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Dynasty Waiver Pickups After Week 1

Dynasty Waiver Strategy

Working the waiver wire in a dynasty league requires different strategy than a typical redraft league.

Rarely will you find a player you can plug and play when an injury or bye week hits. Instead, waivers are utilized to take dart throws on players who may increase in value.

If your waiver adds accumulate more value after your roster them, trading them for a rookie draft pick or a more useful player helps nickel and dime your way into a better dynasty roster.

Future Spike Weeks = Trade Value

For example, in the first week of 2020, WR Travis Fulgham came out of nowhere for the Philadelphia Eagles, amassing 57 yards and a TD on two receptions.

Savvy dynasty managers added the 2019 sixth-round pick off the wire.

Over the next four weeks, Fulgham averaged 6.75 catches for 94.5 yards and 0.75 TDs. 

Those same savvy dynasty managers traded him off during that run for a future second-round rookie pick to cash in their waiver add.

Fulgham’s stats for the rest of his career combined: 10 catches for 104 yards and 0 TDs.

Those managers grabbed the value and left someone else to hold the empty bag.

Talent Doesn’t Always Equate to Fantasy Points

Watching the film on the following players made me a believer that all are underrated talents.

But talent alone doesn’t score fantasy points.

Even talented young players who may develop a bit more are unlikely to crack long-term fantasy lineups and NFL rosters to be startable.

Where others see a lottery ticket worth hanging onto, you can turn an immediate profit, even if it is only a third or fourth-round rookie pick. 

Those picks will accumulate value over time and can be the sweetener on a deal for a player to make the stretch run or to move up in the rookie draft next year for a future stud.

Let’s look at a few Week 1 performers who offer upside based on their skillset to explode and create trade buzz that you can capitalize on.

Tre Tucker, WR, Las Vegas Raiders

Tucker was drafted in the third round last year and mostly stuck to special teams as a rookie. In year two, he has emerged as the third WR in 11 personnel, which the Raiders favored in Week 1.  

In total, Tucker played 78% of the offensive snaps.

Brock Bowers's performance rightfully garnered much attention, but Tucker had a solid, overlooked performance himself. 

Playing out of the slot, Tucker consistently used any cushion to his advantage. In the play above, he accelerates through his cut for easy separation. This should set up Gardner Minshew for an easy completion, but Minshew throws the ball behind him.

Tucker’s body control and hand-eye coordination work together to make a difficult catch.

Tucker Excels as an offensive weapon

The Raiders recognize what he brings after the catch, having set up a scripted WR screen for Tucker in the game, where he made a defender miss to pick up extra yardage.

His 4.32 speed is ripe for a big play at some point this season, especially since Tucker is showing a slot skillset that fits the modern NFL.

Add Tucker to the end of your roster with eyes to sell if he blows up or if an injury to Davante Adams or Jakobi Meyers creates buzz around him.

Emanuel Wilson, RB, Green Bay Packers

Rookie MarShawn Lloyd was inactive for the Packers with a hamstring injury, leading to starter Josh Jacobs's taking the first seven carries of the game for four yards.

Wilson, a second-year UDFA out of Fort Valley State, took the next three carries for 37 yards. 

The 226-pound runner showed power, some explosion, and agility that could keep him in the mix even when Lloyd returns.

Wilson explodes straight into the hole on this second-quarter run while showing his power at the end of the run to pick up extra yardage.

Even when Lloyd returns, Wilson has the talent to continue getting snaps and carries.

If he breaks out, use our Trade Value Chart to find the perfect value to trade away Wilson.

Luke Schoonmaker, TE, Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys TE Jake Ferguson may miss a game or two with a sprained MCL. If that happens, the Cowboys will have to turn to this 2023 second round NFL Draft pick as well as UDFA Brevyn Spann-Ford.

Schoonmaker’s draft pedigree gives him every opportunity to step in for Ferguson as the in-line blocker who can go out and catch short passes to move the sticks or in the red zone.

The one road block is that Spann-Ford actually ran more routes than Schoonmaker in Week 1.

Ultimately, Schoonmaker will get on the field with his blocking and see increased opportunities because he has a much better feel for the defense than Spann-Ford.

Take this play from Week 1 where Schoonmaker lines up in-line on the left side of the Cowboys line: 

Though he didn’t get the target, Schoonmaker runs a nice In route, splitting the defensive zone to be wide open in the middle of the field.

In his final two years at Michigan, Schoonmaker tallied six TDs on only 42 catches with the Wolverines locking in on him in the red zone passing game.

Even if Ferguson does play, he will be at less than 100%, and we should see more Schoonmaker over the next few weeks.

All he needs is a few easy catches and a TD to gain a bit of value to be traded away for a profit.

When the time comes, use our Dynasty Trade Calculator to help you figure out which team in your league needs a TE the most.

Devaughn Vele, WR, Denver Broncos

Vele, a 26-year old rookie out of Utah, was not on dynasty managers' radars coming into the NFL Draft (or coming out of it for that matter).

He is already old and never caught the eye of national media at any point.

But, Vele led Utah in receptions, yards, and receiving TDs in 2023 and was only behind TE Dalton Kincaid in those categories in 2022.

He is also a tremendous athlete, running a 4.47 40 time and 4.33 short shuttle at 6’4 and 203 pounds.

This was enough for the Broncos to take him in the seventh round of the NFL Draft and give him a chance to make the team.

He took that chance by outperforming third-round rookie Troy Franklin in camp and the preseason, earning a spot above Franklin on the depth chart.

Manufacturing Touches

In Week 1, Vele led the Broncos with eight catches and even had a few scripted plays in the game including this bubble screen:

His length is apparent in the clip, while also being able to avoid the defender, keep his balance and pick up extra yardage. The athleticism, experience, and balance all will play a part in Vele earning more opportunities.

He played 49% of snaps, third among WRs on the team. 

Vele has enough talent to make some noise but is likely not a long-term fantasy solution. Pick him up and if he can break one of those screens and gain trade value.

Tyler Johnson, WR, Los Angeles Rams

One of the original dynasty (and devy) darlings. Johnson was drafted in the fifth round back in 2020 by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He has bounced around the league, but apparently has found a home backing up Puka Nacua with the Rams.

With Nacua headed to IR, now is the time to strike and grab Johnson at the end of your roster in case he strings together a few good games.

Short passes that allow Johnson’s 210-pound frame and explosion to move through the defense will be the Rams approach:

Johnson takes the opportunity on this catch and run to keep his eyes on the second (and then third) level of the defense to take the best angle for maximum yards after catch.

His experience will be a benefit for Matthew Stafford, who showed plenty of trust in the receiver during Week 1.

Stash Johnson on your bench, and if additional WR injuries hit, other managers may be desperate enough to come calling for Johnson.

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Shane Hallam, Writer

Shane has over 20 years of experience creating content and playing every fantasy football format including redraft, dynasty, devy, IDP, and more. He is a multi-year winner of $500 dynasty leagues on the FFPC and utilizes deep film and scheme study to enhance his fantasy performance.