Your draft is in the books. All your hard work researching has paid off. But there’s always another element to fantasy football. Probably the second most important element is the waiver wire. Starting today, you’ll be able to check into FantraxHQ every Tuesday, and we kick it off with our favorite Week 1 Running Back Sleepers and Streaming.
It’s not enough to draft well. Roles change, and injuries happen every week, and we’ll need to be on top of them. Whether it’s to improve your own team or keep one of your league-mates from improving, you’ll want to check in with us weekly. Let’s get into it!
Week 1 Running Back Sleepers and Streamers
Running Back Sleepers
Jerick McKinnon, Kansas City Chiefs, ~75% owned
The Chiefs running back room is decidedly less crowded than it was last year. Isiah Pacheco is the unquestioned RB1. He runs hard. He doesn’t fumble. He’s durable. You can’t ask for much more out of an RB1. The problem is that as dependable as Pacheco is on the ground, Jerick McKinnon is equally as dependable, through the air. On top of that, when it comes to the red zone, McKinnon is brought in to add mystique to potential play calls.
The Chiefs go as Mahomes goes. That means they aren’t exactly like other teams when it comes to play scripts. When the Chiefs go up on teams, they keep throwing the ball. Whereas other teams run the ball to get the clock ticking. More passing plays mean more plays for McKinnon. More plays for McKinnon means more fantasy points for McKinnon owners. McKinnon is now one of seven RBs in NFL history to catch at least nine TDs in a single season. As situational as he is, he’s viable every week, so long as Pat Mahomes remains the Chiefs starting QB. If he’s on your roster, you should be putting him in your flex spot. With the Chiefs facing the Lions this week, KC will need to keep their foot on the gas. That benefits McKinnon. Bradlee Kilgore – @SirBradleek on X/Twitter
Deon Jackson, Indianapolis Colts, ~34% owned
Nothing stands out more among sleepers and streamers than injury replacements. The Indianapolis backfield is a mess, and it is likely there will be three starters in the first five games.
Right now, though, all we care about is Week 1, and Jackson is slated to get the start. With Jonathan Taylor sidelined for at least the next four weeks and Zack Moss for a week, it is all about Jackson. When it comes to running backs, it is sometimes more about the role than the player. And this week, Jackson is filling that role. Last year, Jackson had four games with double-digit carries and gained between 23 and 62 yards. The value though, comes in the passing game. With Anthony Richardson making his NFL debut, the expectation is that the game plan will be conservative, and Jackson could be very busy as a dump-off option. In a limited role last year, Jackson caught 30 of 34 targets, and I can see him being an involved pass catcher. Ray Kuhn – @Ray_Kuhn_28 on X/Twitter
2023 Week 1 RB Streamers
Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles, ~23% owned
A crowded running back room is one of the most frustrating things to deal with in fantasy football. For the team, it makes all the sense in the world. You get to keep each back fresh, giving you the healthiest players over the course of the season. In fantasy football, we prefer a workhorse back. Someone we can count on to get the carries at the goal line and in between.
The Eagles have three incredibly competent backs in Rashaad Penny, D’Andre Swift, and Kenneth Gainwell, but no workhorse. The knock on Penny and Swift is that they tend to be injury-prone. When they are healthy, they put up numbers, but neither have been workhorse backs before, so I’m not inclined to believe that either has pulled away as the RB1. What matters most to me, is that over the playoffs last year, Gainwell’s usage spiked. He had 236 yards on 40 touches in three games. That’s almost six yards per touch. Elite production, when spread across an RB1 workload. At the end of the day, when the Eagles needed production, they didn’t look to Miles Sanders, they looked to Gainwell. I think the same will be true with Philly this year. He knows the playbook. He knows the schemes. He knows how best to mesh with Hurts and his linemen. He likely won’t start, but he’ll be in on the red zone snaps. He’s not on the radar of many this season, so scoop him while you can. Bradlee Kilgore – @SirBradleek on X/Twitter
De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins, ~25% owned
Practicing without the red jersey on Monday was critical for Achane. The rookie was previously dealing with a shoulder injury, so this is welcome progress. Targeting Achane as one of my sleepers and streamers does require a little more faith as he is a rookie and a somewhat unknown quantity, but he also happens to be fast.
That should keep Achane busy as a change-of-pace option as the Dolphins look for creative ways to move the ball down the field. With Jeff Wilson starting the season on Injured Reserve, there happens to be a clear role available for Achane. Playing behind Raheem Mostert works for the rookie as their skill sets complement each other. Make sure to pick him up! Ray Kuhn – @Ray_Kuhn_28 on X/Twitter