Waiver Wire Week 1: Highlighting Top Pickups from 2024 Preseason
Fantasy football players will spend the next few days searching for the next Puka Nacua on the waiver wire.
There are plenty of candidates, especially those in the NFL rookie class. to be the breakout star of fantasy football in 2024.
However, it is hard to pinpoint who will be that player ahead of Week 1, because there are still plenty on unknowns about certain positional situations across the league.
Rookie wideouts, like Adonai Mitchell and Keon Coleman, have opportunities in front of them to succeed, but they must impress in September in remain in those spots.
And then there's the Los Angeles Rams running back situation, which took an unlikely turn when Kyren Williams was announced as the team's top punt returner last week.
Rookie Blake Corum could be in line for a larger role right away, and if the best-case scenario comes true for Corum, the Rams could have yet another breakout fantasy star.
Adonai Mitchell
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Adonai Mitchell has to be a waiver wire target because of the injury situation in Indianapolis.
Josh Downs has been dealing with an ankle injury and may not be active in Week 1. That would leave Michael Pittman Jr. without a ton of help at wide receiver.
Mitchell could take over Downs' spot as the No. 2 pass-catcher in the Colts offense, and if he forms a strong connection with Anthony Richardson, that could pave a path to more targets even when Downs returns.
The Colts may be forced to air it out in Week 1 to keep up with the Houston Texans, who come into Lucas Oil Stadium with a three-deep receiver corps to help C.J. Stroud.
If Pittman receives a ton of attention from the Houston secondary, Mitchell could thrive and immediately turn himself into one of the primary waiver-wire additions after Week 1.
Blake Corum
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The fantasy football community was thrown for a loop last week when Rams head coach Sean McVay announced that Kyren Williams would be the team's primary punt returner.
The No. 1 running back on a team's depth chart typically goes nowhere close to the special teams unit.
McVay's history of using running backs, which includes Williams' ascension at the expense of Cam Akers, added to the red alert that went off in the minds of fantasy football players.
Blake Corum is the No. 2 running back on the depth chart. That makes him the most likely replacement for Williams if he does not play as many snaps as expected.
The Rams may change their mind about the running back splits before Week 1, but for now, Corum is worth picking up because of his potential split with Williams.
Keon Coleman
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The Buffalo Bills' wide receiver competition is wide open.
Stefon Diggs' departure left a massive hole in the offense and it may take multiple players to make up for his production.
Rookie Keon Coleman should be in line to gobble up some of that production. He would be worth a flier on the waiver wire ahead of Week 1 in case he explodes for a big game against the Arizona Cardinals.
Khalil Shakir is the projected No. 1 wide out. Curtis Samuel and Marquez Valdes-Scantling are also on the roster.
None of those players have been a true No. 1 option during their NFL careers, so there is a chance Coleman swoops in and takes over the bulk of the targets from Josh Allen.
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