs

James White (NE) 48% owned (16% FAAB)
When the Patriots only kept three receivers at the initial cut-down to the 53-man roster, it assured that James White is going to be heavily involved as a pass catcher. New England has since added other wideouts to their roster but overall the receiving corps leaves a lot to be desired. White has already been a dependable receiver for the Patriots, averaging 71 targets over the past three seasons. With Dion Lewis’s 35 targets now up for grabs and New England’s other running backs banged up, Lewis is going to see a ton of looks, especially early on. He’s got weekly RB3/flex value in PPR leagues and is worth a fairly aggressive bid.

Matt Breida (SF) 49% owned (25% FAAB)
With the devastating season-ending injury to Jerick McKinnon, Alfred Morris will be the most sought-after free agent add entering the opener, but he’s already owned in 72% of leagues. Kyle Shanahan is a known proponent of utilizing multiple backs, so Matt Breida will also be involved but the speculation is that Morris will be the main runner with Breida playing a change-of-pace and passing-down role. Morris is an excellent zone-blocking back who has thrived in this system before and ran for 4.8 yards-per-carry with Dallas last season. Breida was already a popular late-round target for PPR drafters but his role should see a substantial boost. Those targeting Morris will likely have to aggressively bid, perhaps half of their FAAB in standard scoring leagues. Breida should be fairly cheaper but could be a much better value in PPR formats.

Theo Riddick (DET) 26% owned (4% FAAB)
Riddick won’t offer much in the rushing department, so he’s pigeonholed into being a PPR flex play. While the Lions did add Kerryon Johnson and LeGarrette Blount, the belief is that Riddick’s role as a pass-catching satellite back is fairly secure. He’s caught 186 passes over the past three seasons and can be a solid RB3/flex option in PPR leagues.

Jordan Wilkins (IND) 30% owned (15% FAAB)
If Marlon Mack (hamstring) is unavailable, Jordan Wilkins is slated to start in Week 1. Wilkins (6-1, 216) has good size and excelled as a receiver throughout the summer. While Nyheim Hines has fallen out of favor and Robert Turbin is suspended, Wilkins could get a lot of work and earn the team’s starting gig if he fares well in the opener. Wilkins might not be the next Edgerrin James or Joseph Addai, but he’s in a good position to become fantasy relevant and worth a fairly aggressive bid.

James Conner (PIT) 38% owned (5% FAAB)
Le’Veon Bell’s holdout has now lasted past Labor Day, which is longer than last year’s sabbatical. It’s already thought that Bell will be brought along slowly for the opener, as he has missed every team activity and practice so far. The more time Bell is away, the more reps that James Conner should earn. Conner looked tremendous in preseason action and is now looking to potentially start against the Browns. When Bell sat out last summer, he only got 13 touches in Week 1, and that was when Bell showed up on Labor Day. If Conner gets the nod for Week 1, he’s got RB2 upside in a favorable matchup but once Bell shows up, his value will be limited to that of a mere handcuff in redraft formats.

Wide Receivers 

Keelan Cole (JAC) 51% owned (15% FAAB) and Dede Westbrook (JAC) 18% owned (8% FAAB)
Keelan Cole was the No. 1-scoring fantasy wide receiver during the final five weeks of the 2017 season, hauling in 23 of 36 targets for 475 yards and three touchdowns. Now, the season-ending injury suffered by Marqise Lee will only expand Cole’s role in the Jaguars’ passing offense. Jacksonville won’t throw a ton, but Cole is a locked-in team WR1 or WR2 with weekly flex appeal. He’s worth a sizable bid because he should have value all season. While Cole is the top Jacksonville wideout to target, Dede Westbrook will also see a big increase in targets and should start on the outside with boom-or-bust Donte Moncrief. Last year, Westbrook played full-time beginning in Week 12 and commanded 45 targets in Jacksonville’s final five games. If that momentum carries over, Westbrook has weekly streaming value.

Tyler Lockett (SEA) 48% owned (10% FAAB)
The Seahawks just re-signed Lockett to a lucrative three-year extension and the fourth-year wideout is primed to have his best season. Finally healthy, Lockett is Seattle’s undisputed No. 2 wide receiver and should approach 100 targets in a Seattle offense that will have to compensate for the team’s defensive losses. If Lockett can become a bigger factor in the red zone, he’s got WR3 potential.

Danny Amendola (MIA) 28% owned (3% FAAB)
There hasn’t been a ton of clarity on how Miami’s receiving corps will shape up. Albert Wilson could also be a factor, but Amendola looks like the best bet to replace Jarvis Landry as the club’s slot receiver, which would put the free agent acquisition in position to see a ton of Ryan Tannehill targets. He’s worth a speculative add in PPR formats.

Anthony Miller (CHI) 23% owned (8% FAAB)
Taken in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Anthony Miller has looked like a seasoned NFL vet from Day One, running excellent routes and catching everything in site. It looks like Miller will open the season as Chicago’s slot receiver and his precise route-running and hands make him a solid candidate to lead all rookie wideouts in targets and receptions. Miller has a very high ceiling in a potentially potent Bears’ passing game and a proactive free agent add could be huge.

Chris Godwin (TB) 31% owned (5% FAAB)
If the Bucs decide to move DeSean Jackson into the slot full-time, Godwin will start opposite Mike Evans and be in a prime position to catch a ton of underneath routes. He caught 10 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown in the only two games in which he exceeded 50 snaps last season. Godwin is in-line for a boost in playing time and comes with a ton of sleeper appeal.

John Ross (CIN) 22% owned (5% FAAB)
Ross did nothing as a rookie but looks like he’s locked up Cincinnati’s No. 2 job after the release of Brandon LaFell. Ross made a spectacular 57-yard touchdown during the preseason, showcasing his record-setting speed. As long as he’s in the lineup, Ross has the potential to be a premiere deep-threat with weekly WR2 upside.

Other wideouts to consider: Kenny Golladay (DET), John Brown (BAL), Cole Beasley (DAL), Courtland Sutton (DEN)

Tight Ends

Benjamin Watson (NO) 40% owned (7% FAAB)
Since three-quarters of 12-team owners will miss out on “the big three” tight ends, streaming the position becomes a viable strategy. Considering that players like Benjamin Watson, who have legitimate top-10 fantasy potential are widely available on the waiver wire, this is a sound approach. Watson finished last season as the TE11 in PPR formats and that was with Joe Flacco as his quarterback. Watson gets a massive upgrade moving to New Orleans to catch passes from Drew Brees, whom which he has a history. Back in 2015, Watson hauled in 74 of 110 targets for the Saints, ending the season as the No. 6 tight end.

Ricky Seals-Jones (ARZ) 29% owned (5% FAAB)
Seals-Jones looked like a true difference-maker in back-to-back games last season before ineffective quarterback play torpedoed the final month of his rookie season. Now entering his sophomore campaign as the penciled-in starter and with a significant upgrade in the form of uber-accurate signal-caller Sam Bradford, Seals-Jones has some TE2 value and should be fairly inexpensive to acquire.

Antonio Gates (LAC) 9% owned (5% FAAB)
The future Hall-of-Famer recently re-signed with the Chargers to help offset the loss of Hunter Henry. Gates is no longer a downfield threat and won’t play a ton of snaps, but he can be a situational player and still make an impact in the red zone. Gates will have more value in standard formats, but he’s a solid streaming candidate and opens the season with an excellent matchup at home against the Chiefs.

Other tight ends to consider: Charles Clay (BUF), Austin Seferian-Jenkins (JAC), Mike Gesicki (MIA)

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Jody Smith is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Jody, check out his archive and follow him @JodySmithNFL.