Last-Minute Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 1

During the first week of fantasy football, the waiver wire is the last thing on most managers’ minds. Most rosters are set during the draft, and there is no reason to change things until after the first week of games. However, just because it’s not normally thought about does not mean you can not use the waiver wire to your advantage. Whether you’re dealing with an injury or looking for more depth on your bench, the waiver wire pickup at this point could be a move that gets you a star. You might find an under-the-radar player who becomes a league winner. Here are three players that you should consider picking up.

Malachi Fields, WR, New York Giants

One of the biggest winners of the NFL preseason was Malachi Fields. Going into training camp, many saw the rookie as the fifth-string wide receiver. Many thought he could get an opportunity, but only later in the season. However, a strong preseason caused him to skyrocket up the Giants’ depth chart. John Harbaugh praised his playing ability, saying he does not look like a rookie. With the Giants cutting Darius Slayton, Fields should be one of the starting outside receivers for week one.

Fields is currently rostered in 21% of Sleeper leagues and 8.6 % of ESPN leagues. He is someone you should be running to the waiver wire for. It seemed like he and Jaxson Dart have a good connection, with Dart targeting Fields a lot at practice. He even caught Dart’s lone touchdown pass of the preseason. His 6’4″ frame, physicality, and strong hands will make him a big threat for the Giants. We should see him win a lot of 50/50 battles and should see considerable volume in the red zone. He’s a low-risk, high-reward player.

Chig Okonkwo, TE, Washington Commanders

The NFL world was shocked this week when it was announced that Brock Bowers could miss the first couple of games of the season. This led many fantasy managers to the waiver wire to grab his backup, Michael Mayer. If you missed out on Mayer, a great second option is Chig Okonkwo. He has been one of the most consistent tight ends in the NFL, having caught 50-plus passes in each of the last three seasons. Only five other tight ends have done that. He is also reliable, having missed not a single game in his career.

He is set to be the first-string tight end for the Commanders, a position he can thrive in. Jayden Daniels has relied heavily on his tight end throughout his career. Zach Ertz had 91 targets back in 2024 when Daniels was healthy. Ertz also had a 29.7% red zone target share. If Daniels is able to stay healthy, Okonkwo should be able to put up similar numbers. He could be a fringe tight end one if everything goes right. With him available in 28% of Sleeper leagues and 8.3% of ESPN leagues, the time to grab him is off the waiver wire.

Tank Bigsby, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Tank Bigsby has established himself as the running back two behind Saquon Barkley in the Eagles’ offense. Sure, he only got limited chances last season, but he made the most of them. He averaged 5.4 true yards per carry, which was the second-best mark in the league. He is also a hard player to bring down, averaging 2.8 yards after contact last season. This was one of the best marks in the NFL last season. At the very least, the Eagles should use him in short-yardage situations.

But Bigsby could get more volume this season as Barkley is about to enter his age-29 season. He is getting close to the age when running backs start slowing down and losing production. If the Eagles want to keep Barkley effective for as long as possible, they will need to use guys like Bigsby more. Giving him more touches will take some of the load off of Barkley. More touches, plus Bigsby’s efficiency, will make him a solid bench option. He is only on 31% of Sleeper and 19.2% of ESPN rosters, making him a must-grab off the waiver wire.