Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Pickups for Week 1 - Thursday Update

We've finally made it. We're only a handful of days until the official start of the 2026 NFL season. August felt like an absolute slog, what with the injury sagas of Luther Burden, Ashton Jeanty, Jeremiyah Love and seemingly every pass skill-position player in San Francisco. That should all change now as teams will be forced to submit injury reports and give us some clarification other than "tightness" or "lower-body injuries."

During the season, this waiver-wire column will address both shallow and deep leagues each week. The goal is to get you as prepared as possible to tackle the waiver wire each week, no matter the league format. And don't worry, I'll update this article each day reacting to any pesky injuries that crop up during the week and ways to rank the available players.

With every player writeup, we'll list a free agent acquisition budget (FAAB) suggestion. Rather than a specific dollar value, it will be a percentage of your FAAB budget to make it easily applicable to every league no matter if you use, for example, $100 or $1,000.

Got questions on players? Let me know in the comments. 

TUESDAY UPDATE - Seth McGowan, Malachi Fields, Darnell Mooney

WEDNESDAY UPDATE - Keenan Allen, Darren Waller, Michael Mayer

THURSDAY UPDATE - Cooper Rush, Najee Harris, Chris Brooks

QUARTERBACK

ALL LEAGUES

Malik Willis, Dolphins - Mentioned the new Dolphin starter in a previous article, but come on, this is just outright disrespectful.

I understand the handwringing regarding Miami's pass catchers (or lack thereof), but from a fantasy perspective we don't really care. Willis' mobility should be present against a bad Raiders defense. He's comfortable in low-end QB1 range this week. FAAB: 1 percent of budget

DEEP LEAGUES

Tua Tagovailoa, Falcons - I expect Michael Penix (knee) will start for the Falcons in the near future, but it sounds like the 2024 first-round pick is still working through the rehab process from his November torn ACL. In superflex or two-QB leagues, a starting quarterback is a starting quarterback, no matter how little Tagovailoa will actually throw downfield. FAAB: 1 percent of budget

Cooper Rush, Falcons - Well, about the above message. Tagaovailoa went down with an apparent back/oblique injury during Thursday's practice, setting the stage for Rush to take all the first-team reps. I have absolutely zero interest in this from a fantasy starting perspective, but we'll use this space as a way to track recent news in order to provide a hierarchy if you're in a league deep enough for this to matter. FAAB: 0 percent of budget

Recommended QBs from preseason articles - Jordan Love

For up-to-the-minute updates on injuries, news and everything going on around the NFL, head to RotoWire's NFL Fantasy Football News Today or follow @RotoWireNFL on X.

RUNNING BACK

DEEP LEAGUES

Sione Vaki or Jacob Saylors, Lions - This has gone underreported somewhat. Isiah Pacheco was placed on injured reserve to begin the season, and Detroit general manager Brad Holmes suggested its unclear when the former Chiefs back will take the field. Kareem Hunt visited the Lions recently and there are plenty of veteran plodder-type backs available to sign, but that they didn't opt to sign anyone after Pacheco's injury tells me the franchise has confidence in Vaki. Notice I said Vaki, not Saylors, the second-year undrafted free agent from East Tennessee State. Saylors flashed explosiveness in the preseason taking 31 carries for 187 yards in three exhibition contests, but at 5-foot-11, 195, he's much more of the Jahmyr Gibbs replacement than complementary piece. Vaki (5-11, 216) profiles far better as the David Montgomery archetype given his frame and I have to imagine that role still has a place in the Drew Petzing offensive scheme. If I were Detroit I'd prefer to just give Gibbs the entire workload as opposed to messing around with lesser backs, but Detroit's playoff aspirations might mean they limit his workload to keep him fresh throughout the long campaign. FAAB: 1 percent for both

George Holani, Seahawks - Jadarian Price has the draft capital that will often make people dream about a happier time when all first-round RBs were bellcow backs, but we live in the year 2026. Gas is $15 dollars a gallon and the price for a true bellcow is even higher. Maybe that's an exaggeration, but Seattle continues to tell us that Holani, Emanuel Wilson and Price will all get work while they wait for the return of Zach Charbonnet (knee). Even if Price is the better, more explosive back, I get worried we're walking into a TreVeyon Henderson 2.0 situation where pass-blocking matters more than ever. Holani's role as a bruiser and reliable pass blocker absolutely matters even if fantasy managers want to ignore it. FAAB: 1 percent of budget

Emmett Johnson, Chiefs - There are a number of traditionally viewed "handcuffs" who have some week-to-week upside, and Johnson's preseason success gives me some degree of confidence he'll be a factor in the rotation. More important, the team cut Emari Demercado, who would have been the only thorn in an unproven backfield that also features Brashard Smith. FAAB: 0 percent of budget

Seth McGowan, Colts - Another underreported handcuff situation to monitor, McGowan, a 2027 seventh-round pick, beat out 2025 fifth-round pick DJ Giddens for the backup job behind stud Jonathan Taylor. I assume in the event the multi-time Pro Bowler is out with injury Indianapolis would simply take the backfield-by-committee approach, but Giddens had a chance to carve out a larger future role and never did. McGowan will be 25 by season's end, but at 6-foot, 223, he's a more conventional bruiser back that has a more defined role in the worst-case scenario. FAAB: 0 percent of budget

Najee Harris, Giants - I don't really know how much juice is left in the tank of the 28-year-old, who was considered a plodder even before tearing his Achilles back in Week 3 of the 2025 campaign. I'm entirely out on Harris as a value point in an offense that I have little faith in, but he ended up being one of the most coveted waiver wire targets in some of the deep leagues I'm in presumably because he'll have a role alongside Cam Skattebo in a rush-first offense. I think that's a misplay on those people's part, but at this point in the week I want to make sure this article is as comprehensive as possible. FAAB: 0 percent of budget

Chris Brooks, Packers - Josh Jacobs plead no contest to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property in his Thursday court appearance, one that was moved up from initial November 17 hearing. The veteran will not be available in the immediate future as he remains on the NFL's Commissioner Exempt list, so this serves as a reminder that I wouldn't be surprised if Brooks ends up playing more than Lloyd come Sunday against the Vikings. Of course, Lloyd presumably will be in a better fantasy situation, but the Packers value Brooks significantly as a pass blocker, a role that figures to be vital against a Brian Flores led defense. FAAB: 0 percent of budget

Ranking running backs mentioned in previous versions of preseason waiver wire articles:

Tier 1 in order - MarShawn Lloyd, Tyler Allgeier

Tier 2 in order - Mike Washington, Malik Davis, Kaelon Black, Kaleb Johnson, Demond Claiborne

WIDE RECEIVER

ALL LEAGUES

Dontayvion Wicks, Eagles - I'm betting DeVonta Smith will be this year's breakout wide receiver, but for that to happen, Wicks also needs to be a factor in the offense. The former Packer has ostensibly been a good boundary target in his three-year career, but Green Bay's depth has effectively platooned him to a capped amount of snaps. Playing time shouldn't be an issue in Philadelphia, especially after first-round rookie Makai Lemon missed almost all training camp with a hamstring injury. FAAB: 0 percent

Chris Bell, Dolphins - Some are couching their opinions on the Dolphins' receiving corps, but I'll say it with my chest. 

The cool thing is that both Bell and Caleb Douglas are almost free at the moment. The time to speculate on the duo is now and not after Week 1 when the FAAB hit will be much more significant. FAAB: 0 percent

Malachi Fields/Darnell Mooney, Giants - The 2023 third-round pick has been a high riser on waiver wires following the news Tuesday that longtime veteran Darius Slayton was released by the Giants in a cost-saving measure. The presumption is Fields, a big-bodied target from Notre Dame, will immediately earn targets effectively by default, especially after nominal slot target Calvin Austin suffered a torn ACL late in training camp. I believe Darnell Mooney is simply going to be a more consistent option and emerge as the true heir to mediocre pass attempts in an offense that's not enticing from a fantasy perspective, but Fields is a rookie who hasn't hurt people yet so I understand the optimism. If Tuesday's news was a lightbulb to acquire Fields, I'd rather direct your attention to Isaiah Likely, who I think immediately becomes a top-10 TE for fantasy and is still cheap to acquire via trade, but it's important to use this platform to acknowledge the hierarchy for the two WRs in New York. FAAB: 2 percent of budget to Fields, 0 percent of budget to Mooney

DEEP LEAGUES

Ja'Kobi Lane, Ravens - I'm not convinced both Lane and Elijah Sarratt will be useful in fantasy this season, but it's encouraging that both rookies had moments during the preseason. Baltimore's official depth chart listed the USC rookie as the backup behind Rashod Bateman, which matters to a certain degree, but targeting Lane is more about betting that the 6-4 wideout will become the boundary target the Ravens have desperately tried to find with their seemingly endless free agent wasteland signings like Odell Beckham and DeAndre Hopkins. Ten-team formats probably shouldn't be considering Lane, but if he ends up getting a handful of targets and in the range of 40 offensive snaps come Week 1, he could vault to the top of everyone's waiver-wire articles. FAAB: 0 percent

Keenan Allen, Colts - I don't really understand a league format where one would consider Allen as a resource, but I saw a lot of people celebrating getting him off waivers Wednesday, so I thought it was worth noting. The veteran is going to be useful for an Indianapolis offense that will need to survive on the thinnest of margins in the intermediate to short area of the field, but I would be surprised if he saw enough volume to be a confident start even in deep formats. He's well outside my listed WR group considering the names below. FAAB: 0 percent of budget

Ranking wide receivers mentioned in previous versions of preseason  waiver wire articles:

Tier 1 in order - Caleb Douglas

Tier 2 in order - Devaughn Vele, Ted Hurst, Jahan Dotson, Jaylin Noel, Cyrus Allen

TIGHT END

ALL LEAGUES

Chig Okonkwo, Commanders - The veteran tight end is easily one of my favorite free-agent targets before the start of the season. I have major concerns about the Washington offense as a whole, but Okonkwo is rostered in less than 10 percent of ESPN leagues and could potentially be the team's No. 2 pass catcher if father time finally catches up to Stefon Diggs. FAAB: 3 percent of budget

Michael Mayer, Raiders - Wednesday's shocking news that Brock Bowers underwent surgery to trim his meniscus opens the door for Mayer to be an immediate factor to kickstart the fantasy season. I'd still rather start Chig Okonkwo and Terrance Ferguson, but Mayer is far more proficient than his 788 receiving yards in 38 career games would indicate and we truly have no idea how Klint Kubiak will operate this new Las Vegas offense. I'm speculating on the talent of the 2023 second-round pick even if it's risky. FAAB: 1 percent of budget if waivers haven't processed

Darren Waller, Panthers - Similar to Keenan Allen, there's I guess some enthusiasm that needs to be addressed regarding Waller's fantasy impact. I understand in some ridiculously deep tight-end premium leagues there's some value, but this is one of the least efficient passing offenses that has hardly valued the TE position as a pass catcher since Dave Canales has become head coach. FAAB: 0 percent of budget

DEEP LEAGUES

Jake Tonges, 49ers - This is a placemarker in the event George Kittle doesn't make a miraculous recovery from a torn Achilles in late January and return ahead of the season opener in Australia. Tonges has been quietly exceptional in place of the veteran during his many injury stints most notably recording three or more receptions in six of the seven games Kittle missed time last year. This position more than any other I covered extensively in past waiver-wire articles, so please make sure to check out the tiers listed below to get this year's Harold Fannin or Juwan Johnson. FAAB: 0 percent

Ranking tight ends mentioned in previous versions of preseason waiver wire articles:

Tier 1 in order - Terrance Ferguson, Greg Dulcich

Tier 2 in order - Mason Taylor