Neglecting the value sitting on waivers in Week 1 is a surefire way to wind up spending a lot of FAB down the road. Some players who are being ignored now have more value thanks to preseason cuts and injuries. For instance, the Lions cutting Breshad Perriman opens up more opportunities for players like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Quintez Cephus and the knee injury to Irv Smith might make Chris Herndon or Tyler Conklin worthy of a stash in deep leagues.
Our featured pundits are here to give you a look at which players might be worth holding ahead of Week 1. The guys we’re focusing on are rostered in 25% of Yahoo leagues or less, so they should be widely available no matter which format or website you play on. Read on to see who the experts are scooping off the waiver wire ahead of Week 1’s NFL action.
Already drafted? Get a free analysis of your team with My Playbook 
Q. Who is one player that is rostered in 25% of Yahoo leagues or less that fantasy managers should stash right now and why?
Rondale Moore (WR – ARI): 22% Rostered
“Moore’s roster percentage to start the 2021 NFL season is straight-up baffling. Are we drafting this year just based on wide receiver height alone? If we are then sure, the 5’7” diminutive Moore is going to get left on waivers more often than not, but let’s not overlook what this man can do with the football in his hands — Moore once led the FBS with 114 catches to go along with 21 rushes for 213 yards and two scores on the ground. He can do damage as a kick returner too, a sticky signal that can often show which rookie wideouts come into the NFL and contribute immediately with key roles. Moore in just three college games last year averaged more than 10 receptions and nearly 100 receiving yards per game and fits well not just into Kliff Kingsbury’s ‘Horizontal’ Air Raid offense but also pairs perfectly with Kyler Murray‘s propensity to fall in love with those low aDOT (average of depth of target) passes. This all goes to say that Moore finds himself in the most ideal of situations as a talented and explosive rookie, and he’s now the unquestioned starting slot WR in one of the highest tempo/highest volume passing offenses in the entire league. Oh, and did I mention his Week 1 opponent? Arizona hits the road to face the Tennessee Titans in a game Vegas has marked with the second-highest O/U total (52) of Sunday’s main slate. Defenses will look to take away DeAndre Hopkins week in and week out in this offense, leaving Moore to roam the slot freely and provide a weapon that Arizona sorely lacked all of last year. The yards after the catch are there, as are the chances for explosive touchdowns, high target volume, and tons of short receptions. Don’t be surprised to see Moore standing tall as a borderline WR2/WR3 at season’s end given the 72 targets/54 catches Fitzgerald vacated in his retirement and also the 31 targets/25 catches Kenyan Drake leaves behind while going to Las Vegas. The former Purdue Boilermaker needs to be rostered in at least 50% of leagues, and that’s not even a bold statement. Add him now if you can and avoid paying the hefty waiver price tag once he explodes early in a breakout game.”
– Christopher Dell (Betting Predators)
“If you’re stashing a player before Week 1, ideally, you want to know immediately after Week 1 whether there is potential for him to be an impact player. So Rondale Moore fits the bill perfectly. If he’s running out of the slot, or if Kliff Kingsbury is manufacturing touches for him right from the get-go, he’s going to be a high-priority pickup. If he’s not a part of the offense, you can cut him and move onto another stash. But he should be on your roster before the Cardinals’ Week 1 game against the Titans.”
– Dan Harris (FantasyPros)
Terrace Marshall (WR – CAR): 19% Rostered
“Marshall closed out the preseason as PFF’s No. 1 ranked rookie wideout. He did so by hauling in nine-of-12 targets for 181 yards and a score, impressively averaging over 20 yards per reception. This coincided with D.J. Moore registering a 2.5 aDOT in Week 3 of the preseason, which could signal more of an ‘underneath’ role for him. Marshall is often labeled as the ‘big slot’ in Carolina’s three-receiver offense, but his summer usage suggests that he’ll be utilized deeper down the field. If that happens, it could mean big things are in store for the LSU product.”
– Brendan Tuma (FantasyPros)
“I think Terrace Marshall is going to surprise a lot of people this season and quickly become a popular waiver target. The rookie has prototypical WR1 size, as well as great speed and RAC ability. It is no surprise he led the NFL in receiving yards during the preseason. Darnold has shown trust in Marshall early on, which could easily carry over into the regular season. I predict it won’t be long before he is on everyone’s radar.”
– Tim Brosnan (Tim’s Fantasy Tips)
Bryan Edwards (WR – LV): 13% Rostered
“One player that I’m looking to get on the majority of my rosters this season is Edwards. He’s sitting at only 13% rostered in Yahoo leagues currently and he has the chance to see a significant target share in this Raiders offense. He’s an extremely talented WR that struggled with injury in his first season, so we haven’t fully seen what he’s able to do in the NFL just yet. But with the Raiders taking on some tough run defenses to start the season, Edwards could be in line for a minimum of six targets per game. With his talent, he’s worth stashing on the bottom of your roster right now to see what he can become.”
– Kyle Yates (FantasyPros)
“Bryan Edwards needs to be stashed. He was hyped a bit last season, but that was all for not as he was injured. This season he looks healthy in camp and is getting a lot of praise. Of course, the comparisons to Terrell Owens and Randy Moss are overblown, but there has to be something there if people are even willing to say that. The release of John Brown opens the door for Edwards to be the favorite receiving option for Carr.”
– Joe Bond (Fantasy Six Pack)
Damien Williams (RB – CHI): 5% Rostered
“With the news of Chicago Bears running back Tarik Cohen starting the season on the PUP list, Williams is in an interesting position. Chicago is used to operating with multiple backs in this offense. Both starter David Montgomery and Cohen could be on the field at the same time. Now Cohen’s spot will be falling to Williams. Williams, a newcomer to Chicago after opting out of his 2020 season in Kansas City, is apt to fill in for either the early-down or pass-catching role if injuries were to occur. Chicago wants this receiving role filled. A $17 million contract for Cohen showcased that. Now for the next six weeks, that role falls to Williams. In 2020, Montgomery took 71% of all RB snaps for his, which was the highest in the league. You’d have to imagine that Williams would see a high snap share if Montgomery became injured as well. Williams is a depth piece, but he can walk into whichever role the Bears need him to fill.”
– Matthew McCarthy (Gridiron Ratings)
Rhamondre Stevenson (RB – NE): 25% Rostered
“Part of the Patriots trading Sony Michel was due to the confidence they have in rookie Rhamondre Stevenson, who has drawn comparisons to former New England running back LeGarrette Blount. The 230-pound banger looks like a prototypical Bill Belichick running back that is capable of finishing off drives. With Cam Newton no longer in the picture, there will be goal-line carries up for grabs for the Patriots and Stevenson could get some looks in that role. He averaged 7.2 yards per carry and scored 13 touchdowns in two seasons at Oklahoma as part of a committee for the Sooners and will likely get mixed in sooner rather than later in the New England backfield.”
– Dan Clasgens (Get Sports Info)
Kenneth Gainwell (RB – PHI): 9% Rostered
“Gainwell opted out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. Regardless, he led the Memphis Tigers in rushing (1,459) and was second in receptions (51) during the 2019 season. Head coach Nick Sirianni shared some hints months ago that the Eagles could use Gainwell similarly to how he used Nyheim Hines during his three seasons with the Colts. Hines averaged 9.2 opportunities and 44.2 total yards per game over that time frame. Since 2018, he’s finished as a fantasy RB3 or better in 77% of his games. Gainwell’s value and workload could increase as the season goes on especially if Miles Sanders continues to struggle with drops.”
– Eric Moody (Pro Football Network)
Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – DET): 8% Rostered
“With the way I draft, stocking up on quality running backs early and often, I tend to be weakest on wide receivers. So, if I’m swapping out a player before Week 1, I would look at the waiver wire and stash Jalen Reagor or Amon-Ra St. Brown. If I’m choosing one of those, it would be St. Brown because the Detroit Lions don’t have many pass-catching options outside of Tyrell Williams, who’s often and currently injured (hamstring), and tight end T.J. Hockenson. St. Brown is a rookie, but he seems to be the one who’s most likely to emerge as the best wide receiver on the Detroit Lions this season, and he’s available in 92% of Yahoo leagues.”
– Tal Malachovsky (The Fantasy Scout)
Rashaad Penny (RB – SEA): 20% Rostered
“We still await a breakout for Penny and 2021 could be it. Fantasy confidence in Penny shrank steadily since entering the league, but Chris Carson is no longer as safe a draft pick without the insurance of the next RB on the Seahawks’ depth chart. Keep Penny stashed and by October or sooner, you’ll be glad you did.”
– Richard Savill (Fantasy Six Pack)
Thank you to all the experts for giving their waiver wire stashes. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter for more great advice. Also, please check out our latest podcast episode below.
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
