Quick answerFor Week 1, investigate Juwan Johnson if you need a tight end, Tyler Shough in QB-scarce formats, and Tyler Allgeier as a backfield watch-list stash. Quentin Johnston and the Chargers D/ST are other conditional options. Check your own waiver pool first: this page does not claim these players are widely available.
Week 1 waiver candidates by roster need
| Candidate | Use case | Illustrative bid | Before submitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juwan Johnson · TE | Fallback if your starting TE is weak or unavailable | 1–3% | Confirm role, availability and your alternatives |
| Tyler Shough · QB | Depth or starter coverage in superflex/2QB | 3–7%; 0–1% in shallow 1QB | Confirm the starting assignment and league QB scarcity |
| Tyler Allgeier · RB | Role-upside bench stash | 1–4% | Do not equate depth-chart placement with guaranteed touches |
| Quentin Johnston · WR | Deeper-league receiving depth | 0–2% | Compare with the player you would drop |
| Los Angeles Chargers · D/ST | Short-term option if your league starts D/ST | 0–1% | Review opponent, scoring and other available defenses |
These ranges are editorial opening-budget guardrails, not scraped ownership figures or a model's winning-bid estimate. Raise or lower a bid based on the benefit to your actual lineup and your league's demand. If the candidate would be your third unused backup at a position, even a modest bid can be wasteful.
Immediate starter or future stash?
Separate the two decisions. An immediate starter must improve a slot you need to fill now. A stash earns a bench spot because new information could make them useful later. Johnson and Shough appear with the first-team offense on the Saints' unofficial depth chart, but that does not establish how many points they will score. Allgeier's role should be reassessed as Arizona's backfield usage becomes clearer.
For Johnston, the question is whether his potential role improves your receiving depth enough to justify the drop. For D/ST, consider whether the streaming option is actually better than what you already own. Neither a familiar name nor a national pickup list is sufficient reason to make a transaction.
Turn a percentage into a bid
| Share of original budget | $100 budget | $200 budget |
|---|---|---|
| 1% | $1 | $2 |
| 3% | $3 | $6 |
| 5% | $5 | $10 |
| 7% | $7 | $14 |
Example: a $3 bid from an original $100 budget is 3%. If you have only $20 remaining, it consumes 15% of the remaining balance. Check your minimum-bid setting, tiebreaker and pending claims. A recommended percentage should never be mistaken for a universal market price.
Who should you drop before Week 1?
- Consider redundant depth only after confirming you have no immediate coverage need.
- Compare a speculative stash with another speculative stash; do not casually exchange a reliable starter for a rumor.
- Account for keeper or dynasty retention value before using redraft advice.
- Keep an eligible backup when a late-game starter's availability is uncertain.
- Do not drop a player merely because their opening-week rank is lower than their draft cost suggested.
Claims, deadlines and contingency plans
Your league's displayed processing time controls when you can obtain a player. A pending claim is not a completed pickup. Review available budget and roster space, and understand whether winning an earlier claim invalidates a later one that names the same drop. Check the results before relying on the new player in your lineup.
Week 1 starts on Wednesday: check your lineup deadline
The opener is September 9; Week 1 ends September 14. Set your initial lineup early and check your league's actual locks.
Put an earlier-game starter in a dedicated position and preserve FLEX for a later player where possible. This keeps more replacements eligible if late news changes your plan. A full-lineup lock removes that flexibility; do not assume your league uses individual-player locks.