Top Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets After Week 1 In The NFL

• Elijah Mitchell could put up more RB1 numbers if Raheem Mostert remains injured.
• Nelson Agholor led the New England Patriots in receiving yards and scored their only touchdown.
• Sterling Shepard led the New York Giants in receiving yards, receptions, and targets.
• Jared Cook drew eight targets from Justin Herbert, a number not many tight ends can match.

SAN FRANCISCO - Making an impact on the waiver wire can be one of the keys to a successful fantasy football season. Week 1 is possibly the best time to add free agents but which players should be targeted first?

Elijah Mitchell, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Running backs are the most important position in fantasy football, so when there’s a running back on the waiver wire worth adding, he’s automatically at the top of the list. Elijah Mitchell took over when Raheem Mostert got injured early on in the game and tallied 19 carries for 104 yards and a touchdown.

Online sportsbooks expected Trey Sermon to be the backup running back for the San Francisco 49ers, however, he was a healthy scratch. If Mostert misses more time, Mitchell should be in for another big workload.

Mitchell is owned in just 1.9% of fantasy leagues according to ESPN.

Nelson Agholor, WR, New England Patriots

QB Mac Jones looked solid in his debut with the New England Patriots. One of the biggest beneficiaries was Nelson Agholor who led the team with 72 receiving yards and a touchdown on five catches and seven targets.

Only 19 of Jones’ 39 pass attempts went to the wide receivers, but Jakobi Meyers and Agholor saw 16 of the 19 targets go in their direction. Agholor should have a relatively low floor due to the lack of competition for targets in the wide receiver room.

Agholor is owned in just 29.8% of ESPN’s fantasy leagues.

Sterling Shepard, WR, New York Giants

Even the NFL betting sites weren’t sure how the New York Giants’ receiving room would play out with Kenny Golladay, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, and Kadarius Toney. However, Shepherd seems to have proved to be one of the top options.

Shepard led the team in targets (9), receptions (7), yards (113), and touchdowns (1) in the first game of the season. Even if he won’t match this output on a weekly basis, the potential of him doing so is worth the addition to a fantasy roster off of the waiver wire.

Shepard is owned in only 25.3% of fantasy leagues per ESPN.

Jared Cook, TE, Los Angeles Chargers

Jared Cook saw eight targets go his direction on Sunday, the second-most of any tight end only behind T.J. Hockenson. The tight end position is so thin that getting volume is potentially the most important factor.

Cook was third on the team in targets (8), receptions (5), and yards (56). Those who are in need of a tight end may want to look into Cook in the coming weeks.

He’s only owned in 22.6% of fantasy leagues on ESPN.

Zach Pascal, WR, Indianapolis Colts

Zach Pascal may not be the best long-term option as T.Y. Hilton is bound to return at some point and take some targets away, but until then he’s a solid waiver wire target. He had just four catches for 43 yards on Sunday but found the end zone twice.

Pascal led all wide receivers in targets, catches, and yards but was outpaced in each category by a pair of running backs. He may be touchdown reliant but if he continues getting the red zone looks he could be a useful fantasy option.

Pascal is available in all but 2.4% of fantasy leagues according to ESPN.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Green Bay Packers

Marquez Valdes-Scantling led the NFL in yards per reception last season and now may be getting enough targets to make him a viable fantasy option.

Sure, the Green Bay Packers offense got shut down, but MVS garnered seven targets, the same as Davante Adams. He’s potentially a boom-or-bust type of player but could have a consistent role in the offense as the apparent No. 2 receiver in Aaron Rodgers’ offense.

Valdes-Scantling is rostered in only 4.0% of ESPN’s fantasy leagues.