Week one has been and gone, and now it is time for the ‘overreact and second-guess every single draft selection’ phase of the season. Many players will have arrived at panic stations and are looking to the waiver wire for answers. Thankfully, we have been keeping a level head and can guide through the chaos with our carefully composed waiver watch.
Unfortunately, the week will be highlighted by the first of our major injuries, with JK Dobbins’ Achilles tear being a heartbreaker for more than one reason. The running back has suffered numerous injuries during his young career, and this latest setback comes at a time when he finally looked to be back and ready to contribute to a strong Ravens side.
Injuries like these are what make the waiver wire so important, and the first of the year often holds the most valuable assets to be found all season. So, let’s see what it has for us this week.
Roster percentages taken from ESPN leagues.
Quarterback
Jordan Love – Green Bay Packers (16% rostered)
Green Bay finally got to see what their future looks like with Jordan Love taking to the field as their true starter for the first time, and the results were great. Despite missing his number one receiver, Christian Watson, Love threw for 245 yards and 3 touchdowns, also adding 12 yards on three rushes.
Love made some good throws on third down and his 3 touchdowns will please fantasy owners and Packer fans. His upcoming schedule features the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions in two of the next three weeks, making him a good streaming option if you need one.
Running Backs
Kenneth Gainwell – Philadelphia Eagles (22% rostered)
Gainwell will be rostered more than most on this list, but he still has to be included. To put it bluntly, the Philadelphia Eagles starting running back might be available on your waiver wire. Go get him!
No one knew how the Eagles’ running back room was going to shake out, but it was pretty clear after the first drive. Gainwell was involved immediately and regularly. He finished up with eighteen opportunities, which was comfortably more than the five that D’Andre Swift and Boston Scott combined for.
This usage confirmed off-season suggestions that Gainwell would be the number one in the backfield, and with the Eagles set to be one of the highest-scoring teams in the league, he is a must-add!
Kyren Williams – Los Angeles Rams (10% rostered)
With Cam Akers posting a miserable 1.3 yards per carry, Kyren Williams looks to be a good option if you need running back help. Akers has spent a fair amount of time in Sean McVay’s doghouse throughout his short career, and there were rumors that he would be traded last season, so it would be no surprise if he loses some opportunities.
Akers did finish with more rushing attempts than Williams, but the majority of these came later in the game when the Rams had a nice lead. The early usage suggests that Williams is the preferred back in Los Angeles, and his two targets are also promising. Two targets may not look special, but he ran 30 routes in comparison to Akers’ 4, showing that he will be the pass-catching back in this offense.
His two touchdowns also show that the Rams are willing to trust him around the goal line, and he showed good footwork to shift through the line of scrimmage on his touchdown to tie the game. Williams has a brutal matchup with the 49er defense next week, but otherwise makes for a good option off the waiver wire.
Tyjae Spears – Tennessee Titans (12% rostered)
The Titans caused confusion when they sent out rookie, Tyjae Spears, instead of Derrick Henry for their opening drive of the game. King Henry went on to dominate touches, but it was a promising start for the rookie.
He made the most of his limited touches, taking three rushes for 27 yards. Most of this was done on a nice run to the outside, opting to avoid the overloaded line of scrimmage and instead escaping to the edge for a 17-yard scamper. He also received four targets in week one, running twenty routes in comparison to Henry’s ten, suggesting that the Titans will be looking to get him involved in the passing game.
Spears is not ready to be trusted yet, but he could find enough work to warrant flex consideration. If Henry was to get injured though, Spears would be in your lineups most weeks. He is a top handcuff option.
Gus Edwards – Baltimore Ravens (22% rostered)
It is more heartbreak for JK Dobbins, who suffered yet another season-ending injury in week 1. The injury is a devastating one for a player that can never stay healthy, and for a Ravens team that will be up against it in a tough AFC North.
The running backs to pick up the slack in Dobbins’ absence will be Justice Hill and Gus Edwards. Hill managed to run in two touchdowns but only rushed for 9 yards in his eight attempts. The running back that should receive the majority of the touches moving forward will be Gus Edwards. ‘Gus the Bus’ has proven a reliable quantity at the running back position, averaging no less than 5 yards per carry in each of his four seasons up to this point.
It is worth noting that Melvin Gordon could well be called up from the practice squad to eat into Edwards’ playing time. There could also be further additions with Leonard Fournette and Kareem Hunt still available. This is certainly a buyer-beware situation!
Zack Moss – Indianapolis Colts (11% rostered)
The Colts backfield is a shambles without Jonathan Taylor. Deon Jackson got the start this week and recorded more lowlights than highlights, contributing two fumbles and only 14 yards on thirteen rush attempts.
In addition to Jackson’s inefficiency, Evan Hull, the Colts’ rookie running back, left the game early with an injury that could cost him a bit of time. Add in that Anthony Richardson took some very heavy hits on his ten rushing attempts, and you have a team that needs some help at the running back position. Could that help come from Zack Moss?
Moss has been recovering from a broken forearm but looks close to a return. The Colts will be hoping that he can add some competence to a struggling running back room and take some hits away from their star quarterback. With Richardson and the Colts moving the ball surprisingly well in the rookie’s debut, there could be some opportunities for Moss to score some points for your fantasy team. If you’re already struggling at running back, it might be worth a shot.
Wide Receiver
Puka Nacua – Los Angeles Rams (2% rostered)
15 targets!? Hello there, budget Cooper Kupp. Nacua had a fantastic NFL debut, totaling 119 yards on ten receptions. His 15 targets were good enough for a 39.4% target share. That is a stat line that should excite anyone playing in PPR leagues and could slightly dampen the pain caused by losing Cooper Kupp. Yes, Kupp will likely be back in week 5, but that still gives you at least three weeks of a potential target monster before his return. And even then, Nacua has earned opportunities while Kupp is back on the field.
With Matthew Stafford looking sharp and the offensive line giving him plenty of protection, Nacua could be a very nice week one addition to your team.
Rashid Shaheed – New Orleans Saints (2% rostered)
The Saints’ receiver room is a busy one, but Shaheed just seems to have something about him. He popped up in dramatic fashion in 2022, scoring touchdowns with his first two touches. The first was a 44-yard jet sweep and the second a 53-yard pass from Andy Dalton.
As last season went on, Shaheed earned more of a role and appears to have kept the trust of his coaches and quarterback this year. The Saints were keen to get the ball in his hands this week against the Titans, with Derek Carr targeting him six times and handing off to him for two rush attempts as well. Exactly 100 total yards from scrimmage is a great start for the second-year receiver, and he is certainly worth rostering in fantasy.
Romeo Doubs – Green Bay Packers (19% rostered)
Christian Watson stole the limelight last year when he broke out in the second half of the season and became the Packers’ number-one receiver, but don’t sleep on Romeo Doubs. He had a nice start to the 2022 season before suffering an injury. Receivers can often take giant leaps in their sophomore season, and Doubs started his campaign very nicely with 2 touchdown catches from Jordan Love.
Watson will return soon, but Doubs is more than capable of handling the wide receiver two role and will enjoy receiving the softer matchups with Watson on the field. It will be fascinating to see who the Packers’ new starting quarterback has chemistry with, and the 2 touchdowns in week one are promising for Doubs.
Tight End
Sam LaPorta – Detroit Lions (35% rostered)
It is unusual for rookie tight ends to excel in fantasy, but Sam LaPorta had a very nice start to his career. His five receptions for 39 yards isn’t exactly the sexiest of box scores, but it is pretty eye-catching for a rookie tight end. LaPorta was regularly finding space and clearly has the trust of his quarterback, Jared Goff. Add in the fact that Goff is being protected by one of the better offensive lines in football, and LaPorta is suddenly looking like an appealing fantasy prospect.
The icing on the cake is a week two matchup against the Seahawks, who just got cooked by the Rams, and then the Falcons, who gave up the third most points to tight ends in 2022. LaPorta is a great addition.
Luke Musgrave – Green Bay Packers (7% rostered)
Musgrave worked a lot with the first team in the pre-season, and it translated to some good action in his NFL debut. He received four targets from Jordan Love and turned them into 50 yards on three receptions.
A big chunk of his yardage came on a 37-yard completion in which he was wide-open and would have scored a touchdown had he managed to stay on his feet. His only missed completion was another deep target, which suggests that the Packers will be looking to utilize him down the field. This is great news for tight ends in fantasy, and he is a great option in an already dire tight end landscape.
