The first couple weeks are where you should spend at least fifty percent of your Free Agent Auction Budget. Yeah, I said Half. At least. Spend that money. These early weeks are mas importante. Don’t worry about dropping the money on the top guys because isn’t it better to have them and drop them than not have a possible lottery ticket? But it does seem a bit weird. We’re not taught to spend all our money right away. We’re supposed to save some for a rainy day. You can, but experience has shown me that the most valuable guys come after the first couple weeks and very often after week one. You don’t need money once the season is over (and if you don’t get one of these guys your seasons may be over a lot sooner than you think), so don’t worry about spending it now.
If you want an FAAB lesson check out the preseason column is here. Now let’s get to the good stuff. You know these guys because everyone can’t stop talking about them. Here are the top waiver adds and what should you pay (assuming $100 FAAB Budget):
Gold (sure is shiny):
Kerwynn Williams ($36)
Kenny Golladay ($23)
(Note: If you own David Johnson and/or Allen Robinson you should consider going $5 extra)
Williams is the must add this week. Johnson is going to be out a month at minimum even if a second opinion lets him heal quicker. This injury is killer and I feel bad for his owners (of course I’m one, in my biggest money league). Golladay still has to share the ball with Golden Tate and Marvin Jones and that worries me more than his talent. He’s a WR3 in the near term and could be a WR2 by the end of the season…on the other hand he also could have peaked week one, but that’s the chance we take, amirite?
Silver (is still nice):
Tarik Cohen ($17)
Kendall Wright ($11)
Someone has to be the number one receiver in Chicago is the only reason for Wright. Cohen is going to play on passing downs as Jordan Howard can’t catch to save his life (dropped a pass inside the 5) and the Bears stink, so Cohen should be on the field a fair amount. He’s a flex play at best this season.
Bronze (why we hating on bronze? Maybe because it turns that nasty green color over time?)
Allen Hurns ($7)
Cooper Kupp ($7)
Alvin Kamara ($6)
Nelson Agholor ($6)
Andre Ellington ($5)
Javoris Allen ($5)
Marlon Mack ($5)
Benny Fowler ($4)
Charles Clay($3)
Kupp is a guy who could be a low-end WR2 best case scenario, but most likely he settles in as a WR3, or bye week fill in; he’s priced as the latter. Not an Allen fan; if was any good they wouldn’t have signed Woodhead in the first place. Woodhead’s injury should open the door for the Wideouts and Terrance West. Kamara and Mack are both upside stashes; if you have the roster room or miss out on the top guys these two are going to be plays later the season. Benny Folwer is stealing touchdowns from Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas (I’m a little bitter) and maybe him and Simien have a groovy kind of thing going on, so he’s another speculative add. Clay gets no respect, but he’s going to be a top seven tight end season and he’ll cost you next to nothing.
You know, no one in these top groups really excites me (because if they did, there would be a platinum tier) but I know that at least one of these guys is going to be valuable all season long. So try for a couple (or all of them, if you have the guys to drop).
$2 Defenses (get a jump on your opponent if playing the defensive shuffle):
Oakland (vs New York Jets); Baltimore (vs Cleveland); Tampa Bay (vs Chicago)
For a Buck:
Marquise Lee, Sam Bradford, Alex Smith, Chris Thompson, Corey Davis, Danny Amendola
All guys if you need to fill some bench spots, go ahead. Lee I like the most and his opportunity maybe here with Robinson out. Thompson is the same guy he was last year; worth owning if Washington is down. Outside of that, I wouldn’t mess with him but if you like him, a dollar is fine. There’s a lot of QBs out there; Smith gets the Eagles so another good game is possible; Bradford has a much tougher assignment going to Pittsburgh. Davis has upside and is worth a dollar if you need to fill a roster spot. Amendola has a concussion and usually is hurt thus I advise avoiding him, but it’s your dollar.
You know it’s my English teachers that make me have to write a conclusion, or maybe it’s that I like to share. I wouldn’t call myself an over-sharer because to me that’s strange. Nobody wants to know everything about you when you meet them. Leave a little mystery, right? Well it’s no mystery (I really hope you’re shaking your head) that at least one of the guys on the above list will bust out this season and finish top ten at their position. Here’s hoping we all get one!
