This is one of my favorite columns to write every year. It's our final review of the CBS Sports Average Draft Position data but since it's also the start of Week 1, we combine it with our first look at the waiver wire.
The players we're going to focus on here are the ones you can draft with late-round picks, as the ADP will indicate, and we know many of you still have drafts leading up to Thursday's season opener. But we're also going to help you find some players who might be available on the waiver wire now if you've already drafted.
As a reminder, every Tuesday morning during the season, you can come right here to find the best waiver wire suggestions for your leagues. While the draft is important, you can win your leagues with the right waiver wire moves. And we have you covered.
I went back to look at this column last year, and here are some of the players I wrote about adding prior to Week 1: Justin Fields, Isiah Pacheco, Rachaad White, Jamaal Williams, Jerick McKinnon, Garrett Wilson, Jahan Dotson, Romeo Doubs and David Njoku. Hopefully, we can find a few more gems like that right now.
Dave Richard has featured his top six deep sleepers of the 2023 season over on SportsLine. Some of those names are highlighted below, so it's worth seeing where we align on the players that should definitely be on your watch list. He also has a few extra players that didn't make my list, including one key name managers in dynasty formats should know, so be sure to check out his list.
Week 1 Waivers
WAIVER WIRE
Quarterbacks
Add in this order:
Week 1 Waiver Priority List
Carr is a good No. 2 quarterback to stash and a solid fallback option if you miss on the better backups like Daniel Jones, Kirk Cousins, Geno Smith or Jard Goff. He has the chance to get off to a good start with a quality matchup against Tennessee in Week 1, and we love his weapons, especially if Michael Thomas can manage to stay healthy. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Carr flirt with being a top 12 Fantasy quarterback in 2023. Carr is worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Now that Purdy is healthy after last year's elbow injury in the NFC Championship Game he is worth stashing as a No. 2 Fantasy quarterback with upside. While he might not be flashy, he does have tremendous weapons in a great system, and last year he closed the year strong by averaging 21.9 Fantasy points per game in six appearances in the regular season. He has a tough matchup in Week 1 at Pittsburgh, but things lighten up after that with the Rams in Week 2 and Cardinals in Week 4 if you're looking for a potential streamer. He's worth 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Pickett has been one of my biggest draft risers at quarterback. He's looked impressive in the preseason when he completed 13-of-15 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns over three games, and he has excellent weapons with Diontae Johnson, George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth. The Steelers look like they'll trust Pickett more in his sophomore campaign, and he could be a surprise Fantasy option all season. He's a good No. 2 quarterback to stash on your bench if you're looking for upside. Pickett is worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Like Pickett, Love is another good No. 2 quarterback to stash if you're looking for upside. He's looked solid in the preseason, and he has some young playmakers in the passing game with Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed and Luke Musgrave. We know there's a lot of pressure on Love to replace Aaron Rodgers, and if Love succeeds he could be a solid Fantasy option this season. I'm excited to see how he does against the Bears in Week 1. Love is worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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This should be one of the easiest decisions to make if you have Injured Reserve spots in your league. You should definitely add Murray for at least 1 percent of your remaining FAB. He's going to open the season on the PUP list, which means he's out for the first four weeks of the season while he recovers from last year's torn ACL. But if he's able to return in Week 5 then you could have a potential No. 1 Fantasy quarterback on your roster. If I didn't draft Murray with a late-round pick then I've definitely tried to pick him already to stash him on my IR.
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Howell has two things going for him that make him worth a late-round flier in all leagues, as well as a great waiver wire add for at least 1 percent of your remaining FAB. He could be a surprise Fantasy quarterback, and I'm excited to see what he can do as a first-time starter for Washington. He has dual-threat ability since he ran for 828 yards and 11 touchdowns at North Carolina in 2021, and he has solid weapons, led by Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. But Howell is also an excellent streaming option in Week 1 with his matchup against Arizona.
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WAIVER WIRE
Running Backs
Add in this order:
Week 1 Waiver Priority List
McKinnon is locked into his role as the pass-catching back for the Chiefs, but it's a good role to have. He's worth adding in PPR for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB. Last year, McKinnon was a monster to close the season when he scored nine touchdowns during a six-game scoring streak from Weeks 13-18. The touchdowns were awesome, but what I really liked was that he had three games with at least five receptions over that span. The added bonus this season is Patrick Mahomes could lean on McKinnon more since the Chiefs have a suspect receiving corps. It's easy to target McKinnon with a late-round pick in all leagues given his ADP.
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Hopefully, Achane's shoulder injury doesn't linger, and we'll see if he can play in Week 1 at the Chargers. The Dolphins need him now with Jeff Wilson (abdomen) on injured reserve, and Achane should emerge as No. 2 on the depth chart behind Raheem Mostert. We'll see if Miami adds another running back, and Salvon Ahmed should also get touches. But Achane is worth adding in all leagues for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB. I wouldn't be surprised if he's making a big impact by the middle of the season.
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Bigsby is one of my favorite stash candidates this season since he'll be the No. 2 running back in Jacksonville behind Travis Etienne. We'll see how much he works in tandem with Etienne, and Bigsby looked impressive in the preseason when he averaged 5.7 yards per carry in three games. He could surprise us with his role in the passing game and work at the goal line, and Bigsby has lottery ticket appeal should anything happen to Etienne. I would add Bigsby for at least 5-10 percent of your remaining FAB budget if he's still on waivers.
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Johnson is one of my most rostered players, regardless of position, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's the best running back in Chicago this season. I would add him for at least 10 percent of your remaining FAB where available in all leagues, but don't leave him on the waiver wire. Khalil Herbert will open the season as the starter for the Bears, but I expect Johnson to have a prominent role. D'Onta Foreman also remains in the mix, but Johnson might have the most upside. I'm hopeful that Johnson has a big year in his rookie campaign.
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You know the story by now that the Eagles backfield is wide open with Gainwell, D'Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny, and Gainwell could be the surprise starter in Week 1. Now, that doesn't mean that Gainwell will be the No. 1 Philadelphia running back all season (I like Swift the best), but Gainwell should be added in all leagues for at least 5 percent of your remaining FAB. If you can get the starting running back on a great offense for almost nothing in the draft or off the waiver wire then it's a no-brainer to add him to your roster.
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Like we said about Murray, it's easy to stash Wilson in an IR spot if you have one. We're not sure when he'll return from the abdomen injury that put him on the PUP list, but he could still emerge as the best Dolphins running back this year. Keep an eye on if the Dolphins add a running back prior to Week 1 or early in the season, but if they stick with Mostert, Achane and Ahmed then it's a good sign Wilson can still make an impact in 2023. He's worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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The Colts backfield is a mess with Jonathan Taylor (ankle) on the PUP list and Zack Moss (arm) not expected to play in Week 1. That could allow Jackson to start in Week 1 against Jacksonville, which makes him worth a late-round pick in all leagues, as well as someone to add for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB. Now, we could see a situation where Evan Hull (11 percent rostered) gets more work than Jackson early on. And when Moss (27 percent) and eventually Taylor is healthy then Jackson could be irrelevant. But, for now, Jackson is a good stash candidate to add to your bench just to see what happens against the Jaguars.
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The Cowboys made the decision not to bring in a prominent running back to play behind Tony Pollard, which leaves Vaughn and Rico Dowdle (4 percent rostered) as the top backups. While Dowdell is probably the top backup to Pollard right now, I'm more intrigued by Vaughn since he could play in tandem with Pollard during the season. We all know he's a smaller running back at 5-foot-6, 176 pounds, but he could be a surprise playmaker in an explosive offense. I have no problem stashing him on my bench with a late-round pick, and he's worth up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Isiah Pacheco and McKinnon should be the top two running backs on the depth chart in Kansas City, but Edwards-Helaire will also play a prominent role. We know the Chiefs aren't committed to Edwards-Helaire long-term, but they will use him this season. Keep in mind that Edward-Helaire scored at least 14.9 PPR points in each of the first four games in 2022, and he's worked with the starting group plenty in practice in training camp. He's worth a late-round flier in all leagues and worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Spears is one of my favorite lottery tickets this season given his role as the No. 2 running back in Tennessee behind Derrick Henry. I hope nothing happens to Henry this season, but he's a 29-year-old running back with a lot of mileage on his body over the past three years. If he were to miss any time then Spears could step in and be a potential starter in all leagues. You'll likely have to be patient with Spears on your bench, but he offers plenty of upside given his cost on Draft Day. Spears is worth adding for at least 5 percent of your remaining FAB.
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I was more excited about Miller before he suffered a hamstring injury in practice last week, but I still think he has long-term potential in the Saints backfield. As such, he's worth a late-round flier and someone to add for 1 percent of your remaining FAB. Now, there are a lot of mouths to feed in New Orleans with Alvin Kamara, Jamaal Williams and potentially Taysom Hill, but I'm hopeful that Miller is healthy during the first three games of the season while Kamara is suspended so we can see what the rookie from TCU can do. I'm going to be patient with Miller given his upside, especially if Kamara gets hurt at some point during the year.
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I wouldn't worry about the Vikings adding Myles Gaskin as a threat to Chandler's role as the No. 2 running back behind Alexander Mattison. Kene Nwangwu (undisclosed) is on injured reserve, and seventh-round pick DeWayne McBride is on the practice squad. I would have been more concerned for Chandler if the Vikings signed Kareem Hunt, who visited Minnesota as a free agent this summer. Chandler now becomes to Mattison what Mattison was to Dalvin Cook for the past four seasons -- a lottery ticket. He's a great late-round pick in all leagues and worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Kelley should be the No. 2 running back for the Chargers this season behind Austin Ekeler, and that makes him a potential lottery ticket. The Chargers should have one of the best offenses in the NFL, and Ekeler is entering his age-28 season. We'll see if Isaiah Spiller also has a role for the Chargers this year, but Kelley is the preferred handcuff for Ekeler. He's worth adding in all leagues for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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The Rams are going with Williams as the No. 2 running back behind Cam Akers, but Williams could also have a role in the passing game this season. We'll see what Williams can do after a limited role in his rookie campaign in 2022, but the Rams need all the help they can get with Cooper Kupp (hamstring) now banged up. I'm not sure what the Rams would do if Akers got hurt since Williams doesn't profile as a lead running back, but he could be a sneaky option in PPR if he plays on third downs and in obvious passing situations. In deep PPR leagues, Williams is worth 1 percent of your FAB.
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Rachaad White is the lead running back in Tampa Bay, but we'll see what happens with the backup group of Tucker, Chase Edmonds and Ke'Shawn Vaughn. I like Tucker the best, and he likely would have been a mid-to-late-round pick in the NFL Draft if not for a heart condition he plans to play with. Tucker might not get a lot of touches early in the season, but he could have a prominent role later in the year, especially if White were to miss any time during the year. He's worth adding in deeper leagues with 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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WAIVER WIRE
Wide Receivers
Add in this order:
Week 1 Waiver Priority List
I'm not the biggest fan of the Raiders passing game with Jimmy Garoppolo under center this season, but Meyers should play a prominent role as the starter opposite Davante Adams. And Meyers could be looking at 100-plus targets, which is hard to overlook at this ADP or as someone to add with 1 percent of your remaining FAB where available. Being reunited with Josh McDaniels should be a positive for Meyers, and if Garoppolo isn't awful then Meyers might be a surprise Fantasy option.
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Collins has been one of my favorite sleepers all offseason, and I would add him where available for at least 10 percent of your remaining FAB. While the Texans receiving corps is wide open this year, Collins should emerge as the alpha of the group. C.J. Stroud will hopefully be an upgrade for this passing attack, and Collins should have a third-year breakout campaign. I expect him to become a regular starter in three-receiver PPR leagues this year.
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Moore is another one of my favorite sleepers this season, and I expect him to play a prominent role with the Browns. I would add him for at least 10 percent of your remaining FAB where available, and I love that Cleveland plans to use him in a variety of ways, especially as a weapon out of the backfield. Hopefully, we can see Moore play like he did as a rookie with the Jets when he averaged 12.6 PPR points per game in 2021.
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Doubs will hopefully not be hampered by the hamstring injury that might keep him out of Week 1 at Chicago, and I'm a little bit concerned about his outlook going into the season. There are some members of the Packers media that think Doubs can lead Green Bay in receptions this year, ahead of Christian Watson. We saw last year that Doubs got off to a hot start while Watson was struggling, and Jordan Love appears to have a great connection with Doubs already from what we saw in training camp and the preseason. I'm still going to be aggressive in targeting Doubs on Draft Day, and he's worth adding at least 10 percent of your remaining FAB where available.
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I liked Burks as a breakout candidate before DeAndre Hopkins was added in Tennessee, and then we saw Burks' ADP plummet when he suffered a knee injury in practice. He's ready for Week 1, and he could still be a solid Fantasy option even as the No. 2 receiver for the Titans. I would add him where available for up to 10 percent of your remaining FAB. I know it's hard to imagine Ryan Tannehill supporting Hopkins, Burks and potentially Chigoziem Okonkwo to a high degree, but I expect this talented group to make plays. I love stashing Burks as a No. 4 receiver with upside.
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As long as Joe Burrow (calf) is healthy the Bengals passing game should be awesome, and there's room for Boyd to make plays as the No. 3 receiver behind Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Boyd is also like a lottery ticket since he should be viewed as a handcuff should anything happen to Chase or Higgins during the season. He's a good late-round flier in all leagues, and he's worth adding where available for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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I'm hopeful rookie Zay Flowers will be the No. 1 receiver in Baltimore this year, but Bateman could still be the go-to receiver for Lamar Jackson. Remember, Bateman has the best rapport with Jackson, and last year before suffering a foot injury, Bateman had two games with at least 13 PPR points in his five healthy outings. He's a potential third-year breakout candidate in 2023, and hopefully Bateman will stay healthy all season. He's worth adding for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB where available.
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While it seems like the Jaguars replaced Jones with the addition of Calvin Ridley, don't be surprised if Jones still plays plenty of snaps and sees plenty of targets. The Jaguars still value Jones as a starter, and they are likely keeping Christian Kirk in the slot. While Jones' production should decline now that Ridley is active, he can still have a lot of quality performances while playing in an explosive offense with a quarterback on the rise in Trevor Lawrence. I have no problem drafting Jones with a late-round pick and adding him for 1 percent of your remaining FAB in all leagues.
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We'll see how long Jerry Jeudy (hamstring) is out, but Mims should play a prominent role this season even when Jeudy is back. Tim Patrick (Achilles) being out for the season will keep Mims on the field in three-receiver sets along with Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, and this is the first receiver Sean Payton added to the roster after taking over as the head coach. Mims is worth a late-round flier in all leagues, and he's worth adding for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Adam Thielen will likely be the No. 1 receiver for the Panthers this season, but Mingo is definitely worth targeting with a late-round pick in all leagues. And he's someone to add with 1 percent of your remaining FAB. D.J. Chark (hamstring) is already hurt, and Mingo will hopefully develop a quick rapport with fellow rookie Bryce Young. You'll have to be patient with Mingo early in the season, but he could become a quality playmaker as the year goes on.
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The Giants have a new top target in Darren Waller this season, and Wan'Dale Robinson and Sterling Shepard being healthy to open the year is a positive, as well as the additions of Parris Campbell and rookie Jalin Hyatt. But Hodgins should be locked into a starting role as an outside receiver, and he was great to end last year when he scored at least 14.2 PPR points in four of his final five games of the regular season. Daniel Jones trusts him, and Fantasy managers could be surprised with his production again. He's a good late-round flier and someone to add with 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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I'm excited to see the Bears passing attack improve this season with a better Justin Fields thanks to the addition of D.J. Moore. That should open up the field for Mooney as the No. 2 receiver, and hopefully he can stay healthy after dealing with an ankle injury last year. Prior to missing the final six games, Mooney had scored at least 12 PPR points in five of his previous eight outings. He could be a surprise No. 3 Fantasy receiver with a late-round pick, and he's worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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Cooper Kupp (hamstring) hopefully won't be out long, but the Rams are likely without him to open the season. That should force Matthew Stafford to use Jefferson and Puka Nacua (5 percent rostered) in prominent roles, and both are worth adding in deeper leagues. Jefferson already has a built in rapport with Stafford, and Jefferson had at least 14.8 PPR points in three of his final seven games to close the 2021 campaign. Nacua has made plays in training camp, and he seems like a rookie who could surprise this year. Both are worth adding in deeper leagues for 1 percent of your remaining FAB.
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The preseason started off great for Dell, who caught five of eight targets for 65 yards and a touchdown in his first ever NFL action against the Patriots. He cooled off after that and dealt with some tightness in his hamstring and back, but nothing has changed about his opportunity in his rookie campaign. The Texans receiving corps is wide open, and while I like Collins the best, Dell is the receiver I would draft second on this team. He should end up as a popular target for C.J. Stroud, and I expect Dell to stand out ahead of Robert Woods, Noah Brown and potentially John Metchie III as well. It's easy to target Dell with one of your last picks, and he's worth adding with up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB.
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The Packers drafted Reed in the second round of the NFL Draft from Michigan State, and he should play a prominent role right away. He'll be the No. 3 receiver behind Watson and Doubs, and Reed should get a healthy amount of targets in his rookie campaign. He had a strong training camp by all accounts, and Love should lean on him quite a bit. He's a free pick on Draft Day, and I would add him for 1 percent of your remaining FAB. He also could be in a good spot for Week 1 if Doubs is out with a hamstring injury against the Bears.
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WAIVER WIRE
Tight End
Add in this order:
Week 1 Waiver Priority List
Higbee could be a quality streaming option in Week 1 against Seattle, and he's worth adding in all leagues for 1 percent of your remaining FAB. With Kupp likely out, Higbee should be a go-to option for Stafford. And he's facing the Seahawks, who were No. 31 in Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends last year. Higbee could also play a prominent role for the Rams all season, and he's a great option to target late on Draft Day if you miss on a top-tier tight end.
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I love the upside for LaPorta in Detroit this year, and he has the chance to be a breakout candidate in all leagues. If he's still available on waivers then add him for up to 10 percent of your remaining FAB. He should see a healthy amount of targets to open the season with Jameson Williams (suspended) out, and he could prove to be a starter in all formats throughout his rookie campaign. It wouldn't be a surprise if LaPorta finished the season No. 2 in targets for the Lions behind Amon-Ra St. Brown.
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Despite the addition of Hopkins and the presence of Burks, Okonkwo should still get enough targets from Ryan Tannehill where he could be a low-end starter in all leagues. I like drafting Okonkwo with another tight end with upside -- like Dalton Kincaid or LaPorta -- and it wouldn't be a surprise to see Okonkwo as the better Fantasy option. Kyle Philips (knee) being out should help Okonkwo, and I would add him in all formats for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB.
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I like Johnson as a No. 1 Fantasy tight end this season, and I would add him where available for 5-10 percent of your remaining FAB. Johnson quietly had a nice Fantasy season in 2022, and he scored at least 11 PPR points in six of his final 10 games. He should have the chance to build on that with Carr, and we know Carr loved using his tight end with the Raiders given his rapport with Darren Waller. Now, we'll see what the Saints receiving corps looks like if Michael Thomas is healthy all season to join Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, as well as Alvin Kamara out of the backfield. But all reports this offseason and training camp have been positive for Johnson, who could be used as a big slot receiver and lead to a big jump in his production.
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Ferguson is one of my favorite sleepers this season because Dak Prescott loves using his tight ends. Since becoming the Dallas quarterback in 2016, his tight end (predominantly Jason Witten and Dalton Schultz) has been No. 2 on the team in targets in three of seven seasons. And in Prescott's rookie year in 2016, Witten was third on the team in targets with 95 but just three targets shy of leading the team. The top Cowboys tight end with Prescott has never had fewer than 83 targets in a season in six of seven years, and Schultz has posted quality stats the past three seasons, averaging 66 catches on 94 targets for 666.7 yards and 5.7 touchdowns. Dallas has a loaded receiving corps with CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup, but Ferguson should still be heavily involved. He's worth a late-round flier in all leagues and should be added for up to 5 percent of your remaining FAB.
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WAIVER WIRE
DST
- Commanders (68 percent rostered) vs. ARI
- Jaguars (58 percent rostered) at IND
- Broncos (40 percent rostered) vs. LV
- Seahawks (32 percent rostered) vs. LAR
- Vikings (15 percent rostered) vs. TB
WAIVER WIRE
KICKERS
- Cameron Dicker (60 percent rostered) vs. MIA
- Riley Patterson (49 percent rostered) vs. KC
- Jason Sanders (47 percent rostered) at LAC
- Greg Joseph (42 percent rostered) vs. TB
- Brandon McManus (36 percent rostered) at INd
