Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season is within the books, Monday Evening Soccer apart. Which means it's time for the primary run of waivers. Each play on this article is accessible in not less than half of all Yahoo leagues. Gamers inside every place are typically ordered by FAAB/waiver precedence.
▶ Quarterback
Tyler Shough, Saints
The Saints ran 81 offensive performs of their Week 1 shootout with the Lions. They ran 13 extra performs than every other staff, although making it deep into extra time actually helps. Kellen Moore dialed up the quickest offense within the NFL final yr. They remained a fast-paced unit in Week 1, and their go fee over anticipated went from -2.9% in 2025 to +4.1% on Sunday. If that holds, this would be the highest passing quantity staff of the season. Shough struggled mightily within the first half versus Detroit however turned issues round late within the recreation, leading to a barely constructive EPA per dropback. That plus the passing quantity is sufficient to get him within the QB1 combine subsequent week.
Bryce Younger, Panthers
I’ll admit that I’m skeptical Younger can maintain his elite Week 1 displaying, but it surely's arduous to oversell how good the outcomes had been. He threw for 361 yards and three scores whereas additionally punching in a fourth on the bottom. The Bears’ protection performed poorly and their offense practically scored 60, creating the proper setting to pressure the Panthers to attain factors of their very own. That received’t occur each week. Alternatively, Younger ranked eighth in EPA per dropback, ninth in CPOE, and seventh in PFF passing grade, pending Monday's recreation. It was an incredible displaying from him. He’s coming into his fourth season and is working with a pair of ascending wideouts in Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker. Perhaps that is his breakout yr.
Malik Willis, Dolphins
Willis is available in a tier or two beneath the earlier two streaming quarterbacks. As anticipated, the Dolphins had been extraordinarily run-heavy in Week 1, logging a -3.7% PROE. He tried simply 27 passes, was sacked 5 instances, and threw one interception. On the plus facet, Willis rushed six instances for 39 yards and a landing. Pending Monday Evening Soccer, he had the third-most scrambles in Week 1. Willis’s struggles as a passer will stop him from cracking the QB1 ranks, however he’s a superb QB2 possibility.
▶ Operating Again
Kaelon Black, 49ers
The 49ers have a locked-in RB2. Jordan James was a wholesome scratch whereas Black out-carried Christian McCaffrey 14-10. That is unprecedented utilization for McCaffrey’s backup.
s RB Kaelon Black completed with 14 carries for 65 yards. Christian McCaffrey had 10 carries for 68 yards.
Together with playoffs, that is the primary time {that a} 49er had extra dashing makes an attempt than McCaffrey in a recreation that CMC performed in (and didn't exit attributable to harm) since 2022…
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) 6
McCaffrey was reportedly coping with cramps in a recreation midway throughout the globe, so it’s most likely protected to imagine he’ll return to main the staff in carries subsequent week. Nonetheless, his effectivity numbers cratered in 2025 and he appeared phenomenal in Week 1, so a touches cut up would possibly make sense for him. Black may have some standalone worth going ahead and is the very best contingent guess on waivers. When it comes to FAAB, Black could in the end get over-hyped. If CMC does flip him in carries subsequent week, he’s barely a viable FLEX possibility. That is roughly a 20% spend for me.
Tyler Allgeier, Cardinals
Allgeier out-carried Jeremiyah Love 17-11, although each backs acquired crimson zone alternatives and Love was the one one to money in. Love additionally noticed 4 targets to Allgeier’s two. With Love nonetheless working by way of his preseason ankle harm on Sunday, it made sense for the Cardinals to ease his workload, particularly in a recreation they inexplicably received. The Cardinals get brutal matchups with the Seahawks and 49ers arising, so it’s arduous to think about Allgeier pushing wherever shut to twenty touches in both of his subsequent two video games. He will probably be a two-down RB4 for Week 2, however that is likely to be a helpful waiver wire add for some fantasy managers.
Braelon Allen, Jets
Allen’s 10 carries for 40 scoreless yards deserve a point out, even when he’s not on the fantasy radar for Week 2. Breece Corridor ran the ball 22 instances, earned 4 targets, and noticed all the objective line work. Allen was solely focused as soon as. The Jets dealt with enterprise in opposition to the Titans in Week 1 however are nonetheless 4.5-point canine to the Packers subsequent week. Assuming Vegas is right, there will probably be manner fewer carries to go round on this backfield. Allen is the clear handcuff to Corridor however nothing extra.
Kendre Miller, Saints
Miller cut up carries evenly with Travis Etienne in Week 1. Each backs noticed 9 makes an attempt and Miller was the one who punched in a crimson zone rating. Even third-string operating again CJ Donaldson acquired within the combine for 2 carries plus two targets. This backfield is simply going to get messier when Alvin Kamara returns, which ought to occur subsequent week. Miller is value an add in deeper leagues, however his worth will doubtless take successful in Week 2.
▶ Extensive Receiver
Caleb Douglas, Dolphins
Scorching off an electrical coaching camp, Douglas drew the beginning and ran a route on 86 % of Willis's dropbacks. He earned 26 % goal share and a monstrous 40 % first-read goal share. Douglas turned this function into 5 catches for 94 yards. Miami’s run-first offense will probably be a problem for Douglas and the remainder of the pass-catchers within the long-run, however a Day Two rookie is the point of interest of a staff’s passing assault in Week 1. That could be a clear goal off the waiver wire, no matter what number of instances the staff throws. Douglas is the No. 1 FAAB precedence this week, barely forward of Black.
Deebo Samuel, 49ers
De’Zhaun Stribling is predicted to overlook an prolonged time period with an ankle harm he suffered in Week 1. Samuel solely ran half of the routes in Week 1, splitting the WR2 function with Demarcus Robinson. On the plus facet, Samuel tied Mike Evans at seven targets and posted a 6/48/1 receiving line. He additionally turned his lone carry right into a 12-yard acquire. Samuel’s route share ought to develop with Stribling out and he already appeared good on a per-route foundation. Samuel is barely accessible in over half of Yahoo leagues, however he’s shaping as much as be a WR3/4 if you will get him.
Devaughn Vele, Saints
With Jordyn Tyson on IR, Vele took over the No. 2 function on a Saints staff that was about to go greater than every other squad within the league. He performed extraordinarily effectively, turning his 9 targets and 70 air yards right into a 7/69/1 receiving line. Vele ran a route on 92 % of Shough’s dropbacks. He isn’t essentially the most thrilling add, however Vele appears to be like like a WR4 in one other potential shootout with the Ravens subsequent week.
Tre Harris, Chargers
Ladd McConkey went down with a chest harm within the third quarter. Harris and Quentin Johnston every logged a 77 % route fee. Each gamers noticed six targets, although neither did a lot with them. Harris was nominally extra productive, catching three of his appears to be like for 20 yards. Harris posted absurd numbers in faculty and was drafted within the second spherical. He didn’t do a lot as a rookie, however a McConkey harm may clear the way in which for a second-year breakout.
Dontayvion Wicks, Eagles
As anticipated, Wicks operated because the Eagles’ No. 2 receiver, operating 91 % of the routes. He was primarily a deep risk. Wicks had an aDOT of 21.8 and was focused on a measly 13 % of his routes. He, after all, acquired house with a 64-yard landing on one among his two receptions.
Dontayvion Wicks stated postgame that he was truly operating a clear-out route on his 64-yard catch vs. WAS.
The ball by no means got here his manner after they repped the play in observe.
"It was all the time simply getting out of the way in which, however you by no means know with 1 [Hurts.] He would possibly put it up there… h
— EJ Smith (@EJSmith94) 6
Wicks is an efficient deep risk, however he’s going to be extraordinarily irritating to roster on a weekly foundation.
Kalif Raymond, Bears
The Bears dropped 57 factors on Carolina and not one of the pass-catchers we care about did higher than 63 scoreless yards. That’s as a result of Raymond simply led the staff with 9 targets, eight catches, and 84 yards. Raymond set a career-high in receptions and posted his greatest yardage complete since 2023. He did so on a pedestrian 58 % route fee. Raymond did, nevertheless, lead the Bears with a 33 % first learn goal share. It’s arduous to think about him being their high wideout going ahead, however Ben Johnson clearly has a bundle of performs for the speedster that might make him a viable FLEX play. I wouldn’t spend any FAAB on Raymond, however he’s value stashing in deep leagues.
▶ Tight Finish
Dalton Schultz, Texans
Schultz was a mainstay of final yr’s waiver wire column and nothing modifications one week into 2026. He tied a handful of different tight ends for the second-most targets at his place in Week 1 with eight. That was good for a 21 % goal share, which is definitely a 3 % enhance from his 2025 mark. For the second yr in a row, Schultz stays essentially the most boring TE1 you will get off waivers.
Pat Freiermuth, Steelers
Pittsburgh hit us with the Mike McCarthy particular in Week 1, logging a go fee 10 % above anticipated. Aaron Rodgers tried to throw deep, however was as soon as once more solely profitable on his quick tosses. He had the fifth-lowest accomplished air yards per try on the week at 3.8. This in the end creates the proper setting for tight finish manufacturing, and McCarthy streamlined the staff’s tight finish rotation to only one participant: Pat Freiermuth. Muth ran 73 % of the routes in Week 1, making him a robust TE2 possibility in Week 2.
Mike Gesicki, Bengals
Gesicki turned in a 5/78/1 receiving line in a shootout with the Bucs. That may’ve been his second-best fantasy rating of all the 2025 season and can give him a top-12 end in Week 1. The draw back is that he ran a route on simply 46 % of Joe Burrow’s dropbacks. He led a staff with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins in targets whereas operating fewer than half of the routes. As spectacular as that’s, I’m not relying on it repeating subsequent week. Gesicki is an fascinating stash however not somebody who profiles as a weekly starter.
