Just like that, the first week of the new AAF season is already over. Despite the league not having an official fantasy football platform, thousands of leagues formed over at AltFantasySports.com. There was also a lack of widespread stats available from the first week of AAF action, but the one-man band at NoExtraPoints.com had us covered there as well. The league finally released official stats on its site on Monday evening.

If you participated in a draft over at AFS, you were gifted with the task of searching through the darkest corners of the internet and passed the trolliest of trolls on Twitter to try and find any crumb of information that resembled an official depth chart from AAF teams.

Charts were officially released pretty close to game times via team beat writers, but guess what? They didn’t really matter. Players listed as starters wound up not starting and some were even later mentioned as inactive such as Birmingham Iron RB, Ty Isaac. Top performers from the preseason were also nowhere to be found such as SD Fleet QB Alex Ross and Iron WR Jamal Robinson.

Thanks to this mystery, there is a wealth of talent available on the wire this week. You really have time to start a new league still this week and draft now knowing what regular season depth charts actually look like.

Let’s get to the top performers from Week 1 who could be available on your league’s waiver wire.

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Quarterback

 
The top-4 performers in Week 1 are ironically all available in more than 50% of leagues on AFS this week. This is a pretty common trend we will see going through all the positions as a result of the lack of knowledge we had regarding teams heading into Week 1.

John Wolford (ARZ), 23% owned
Wolford stood out as the overall QB1 in Week 1, continuing his positive trend since he beat out Trevor Knight for the starting job in camp. Wolford led all QBs with his 62.1% completion percentage, 275 yards, four TDs, and 23 rushing yards. A product of Wake Forest, Wolford led the ACC in yards per attempt (8.5) and passing TDs (29) in 2017 per Sports-Reference.com.

The Hotshots are a solid contender for the number one spot in the AAF’s power rankings and Wolford has the looks of potentially the most pro-ready QB in the league at the moment. With only eight teams in this league and less than half looking like quality weekly starts at the QB position, Wolford is easily the top waiver add of the week.

Garrett Gilbert (ORL), 45.5% owned
Gilbert was right behind Wolford when it comes to his efficiency in Week 1. The Apollos put up a league-high 40 points in Week 1 against a helpless Atlanta Legends squad. Gilbert’s personal performance didn’t strike me quite as impressive as Wolford’s, though it was still a solid outing and obviously one of the best in the league. Gilbert was originally a sixth-round draft pick of the Rams back in 2014. He also saw the field briefly for the Panthers in 2018.

Luis Perez (BIR), 46.5% owned
Perez looked sharp between the 20s in Week 1 but couldn’t quite cash in once the team got near the red zone as Nick Novak knocked in four field goals. Trent Richardson was also a focal point of the offense near the goal line. Perez led all QBs with 19 completions in Week 1 and did get in on one two-point conversion. If Perez can have a little more success passing in the red zone he could fight for overall QB1 finishes from week-to-week.

Logan Woodside (SA), 11.3% owned
If you want to aim for a WR or RB first this week or simply miss out on the top-three QBs, Logan Woodside makes for a solid consolation prize. Woodside had the second most passing yards in the league in Week 1 while his 36 passing attempts led all QBs. A 50% completion percentage isn’t ideal which puts him in the bottom three in the league tied with SD Fleet’s Philip Nelson. Woodside also didn’t impress with no touchdowns and two INTs. Luckily for San Antonio, the defense stole the show and led the team to a 15-6 victory.

I still like Woodside going forward somewhere in the QB5 range which makes him a low-end QB1 if you’re playing in a six-to-eight team league.

Running Back

 
The running back position had a little bit more known talent than other positions entering the opening week, leading to only two of the top-five performers owned in less than 50% of leagues. There are some ugly YPA numbers in this bunch of RBs but there is still fantasy value to be had here. Efficiency wasn’t particularly stellar in the league for Week 1 RBs. Akeem Hunt (10 carries, 73 yards) and Zac Stacy (12 carries, 58 yards) were the only RBs able to manage more than 4.0 yards per attempt while handling 10 or more carries.

Jhurell Pressley (ARI), RB2, 42.7% owned
The Hotshots are running one of the most well-rounded offenses in the league with the combination of John Wolford under center and Jhurell Pressley in the backfield. Pressley managed the second most carries in the league in Week 1 behind only Trent Richardson. Pressley looked slippery between the tackles showing plus elusiveness to make up for a lack of burst and speed.

If I had to compare Pressley to a recent NFL running back, DeMarco Murray comes to mind. Pressley had a standout college season for New Mexico in 2014 when he led the NCAA with 9.5 YPA on 114 carries. He has also spent time in the NFL with the Vikings, Packers, Falcons, Jaguars, and Giants. With solid volume and a share of work in the passing game, Pressley should continue to be a top back in the AAF worthy of RB1 consideration.

De’Veon Smith (ORL), RB4, 11.7% owned
D’Ernest Johnson and De’Veon Smith worked well in tandem for the Orlando Apollos as they ranked back-to-back as the RB3 and RB4 respectively in Week 1. While Johnson carries a high ownership percentage (76.5%), Smith is likely a free agent on your waiver wire. Smith wasn’t very efficient with only 2.6 YPA, but he got some work near the goal line for a rush TD and even got in for a two-pointer as well.

With the fast pace of play we saw in the AAF, most backfields will offer two RBs who are capable of putting up solid numbers each week. This is especially true for the Apollos who were the highest scoring offense in the league. Smith has spent time in the NFL with both the Dolphins and Redskins.

Ladarius Perkins (BIR), RB5, 56.8% owned
Perkins carries the highest ownership percentage of any RB on this list in Week 1, but he still falls under 60% in AFS leagues. While T-Rich handled the lion’s share of work on the ground for the Iron, Perkins quietly chipped in heavily in the short passing game. Perkins saw more targets than any RB in Week 1 and constantly broke off receptions of five-to-six yards at a time.

There is especially PPR appeal here for Perkins going forward as T-Rich will command a heavy workload every week, but Perkins is going to be involved in the passing game. At 5’8″ and 209 lbs, Perkins offers a Gio Bernard-esque size comparison and has a similar role on this offense.

Tarean Folston (ATL), RB9, 39.9% owned
Folston saw a nice share of work in both the backfield and in the passing game in Atlanta’s disappointing season opener. Folston’s carry totals are especially promising considering the team was playing from behind pretty much the entire game. Despite being held out of the end zone, he still managed a top-10 finish this week.

Lawrence Pittman’s role will be something to monitor heading into Week 2 as Pittman managed 24 yards on only three carries in Week 1, but he wasn’t a factor in the passing game. Folston offers the most well-rounded skill set on this struggling offense at the moment and if they continue to get such poor QB play, the team may need to lean on Folston more going forward.

Aaron Green (SA), RB13, 20.2% owned
While Kenneth Farrow was fed volume and work near the end zone, Aaron Green was his efficient counterpart in the backfield. If you look at San Antonio’s preseason game on NoExtraPoints.com, though, you’ll see Green only managed 3.0 YPA in that one. So, we still need to see where he will fit into this backfield. The way it looks now, Farrow will get most of the work in what looks like more of a 70/30 split.

Green still offers solid value as a potential Flex play in fantasy and will be a worthwhile handcuff if Farrow gets hurt. Green did show the ability to both be efficient and handle a larger workload in college as he led the Big 12 with 7.1 YPA in 2014 and managed 244 rushing attempts in 2015. He also spent time with the Rams, Cowboys, and Bills.

Justin Stockton (ARI), RB15, 9.4% owned
Stockton offered a nice complement to Jhurell Pressley in Arizona’s backfield in Week 1. Where Pressley lacks in burst and breakaway speed, Stockton looked to excel in those categories showing the ability to get around the edges
much quicker. This led to an impressive 6.6 YPA for Stockton who has put together a string of good games after breaking off a huge 71-yard reception in the preseason.

Stockton is still fighting off Larry Rose III for true backup duties as he barely out-touched Rose 7-6 in Week 1. Still, Stockton’s big-play ability makes him a worthy Flex play, but as long as Rose keeps eating into his carries he won’t be able to carve out consistent RB2 production.

Rajion Neal (MEM), RB16, 16.9% owned
Neal didn’t get anything going in the running game but fared well as a change of pace option in the passing game catching three-of-five targets for 12 yards. There should be much better days ahead for all Express offensive players as they were shutout against the Iron 26-0 in this one.

Neal stood out to me especially in the preseason game where he led the team with seven carries for 47 yards at 6.7 YPA. Neal was a workhorse in his senior year for Tennessee where he finished second in the SEC with 215 carries. He has spent time on practice squads with the Packers, Dolphins, Raiders, Steelers, and Browns.

Joel Bouagnon (SLC), RB17, 41.3% owned
Bouagnon was a favorite of mine in AAF drafts. He was a beast in the preseason game with nine carries for 54 yards (6.0 YPA) with two TDs and a two-pointer. He also managed a few solid years in college for Northern Illinois, most notably finishing his junior year with 1,417 yards from scrimmage and 18 TDs.

The only issue is that this is a bit of a crowded backfield with former NFL talents Branden Oliver and Matt Asiata in the mix. Asiata got nothing going on the ground in Week 1 but did get the goal line look for a TD while Oliver was more efficient than Bouagnon also with 5.0 YPA. The volume is impressive here though, especially in a game the Stallions lost 38-22. If Bouagnon can keep the volume he will remain a decent Flex play. Bouagnon has also spent time at the NFL level with the Bears, Packers, Lions, and most recently the Jets.

Wide Receiver

 
There’s almost a wide receiver for everyone on the wire this week as four of the top-five wideouts have shockingly low ownership percentages. There were loads of busts at WR in Week 1 as heavily owned favorites like Josh Huff, Josh Stewart, Kenny Bell, and Francis Owusu all fell under four fantasy points each in their respective games.

There weren’t really any volume plays at WR in Week 1 with most players value tied to making a splash on a big play. That will be something to watch going forward as it could cause serious problems in fantasy week-to-week dealing with so much boom/bust potential.

Rashad Ross (ARI), WR1, 2.8% owned
You get your pick of the top-3 wide receivers in the league from Week 1 on the wire this week for the most part and Rashad Ross comes in at number one. Ross put on a show for Arizona making one big play after another. Ross and Quinton Patton were the only receivers to manage over 100 yards in the league’s opening weekend with Ross getting the edge with two TDs. You want any part of the Arizona offense you can get this week, especially as the team travels to Memphis to take on an Express team that was just shutout by the Iron.

Ross is one of many Cinderella stories you’ll come across in the AAF. He has spent time with 25% of the teams in the NFL such as the Titans, Chiefs, Redskins, Bears, Lions, 49ers, Bills, and Cardinals. Yet, here he is making plays now in the AAF.

Jalin Marshall (ORL), WR2, 11.7% owned
Marshall did it all for Orlando as he got on the board with both a receiving and a passing TD in the first week. The scores really helped boost Marshall’s final line as he was only able to manage 51 receiving yards. Out of the top-three wideouts available right here I would easily prefer Ross and Patton over Marshall, but he’s still a decent grab as the third wideout off the wire this week. Marshall’s most notable NFL experience includes his time with the Jets in 2016.

Quinton Patton (BIR), WR3, 21.6% owned
Patton is leading the league in receiving at the end of the first week as he looked to have an amazing connection going with QB Luis Perez. Patton made it look easy as the Iron shut out the Memphis Express in the opening week. You may remember Patton as a former fourth-round draft pick of the 49ers back in the 2013 NFL Draft. He was also picked up by the Jets in 2017 but was cut after he was placed on IR. Patton looked healthy and hungry and should be a regular player inside the top-five this season.

Brian Brown (SD), WR5, 5.6% owned
Brown was a bit of a surprise inside the top five as I didn’t really expect him to lead San Diego in receiving. Dontez Ford was the big breakout player in the preseason for the Fleet, though Brown did manage a TD in the preseason. I’m not quite ready to tab Brown as the team’s overall WR1 as I still see this as somewhat of a fluid situation, but he is worth picking up this week as a WR2 or Flex play at very worst.

Greg Ward Jr. (SA), WR6, 20.2% owned
Greg Ward Jr. looked like a solid WR2 on this San Antonio team behind Mekale McKay. The Commanders spread the ball around a good deal in Week 1 but no one was able to manage a receiving TD in the game. A former college QB-turned-wide receiver, Ward showed a well-rounded skill set as a possession receiver. San Antonio will look to get it’s first receiving TD on the board this week in what could be a higher-scoring game against Orlando.

Alonzo Moore (SA), WR7, 0.9% owned
Moore and Ward were neck-and-neck on both their own teams and in fantasy production in Week 1. Moore was the most efficient averaging 26 yards per reception while also leading all WRs with at least five targets with 4.88 yards per route run per Pro Football Focus. This will be a battle to monitor to see who can overtake the official WR2 spot behind McKay on offense. For now, both Moore and Ward are decent pickups who offer Flex value.

Richard Mullaney (ARI), WR8, 7.0% owned
While Rashad Ross stole the show for Arizona, Mullaney helped move the chains as an efficient option in the short-to-intermediate passing game. Mullaney also chipped in with a two-pointer in the game. He may not have been as explosive as Ross, but he got the job done. Mullaney will be a player to watch for consistency as a useful Flex option going forward. Mullaney has spent time in the NFL with the Texans, Cowboys, and Browns.

Jordan Leslie (SLC), WR10, 5.2% owned
Jordan Leslie may have only put up 15 yards in Week 1, but his TD grab was a straight up, grown-man play. Leslie offered an impressive 86th percentile SPARQ score as a draft prospect out of BYU. He has spent time at the NFL level with the Vikings, Jaguars, Falcons, Titans, Browns, and most recently the Broncos.

SLC targeted their tight ends pretty heavy to start the season here, but Leslie has the skill set to establish himself as the team’s WR1. He’s one of the more intriguing adds of the week despite a quiet performance yardage-wise.

Justin Thomas (ATL), WR11, 8.9% owned
The Atlanta offense as a whole struggled to get anything going as they were blown out in Week 1 40-6 by Orlando. Thomas was quietly efficient catching all four of his targets for 35 yards. The team is going to need reliable chain movers like him if their QBs can’t push the ball down the field. The shorter passing game fits Thomas’ skill set perfectly at only 5’11” and 190 lbs. Thomas isn’t exactly a priority add but he will be a name to watch going forward as he could find himself in a role with decent volume.

Tight End

 
Tight end is another position this week that it seems everyone got pretty much completely wrong on draft day. Five players inside the top-eight for Week 1 aren’t even owned in 1% of AFS leagues. There will be a complete overhaul at this position in fantasy this week with plenty of players to go around. But, much like the NFL, outside of the top few tight ends, there is a big gap in production.

Gerald Christian (ARI), TE1, 0.9% owned
Christian was one of the two tight ends in the league who managed to find the end zone in Week 1 and that was basically all it took for him to rank as the overall TE1. Fellow tight end Thomas Duarte entered Week 1 with a higher ownership percentage, but it was Christian who showed up in the passing game. This could be a tandem TE situation to monitor going forward but if you drafted someone like Busta Anderson, I would drop him for Christian.

Nick Truesdell (SLC), TE2, 0.5% owned
There are two Stallions in the top-three at tight end this week as SLC leaned more heavily on the position in the passing game than any other team in the league. Nick Truesdell was the other tight end who managed to catch a TD in Week 1 which gave him the boost over Anthony Denham. To be fair, though, Denham looked like the superior pass catcher in this game but had to leave briefly while he was dinged up with an injury.

To his credit, Truesdell was briefly a member of both the Colts and Vikings as a practice squad member. If I had to choose between Truesdell and Denham, I would pick Denham as long as he is healthy heading into Week 2.

Anthony Denham (SLC), TE3, 0.0% owned
Denham shined as possibly the most skilled pass catcher on the SLC offense in Week 1. If it wasn’t for a brief break with the injury scare, Denham could have had a much bigger game. Denham was listed as a wide receiver in college at Utah where he was rated as a four-star recruit before switching to tight end at the pro level. He was originally picked up by the Texans as an undrafted free agent while also spending time with the Eagles (twice) and Cardinals. If healthy, Denham is probably my top add at tight end this week.

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John Ferguson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from John, check out his archive and follow him @FantasyFerguson.