It feels good to be talking regular season fantasy football again, and we’re on waiver watch right out of the gate.
Making hasty decisions based on the outcomes of Week 1 games can go one of two ways. Either you jump way too early on somebody who has a phenomenal game in Week 1 and then somehow fades off the face of the earth as the season goes on, or you hesitate and miss out on a guy who far exceeds all expectations set for him going into the season.
A lot of that will depend on your team right now. For example, if you’re a Cooper Kupp owner, you could be placing him on IR for a few weeks and thus clearing a roster spot to take a shot on a wide receiver.
Alternatively, you could have rookies that you know are going to take time to develop, and a veteran proves to be highly productive in a hurry to the point where they might be a viable starter for you for at least the next few weeks.
No matter how you decide to play, knowing your best options is going to be crucial, so here are three players to watch out for on the waiver wire in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL season.
Van Jefferson – Wide Receiver, Los Angeles Rams
Van Jefferson’s name might have already gone through the group chats this week following some concerning news about Rams superstar receiver Cooper Kupp.
Kupp’s hamstring injury just isn’t healing right, and he’s now in Minnesota visiting a specialist doctor for further evaluation and some guidance. All of this puts his status for Week 1 in jeopardy, and the Rams don’t exactly have a room full of talent at wideout without him.
Van Jefferson was already expected to take a jump in 2023 following promising preseason reports about him as the team’s WR2. He’s always been a crisp route runner and is now one of the most experienced veterans on the offense.
Of course, Kupp’s level of targets will limit the fantasy potential for somebody like Jefferson, but if he’s out for a few weeks, the former Florida Gator has a great chance to pick up some big numbers early on in the year.
Jefferson is on about 14% of rosters right now, but if Kupp gets ruled out or any more negative news about his return surfaces, that number could quickly rise.
The only potential drawback here is the Rams scary looking start to the season. They face the Seahawks, Niners and Bengals in their first three games, which could prove to be ugly for a team already expected to struggle this season.
Sam LaPorta – Tight End, Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are not only the favorites for the division this year, but expected to take a big leap and potentially win a playoff game or two this coming season.
Jared Goff finished sixth in the NFL in 2022 with over 4,400 passing yards, and is flourishing in Detroit whilst working in offensive coordinator Ben Johnson’s system.
Johnson is expected to be one of the next big names for a head coaching role, having impressed heavily in his time in Detroit. His successes have resulted in a high production, high scoring offense, and Sam LaPorta is now a part of that offense having been drafted in the early second round back in April. He’s currently rostered in about 26% of leagues, so could prove to be a great option for aspirational managers in the early weeks of the season.
The question surrounding the Lions offense early this season is going to be the expected target share for their new pieces. Amon-Ra St. Brown will be the high volume target, but there are then question marks around targets for Jahmyr Gibbs out of the backfield, the return of Marvin Jones Jr in Detroit and of course, Sam LaPorta.
The Lions willingness to trade away T.J. Hockenson last season, no less to a division rival, felt like a bit of a head scratcher at the time. Hock has now been paid a major contract in Minnesota, and the Lions are paying a rookie salary to LaPorta instead.
The rookie caught 153 passes in four years at Iowa, resulting in 1,786 receiving yards but only five career touchdowns. Fantasy owners will be watching closely in the season opener against the Chiefs on Thursday night to see just how LaPorta fits into Johnson’s offense, and how many times Jared Goff is willing to look his way.
Sean Tucker – Running Back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Sean Tucker is now listed as the official RB2 on the Tampa Bay Bucs depth chart, and he’s coming for Rachaad White and starting reps this season.
The rookie went undrafted back in April following concerns about a heart problem, but he’s now been cleared to play and had a couple of really strong looking runs in the preseason to boost his case.
Tampa have one of the most questionable running back rooms in football right now, and just days away from the season they’re yet to bring back Leonard Fournette or add a veteran presence from one of the lingering free agents.
Sean Tucker will only see this as an opportunity, having come out of Syracuse with over 2,500 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns in the past two seasons.
He’s a smaller back, but he packs a lot of power in his lower body and is tough to bring down. He’s got great balance and his lateral quickness makes him a problem if he finds an open lane.
Rachaad White is hardly any more proven than Sean Tucker, and as the official RB2 he’s starting to look like a potential danger to see more carries than many are expecting.
It could be a tough year in Tampa this season, but Tucker could be a bright light in a dark room. We’ve got a firm eye on him on the waiver wire for the next couple of weeks, and he’s going to be available if you spot it coming before everybody else does. Currently, he’s on 1% of rosters, so there’s a real opportunity for team owners to get in on this one.
Rashod Bateman – Wide Receiver, Baltimore Ravens
Rashod Bateman’s talent is undeniable, his problem has been staying healthy since turning pro. He played in just six games in 2022, eventually being placed on season ending IR due to needing surgery to repair a lisfranc injury in his foot.
Baltimore’s offense sputtered badly last season, and the underperformance was deemed a combination of an outdated style of offense paired with a wealth of injuries.
In 2023, the Ravens seem to have fixed both problems, at least for now. Former offensive coordinator Greg Roman has now stepped out of the picture, and his replacement Todd Monken will put a far heavier emphasis on throwing the football, and throwing it downfield.
Rashod Batemen presents the Ravens with one of the best assets to support such a style of offense, the problem with him now is the concern that he’ll end up buried on the depth chart. Mark Andrews is without a doubt the number one option going into the season, but rookie Zay Flowers could command a lot of targets, and the addition of a veteran Odell Beckham Jr. only adds to the concern around playing time and target share for Bateman.
That said, and while it’s likely true that one of these guys is going to miss out on producing at a high level in a loaded room, what if that guy is not Rashod Bateman?
Right now, Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews are flying off of draft boards, and Rashod Bateman is largely being left behind. He’s only rostered in 17% of leagues, so if he goes out and manages the most targets in the offense in Week 1, it could be a scramble for his services on the waiver next week.
Tank Dell – Wide Receiver, Houston Texans
This might be my favorite of the week. Tank Dell came into rookie camp with C.J. Stroud, and the fact that Stroud immediately vouched for him as one of his first acts after being drafted will have helped to form a bond between them.
Much like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back situation, the Houston Texans wide receiver room doesn’t currently have a confirmed WR1.
Robert Woods has the most experience, and Noah Brown was great for the Cowboys as a secondary option last season, but are either of them going to be a favorite target for C.J. Stroud by the time we get three or four weeks into the season?
It feels more likely to be a case of building the future with the likes of John Metchie and Tank Dell, who are both going to be undervalued assets for the franchise until we see them producing on Sundays.
When you look at the options available, Dell is the guy who can stretch the defense and offer a deep option for Stroud. We saw them connect in the preseason, and I have a feeling that connection might come up again consistently in the regular season.
The targets in Houston are there for the taking this year, nobody is owed anything. Tank Dell could secure a top two role in that offense quite easily, and right now he’s only appearing on 5% of rosters in the world of fantasy football. He’s the type of receiver capable of 5 catches for 170 yards with blazing speed and after the catch ability, and if he does get anywhere near that in the first couple of weeks it’ll be a frenzy in the waiver room.
