Waiver Worthy: Week 1 Fallout: Theo Riddick, Tyrell Williams, Carson Wentz & More

by Eric Stashin (aka The Rotoprofessor)

Looking to hit the waiver wire already?  Who isn’t looking to improve, though making any hasty decisions off one game could ultimately prove more costly than helpful.  With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few players who may be available and if they are worth targeting or not:

Carson Wentz – Quarterback – Philadelphia Eagles
22-37, 278 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT

The second overall selection wasn’t particularly accurate (59.5% completion rate), we have to take into account that the performance came against the Browns and wonder how often are they going to let him throw the ball 37 times.  There was always going to be value in two-quarterback formats, but in single-quarterback leagues there’s no reason to get excited off this opening day line.

Verdict – Deny

Theo Riddick – Running Back – Detroit Lions
7 carries, 45 yards, 1 TD
5 receptions, 63 yards, 1 TD

Riddick virtually shared the production with Ameer Abdullah (63 rushing yards, 57 receiving yards, 1 TD), which is promising for his upside potential as he no longer should be viewed as solely a PPR option.  While Abdullah did have more carries (12 to 7), Riddick also missed a little bit of time due to a concussion scare.  Will Riddick emerge as the lead back at any point?  Probably not, though it’s not impossible given the timeshare in Week 1.  That makes him worth stashing in most formats.

Verdict – Buy

Brandon LaFell – Wide Receiver – Cincinnati Bengals
4 receptions, 91 yards, 0 TD

He converted all of his targets into receptions, which is a positive.  Of course he only had 4 targets (A.J. Green dominated the looks, with 12), could ultimately lose opportunities to Tyler Boyd and Tyler Eifert (once healthy) and you would think the team wants to run the ball more than they did (Jeremy Hill & Giovani Bernard combined for 14 carries).  There’s simply not enough upside to consider.

Verdict – Deny

Tyrell Williams – Wide Receiver – San Diego Chargers
2 receptions, 71 yards, 0 TD

With Keenan Allen going down, Williams’ role could grow even more.  He showed big play ability yesterday, and was more than that in the preseason (7 receptions for 83 yards).  Stevie Williams’ injury had already led to speculation that Williams could play a big role in the offense, but Allen’s cements it.  It could take time, but with Philip Rivers under center there’s a chance Williams emerges as a weekly option in three-receiver formats.

Verdict – Buy

Terrelle Pryor – Wide Receiver – Cleveland Browns
3 receptions, 68 yards, 0 TD

He actually led the team in targets (7) and could remain among the most utilized receivers even after Josh Gordon returns.  That said, Robert Griffin looked less than stellar and ultimately suffered a shoulder injury late in the game.  It’s simply hard to get excited about any Cleveland skill player, outside of Gordon.

Verdict – Deny

Victor Cruz – Wide Receiver – New York Giants
4 receptions, 34 yards, 1 TD

His return is a great story, after a pair of lost seasons, and the fact that he found the end zone will certainly pique the interest of many.  That said this is the Odell Beckham Jr. show (8 targets), while Cruz (4 targets) had the same number of opportunities as rookie Sterling Shepard and trailed Shane Vereen (5 targets).  For now there are going to be higher upside players to consider in most formats.

Verdict – Deny

Quincy Enunwa – Wide Receiver – New York Jets
7 receptions, 54 yards, 1 TD

Who would’ve expected this type of target breakdown for the Jets in Week 1:

• 8 Targets – Enunwa, Brandon Marshall
• 7 Targets – Eric Decker, Matt Forte

It’s surprising that Enunwa was targeted that often and it’s hard to anticipate him remaining that big of a part of the offense.  He should be behind Marshall & Decker (as well as Forte and Bilal Powell), leaving few opportunities for production on a weekly basis.  He’s likely the #4 or 5 option, meaning he’s someone to stash in the deepest of formats but not go running to acquire.

Verdict – Deny (but stash potentially)

Sources – ESPN, NFL.com