Week 1 Waiver Wire: Examining Top Fantasy Pickups and Drops on ESPN, Yahoo

The 2015 NFL regular season doesn't kick off until Thursday evening when the New England Patriots host the Pittsburgh Steelers. There will be endless tinkering of fantasy football lineups once the season begins, but smart players will keep an eye on the waiver wires before the first snap of the ball. It's never too early to critically examine your team. You can, however, be too late.

The fantasy fortunes of several NFLers changed when the league made the final cuts down to 53 players on Saturday. Subsequent signings of shock free-agents altered many roster situations as well. 

Some players saw increased competition, others saw a less cluttered path to playing time. Players who looked like viable late-round fantasy picks heading into the season, such as New England running back Jonas Gray or San Diego kicker Nick Novak, are no longer on teams. If you drafted some of these unfortunate players, you already know you have some work to do.

Let's take a closer look at some of the top players added and dropped in Yahoo and ESPN fantasy leagues. Ownership percentages are based on Yahoo Sports' fantasy football leagues (subscription required) and ESPN leagues. This table excludes players who are owned by more than 50 percent of teams to account for the larger 12- and 14-player leagues.

Top ESPN Additions
Top Yahoo Additions
Player	% Owned	% Changed
Ronnie Hillman, RB, Denver	44.6	+20.5
Christine Michael, RB, Dal	17.5	+13.5
Rueben Randle, WR, New York Giants	27.6	+13.4
Jordan Reed, TE, Washington	27.9	10.5
Stevie Johnson, WR, San Diego	28.2	+10.4
James Jones, WR, Green Bay	10.9	+9.8
Tyrod Taylor, QB, Buffalo	12.6	+9.3
Player	No. of Pickups	% Owned
James Jones, WR, New York Giants	40,948	15
Christine Michael, RB, Dallas	13,977	11
DeAngelo WIlliams, RB, Pittsburgh	12,404	30
Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle	5475	19
Dion Lewis, RB, New England	10758	6
Rueben Randle, WR, New York Giants	10,555	20
Heath Miller, TE, Pittsburgh	9,149	43

Top ESPN Drops
Top Yahoo Drops
Player	% Owned	% Change
Connor Barth, K, Tampa Bay	16.5	-36.4
Montee Ball, RB, Denver	26.8	-26.5
Fred Jackson, RB, Seattle	33.6	-24
Reggie Wayne, WR, New England	21.2	-20.1
Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay	9.4	-19
Lorenzo Taliaferro, RB, Baltimore	26.9	-13.6
Jonas Gray, RB, New England	28.7	-12.5
Player	No. of Drops*	% Owned
David Cobb, RB Tennessee	27,314	27
Jonas Gray, RB, New England	26,032	22
Reggie Wayne, WR, New England	16,574	13
Caleb Sturgis, K, Miami	12,932	19
Devin Funchess, WR, Carolina	10,029	68
Connor Barth, K, Tampa Bay	9,897	28
Ty Montgomery, WR, Green Bay	8,124	17

A Closer Look

Worth the Pickup: James Jones, WR, Green Bay

The news of James Jones signing with the Green Bay Packers, per Packers.com, after failing to latch on with the New York Giants was met with jubilation by a great many fantasy football fans. A top pickup in both ESPN and Yahoo, those snatching up the 31-year-old probably shouldn't expect instant production, but he could be a solid fill-in in larger leagues as the season progresses.

Jones spent the first seven years of his career with Green Bay. Unlike many last-minute additions, Jones shouldn't have much trouble picking up the scheme or getting back into a rhythm with quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Jason Miller/Getty Images

Further burnishing Jones' fantasy credentials is his solid season with the Oakland Raiders last year. He snagged 73 catches for 666 yards and six touchdowns. He's totaled at least 50 catches in four of the last five seasons, making him a dependable option in PPR leagues. Green Bay is without Jordy Nelson this season, so there could be plenty of targets coming Jones' way even if he's not at the top of the depth chart.

He also sounds highly motivated to perform, per Michael Cohen of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

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I feel like I've got a lot to give. I feel like I'm still playing at a high level. I had the most catches of my career last year. I don't necessarily feel like I've fallen off, but I've got a lot of people to prove wrong. If there's any time to do it, it's right now with the best quarterback in the league to help me out.

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Jones is a popular addition right now and available in plenty of leagues. If you're one of the unlucky souls who drafted Reggie Wayne thinking he would be getting pretty passes from Tom Brady this year, you could do worse than taking a flier on Jones.


Player to Add: Ronnie Hillman, RB, Denver

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

It's a bit of a surprise more fantasy players haven't added Denver running back Ronnie Hillman. Along with the likes of Knile Davis in Kansas City, Hillman could be one of the better handcuff running backs in the league. Big things are expected of Denver's top tailback C.J. Anderson, but Hillman impressed last season when he got ample playing time, rushing for 413 yards and three touchdowns on 106 carries. He also averaged an impressive 7.4 yards per carry this preseason.

Oh, and Montee Ball is no longer around to poach touches. Broncos coach Gary Kubiak believes Hillman is going to impress in 2015, per ESPN.com's Jeff Legwold:

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"I like what I've seen, I'm expecting him to have a great year," Kubiak said. "I think he's come into his own, think he's a very dynamic player, got big-play ability. But the thing I like about him is he's proven to me he can stay on the field for all three downs. I like the way he's picked up blitzes in the preseason, I think that's where he's improved the most."

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Adding Hillman is a no-brainer in larger leagues if he's available, and he could develop into a solid RB3/Flex type down the road.

Player to Drop: Devin Funchess, WR, Carolina

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

Since this is Week 1, most of the drops aren't based on preseason performance or diminished projections. It's long-term injuries and unexpected cuts. However, one player getting no love from fantasy owners is Carolina wideout Devin Funchess.

Rookie wideouts were all the rage last season, but that doesn't necessarily mean this year's crop will have the same success. Kelvin Benjamin was a sensation for the Panthers last year fresh out of college, but he's out for the season with a torn ACL. 

At 6'4" and 225 pounds, Funchess has a similar size and skill set to Benjamin (6'5", 245 pounds), making him the obvious replacement in some minds. However, Funchess isn't getting the start in Week 1, per the Charlotte Observer's Joe Person.

Funchess didn't get to do much in the preseason, catching just four passes for 75 yards. He also didn't get a chance to jell with starting quarterback Cam Newton in a game situation, per the Charlotte Observer's Jonathan Jones: 

If you're in a 12- or 14-player league, Funchess is still worth stashing, as he could be a red-zone target with his frame. If you're in a smaller league, there's likely more secure options out there. It's okay to use the luxury of a wait-and-see approach with Funchess at this stage.