The first week of football is only days away from beginning. The vast majority of fantasy football teams are drafted, but likely need a tweak. This is where the weekly waiver wire picks come into play. Each week players will be recommended based on performance, trends and new opportunities. Wherever your roster has a weak spot, the waiver wire picks are here to elevate you to the next level.
Quarterback
Dak Prescott DAL
Prescott has been handed the reins to an offense with the makings of a juggernaut. The offensive line is one of the top units in the NFL. Dez Bryant is a top-10 receiver when healthy. Ezekiel Elliott has the look of a back that could perennially push into the top 3.
Prescott is not a highly touted rookie, but his preseason play turned heads. The fact that he can run adds an extra dimension to his game. This should soften the steep learning curve of starting in the NFL. The job may not be his to keep, but for a few weeks Prescott is well worth a look.
Carson Wentz PHI
The plan for Philadelphia was supposedly to develop Wentz for at least a season behind Sam Bradford. A first round pick in return for Bradford was too much to pass up. Bradford will be starting for the Vikings this season and the rookie will take over for week 1. Wentz may have some serious growing pains as he did not see high-level competition in college.
Working in his favor will be the fact that he has some safety valves for short passes. Ryan Mathews, Darren Sproles and Zach Ertz should see a lot of passes early in the season. Only deeper league players should be considering Wentz at the moment. Rookies always pose some risk, but there is matchup based upside here.
Jimmy Garopollo NE
Tom Brady is the face of the Patriots and the roster is tailored to his playing style. On the flipside there are some nice offensive pieces in place. Gronkowski is a matchup nightmare regardless of the starting quarterback. James White will also be useful in the short passing game.
Everyone has seen Bill Belichick go a whole season with Matt Cassel at quarterback. Cassel did so well that other teams were clamoring for his services. This all points to a decent outcome for Brady's understudy in the first four weeks of the season.
Tight End
Jared Cook GB
Size and athleticism have put Cook in the conversation of breakout candidates for several years. He may finally have a chance to live up to his potential with the Packers. Aaron Rodgers has a full complement of talent with the return of Jordy Nelson.
This will mean less targets to go around for everyone, however it also means someone will be open on many plays. Cook is a mismatch for linebackers and safeties. The potential makes Cook worth a look early in the season.
Clive Walford OAK
Last season it appeared that Walford was a good bet to be a star at tight end, but that talk dissipated quickly as he was slowed by injury. Getting back into the swing of the offense is difficult for a rookie and Walford's progress came too slowly. Walford did see an average of five targets per game over the last 5 weeks, though.
This year the coaches have sounded pleased with Walford's progress. He will likely be the top receiving tight end. The Raiders are an up and coming offense and Walford could be one of the key pieces. Derek Carr believers should grab Walford as a cheap tight end option.
Jesse James PIT
Presumed starter Ladarius Green is going to miss at least the first six weeks of the season. With few other options, Jesse James looks like he is going to be the starter at tight end. The Steelers were already missing Martavis Bryant and LeVeon Bell, so there will be opportunities for someone to make plays on offense.
The departure of Heath Miller leaves Roethlisberger without his safety blanket and that should mean more targets for James.
Grab And Stash
Virgil Green DEN
Green has little track record as a productive tight end, but he has the starting job in Denver. In the preseason, Green converted all 10 targets to receptions. There is a great deal of potential here because Denver needs a red zone weapon other than Demaryius Thomas.
Developing a rapport with Trevor Siemian will be key to Green's success. Keep an eye on Green because he could become a solid tight end option this season.
