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Sunday Morning Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 1 Fantasy Football)

Sunday Morning Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 1 Fantasy Football)

Streaming has become an integral part of fantasy football over the last few years. Whether it be quarterbacks, tight ends, defenses, or heck, even running backs and wide receivers at times. If you don’t know what streaming means, it’s where you’ll play a different player at that position each and every week. While it may sound nuts, it works if you know how to approach the waiver wire.

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How many times have you watched your fantasy matchup on Sunday/Monday, only to go search the waiver wire for your streamer next week and see a player available who has a premier matchup that everyone will attempt to pick up? Not anymore. This article is designed to give you a leg-up on your competition. That’s right, we’ll be adding the players before they’re able to. With that being said, here’s the players you should be adding to your fantasy roster on Sunday morning. I’m going to be using Yahoo as the gauge for ownership, and we’ll stick to players who are less than 40 percent owned.

Quarterbacks

Tyrod Taylor (CLE)
After playing a divisional game against the Steelers, Taylor will have Josh Gordon back into the lineup as a starter (most likely) in what should be a shootout with the Saints. The Browns may have a fierce pass-rush but getting to Drew Brees is an issue for almost any team, meaning he’s going to put pressure on the Browns offense to hang while in the Superdome. The Saints also happened to allow the second-most fantasy points from rushing to quarterbacks.

Case Keenum (DEN)
The Raiders defense is in complete disarray since the arrival of Jon Gruden, and though we can’t say how they looked in Week 1 just yet, I’d expect the expectations for them to be much lower heading into Week 2. The Raiders secondary doesn’t have the proven talents to hang with Demaryius Thomas or Emmanuel Sanders. While I don’t think Keenum is a week-winner for your fantasy team, I believe he’s a competent streamer in this matchup.

Eli Manning (NYG)
After playing the Jaguars elite defense in Week 1, the Giants will get a much better matchup with the Cowboys in Week 2. With Odell Beckham in the lineup, Manning has totaled 644 yards, six touchdowns, and just one interception in the three games at Dallas, which is where this game will be played. If the other top options are gone, he should post respectable numbers in that game.

If you’re feeling lucky, you should also consider: Blake Bortles (JAX) at home versus the Patriots.

Running Backs

Jordan Wilkins (IND)
It’s hard to find running backs who are worth something that are less than 40 percent owned, but we’ll do our best here. This pickup has more to do with what he can do in Week 1, which would lead to many fantasy owners running to pick him up off the waiver wire. He plays the Bengals on Sunday, though they’re without Vontaze Burfict, and Marlon Mack may be limited. At the very least, stash Wilkins to see if he turns out to be something. The matchup against Washington in Week 2 isn’t great, but also isn’t terrible, especially if he winds up stealing that starting job.

Ty Montgomery (GB)
His lack of ownership struck me as odd even for this week, as the Bears have a solid front-seven, but the Packers have just two running backs active. You mean to tell me you’d rather have the plodding LeGarrette Blount over Montgomery? While healthy, he’s been a player with Rodgers. If he scores a touchdown this week, people will run to get him off waivers, but he’ll already be on your team for an okay matchup in Week 2 against the Vikings where he’ll be used more as a receiver because you don’t run on them. This is more about being proactive than reactive in regards to the Packers backfield.

T.J. Yeldon (JAX)
I still don’t understand why more fantasy enthusiasts haven’t placed Yeldon on their bench, as he’s a guy who racked up 41 targets in just 10 games last year and he plays behind Leonard Fournette, who has chronic ankle problems. While I think he’s going to deliver RB4/5 numbers in most games, this is one where he should be used more than usual. The Patriots allowed the third-most yardage through the air to running backs last year, which is where the Jaguars will give Fournette his breathers. Yeldon should be in the mix for 8-12 touches, which gives him flex appeal with upside for more.

Wide Receivers

Josh Doctson (WAS)
This addition goes for multiple purposes, as Doctson has a really good Week 1 matchup against the Cardinals, if Patrick Peterson is not shadowing. But even if you don’t need him this week, his value is likely to be higher after Week 1 and he has another great matchup in Week 2 against the Colts, who are lacking cornerback talent. If Alex Smith finds Doctson to be his most reliable pass-catcher over the first few weeks, he may turn out to be much better than most expected over the course of the season.

Anthony Miller (CHI)
This is a speculative add on your part, but one that I was willing to use a 10th-round pick on in 12-team leagues. Both he and Allen Robinson are new to the team, so neither has a leg-up on the other from an “understanding the offense” standpoint. Robinson will be playing in his first game back from a torn ACL on Sunday night, so it’s safe to say Miller is healthier. The Packers and Seahawks don’t have elite talent covering the slot (where Miller will play the majority of time), so it’s very possible that he gets off to a hot start – the talent is there.

Geronimo Allison (GB)
“Wait, Mike… aren’t the Packers playing the Vikings in Week 2?” Yep, but that’s a benefit to Allison when Xavier Rhodes will be glued to Davante Adams. We all know the Vikings have a good run defense, right? So, what, are the Packers not going to score points at home? They’re going to put points on the board. Allison should be owned in all leagues as a starting wide receiver for Aaron Rodgers, so please don’t let him sit on the waiver wire any longer.

If you have additional room on your roster, consider adding these players before their stock rises: John Brown (BAL), James Washington (PIT), Chris Godwin (TB), Devante Parker (MIA), Cameron Meredith (NO)

Tight Ends

Ben Watson (NO)
As a guy who’s already shown that he can produce with Drew Brees, Watson will be a great streamer when the matchup calls for it. Against the Browns, that’s precisely the case as they’ve allowed the most fantasy points to tight ends over the last two years. They have more talent on the defensive side of the ball than they’ve ever had, but it’s obvious the defensive scheme has an issue covering tight ends. There were 11 games where they allowed the opposing tight end to post a double-digit PPR game against them last year, and Watson was two of them racking up 12 catches for 163 yards and a touchdown in their two meetings.

Nick Vannett (SEA)
This addition is another one that’s anticipatory, as Vannett has a great matchup this Sunday against the Broncos, who allowed 10 top-12 performances last year to the tight end position. The Seahawks kept Ed Dickson off the active roster, which tells you that Vannett is their guy at tight end. He’s replacing Jimmy Graham and Luke Willson, who scored 14 touchdowns with Russell Wilson last year. He’ll play against the Bears in Week 2, but the point is to beat the rush of those running to the waiver wire to add the starter.

Austin Seferian-Jenkins (JAX)
There’s some questions surrounding Seferian-Jenkins’ availability this weekend, which is concerning, but his matchup is solid in Week 2, if he’s healthy. The Patriots are going to score points against anyone, as seen in the conference championship against the Jaguars. This should lead to more pass attempts for Blake Bortles, and the Patriots showed a weakness against tight ends last year, allowing seven tight ends to post TE1 numbers. I’d prefer the other two on this list, but Seferian-Jenkins isn’t a bad last-ditch option.

If you’re completely desperate: Jared Cook (OAK) at DEN

D/ST

Chicago Bears
After the Bears snagged Khalil Mack, everyone wanted to grab them in their fantasy draft… until they realized that they played Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in Week 1. Welcome to the waiver wire, Bears D/ST. They’ll be playing on primetime again next week, but it’ll be the Seahawks in that game. While Russell Wilson is great in his own right, his offensive line doesn’t do him any favors. With another week under Mack and Roquan Smith‘s belts, the Bears defense should show up at home.

Tennessee Titans
It’s not a great streaming defense week, but the Titans should be able to post some respectable numbers when they return home to play the Texans in Week 2. Their linebackers are the biggest weakness, but the Texans biggest weakness on offense is their tight end situation, so they should match-up pretty well. At the very least, you should expect a few sacks and maybe a turnover or two.


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Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.

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