This time next week, fantasy managers everywhere will be scrambling to make waiver wire moves. So before Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season kicks off, let’s look at some waiver moves you might consider before they become obvious.
Last week, I wrote an article on six late-round fliers to pay attention to early in 2022. With Week 1 of the NFL season here, I'll add a few more players that may gain momentum in Week 1.
Quarterback
Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints
The Saints open their season at Atlanta in Week 1, setting the stage for a productive start. Winston hasn't played in an NFL game since October 31 of last season. In the National Fantasy Football Championship in late August, he was the 20th-ranked quarterback. If Michael Thomas flashes in Week 1, the Winston bets in the fantasy market will rise. The Saints' offense may look sluggish on the opening weekend until their receivers get in tune with their recovering quarterback. New Orleans’ receiving corps runs five deep, giving Winston many favorable matchups in 2022.
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Running Backs
Kenyan Drake, Baltimore Ravens
Over the past couple of weeks, there could be a window in which Drake wasn’t drafted after the Raiders released him. In addition, he could get released in some leagues that run their first waiver wire before Week 1. The running back situation for the Ravens looks murky, with J.K. Dobbins expected to miss some games to start the season. Mike Davis should start in Week 1, but his overall game lacks explosiveness with a low ceiling. Drake is a much better player with plenty of experience in the passing game. Even with minimal snaps in Week 1, I would expect Drake to offer some playable games over the next month or so. The knee issue for Dobbins may end up lingering all season, leading to him delivering a disappointing year.
Ronald Jones, Kansas City Chiefs
Despite expecting to be cut by the Chiefs after the preseason, Jones remains on the opening day roster. The running rotation in Week 1 for Kansas City should be interesting to watch. The player to follow is rookie Isiah Pacheco, based on his preseason press. If he is inactive in Week 1 or Jones gets the RB2 snaps for Kansas City, the price of business to acquire Jones goes up. If you play in a short roster format, it may be wise to take a flier on him before eyes are on him in the free agent market.
Wide Receivers
Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars awarded Jones with a nice three-year deal for $24 million in the offseason after playing well late in 2021 (47/546/1). He played at a high level in his final two seasons at East Carolina (98/1,099/5 and 158/1,746/8), leading to a second-round draft tag in 2017. Buffalo gave him a reasonable chance in 2018 (56/652/7 on 102 targets), but Jones played his way to bench status over the past three seasons. The summer reports with Trevor Lawrence have been positive, and Jacksonville shipped Laviska Shenault to the Panthers late in August to increase Jones’s value and opportunity. Many drafters have gravitated toward Christian Kirk after the deal, but Jones is the player who should see the most significant bump in chances. I view Jones as a 5/50 type wideout who will offer bye-week coverage in 2022. If Marvin Jones has any regression, Jones’s value will push even higher.
Jamison Crowder, Buffalo Bills
The first NFL matchup on Thursday night is a free peek game in the high-stakes market. If any player on the Bills or Rams scores 15 or more fantasy points in PPR leagues, they would become a live start. Isaiah McKenzie has been the buzz slot guy for Buffalo this summer, but Crowder has the better NFL resume. He offers no value in short formats, but his WR7 status in the NFFC makes him worth a $1 bid for Week 1 just in case he sees the field more than expected.
Tight End
Noah Fant, Seattle Seahawks
It was sad to see Fant’s ADP wilt in late August as astute fantasy experts harped on his lack of route running in the preseason. Not too long ago (2018), the Broncos drafted him with the 20th overall pick. He has the foundation feel of a developing impact tight end who played in a below-par passing attack. His opportunity doesn’t look much better in Seattle, but Fant does have an established floor in 2020 (62/673/3) and 2021 (68/670/4) while playing with Drew Lock. At the very least, he is a viable backup tight end who may not get drafted in some home leagues.
