Predicting Fantasy Football's Hottest Waiver-Wire Names of NFL Week 1

If this article were published on Thursday before the New England Patriots defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, we swear we would have predicted Dion Lewis as one of our top waiver-wire wonders for Week 1. Since we can't go Bill and Ted style and change the course of history, we'll instead try to predict five players available in at least 50 percent of ESPN leagues who will earn waiver-wire attention heading into Week 2.

If Lewis' heavy workload in the Patriots' win—the diminutive dynamo tallied 19 touches en route to 120 total yards—was influenced in good measure by LeGarrette Blount's absence, the five names we focus on in this prognostic piece appear to have more enduring shares of their respective offenses. This isn't to say Lewis isn't a potentially valuable addition, particularly in PPR formats, just that Blount's return next week will shift the former Pitt standout into a lower-wattage, change-of-pace role.

Far too many fantasy rosters have multiple defenses, replacement-level insurance quarterbacks and low-ceiling tight ends as depth commodities. Being willingly fluid with the end of your bench in fantasy football can be an invaluable element early in the campaign, especially when potential breakouts are still brewing.

An appreciation of the opportunity a roster space offers can help in spurring managers to more aggressively pursue the combination of opportunity and upside when it presents itself.

This time last year, Odell Beckham and Justin Forsett were on the wire in the majority of redraft fantasy leagues. We're not promising or predicting similar superstar returns from the five waiver-wonders we've selected, but suggest you consider adding them before Sunday if you can spare the space.

Can the Saints' Brandon Coleman Follow Marques Colston's Surprising Succes

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As the fourth-to-last pick—selection 252 overall—of the 2006 NFL draft, Marques Colston was never expected to make the Saints' 53-man roster, let alone become the franchise's all-time leading receiver.

The Hofstra product was a waiver-wire gem from the jump in his rookie season, scoring in his debut game on the way to over 900 yards and five scores that season (little known fact, he was eligible at tight end in Yahoo leagues that year in one of the great eligibility loopholes in fantasy history). 

Enter the 6'6" Brandon Coleman, an undrafted second-year player out of Rutgers who scored an impressive 20 touchdowns on 94 collegiate receptions. The Cardinals' Michael Floyd and Colston are both strong comparable physical specimens, while Coleman was seeing snaps in two-receiver sets ahead of Colston at times in the preseason.

With a massive target and red-zone void left in the wake of Jimmy Graham and to a far lesser degree Kenny Stills, there is real potential for Coleman to become an interesting asset to stash. 

The Arizona Cardinals proved to be middling in subduing opposing fantasy receivers last season, offering Coleman some immediate upside as a cheap DFS play and potentially enduring value if he can consume a meaningful share of Drew Brees' attempts (particularly in the red zone given his massive frame).

The Seattle Seahawks' Tiny Tyler Lockett Could Come Up Big in Week 1

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Tyler Lockett's blazing wheels in a compact frame draw physical comparisons to the Arizona Cardinals' exciting sophomore receiver John Brown.

A prolific collegiate playmaker and the owner of three touchdowns in the preseason—two of them coming on epic kick returns and the third from a brilliant Russell Wilson bomb you can watch here—this rookie is available in 80 percent of ESPN leagues.

In 12-team leagues I'm grabbing shares of Lockett in any leagues in which I didn't already draft him. The fact that Wilson threw that bomb to Lockett as his only attempt of the team's final preseason game (an oddity for a franchise signal-caller), suggests Wilson could have plans on throwing those perfect parabolas to this dynamic speedster throughout the season.

We wouldn't be surprised if Lockett gets behind the Rams' corners (namely Janoris Jenkins), for a big play this Sunday. 

Washington Redskins Tight End Jordan Reed

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In nearly 70 percent of ESPN leagues you can add Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed for the cost of a few clicks. The 2013 third-round pick out of Florida has long been a talented producer when on the gridiron, but a litany of injuries have kept him out of action for 40 percent of his first two professional campaigns.

Now finally healthy on the eve of a new season, Reed offers a far higher ceiling than many pedestrian tight ends rostered at higher rates. 

In playing three games with quarterback Kirk Cousins since 2013, Reed has enjoyed a massive target share—drawing a target on 33 percent of his routes run with the former Michigan State signal-caller in situ. Reed has also produced a first down on half of the 16 targets Cousins threw his way in those three contests together. 

While Reed enjoyed that high level of per-route efficiency in a small sample with Cousins, he's entering the new season with little competition for targets on a thin depth chart. 

As ESPN.com's Redskins writer John Keim, the onus is on Reed to stay healthy and produce for a team in crucial need of third-down chain-movers. This Sunday, Reed faces a Dolphins defense that only allowed the sixth-fewest yards to tight ends last season, but yet surrendered the fifth-most yards per target in the league to the position.

With targets due to come his way, Reed makes for a solid bottom-dollar DFS play as well as a stash in deeper redraft formats. 

The San Diego Chargers' Stevie Johnson Set for Sustained Fantasy Football Value

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Football film junkies often praise Stevie Johnson's creative moves and clean releases off the line of scrimmage. Even if he's no longer the productive playmaker from his days in Orchard Park, Johnson offers real upside as he assumes a valuable share of the Chargers passing offense left in the wake of Eddie Royal's absence.

Royal averaged a richly efficient 1.9 PPR (point per reception format) last year from Philip Rivers. While Royal was so effective even in a tertiary role last year for the Bolts, there's a strong possibility Johnson sees more usage and a higher market share of the team's passing game with Antonio Gates out for the first quarter of the season.

With a real shot at over 20 percent of the targets in Week 1, Johnson not only makes for a savvy DFS play versus the Lions, he could become an enduring PPR value in similar fashion to Royal's valuable 2014 effort. Available in nearly 70 percent of ESPN leagues, it won't cost much to find out if this dude is a royal bargain. 

The Green Bay Packers' Richard Rodgers Could Emerge for Aaron Rodgers in 2015

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Richard Rodgers (owned in just 18.2 percent of ESPN leagues) is a sleeper tight end to consider adding before he wakes up. The Bears allowed a generous slash of 79 receptions, 905 yards and 13 touchdowns to opposing tight ends last year on the way to ceding the most fantasy points to tight ends.

Aaron Rodgers to his namesake could be an interesting passing battery this season given the target and red-zone void left by Jordy Nelson's unfortunate absence. 

ESPN.com's Packers reporter Rob Demovsky deemed Rodgers a potential fantasy gem recently: 

"

Aaron Rodgers might have found a new favorite target in the red zone. So far in training camp, the second-year tight end has become a frequent target for Rodgers inside the 20. Combine that with the fact that Andrew Quarless could be suspended to start the season, and Richard Rodgers should get a lot of action.

"

While we've been waiting for a tight end to truly excel while working with the Packers' elite QB for some time, this third-round Cal product might just have the best breakout ingredients (talent and opportunity) yet.