Week 1 Waiver Wire Pickups: Advice for Preseason Sleepers Who May Be Available

So you've wrapped up your fantasy draft for the 2019 NFL season. Hopefully, you're happy with the way your roster looks, but it's still a good idea to check the waiver wire ahead of Week 1.

Perhaps there's a promising rookie you missed during the draft. Maybe there's a valuable handcuff you didn't consider. Maybe there's simply a better option for the bottom of your bench than what you currently have.

Any chance you have to upgrade your roster should be taken. It's never too early to work the waiver wire. Here, we'll examine three enticing targets who may be available in your league.

Justin Jackson, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers still don't have a deal done with running back Melvin Gordon—and they're not going to get one done this season.

"When, or if, Melvin reports, he will play under his current contract," general manager Tom Telesco said, per Justin Tasch of the New York Post.

This means that backup Austin Ekeler—who was probably drafted in your league—becomes the starter. It also means that Justin Jackson becomes the backup and complementary runner in L.A.'s backfield. He is more likely to be available.

According to Fantasypros, Jackson is only owned in 33 percent of Yahoo leagues and 30 percent of ESPN leagues.

You may want to wait a week or two before starting Jackson in order to gauge his role in the offense, but he's definitely worth picking up now.

Carlos Hyde, RB, Houston Texans

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

With Lamar Miller out with a torn ACL, the Houston Texans are set to rely on the former Cleveland Browns running back duo of Duke Johnson Jr. and Carlos Hyde. While Johnson was almost certainly drafted in your league, Hyde may be available.

According to FantasyPros, Hyde is owned in 33 percent of Yahoo leagues and 41 percent of ESPN leagues.

Now, there's no guarantee that Hyde will have strong fantasy value. Johnson will likely get the chance to prove he can be a starting back, and Hyde hasn't been particularly productive in recent seasons. Last year, he averaged just 3.4 yards per carry with Cleveland and 3.1 yards per carry with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

However, if Johnson isn't capable of being an every-down back, Hyde is going to see a lot of work on running downs. He could be a viable flex option in larger leagues and a potential touchdown vulture—he did score five times in the first four games with Cleveland last year.

And, hey, there's always the chance that Hyde sees a career resurgence in Houston. He rushed for 938 yards with the San Francisco 49ers just two years ago.

Darren Waller, TE, Oakland Raiders

Are you unsure about the tight end you drafted? If so, it wouldn't be a bad idea to add a little insurance at the position ahead of the season. Oakland Raiders tight end Darren Waller is a prime target, as he's available in 77 percent of Yahoo leagues and 82 percent of ESPN leagues, according to FantasyPros.

Waller certainly isn't a household name, but he's set to be the top receiving tight end in Oakland. With guys like Antonio Brown and Tyrell Williams commanding defensive attention, he should have plenty of opportunities to make a name for himself.

In fact, if quarterback Derek Carr sees a return to his Pro Bowl form, Waller could quickly become a high-level fantasy tight end.

Let's not forget that Jared Cook had an 896-yard, six-touchdown season with the Raiders just last year.

This is a bit of a gamble pick, but Waller is the type of player you want to grab early before he starts to generate any real buzz.

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