Can you feel it? It’s almost here – fantasy football season!

That means it’s also time for our first waiver wire run of the 2024 season. If you put your team together in July, you probably already have some moves to make. Even if you put your team together last week, there are some new additions to consider (Samaje Perine?). And of course, if you have an IR spot, don’t forget to move players like Nick Chubb to that spot so you can select one of the players on our list today.

It’s going to be a short article today, and as the season progresses and we get more data, we’ll dive deeper. Let’s grab a few players.

(Availability shown applies to ESPN leagues beginning Tuesday, September 3, 2024)

Perine becomes a priority addition this week now that we know Clyde Edwards Helaire will open the season on the PUP list. The Chiefs signed their replacement for Jerick McKinnon, who will potentially play a much larger role should Pacheco ever be out. Perine finished 2023 with career highs in targets, catches and receiving yards while working on a committee with Javonte Williams and Jaleel McLaughlin in Denver. He should play an immediate role in filling in for Pacheco on pass attempts. The Chiefs play on Thursday this week, however, so Perine is just a backup while we wait to see how it plays out.

If you stream quarterbacks or are in a Super Flex league, Stafford is a starter this week against a Rams defense that allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks last season. Add to that the fact that he gets Cooper Kupp back, and we should see fireworks at Ford Field, where the game point total is the highest of the week — at 51.

Mason is the handcuff for Christian McCaffrey. Don’t think about it too much. If you have CMC, make sure you have Mason. If you don’t have CMC and have space, grab him to block the CMC owner.

Shakir is the only veteran wide receiver returning to the Bills’ offense, with nearly 200 additional passes up for grabs. Shakir has been a big playmaker in the final three games of 2023, catching 16 of his 17 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Buffalo hosts Arizona this week with one of the highest game totals on DraftKings (48).

Marvin Harrison, Jr. is expected to be the WR1 in Arizona, and we all expect Trey McBride to be heavily targeted, but if Wilson is the WR2 to Kyler Murray, that could still pay off as a weekly flex play. After starting the season without Murray at QB and then missing four games with a shoulder injury, the third-round pick looked strong in the two games in which he and Kyler Murray were both healthy. Wilson caught 10 of his 12 targeted passes for 130 yards and a touchdown in those two games. Wilson averaged 14.9 receiving yards per reception in 2023.

Head coach Mike McDaniel has said he wants to use the entire team in Miami and rely on whoever is good in this game. It will be hard to outperform Mostert and Achane, but Wright could get more than a few opportunities to shine this season. The Dolphins’ fourth-round pick has the trait Mike McDaniels loves most: speed. He fits perfectly in this system and is probably just one injury away from a chance. In his first preseason game, Wright ran for 55 yards on 10 carries and scored a touchdown.

Dortch, the “Human Torch,” has been making waves in the preseason, and with Zay Jones out for at least the first five games of the season, Dortch should be the full-time slot receiver to start the year. Dortch has been effective whenever he’s been used. When the Cardinals let him play over the past two seasons, he had seven or more targets in eight games and reached double-digit targets four times. Head coach Jonathan Gannon has been optimistic about Dortch this season, telling Darren Urban on the Cardinals’ official team site, “He’s going to have a big year, guys.” If you’re excited about Kyler Murray this season (I am), Dortch is an excellent big-league addition.

I’ll just be honest: I’m not a huge fan of Richard White. In 2023, Rachaad White averaged 16 rushing attempts per game (6th); however, Tampa Bay’s running game ranked last in yards per game last season (88.8), and White was inefficient as a runner, averaging just 3.64 yards per attempt. Perhaps that’s why the Bucs drafted Bucky Irving, a speedy, undersized runner from Oregon. Where White has succeeded, however, is in the passing game. White was targeted 70 times last season, and his 549 passing attempts ranked him third among running backs. The Bucs have a new offensive coordinator in Liam Coen, who wants to increase the efficiency of the running game. Why wouldn’t the Bucs use both runners to maximize results?
WR Joshua Palmer

With Kendre Miller opening the season on the PUP list, Hill could be the RB2 for New Orleans, but you can also have him play as a TE. Of course, he could throw a few passing touchdowns as well. Hill remains a cheat code at the position with the potential for big weeks if you stream the position.

Other points to consider: RB Jaleel McLaughlin, RB Tyrone Tracy, WR Ja’Lynn Polk, WR Brandin Cooks, TE Ben Sinnnott