Fantasy Football: Top 5 Waiver Wire Pick Ups
More than half of fantasy football championships are won by the owner, who has perfected the use of the waiver wire. Therefore, those of you who are down after dropping your Week 1 matchup should stop pouting and take a look at the available players in your league. The NFL is incredibly unpredictable, so don't be surprised if one of the players that get picked up this week turns out to be starters by the end of the year.
Thursday started with a bang in terms of fantasy football as Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas finished his second-career start with two touchdowns and 144 yards receiving. Thomas played basketball in college, which is rather interesting considering top-notch tight ends like Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham both were stars on the hardwood before the gridiron.
As long as Peyton Manning is the quarterback in Denver, then Thomas should have plenty of opportunities to go over 100 yards like he did on Thursday. However, Thomas has slowly turned into a hot commodity, which means you may have to settle for a low-profile player like Kellen Winslow. Although he didn't have quite the day that Thomas did, Winslow still has a lot to offer and is slowly but surely becoming rookie quarterback Geno Smith's go-to target.
Take a look at both of these tight ends, but don't stop there because fantasy football is won and lost on the waiver wire.
Devin O’Barr is the Content Commentator for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @DevinOBarrRS, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
No. 5: Kellen Winslow
Kellen Winslow isn't the New York Jets' best offensive weapon...he's the Jets' only offensive weapon! Rookie quarterback Geno Smith hit it off with Winslow on Sunday, who finished his first regular season game with Gang Green with 79 yards receiving and a touchdown. Keep an eye on Winslow as the New York offense doesn't have much going for it.
No. 4: Joique Bell
Reggie Bush is still the starting running back for the Detroit Lions, but Joique Bell is doing his best to takeover the number one role. Bell shocked us all on Sunday when he ran for two touchdowns! Although Bell only had 25 rushing yards, the four-year veteran was effective in the passing game with five catches for 67 yards receiving. Bush has gone down due to injury in the past, so be sure to keep a close eye on Bell this week.
No. 3: Julius Thomas
The Denver Broncos have one of the most potent offenses in the NFL, which means their starting tight end should be a force to be reckoned with in terms of fantasy football. While many saw Jacob Tamme as Peyton Manning's go-to guy in 2013, Thomas has slowly but surely emerged as Denver's most talented tight end. This former basketball player managed to snag home two touchdowns in just his second NFL start.
No. 2: Terrelle Pryor
Even the most devout Oakland Raiders' fans didn't expect for Terrelle Pryor to have over 100 rush yards against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Pryor is sure to encounter a few growing pains in 2013, but if he can score a bulk of rushing touchdowns then the sky is the limit for Oakland's signal-caller. Not to mention, the Raiders are going to be playing from behind quite a bit, which means Pryor will have free reign to throw the ball up to 50 times a game.
No. 1: Julian Edelman
The New England Patriots are short on offensive weapons, yet quarterback Tom Brady still has to throw the ball to someone. Believe it or not, Brady's "new" target has actually been in Foxborough since 2009...Julian Edelman! The Pats' offseason troubles have allowed for Edelman to have a bigger role in New England offense. Brady found Edelman in the end zone twice on Sunday, so stay tuned to see if this combination is going to be one of the deadliest in the game.
Devin O’Barr is the Content Commentator for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @DevinOBarrRS, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
