The 2024 NFL season has kicked off with a mix of thrilling games, disappointing performances, and some significant injury concerns. As fantasy managers and teams assess their lineups, here’s a look at my advice on filling the gaps left by key players such as Puka Nacua and Jordan Love.

Week 1 Fantasy Football Recap

Performance: In Week 1, my Starts/Sits selections achieved a 67.1% accuracy rate, significantly outperforming NFL.com’s accuracy of 54.0%. Game picks also had a high accuracy rate, going 12/14, or 85.7%.

Key Hits:

Mike Evans and Chris Godwin were both recommended starts and didn’t disappoint. Evans posted 23.1 PPR points, while Godwin added 22.3 PPR points.

Alvin Kamara was a stellar pick, delivering 22.0 PPR points. His performance proved crucial for fantasy managers who trusted him.

Joe Mixon also shined with 26.8 PPR points. His standout performance in a revamped Houston offense highlighted his value in the early season.

Insightful Decisions:

Chuba Hubbard was another crucial call. Advising to sit him proved advantageous as he underperformed compared to projections. NFL.com recommended starting him, but my recommendation to bench Hubbard proved to be the correct call.

Looking Ahead:

With Week 1’s success setting a positive tone, the goal is to build on this momentum. Stay tuned for Week 2’s Starts/Sits recommendations.

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Waiver Wire Adds

Quarterbacks

Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers (35% Rostered)

Baker had a stellar performance in Week 1 against the Commanders, throwing for 289 yards and 4 touchdowns. However, his Week 2 matchup against the Detroit Lions will be tougher. The Lions have significantly improved their defense since their last meeting, where Mayfield threw for 349 yards and 3 touchdowns. Expect some regression from Mayfield, but he remains a viable backup option or starter for those in need of a quarterback.

Derek Carr, Saints (10% Rostered)

Dating back to the final four games of the 2023-2024 season, Derek Carr has statistically been one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He leads in passing touchdowns (15), passer rating (129.0), and completion percentage (76.2%). If he continues to play at this high level and maintain ball security, he is definitely worth a roster spot in fantasy leagues.

Running Backs

Jordan Mason, 49ers (58% Rostered)

“Thank you, Captain Obvious”—you, probably. Mason had an exceptional game filling in for starting running back Christian McCaffrey, rushing 28 times for 147 yards and 1 touchdown. With McCaffrey potentially missing Week 2, you should be rushing to the waivers to pick up Mason if he is still available in your league.

J.K. Dobbins, Chargers (51% Rostered)

I had advised sitting all Chargers running backs for Week 1 due to the uncertainty of touches between J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. Dobbins narrowly out-touched Edwards 13-12 but made the most of his opportunities. He rushed for 135 yards and 1 touchdown while adding 3 receptions for 4 yards. Under Jim Harbaugh’s offense, Dobbins will continue to get a good workload and should make him a viable fantasy option moving forward.

Tank Bigsby, Jaguars (6% Rostered)

Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne both received 12 carries against the Dolphins, but Bigsby looked better on the ground, rushing for 73 yards compared to Etienne’s 44. While an even split isn’t expected in every game, Bigsby is showing that he has a higher upside this season than last. If you have an open roster spot, he’s worth picking up as a potential high-reward player or a solid handcuff for Etienne.

Bucky Irving, Buccaneers (21% Rostered)

Bucky was undeniably the more efficient back compared to starting running back Rachaad White, averaging 6.9 yards per carry versus White’s 2.1 yards per carry. Although Bucky is firmly behind White on the depth chart, if White continues to struggle in the run game, Bucky could see an increase in touches. He’s definitely worth stashing if you have the space on your roster.

Wide Receivers

Brandin Cooks, Cowboys (33% Rostered)

Brandin Cooks had a solid performance against a tough Browns defense, catching 4 passes on 7 targets for 40 yards and a touchdown. With defenses likely focusing on shutting down CeeDee Lamb each week and Jake Ferguson possibly missing time, Cooks has the opportunity to be a reliable WR3/FLEX option with upside on a weekly basis

Demarcus Robinson, Rams (7% Rostered)

Puka Nacua went down with a knee injury at halftime of the Rams vs. Lions game and has been placed on IR, sidelining him for a minimum of 4 weeks. This injury boosts Cooper Kupp’s stock, as he will be the primary target in the Rams’ passing game. Additionally, Demarcus Robinson could benefit from Nacua’s absence; he was targeted 7 times on Sunday and caught 4 passes for 42 yards. Another name to watch is Tyler Johnson (1% rostered), who could see increased opportunities and is worth keeping an eye on going forward.


Greg Dortch, Cardinals (5% Rostered)

Greg Dortch saw 8 targets, just one behind TE Trey McBride for the team lead. Dortch caught 6 of those passes for 47 yards, which led the team in receiving yards. His usage is a promising sign, and while I anticipate Marvin Harrison Jr. will become more involved as the season progresses (he only had 3 targets in Week 1), Dortch’s role in an improved passing attack for 2024 makes him a player with notable upside.


Wan’Dale Robinson, Giants (10% Rostered)

Buyer beware: we’re talking about the Giants here, where Daniel Jones had an awful performance, completing just 22 of 42 passes for 186 yards, 0 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, and a passer rating of 44.3. Despite the struggles, there were two bright spots on the offense. Rookie receiver Malik Nabers, and Wan’Dale Robinson, who received 12 targets and caught 6 of those for 44 yards, while also adding 14 rushing yards on one carry. Robinson isn’t a must-add this week, but if his high target volume continues, he could be worth a look in deeper leagues.

Tight Ends

Isaiah Likely, Ravens (29% Rostered)

Isaiah Likely was unstoppable against the Chiefs, going for 111 yards on 11 receptions with a touchdown. He was on the field for nearly 69% of all offensive snaps, and showcased a spectucular catch radius. Star tight end Mark Andrews is likely to be much more involved going forwards (and hopefully will not be playing any more left tackle), but the Ravens seem very content with making Likely a big part of the passing attack. He is my priority pick-up for this week.

Colby Parkinson, Rams (6% Rostered)

Similar to Demarcus Robinson (listed above), Colby Parkinson could benefit from the absence of Puka Nacua, who is on IR for at least 4 weeks. Parkinson has shown strong chemistry with Matthew Stafford, catching 4 of his 5 targets for 47 yards in Week 1, which made him the TE7 for the week in PPR leagues. Given the increased opportunities in the passing game, Parkinson is worth considering if you lost your starting tight end to injury this week.

Kickers

Chris Boswell, Steelers (5% Rostered)

Kickers are often a matchup-based decision, which is why I am only including one in my priority waiver pickups. However, when a kicker makes 3 field goals of 50+ yards, goes 6 for 6 overall, and accounts for all of their team’s points, they deserve attention regardless of the matchup. With Pittsburgh’s strong defense and sub-par offense, this usually translates into consistent scoring opportunities for the kicker. Boswell should be rostered going forward.

Other Kickers to consider: Cameron Dicker, LAC (49% Rostered), Blake Grupe, NO (3% Rostered), Cairo Santos, CHI (25% Rostered)

Defense/Special Teams

Los Angeles Chargers (14% Rostered)

The Chargers had four sacks, forced three turnovers,and surrendered just 10 points in their opener against the Raiders. Next up they have a Panthers team who put together 193 yards of offense against the Saints. The Chargers rank as a top 5 defense this week.

Indianapolis Colts (8% Rostered)

The Colts are set to face the Packers this week, who will start QB Malik Willis in place of the injured Jordan Love, should he be sidelined for this game. In his 12-game career, Willis has struggled, completing just 35 of 67 passes for 350 yards, with no touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s also been sacked 15 times. The Colts would rank as a top-10 defense this week if Jordan Love is out.