Jamie Calandro provides suggested FAAB waiver wire bids for Week 2.
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Football season is finally upon us, and this year I’ll be your go-to guy for all things FAAB, with ownership percentages, outlooks, and what percentage of your budget you should be using on certain players. The one general bit of wisdom I’ll impart before we get started is this – DON’T PANIC WITH YOUR STUDS! They’ll be OK, and I don’t want to see anyone dumping your top picks just because they had a bad opening week. Enough talk. Let’s get down to business, and feel free to follow me on twitter @jac3600 for any questions or comments.
All ownership percentages are based on Yahoo
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QUARTERBACK
Carson Wentz (PHI): 6% owned
I already hear the Wentz haters claiming the only reason he had such a good first game is because it was against the Browns. While this is definitely true, you should also note that Wentz’s schedule remains pretty easy for awhile. Of his next nine opponents, only one team (Minnesota) ranked in the top half of the league in FPPG allowed the QB position last season. If you need a decent QB2 off waivers, look no further than Wentz. His favorable schedule plus the fact that he runs make him a valuable player to watch.
SUGGESTED FAAB BID – 3-4% of your budget
Josh McCown (CLE)
This pick is really only relevant if you’re in a deep 2QB or Superflex league, because I guarantee there are better backups out there. McCown has proven to be useful in the past, however, and he already has a favorite target (Gary Barnidge) and an elite WR1 (Josh Gordon) set to return soon.
SUGGESTED FAAB BID – 1-2% of your budget
RUNNING BACK
Tevin Coleman (ATL): 42% owned
Coleman should have been on your radar anyway coming into the season, but all the endorsements for Devonta Freeman right at the end of the preseason kept people shying away. Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan made it clear from the start that Atlanta would ride the hot hand, and Freeman and Coleman almost had an even split of touches (Freeman 15, Coleman 13). It’s also worth noting that Coleman out-produced Freeman by quite a bit, specifically through the air, so this is definitely something to monitor.
SUGGESTED FAAB BID – 5-7% of your budget (more if you’re a Freeman owner)
Theo Riddick (DET): 34% owned
This pick is more for PPR owners than others, but it bears noting that Riddick was at least a part of Detroit’s red zone plans in Week 1. In PPR he’s a must-own, as he was heavily featured in the passing game and that projects to be the same moving forward. Last season we found Danny Woodhead to be a legit RB1 in PPR formats and there’s no reason that can’t be Riddick this year. Last year he caught 80 passes on 99 targets, and that was with Calvin Johnson in town.
SUGGESTED BID – 1-2% of your budget (standard), 8-10% (PPR)
Terrance West (BAL): 30% owned
I wouldn’t go overly nuts on this one because the Baltimore RB depth chart is a train wreck. However, with Buck Allen a healthy scratch in Week 1West could hold some value as depth for you. West was terrible in week one (2.77 YPC), but it’s worth mentioning that he did get 12 carries. If he’s given that kind of volume going forward, the right situation could emerge for him to take over as “the guy.”
SUGGESTED BID – 2% of your budget
WIDE RECEIVERS
Will Fuller (HOU): 48% owned
There are some rookie receivers who absolutely warrant your attention this week, and Fuller tops my list. He was my GPP flier of the week on FanDuel and DraftKings and netted me some nice cash as a result with his debut performance. Fuller worked as the clear No. 2 to DeAndre Hopkins while racking up 11 targets (for five catches, 107 yards, and a TD). Even if you have WR depth, a semi-healthy bid may be warranted here.
SUGGESTED BID – 8-10% of your budget
Tajae Sharpe (TEN): 46% owned
Delanie Walker was the apple of Marcus Mariota’s eye last year, but I could see that shifting a bit as the game slows down for him, allowing him to open up the field a little more. Like fellow rookie Will Fuller, Sharpe racked up 11 targets, catching seven of them for 76 yards. The Titans will likely try to establish the run this season, but if they fail we could see some garbage production from Sharpe as they play catchup.
SUGGESTED BID – 4-5% of your budget (standard), 8-10% of your budget (PPR)
Cole Beasley (DAL): 3% owned
This is a PPR-specific play, as I imagine the Dallas running game (and Dez Bryant) dominate the market share of red zone touches. That said, Beasley received an impressive team-high 12 targets out of the slot against the Giants which translated to eight catches for 65 yards. His red zone targets should be few and far between, but these numbers are more than serviceable in PPR leagues, especially as a safety blanket for a rookie QB.
SUGGESTED BID – 1-2% of your budget (standard), 6-7% of your budget (PPR)
Jeremy Kerley (SF): 2% owned
Kerley to me is Beasley with upside, and he needs to be owned in all PPR formats. Even though he has only been with the 49ers for less than three weeks, he played 62% of the offensive snaps on his way to 11 targets (and seven catches). His prowess in the slot will fit perfectly in Chip Kelly’s uptempo offense, and he provides immediate security for Blaine Gabbert’s inaccuracies. What I didn’t even mention is that his game could have been a lot bigger, as Gabbert missed him terribly on what would have been a 47-yard TD.
SUGGESTED BID – 2-3% of your budget (standard), 7-8% of your budget (PPR)
Tyrell Williams (SD): 1% owned
With poor Keenan Allen down again, Tyrell Williams has moved into the WR2 role for San Diego. Deeper leagues should put in a bid on Tyrell now in an offense that featured the most passing attempts in the league last year (and that was with Allen missing significant time, too). He ran a 4.43 40-yard dash in the combine and his 6’3”, 204-pound frame could invite some red zone looks his way. I like him for opportunity, but do not rank him anywhere ahead of the guys listed above.
SUGGESTED BID – 2-3% of your budget
TIGHT ENDS
There’s really no tight end that screams “ADD ME” this week. Jacob Tamme and Vance McDonald can be given looks if you’re desperate, but chances are there are still backups available better than those guys.
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