6 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Add BEFORE Week 1 (Ep. 2178)

September 9, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

“If you’re waiting to see it, you’re already too late.” That line from the FantasyPros crew captures the core logic of the episode: the six waiver wire adds discussed are not about reacting to Week 1 explosions, but about projecting roles before the games are played. The hosts—Ofredo Brown, Derek Brown, and Tom Stracken—walk through a tiered list of players available in at least 50% of leagues, ranging from widely known stashes to deep-league dart throws. The emphasis throughout is not just on who to add, but on why the opportunity exists: specific matchups, offensive scheme changes, coaching tendencies, and the psychology of owners who cling to draft-season name value instead of in-season probabilities.

The Case for Early-Season Stashes: Opportunity, Not Hype

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What you'll learn

1 (00:28) **Six Waiver Wire Stashes for Before Week 1** - The hosts introduce the show's premise: six players to add before the season starts, covering shallow and deep leagues.
2 (01:28) **Ravens WR: Jacobi Lane** - Derek Brown kicks off with a highly-rostered Ravens wide receiver who has generated massive training camp buzz.
3 (04:39) **Saints QB: Tyler Shook** - A widely available quarterback in a great situation, with a soft early-season schedule and a full offseason as the starter.
4 (07:27) **Rams TE: Terrence Ferguson** - A hyper-athletic young tight end with top-12 upside who should be stashed on benches immediately.
5 (11:53) **Commanders TE: Zach Ertz** - A veteran tight end in a revamped Washington offense, available as a reliable streaming option or bench depth.
6 (16:01) **Eagles WR: Dontavian Wicks** - A deeply available (87% of leagues) wide receiver with elite analytics who could overtake a rookie first-round pick.
7 (19:04) **Browns RB: D'Onta Foreman** - A receiving back on a bad team with a favorable early-season schedule, positioned for PPR relevance.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Derek Brown

Show Notes

Don’t wait until after Week 1 to attack the fantasy football waiver wire. Alfredo Brown, Derek Brown, and Tom Strachan reveal six players worth adding and stashing now before their roles, and potentially their waiver prices, change once the games begin.

Could Ja'Kobi Lane carve out a significant role alongside Zay Flowers in Baltimore? Is Tyler Shough already a viable fantasy starter? The guys break down why Terrance Ferguson could emerge for the Rams, what Chig Okonkwo offers in Washington, and why Dontayvion Wicks could be one of the most overlooked wide receivers available on waivers.

Plus, find out why Dylan Sampson's receiving role could make him a valuable PPR option in Cleveland. Get ahead of your league with the top fantasy football waiver wire pickups, sleepers, and Week 1 stashes to target before everyone else catches on.

Timestamps: (May be off due to ads)

Intro - 0:00:00

Ja'Kobi Lane - 0:01:09

Tyler Shough - 0:04:20

Terrance Ferguson - 0:07:07

Chig Okonkwo - 0:11:28

Dontayvion Wicks - 0:15:25

Dylan Sampson - 0:18:44

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