After a long off-season it’s finally here, it’s football season! Although your draft will provide the core of your fantasy rosters, it’s vital to constantly improve your roster, taking advantage of good match-ups and future opportunities. Every week, I’ll be bringing you an article answering two simple questions: who should I stream this week and who should I stash for the future?
To keep things simple, we’ll define a streamer as any player you wouldn’t usually start who is a viable option for this week. They may be on your bench or they may be on waivers, depending on your league. We’ll define a stash as any player you can potentially find on waivers that you should stash for the future, either because they have a favorable match-up coming up, or because they could become a future fantasy starter.
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QB Streamers:
Trevor Lawrence (JAC): The Jaguars face the mediocre Panthers offense in Week 1. Carolina conceded the third most points to quarterbacks last season and have done little to improve their defense. Meanwhile, Lawrence gets a major receiving upside in Travis Hunter which should stimulate a passing game that stagnated at times last season. Vegas lines imply the Jaguars will be the 6th highest scoring team this week so Lawrence is a great Week 1 streamer if you lack a reliable option.
Jordan Love (GB): The Packers host the Lions, a defense that was terrible against the pass but excellent against the run last year. Green Bay enters a possible shootout as favorites, with Vegas suggesting this will be the second highest scoring game of the year. Jordan Love will need to throw for multiple touchdowns and 300-odd yards to make that happen. That makes him a great upside streaming option in Week 1.
QB Stashes:
I don’t typically like the idea of stashing quarterbacks, but if you missed out on the Top 8 passers, it makes sense to start the season with a bench QB to increase your chances of finding a stud. Here’s my fave options that may be available on waivers:
Caleb Williams (CHI): Available in shallower leagues, Caleb Williams is a great stash for fantasy, but I’d want to see week 1 before throwing him into lineups. The injection of Colston Loveland and Luther Burden, supplemented by Ben Johnson’s play-calling, an upgraded O-line and a likely second-year jump for Rome Odunze should lead to a significant improvement in the Bears quarterback’s production. He was a top 10 quarterback for me entering the season and I highly recommend stashing him if he’s available.
JJ McCarthy (MIN): Rostered in only a third of leagues, JJ McCarthy is a fantastic stash in all league sizes. After redshirting his rookie year, McCarthy enters an offense that made perennial underachiever Sam Darnold the QB8. At Michigan, McCarthy also showed solid rushing potential giving him a generally solid floor. But it’s the upside that intrigues me about the youngster. The combination of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Adam Thielen and TJ Hockenson should provide McCarthy with a heap of scoring opportunities this season. So get him on your bench.
RB Streamers:
Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby (JAC): The Panthers were generous to quarterbacks last season, but they were downright careless against running backs. Carolina conceded 3.5 more running back points per game than the next worst team. That’s a bigger gap than 2nd to 12th! Now the return of Derrick Brown will certainly help turn things around, but with Jacksonville projected to score a healthy 25 points this week, I’m banking on sizeable contributions from Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby. I’m not going out of my way to start either, but I do think they’re both viable options if you’re struggling at the position.
Jaylen Warren (PIT): Mike Tomlin has been very consistent in his messaging that Jaylen Warren will be the lead back in Pittsburgh. Warren has been at the top of the depth chart all season (with Kaleb Johnson still the RB3 behind Kenneth Gainwell). This was reflected in his pre-season usage, then they just gave Warren a new two-year extension before HC Tomlin announced that Warren would be the clear lead back in Pitt. He’s a solid RB2/flex option despite a middling matchup against the Jets.
RB Stashes:
Javonte Williams (DAL): I planned listing Javonte Williams here before TNF, as he was a Top 30 RB for me entering draft season. I think Week 1 has done the arguing for me. He’ll likely be the number one waiver wire add in shallower leagues.
Nick Chubb (HOU): I nearly listed Nick Chubb as a streamer but I’m just a little nervous in how he will be used in the Texans’s Mixon-free offense. Dameon Pierce and Woody Marks are hanging around but I think it’s possible Chubb gets the every-down role, making him an excellent stash, as he should be far more effective another year recovered from his knee injury.
Running backs get injured more than any other player in fantasy, with the average Top 36 running back missing two games per season in fantasy. For that reason, your best bet in fantasy is to roster running backs who are an injury away from an every down role. Each week, I’ll be listing my favorite RB stashes, only including players you won’t be starting most weeks.
Top Handcuffs: Jordan Mason, Zach Charbonnet, Rico Dowdle, Brian Robinson, Rachaad White, DJ Giddens, Braelon Allen, Ray Davis, Najee Harris, Kaleb Johnson, Kendre Miller, Trey Benson, Ollie Gordon, Kareem Hunt, Blake Corum, Keaton Mitchell
WR Streamers:
Matthew Golden (GB): I wouldn’t usually recommend starting a rookie in his debut when his role isn’t yet clearly defined, but Matthew Golden’s Packers host one of the league’s most generous secondaries, Detroit. The Lions have conceded Top 4 points to wide receivers each of the last three years and that seems unlikely to change. With Jayden Reed hobbled by a foot injury and Christian Watson out for the season, the rookie has a golden opportunity (pun intended) to make an immediate statement in the NFL. Expect some big play opportunities and a good chance of a Week 1 touchdown.
Olamide Zaccheaus (CHI): Here’s a super-deep streaming option for your first week (he’s owned in just 0.2% of leagues). The Bears face the league’s most generous secondary in Minnesota and I know what you’re thinking, all three Chicago starters are rostered in my league. That’s where you’re wrong! Olamide Zaccheaus was obviously the slot receiver throughout the pre-season, with Luther Burden the WR5 on the official depth chart. And we know how much Ben Johnson loves using his slot receiver! There’s an opportunity here in deeper leagues if you need a last-minute pickup.
WR Stashes:
Quentin Johnston (LAC): Former first rounder Quentin Johnston has enjoyed a great pre-season, locking up the X receiver job while rookie Tre Harris fights with Keenan Allen for the other outside receiver spot. How targets and routes are handed out remains to be seen, but Johnston has a real chance of being the number two guy in a Chargers offense expected to take a step up this season.
Cedric Tillman (CLE): Cedric Tillman had three huge weeks last year before an injury knocked him out for the season. This year he’s back, and he’s the clear number two wide receiver in what should be a relatively pass-heavy offense that will need to chase points. It’s worth seeing how week one pans out but I think Tillman’s someone well worth stashing on your bench, as the upside is immense if things click for him.
TE Streamers:
Cade Otton (TB): There’s a proverb that says when the cat’s away, the mice will play. Well in Tampa, when the wide receivers are away, Cade Otton plays, and plays well. In the eight weeks between Chris Godwin’s injury and Otton himself getting injured, the Buccaneer was the TE8. Godwin remains out of the lineup and it seems Emeka Egbuka will replace Jalen McMillan out wide, leaving a lot of room in the middle of the field for Otton and the underwhelming Sterling Shepard. Otton could easily have a big week 1.
Brenton Strange (JAC): Brenton Strange consistently out-performed Evan Engram last season, with four top ten finishes to one, despite Engram starting significantly more games. Strange is a fantastic, sneaky streamer or stash. He faces the generous Panthers in week one but even if you don’t need him, stash him on your bench. He could easily finish the year as a top ten tight end.
TE Stashes:
Darren Waller (MIA): Last season, Jonnu Smith finished as the TE4 in fantasy, before shipping off to Pittsburgh. His replacement is Darren Waller. The veteran clearly isn’t in game shape yet, but later in the season he could be a real league winner. I’m stashing him in every league where I don’t have a top three tight end.
K Streamers:
Cam Little (JAC): Are you seeing the theme? It’s ‘start players against the Panthers’. It worked last season and until I see reasons to change it, I’m doing the same this year.
Will Reichard (MIN): Stream Will Reichard. The Vikings kicker was excellent in fantasy last year and starts the season off with a juicy kicker matchup.
DST Streamers:
Cardinals DST (ARI): Spencer Rattler is the worst starting quarterback in the NFL, so I’m starting the Cardinals DST, who face him in Week 1.
Commanders DST (WAS): Spencer Rattler may be the worst starter, but Russell Wilson isn’t a lot better at this stage of his career. Vegas has New York as one of the league’s lowest scoring teams and I also expect some sack production.
Please note: I won’t be listing kicker or DST stashes. You should never put kickers or DSTs on your bench in redraft leagues. There are practically no exceptions. Just please, don’t do it.
If you have questions on your drafts and leagues, make sure you hit me up on Instagram @TheFantasyFirstDown or on Twitter @FantasyFirstDwn. Also make sure you check out my dynasty and weekly rankings plus my Youtube. Lastly, make sure you check out all the amazing tools available on the Razzball website. They’re great for making start/sit decisions.
