The 2025 fantasy football season is finally here, and Week 1 is all about finding the hidden gems that could take your squad to the next level. Adding players post-draft is absolutely vital to season-long success, as would-be starters are being cut, traded, or shuffled on depth charts, opening up significant roles for underrated studs.
Translation: It’s time to get aggressive.
From upside wide receivers to sneaky tight ends and under-the-radar running backs, our Fantasy Football Week 1 Waiver Wire highlights the top waiver targets to stash before your league catches on, because nabbing a potential league-winner now could pay huge dividends for the rest of the season.
Still haven’t drafted? Don’t panic. The Wolf’s 2025 Fantasy Football Guide has you covered with sleepers, breakout targets, and full round-by-round strategy, plus who to draft and who to fade. Support a small fantasy brand and crush your draft this year!
Heads up: Each player featured here is rostered in 55% or fewer leagues on Yahoo! and/or Sleeper.
FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 1 WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS
QUARTERBACKS
TREVOR LAWRENCE, JAGUARS (50% YAHOO, 49% SLEEPER)
Trevor Lawrence finds himself in a make-or-break year, but the Jaguars gave him every reason to succeed by bringing in Liam Coen and No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter. Coen’s McVay-inspired scheme is designed to free receivers at every level, and pairing Hunter with Brian Thomas Jr. creates one of the most exciting young WR duos in the league.
We’ve seen Lawrence pop for 25-30 fantasy points before, and the hope is Coen’s system turns those splash weeks into more consistent QB1 production. While there’s still some risk he never takes that next step, Lawrence is the perfect Week 1 waiver wire stash as a QB2 with the ceiling to emerge as an every-week starter.
MICHAEL PENIX JR., FALCONS (33% YAHOO, 40% SLEEPER)
Michael Penix Jr. might be the sneaky fantasy “cheat code” at quarterback that few are talking about. The Falcons’ offense, led by OC Zac Robinson (another McVay disciple), is designed to create explosive plays, even if the rushing game dominates.
In his three starts last season, Penix led the NFL with 10.2 air yards per attempt and ranked ninth in explosive pass play percentage, showing he can stretch the field like few QBs. While he only had one true monster game (28.1 fantasy points vs. Carolina in Week 18), the flashes of his cannon arm and fearless play make him a strong Week 1 waiver wire stash with real upside.
Others to target: Cam Ward (Titans), Bryce Young (Panthers), Geno Smith (Raiders)
RUNNING BACKS
OLLIE GORDON II, DOLPHINS (30% YAHOO, 48% SLEEPER)
Ollie Gordon needs to be on your radar, especially with Miami’s backfield looking shaky behind De’Von Achane, who is expected to play Week 1, but also nursed a calf injury during camp. At 6’1” and 225 pounds, the former Oklahoma State star and 2023 Doak Walker Award winner (2,612 rushing yards, 34 TDs over the last two years) profiles as the Dolphins’ power back and short-yardage option. His skill set complements a healthy Achane, but Gordon has true workhorse upside if Achane were to go down with an injury.
With Jaylen Wright undergoing a procedure for a leg injury, Gordon handled every starter snap and all rushing work in Miami’s preseason finale, flashing his ability as a goal-line hammer with some pass-catching and pass-protection chops. He’s not blazing fast like Achane or Wright (4.6 speed), but he’s got a clear path to touches if Achane suffers a setback, making him a strong stash and immediate waiver add in deeper leagues.
WOODY MARKS, TEXANS (9% YAHOO, 19% SLEEPER)
Woody Marks is an intriguing Week 1 waiver wire stash, especially in half and full PPR formats. The rookie back was a fourth-round pick by Houston and brings serious receiving chops from his college days, racking up 261 catches across five seasons at Mississippi State and USC, including a ridiculous 83 grabs in 2021. He’s more than just a pass-catcher, too, with nearly 1,900 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground.
With Joe Mixon on the shelf for the foreseeable future, Nick Chubb trending towards dust, and Dameon Pierce being Dameon Pierce, Marks has a very real path to touches. Whether he carves out a passing-down role early or steps in if Chubb and Pierce lack consistency, Marks is worth stashing now before his stock takes off.
DYLAN SAMPSON, BROWNS (44% YAHOO, 48% SLEEPER)
With Quinshon Judkins still unsigned (and possibly facing league discipline), the Browns leaned on their rookie fourth-rounder in the preseason finale, where he handled every snap he saw. Jerome Ford will stay in the mix, but Dylan Sampson looks locked into at least a 50/50 split to open the season. That kind of opportunity is rare on the wire this early, giving Sampson immediate flex appeal in deeper leagues.
A fourth-round pick out of Tennessee, Sampson dominated in his lone season as the Vols’ full-time starter, racking up 1,491 rushing yards, 22 touchdowns, and a First Team All-SEC nod. He’s a natural fit in Kevin Stefansky’s outside-zone scheme and has drawn praise from RBs coach Duce Staley for his ability to contribute in the slot and on third downs. If the pass-catching work follows the rushing talent, Sampson has a path to becoming an every-down back. As long as Judkins remains unsigned, he’s the Browns’ back to circle.
Others to target: Chris Rodriguez Jr. (Commanders), Dameon Pierce (Texans), Brashard Smith (Chiefs), Emanuel Wilson (Packers), Bhayshul Tuten (Jaguars)
WIDE RECEIVERS
DONT’E THORTON JR., RAIDERS (10% YAHOO, 31% SLEEPER)
Dont’e Thornton Jr. is a physical freak: 6’5” with a 4.3 forty, joining an elite club alongside Calvin Johnson and DK Metcalf. Raiders OC Chip Kelly isn’t exaggerating when he says, “There’s not a lot of humans on this planet that can do that.”
Thornton has been locked in with the first team since OTAs, even ahead of higher-drafted Jack Bech, and training camp proved he’s thriving. He’s a field-stretching weapon with top-three production in his class (3.72 YPRR) and a nation-leading 25.4 yards per catch last year. Pair him with a quarterback who can sling it deep, and Thornton’s upside explodes, as he hauled in 50+ yard bombs in camp. While he’s clearly a deep-threat weapon, he’s reportedly working to show he can be more than that, making him a prime Week 1 waiver wire stash for big-play potential and crazy upside.
ISAAC TESLAA, LIONS (9% YAHOO, 26% SLEEPER)
Isaac TeSlaa turned heads all preseason, hauling in 10 catches for 154 yards and three touchdowns on just 14 targets, flashing both highlight-reel plays and NFL-ready traits. The 6’4”, 214-pound rookie isn’t just a big body; he runs a 4.43 forty, boasts elite burst, and has the kind of catch radius that makes quarterbacks trust him in contested spots.
After a unique journey from Division II Hillsdale to Arkansas and now Detroit, TeSlaa has officially carved out the Lions’ WR3 role behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, with the team even moving on from veteran Tim Patrick to make room. He’s not guaranteed steady volume, but his size/speed combo and ability to stretch the field make him a fun upside stash in deeper leagues right away.
TROY FRANKLIN, BRONCOS (2% YAHOO, 8% SLEEPER)
Troy Franklin is flying under the radar in most leagues, but the door is wide open for him to carve out a real role in Denver’s offense after the team shipped Devaughn Vele to New Orleans. The second-year wideout already out-snapped Marvin Mims last season (403 to 326) despite missing Week 1, and his chemistry with Bo Nix from their Oregon days has carried right into the NFL.
Franklin led all Broncos starters in preseason targets, catches, yards, and touchdowns, which is a strong sign that he’s ready for a second-year breakout. He may go undrafted in standard 12-team leagues, but his blend of talent, opportunity, and upside makes him a savvy waiver pickup with weekly blowup potential.
JALEN COKER, PANTHERS (4% YAHOO, 15% SLEEPER)
Coke Heads, stand up! Jalen Coker is a name to circle on your Week 1 waiver wire radar after the Panthers handed him the starting slot role following Adam Thielen’s departure. The undrafted second-year wideout from Holy Cross flashed big-time down the stretch in 2024, averaging 10.4 yards per target and commanding at least a 19% target share in four of his last five games in an ascending Carolina offense.
At 6’3”, 213 pounds with elite athleticism and a 42.5” vertical, Coker profiles as more than just a slot guy. He’s a legit playmaker with chemistry already building with Bryce Young. With the Panthers’ offense trending upward, Coker could emerge as a waiver wire gem and early-season breakout, making him a smart stash before the rest of your league catches on.
Others to target: Jalen Coker (Panthers), Keenan Allen (Chargers), Josh Palmer (Bills), Elic Ayomanor (Titans), Marvin Mims (Broncos), Tory Horton (Seahawks), Jaylin Lane (Commanders), Luther Burden (Bears), Cedric Tillman (Browns)
TIGHT ENDS
ZACH ERTZ, COMMANDERS (55% YAHOO, 55% SLEEPER)
Zach Ertz is somehow sitting on waiver wires despite proving he’s still got plenty left in the tank. The veteran tight end finished 2024 as the TE7, racking up 66 catches, seven touchdowns, and nearly 180 fantasy points, yet he’s going undrafted in plenty of leagues.
Ertz remains Jayden Daniels’ go-to safety valve and has a track record of thriving under Kliff Kingsbury, finishing as a top-6 TE in his last two healthy seasons with him. Down the stretch last year, he was especially hot, averaging 13.5 fantasy points per game while out-targeting nearly every Washington wideout besides Terry McLaurin. If you’re thin at tight end, Ertz is a solid waiver add who can provide immediate plug-and-play production.
HAROLD FANNIN JR., BROWNS (1% YAHOO, 8% SLEEPER)
Rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. is a name to know in Cleveland after pushing for immediate snaps alongside David Njoku. He’s already stood out in training camp and preseason, with his very first preseason catch going for a 15-yard touchdown. In the finale, he mixed in with the starters, logging 60% snaps, 60% routes, and a strong 33% targets-per-route-run. The Browns are already lining Fannin up all over the formation, deploying his sick skill set across the offense.
His college résumé at Bowling Green is ridiculous. Fannin set FBS single-season records for a tight end with 117 catches and 1,555 yards while also breaking PFF-era marks in YAC (868), missed tackles forced (32), and receiving grade (96.5). And it wasn’t just MAC defenses he bullied; he torched Penn State (11-137-1) and Texas A&M (8-145-1) as well. With Njoku entering a contract year, Fannin could be a sneaky TE2/big slot weapon sooner rather than later, making him a sharp stash in deeper leagues.
Others to target: Hunter Henry (Patriots), Brenton Strange (Jaguars), Chig Okonkwo (Titans), Cade Otton (Bucs), Mason Taylor (Jets)
