Attention fantasy football owners! This could be your last chance to make some last-minute changes and pickups in your respective lineups for Week 1, which officially kicks off on Thursday night with a Super Bowl 50 rematch between the Panthers and Broncos
We’ve singled out a few underrated names for each offensive position—along with a team defense—that could fortify your current roster and help out those owners who are still preparing for their fantasy league drafts. Read on below and start checking out these potential breakout players.
2016 NFL Week 1 Fantasy Sleepers
Mike Wallace – Wide Receiver, Baltimore Ravens
Do not ignore this guy—Mike Wallace. Well, sure, it’s hard to be optimistic about a player who’s jumped around the league for quite a number of times. To be exact, the Ravens will be his third team across seven seasons in the NFL. But even so, the veteran is a deep threat that should fit in nicely with Baltimore’s pass-heavy offense. Plus, with the Ravens’ ground game still surrounded by question marks, it should somewhat influence or force Joe Flacco to lean on his receiving corps even more.
Spencer Ware – Running back, Kansas City Chiefs
Spencer Ware can’t also be left looming around your free agency pool or undrafted. Jamaal Charles is back, but some sources have been indicating that his status for Week 1 remains in doubt. The same could also be said for Charcandrick West, who’s still not at a 100 percent due to a preseason injury.
Hence, that should likely lead to heavier workload for Ware this upcoming week. He raised a lot of eyebrows last season after a Charles and West went down with injuries, finishing with 403 rushing yards and six touchdowns while averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Ware also led the league in yards after contact (3.3) in that same season.
Virgil Green – Tight End, Denver Broncos
Tight ends are one of the trickiest positions in football, so most fantasy owners usually have a tough time in finding the right one. For those owners who are in that current predicament, then maybe the Broncos’ Virgil Green can satisfy your tight-end need.
Green’s been an intriguing prospect throughout his five years in the league. That’s mainly because of his ridiculous athleticism. We’ve yet to see him demonstrate his real potential due to lack of playing time, but this season appears to be his time to shine with Owen Daniels gone. Green is the next in line to become Denver’s starting tight end.
Dak Prescott – Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys
For those who still don’t know, Tony Romo will be out for a long while again after suffering a compression fracture in his vertebrae during the preseason. That loss could actually be a blessing in disguise for the Cowboys, who have named Dak Prescott as their temporary starter this season.
Presott rightfully deserves some fantasy attention with Romo sidelined. Prescott had an encouraging performance in the preseason, where he completed 78 percent of his passes for a total of 454 yards with five scores and zero picks. He also showcased his dual-threat skills there, rumbling for 53 yards with two touchdowns. But now the question is: can Prescott translate that success into the real season? Right now, it looks more than possible.
Matt Bryant – Kicker, Atlanta Falcons
2015 wasn’t Matt Bryant’s year to say the least. It was a rough one, as the veteran placekicker nailed just 14 of 18 field goals while managing only a pair of top-10 fantasy weeks. Still, this new season could be a good opportunity for Bryant to redeem himself. After all, the 41-year-old has been one of the most consistent kickers out there, owning an 88.6 percent field-goal conversion rate in the past six seasons.
Philadelphia Eagles Defense
The Eagles defense could leave many fantasy owners happy since their Week 1 opponents—the Browns—still look shaky in the quarterback and wide receiver position. But other than that, Philadelphia, which ranked among the worst in the league in yards allowed per game last season, shouldn’t even be included in your consideration set. This club has big holes to fill on this side of the field, making them just a draft-and-drop option for almost every owner.
All set for the opening week in the NFL? Create a betting account now and get yourself ready for all the upcoming football action.
