Week 1 Waiver Wire: Last Minute Additions Who Won't Be Available Next Week

With the NFL regular season about to get underway in earnest, fantasy owners are making last-minute tweaks to their starting lineups, debating over whether it's a better idea to plug a running back or a wide receiver into that all-important flex spot.

What most owners aren't doing, at least not yet, is scouring the waiver wire for players who could bolster their bench, better options as bye week replacements than the players already on their roster. If your league uses bench scoring as a tie breaker, you know how important a strong bench truly can be.

So with that in mind, the question becomes this: Which players that are currently available are more valuable than the guys I have now? And to that end, how long do I really have before someone else decides that the player I'm considering is a better option for their team as well?

You don't have long—because other owners will scoop these players up and leave you to continue the search in Week 2, when lesser options are what you have to choose from.

Give serious consideration to picking these guys up before your rosters lock today.

Le'Ron McClain, RB, San Diego Chargers

While Ryan Mathews is out and Ronnie Brown will get the start in his place, does anyone really expect Norv Turner to trust Brown with the bulk of the carries, especially down by the goal line?

Enter McClain, who has been one of the better fullbacks in football since breaking into the league with the Ravens in 2007. Look for McClain to not only get the goal-line carries this week, but throughout the season as the Chargers look to limit the pounding that Mathews takes on a weekly basis.

Keep in mind that this won't be unfamiliar territory for McClain, who adeptly stepped in for Jamal Lewis in the Ravens' backfield back in 2008, rushing for more than 900 yards and picking up 10 touchdowns.

He won't pile up high yardage totals for you, but he can most definitely contribute as a touchdown vulture.

Isaiah Pead, RB, St. Louis Rams

This isn't the first time that I've written about Pead, and it won't be the last.

Stephen Jackson remains the starter and primary focus of the Rams offensive attack, but he's a year older, and Jeff Fisher is going to look to limit the pounding that he takes on a weekly basis.

Pead is an elusive, speedy back who has the ability to break off long runs as Jackson's primary backup. He's also an excellent receiver out of the backfield and will be the Rams' primary kick returner.

If you own Jackson, then having Pead as a handcuff is a must. If you don't own Jackson, having Pead on your bench isn't going to hurt your team, especially if you play in a PPR league, which will make him all-the-more valuable to your fantasy squad.

Rod Streater, WR, Oakland Raiders

After watching Kevin Ogletree come out of nowhere and torch the Giants on Wednesday night, I'd be remiss in not including a wide receiver nobody is paying any attention to.(And it goes without saying, if Ogletree is sitting on your waiver wire, pick him up.)

Depending on the health of both Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore, Streater could be elevated to the starting lineup on Monday night. Even if he's not a starter, the rookie out of Temple is going to be a factor in Oakland's passing game.

Preseason numbers don't mean much, but it should be noted that it was Streater who led the silver-and-black in receiving, hauling in 18 catches for 165 yards.

Streater has a chance to be a consistent contributor this season—don't let him contribute to your defeat.