Welcome to the this week’s edition of the Weekly Waiver Targets, where I offer up some of the top waiver wire suggestions for you each and every week. Whether the goal is to improve your team for the upcoming week, or more to stash for the future, start your research here and bid accordingly.
QUARTERBACK
My top waiver wire target at quarterback this week is Trevor Siemian of the Denver Broncos. Siemian, who is currently owned in 26% of Fantrax leagues, had a great start to the season on Monday night against the Chargers. He threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns and added an additional 19 yards and touchdown on the ground. He finished Week 1 fourth in fantasy scoring among quarterbacks, which is very encouraging for his outlook going forward.
Other quarterbacks to target:
- Alex Smith, Chiefs, owned in 49% of Fantrax leagues: Smith rewarded managers last week with an incredible performance against the Patriots, which resulted in him being the top fantasy quarterback in Week 1. Pick him up and start him with confidence against the Philadelphia Eagles this week.
- DeShone Kizer, Browns, 34%: Kizer had a strong NFL debut, outscoring many mainstays at the position. His ability to rack up points with his legs should give him a nice floor each week. He may be worth a grab and stash.
- Jared Goff, Rams, 33%: Goff proved his doubters wrong by throwing for 306 yards and a touchdown in a massive victory over the Indianapolis Colts. He is worth a stash at this point.
RUNNING BACK
[the_ad id=”384″]After the loss of David Johnson, who suffered a dislocated wrist, the next man up for the Arizona Cardinals is Kerwynn Williams. The Cardinals’ running backs didn’t have a great game against the Detroit Lions, but Arizona should bounce back next week against the Colts. Williams is set to assume the lead back duties, though this figures to be a timeshare in what now looks to be a bad offense. Andre Ellington is in line to handle more of the receiving work and actually out-snapped Williams 20 to 9 on Sunday. Plus, reports are that the Cardinals are looking to re-sign Chris Johnson, which would muddy the waters even more. Williams is currently owned in 19% of Fantrax leagues and should be a popular waiver wire target this week, but keep your expectations in check.
Other running backs to Target:
- Tarik Cohen, Bears, owned in 34% of Fantrax leagues: Cohen had a great rookie debut against the Falcons, racking up total 113 yards and a score on 13 total touches, which tied Jordan Howard for the team lead. He did most of his damage in the passing game, as he caught eight balls on a team-high 12 targets. Howard is still the featured back here, but Cohen figures to continue to be heavily involved as a receiver and change-of-pace back. He’s a name to target in PPR leagues.
- Chris Carson, Seahawks, 34%: Carson played 26 of 49 snaps against the Packers last week, and he led the team in carries and yards while sporting a 6.5 YPC. He received only six carries on the day, but he clearly outplayed Eddie Lacy, who looked sluggish and slow. Carson may lose touches when Thomas Rawls returns from injury, but he should be owned in all formats.
WIDE RECEIVER
Last week I missed on my waiver wire targets at wide receiver. This week, however, I have some strong candidates for you to consider. My top pick for the week is the Eagles’ Nelson Agholor, who is currently owned in 23% of Fantrax leagues. Agholor collected six receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 against Washington. The chemistry between Agholor and Carson Wentz was hard to ignore. He may have a tough game ahead of him in Kansas City, but he is a must own in all formats.
Other wide receivers to target:
- Kenny Golladay, Lions, owned in 55% of Fantrax leagues: If ever a player lived up to the preseason hype, it was Golladay. He finished Sunday’s game with four receptions for 69 yards and two touchdowns and appears to be the second coming of Calvin Johnson. I would bid with confidence on Golladay. I would spend considerably more in dynasty leagues, if he is miraculously still available.
- Cooper Kupp, Rams, 62%: Not only did Jared Goff have a great game, but so did his top receiver on Sunday. Kupp was the Rams’ top weapon at wide receiver in Week 1, finishing the game with four receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown. Watch for these two to team up again next week against Washington.
TIGHT END
Tight end is a hard position to predict, but this week I have a couple gems. My top waiver wire pick for this week is Jesse James, the starting tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers. James is currently owned in 32% of Fantrax leagues, and after last week’s performance, he will likely be one of the top waiver wire grabs of the week. He had a great game against Cleveland, finishing the game with six receptions for 41 yards, and two touchdowns. He will look to continue his momentum next week against the Vikings.
Other tight ends to target:
- Charles Clay, Bills, owned in 32% of Fantrax leagues: It’s risky to bet too heavily on the Bills’ offense, but Clay had a pretty good game last week against the Jets. He finished the game with four receptions, for 53 yards and a touchdown. He has a tough matchup next week against the Panthers but could provide Tyrod Taylor with a reliable safety valve.
DEFENSE
My top streaming defense for the week is the Oakland Raiders, who are playing against the New York Jets. The Jets are designed to lose as many games as possible this season. The Raiders are owned in 29% of Fantrax leagues but can be streamed with confidence in Week 2.
Thank you for reading the first installment of the Weekly Waiver Wire. Check back next Tuesday for all your waiver wire research. Check me out on Twitter, too: @HaehnelJames