With Week 1 complete other than the MNF double-header, odds are that your league mates are rushing to the Waiver Wire looking for the next Victor Cruz. If your league is full of irrational Giants fans, then the real Victor Cruz might be on that Waiver Wire after his 3-drop performance last Wednesday. Some of the pickups you make this week could lead you to the fantasy playoffs, and others will be dropped after Week 2, but this is not the time to sit still. If one of your late round picks (Rueben Randle, Ronnie Hillman, Felix Jones, etc.) showed no promise, don’t hesitate to cut them loose for a Week 1 stud who has the ability and situation to keep it up. You might find the next 2010 Peyton Hillis, or you might find the next 2010 Brandon Jackson, but it’s much easier to drop Jackson than it is to regret not picking up Hillis.
PPR Leagues – Coby Fleener
The biggest pickup of the week in PPR leagues will undoubtedly be Kevin Ogletree, but I view his Week 1 performance as a product of a banged up Giants secondary as well as a limited Jason Witten. Let the rest of your league waste waiver priorities and FAAB dollars on the one-week wonders, and invest your money in Fleener. If Week 1 is any indication, the Colts will need to pass a lot this year, and Andrew Luck knows Fleener better than any of his other weapons. Luck targeted Fleener 10 times for 6 receptions, putting him second in the TE ranks in both stats. Austin Collie will be returning at some point, but he should steal his targets from Donnie Avery or Reggie Wayne, leaving Fleener as a startable TE in any PPR league.
Two QB Leagues – Mark Sanchez
I’m as surprised as you are. Honestly I don’t know if the Sanchize will throw 3 TDs for the rest of the season, let alone in one game, but he’s likely the best QB available on the Waiver Wire in Two QB Leagues. I can’t tell if the Jets were pulling a fast one on the rest of the NFL during the preseason, or if the Bills defense isn’t as good as advertised, but this one came out of nowhere. The Jets face some tough defenses this year, but they get Miami twice and the Colts once over the next seven weeks, along with a Pats defense that let up the second most passing yards in 2011. You’ll have to stomach the interceptions, but without a real running game, and with much less Tebow than expected, Sanchez might be startable over the next two months.
Return Yardage Leagues – David Wilson
There’s no crying in football! Well, except if you’re David Wilson or one of his owners. After being drafted in most leagues, Wilson had a debut performance where he got exactly two carries and then was benched after fumbling. And while he was benched from the offense, Wilson still returned kicks for the rest of the game for the G-Men. No one wants to waste a bench spot on a player in Red-Faced Coughlin’s Dog House, but there is still upside with Wilson. Ahmad Bradshaw has never had to carry the load by himself, and he’s already dealt with a hand injury during the preseason, so there’s a very good chance that the Giants will have to rely on their first round pick at some point this season. With leagues that give points for return yards, Wilson is still a must-own, so either scoop him up off the Waiver Wire or make a low-ball offer to his owner while they’re still wiping away the tears.
IDP Leagues – Koa Misi
The Dolphins are going to have a Hard Knock Life of a season, but their players still have fantasy value. I’m not going anywhere near any offensive player other than Reggie Bush, but the defense has some intriguing players, starting with Misi. Drafted as a 3-4 OLB for his pass-rush ability, Misi has mostly disappointed over his first two seasons, never picking up more than 29 tackles or 4.5 sacks. With the Fins switching to a 4-3 scheme this year, Misi is playing a more traditional linebacker role, and the move paid off in Week 1, as he racked up 10 solo tackles, more than doubling his career high. He may not get the pass-rush opportunities needed for a high sack total, as Miami will be trailing in most games, but Misi should be a nice source of tackles available on the Waiver Wire.
If you have any league types that you would like to see covered in this space, please post it in the Comments.
