Week 1 is in the books and our first fantasy football waiver wire Tuesday is upon us. If you drafted Joe Mixon, Derrius Guice, or Tevin Coleman, you may need to look for replacements. Below are some players who are all owned in fewer than 50% of leagues that you should be targeting.
Players are ranked by ownership percentages on Yahoo and all fantasy points are calculated in half PPR scoring.
Running backs:
— Justin Jackson, Los Angeles Chargers (42% owned): Austin Ekeler’s three-touchdown performance on Sunday tells us a couple of things: Melvin Gordon’s leverage over the Chargers is diminishing precipitously, and Jackson should be owned in all leagues. Jackson had six carries and a catch for 61 yards, but he is an incredibly valuable handcuff and will have a role in this offense even with the Chargers at full strength.
— Adrian Peterson, Washington Redskins (38%): Guice will miss time due to a knee injury sustained during Sunday’s game. After a healthy scratch during the season opener, coach Jay Gruden will likely look to the 34-year old veteran to lead the rushing game. Peterson rushed for over 1,000 yards during the 2018 season when Guice missed the season with a torn ACL.
— Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals (14%): Mixon suffered an ankle injury on Sunday against the Seahawks which initially appeared to be serious. Tom Pelissero reported on Monday that Mixon’s MRI exam results were “all good” and there is a chance he plays during Week 2 against the 49ers. Bernard just inked a new contract extension and could still be a worthy stash if Mixon’s injury lingers.
— Mike Davis, Chicago Bears (14%): After much offseason hype surrounding rookie David Montgomery, it was Davis who saw the most work during Thursday’s loss to the Packers. They had almost identical rushing stats, but Davis was targeted five more times than Montgomery. Until coach Matt Nagy figures out how he will utilize these backs, Davis has a chance to hold the top spot in Chicago.
— Chris Thompson, Washington Redskins (13%): Thompson will also be a popular waiver wire add this week in light of Guice’s condition. He was targeted 10 times during Sunday’s game and caught seven passes for 68 yards. As more of a pass-catcher, Thompson won’t be the Redskins’ three-down workhorse back, but he should see a relative uptick in snaps.
— Malcolm Brown, Los Angeles Rams (12%): Brown played 26% of the snaps on Sunday against the Panthers and had 11 carries, 53 yards and two touchdowns. Trepidation about Todd Gurley’s knee injury prompted owners to draft Brown as a handcuff, but it looks like he should have a larger role in this offense even if Gurley is healthy.
— Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers (1%): Coleman is expected to miss several games due to an ankle sprain. Matt Breida, who is already 83% owned, will benefit the most from Coleman’s absence, but Mostert took advantage of his opportunity on Sunday. He had one catch and nine carries for 40 yards and could be a good stash in deeper leagues.
Wide receivers:
— John Brown, Buffalo Bills (50% owned): Brown scored 22 fantasy points in his impressive debut for the Bills on Sunday. He caught seven of 10 targets for 123 yards and a touchdown. It is clear he will play a significant role in this offense and should be owned in nearly all leagues by tomorrow.
— Marquise Brown, Baltimore Ravens (32%): This 2019 first-round draft pick had an eye-popping first game against the Dolphins. He was targeted five times and caught four passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Brown needs to be added in every league.
— Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs (15%): Tyreek Hill exited the game with a clavicle injury on Sunday after taking a hit from Jalen Ramsey. While there is no official timetable yet, teammate Sammy Watkins mentioned the possibility of a six-to-seven-week absence. Hardman, a 2019 second-round pick from Georgia, was only targeted once during his debut, but played 78% of snaps and but should get more looks without Hill on the field.
— John Ross III, Cincinnati Bengals (10%): Ross had seven catches, 158 yards and two touchdowns and was the third-highest-scoring receiver for the week. With A.J. Green out with an ankle injury and set to miss multiple games, this 2017 first-rounder has an opportunity to emerge as a solid fantasy option.
Tight ends:
— Darren Waller, Oakland Raiders (44% owned): Waller should be a popular waiver add this week in shallower leagues after pulling in seven catches for 70 yards. His size, athleticism, and the Raiders’ dearth of options now that Antonio Brown has been released could allow him to fill Jared Cook’s role after he led the Raiders in targets last year.
— Vernon Davis, Washington Redskins (2%): Davis had seven targets, four receptions, 59 yards and a touchdown against the Eagles. He is a worthwhile start whenever the injury-prone Jordan Reed, who is in the concussion protocol right now, is out.
Defenses:
— New York Jets D/ST (24% owned): The Jets defense allowed 17 points, but had one safety, two interceptions, two fumbles, and one touchdown. They will be well-rested in time for Monday’s game against the Browns, whose permeable offensive line allowed the Titans D/ST to score 25 fantasy points. They are a good Week 2 play, and possibly a season-long option.
— Carolina Panthers D/ST (6%): Despite allowing 30 points, the Panthers D/ST was able to score eight fantasy points in a difficult matchup against the Rams on Sunday. Carolina is worth a look if you are streaming D/STs, as the Buccaneers pose much less of an offensive threat this week.