The waiver wire is filled with potential fantasy stars after Week 1 every year. Marquise Brown and John Ross are just a couple guys who torched their opponents en route to bigger performances than anyone expected. Our first batch of injuries has also given rise to some lesser-known players’ fantasy stock. How much do Giovani Bernard and Mecole Hardman stand to gain from the Joe Mixon and Tyreek Hill injuries, respectively? To help you make the most of your waiver wire pool, our featured experts have ranked Week 1’s biggest adds according to half-PPR scoring below and provide their top pickup along with some helpful advice on which underowned defenses can pile up the points in Week 2.

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Featured Experts:
Doug Orth – FFToday
Bobby Sylvester – FantasyPros
Mike Tagliere – FantasyPros
Matt Schauf – Draft Sharks

Q1. How much are you willing to spend (FAAB %) on your favorite waiver wire target (or two) and why do you like him?

Jamison Crowder (WR – NYJ) 
“After seeing Crowder rack up 17 targets in his first game as a Jets receiver, it’s fair to say he’s going to be fantasy relevant. If you’re playing in a PPR league, he’s worth 15 percent of your budget, as he may not have game-breaking upside like Curtis Samuel, but he’ll offer you more consistency in your WR3/WR4/flex spot. Not only is Crowder’s role important to Adam Gase’s offense, but Sam Darnold has gravitated towards his slot receivers as his safety valve since coming into the league.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

Darren Waller (TE – OAK) 
“I already have a ton of shares in Waller and plenty of shares in Jamison Crowder, so it’s only natural they are my top two choices. I’ll go with the one who has yet to play a game yet in Waller, whose path to 90-plus targets should have been solidified with the release of Antonio Brown. Last year, only five tight ends saw 90 or more targets — including former teammate Jared Cook (101) — and unsurprisingly, all five finished among the top five in fantasy scoring. Waller was my TE8 entering the season, so if I saw him available in the few leagues and needed a high-upside tight end, I’d probably use up to 20 percent of my FAAB.”
– Doug Orth (FFToday)

John Ross (WR – CIN) 
“We knew Zac Taylor was a total wild card and what we saw in Week 1 was exciting with Andy Dalton slinging 51 passes despite a neutral game script. Ross compiled seven receptions for 158 yards and two scores, and most importantly, he looked much improved. If that is a sign of things to come, the Bengals should have no trouble getting Ross targets even when A.J. Green comes back. With that being said, I would only spend five percent of my FAAB for him, though. I wouldn’t spend much on any of these guys because I’m saving for a potential league-winner, which will most likely come when a star running back goes down.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS) 
“Unless I need a running back, I’m chasing McLaurin. He matched the hype in Week 1 and should have added another 60-yard touchdown to his already huge line. He played the most snaps not only among Washington wide receivers, but all the wideouts we’re all looking at on waivers this week. The path is clear for McLaurin to spend the year as Washington’s top wideout. I’d spent 15-20% of my budget, depending on my roster.”
– Matt Schauf (Draft Sharks)

Q2. For owners renting a D/ST in Week 2, what readily available option (under 40%) should they target and why?

“I’d rather not stream defenses if I don’t have to, so finding one I can potentially start every week is attractive to me. Of the ones that are readily available, Green Bay strikes me as the best candidate to become a very good weekly alternative. The Packers’ desire to add speed and use high draft picks — especially in the secondary — over the last couple of offseasons appears to be paying off. For those owners who prefer to stream in Week 2, I’d target a Carolina defense that hosts Tampa Bay on a short week just days after Jameis Winston had another meltdown.”
– Doug Orth (FFToday)

“The streaming options this week aren’t great but if you have to choose one, Green Bay most stands out to me. Minnesota has some playmakers, but their offensive line pales in comparison to Chicago’s, so in all, the Vikings’ offense likely isn’t quite as good. Green Bay’s immensely upgraded defense was terrific in Chicago, so just imagine being at home against a quarterback who struggles under pressure.”
– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

“Everyone knows the Raiders’ offensive line is in shambles, right? They’re also going to be without their best offensive lineman for the first two weeks of the season, as Richie Incognito is suspended. The Chiefs’ defense that led the league in sacks (52) last year will get after Derek Carr, who will be without Antonio Brown. The last time the Chiefs’ defense saw Carr, they held him to 185 yards passing, no touchdowns, and two interceptions while sacking him three times.”
– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

“I’d target the Houston defense, heading back home to take on Jaguars rookie QB Gardner Minshew in his first start. Minshew played impressively Sunday, but I’ll go ahead and bet on J.J. Watt over him. The Texans finished last season inside the top five among fantasy defenses. If Houston’s not available, then Carolina at home against Jameis Winston and the Bucs looks good, too.”
– Matt Schauf (Draft Sharks)

Thank you to the experts for naming their top waiver targets. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter if you’re not already doing so and check out our latest podcast below for more great advice.

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