Week 1 is in the books and you’re already having regrets about choices you made in your drafts aren’t you? Don’t worry, help is on the way.
Here are some players to consider picking up before Week 2 action.
QB
There were some really disappointing fantasy performances behind centre during opening week with Tyrod Taylor leading the way. Russell Wilson wan’t too far behind either and now he’s dealing with an ankle injury that could hinder his movement. If you’re nervous about who you have or who’s on your bench take a look at…
Alex Smith (owned in 21 percent of Yahoo! leagues)
Smith has averaged 194.5 passing yards per game throughout his 12 years in the NFL but he began 2016 with a monster 363-yard game in a dramatic comeback win over the Chargers. With Jeremy Maclin and Travis Kelce to rely on, plus the emergence of Spencer Ware catching balls out of the backfield, Smith could be a nice addition to your team. Keep in mind that he faces three tough defences—Texans, Jets, Steelers—before the Chiefs’ Week 5 bye.
Carson Wentz (7% owned)
Well, the Browns sure got a glimpse of what could have been, didn’t they? They traded away the second-overall pick, which ended up being North Dakota State standout Wentz, to the Eagles and the rookie was impressive in a 29-10 Week 1 win. Wentz had a QB rating of 41.8 in the pre-season, but had a 101 rating against the Browns. He finished with 278 yards and two incredible touchdown throws—one to Jordan Matthews and the other to Nelson Agholor.
RB
With only two runners gaining more than 100 yards on the ground (DeAngelo Williams and Lamar Miller) in Week 1, look for the top fantasy running backs this season to be the ones who can do damage in the receiving game as well. That’s a common trait in the three men you’ll see below.
Theo Riddick (35% owned)
He’s not a starter in Detroit but he is essentially in a timeshare with Ameer Abdullah. Riddick had five fewer carries than Abdullah but finished with 45 yards and a touchdown. Riddick is also a PPR goldmine, catching all five of his targets and finishing with 63 receiving yards and a touchdown. All in all it was a monster day for Riddick. Twelve touches, 108 total yards and two TDs. Only DeAngelo Williams, Spencer Ware and C.J. Anderson finished Week 1 with more fantasy points than Riddick among running backs.
Charles Sims (52% owned)
Doug Martin is going to get the bulk of the carries in Tampa, but they’re still going to use Sims enough for him to help your fantasy team. He frequents the game on passing downs and here’s an example of what he’s capable of.
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Tevin Coleman (43% owned)
The eight rushes for 22 yards isn’t why you’re going to put in a waiver claim on Coleman. It’s the 95 yards on five receptions that’s intriguing. He has speed to burn when he gets the edge and is more effective than Devonta Freeman on plays to the outside.
WR
The most significant injury this week was to Chargers receiver Keenan Allen, whose season ended far too early for a second consecutive year. It’s really unfortunate for such a talented young player and it’s also unfortunate for any fantasy owner who spent a second- or third-round pick to draft him. The good news is there are plenty of receivers out there who can soften the blow of losing Allen.
Tajae Sharpe (46% owned)
Coming off a strong training camp, the rookie was Marcus Mariota’s favourite target against the Vikings. He had 76 yards on seven catches and looks reliable.
Mohamed Sanu (45% owned)
Matt Ryan’s newest target had a touchdown in his first game in a Falcons jersey. He takes pressure off Julio Jones in Atlanta’s offence and actually outproduced the star in Week 1.
Mike Wallace (36% owned)
Look who’s back. Wallace hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season since 2011 but he’s still a quality deep threat and we saw Joe Flacco connect with him a few times against the Bills. Wallace will be a boom-or-bust type player.
Chris Hogan (31% owned)
The former Buffalo Bill had excellent chemistry with Tom Brady in the pre-season and showed he gets along with Jimmy Garoppolo on the field just fine, too. There’s never a shortage of options for New England quarterbacks but Hogan’s 60 yards and his touchdown stood out.
Eli Rogers (8% owned)
It’s always going to be the Antonio Brown show in Pittsburgh but Rogers made an impact in his NFL debut. Ben Roethlisberger seemed to have no problem trusting Rogers and that’s a great sign going forward.
TE
This position is likely to be underwhelming all season and that’s what we saw in Week 1. Only four tight ends reached double-digit fantasy points and two of them were on the Colts. Zach Ertz is dealing with a rib injury, while Coby Fleener, Jared Cook and Martellus Bennett disappointed in their debuts with their new teams.
Kyle Rudolph (18% owned)
Rudolph was targeted eight times and ended up with a respectable 65 yards. On a team with quarterback problems, look for him to be used as a safety outlet for Shaun Hill and Sam Bradford going forward.
