MLB Best Bets – Free (Wednesday 5/15)
Josh Gross
Week 1 hasn’t kicked off yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t already be looking to the future.
Let’s get ahead of the game and make some early waiver claims before the season even starts. It should go without saying (but I’ll say it anyway) that these are speculative waiver adds. But it’s better to be early than miss the boat entirely.
Here are seven players to make a waiver claim for before Week 1 even starts (all players owned in fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues).
Treylon Burks, WR, Tennessee Titans
The Titans traded away A.J. Brown – one of the best WRs in the league – and replaced him in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft with Treylon Burks. That should give you a sense of how much they like the rookie. Burks will battle with Robert Woods for the WR1 role in Tennessee, but he’s the odds-on favorite to secure the job early in the season.
He’s only owned in 46% of Yahoo leagues. Burks may not have Ja’Marr Chase-level rookie potential given that he plays in the second-run-heaviest offense in the league, but he absolutely could develop into a solid fantasy WR3.
Brian Robinson, RB, Washington Commanders
Yes, Brian Robinson was shot in the leg a week ago. But he landed on the NFI-R list, which means he’s eligible to return as soon as Week 5. The Commanders must like his chances to return to the field sooner rather than later, otherwise he would have landed on PUP to be out at least six weeks.
The best part: Robinson can just go in your league’s IR spot, which means he doesn’t even take up bench space and becomes a two-for-one free-agent add. If you don’t have this IR spot, then this move doesn’t make as much sense. But Robinson was looking ripe to at least split rushing work with Antonio Gibson, if not steal the starting job outright.
Michael Gallup, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Michael Gallup WILL be an every-week starter for your fantasy team in three-WR leagues as soon as he’s back on the field. He did not land on PUP, which means the Cowboys think he’ll be back sometime in September or early October. He’s only owned in 35% of Yahoo leagues, which is one of the most bizarre things I’ve ever seen in fantasy football. Pick up Gallup NOW.
Sammy Watkins/Romeo Doubs, WRs, Green Bay Packers
I don’t know which one yet – sorry, just being honest – but it seems likely at least one of these players will be fantasy-relevant in 2022 given the lack of top-end talent at WR in Green Bay and the wide open target tree post-Davante Adams. Romeo Doubs (32%) and Sammy Watkins (21%) are available in most leagues – and both have a chance to be Aaron Rodgers’ No. 2 WR.
Doubs shined this preseason and was one of the fastest-risers in August, but Watkins is a proven vet who has been decent, if unspectacular, for various stretches throughout his career. I think it’s a sharp move to place a chip on a Rodgers WR before Week 1.
Isaiah Likely, TE, Baltimore Ravens
Isaiah Likely popped off in the preseason, looking like a legit WR (at the TE position) en route to a 7-catch, 101-yard game. The Ravens have Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews atop the target tree, but nothing to speak of after those two. Likely is primed to emerge as at least a top-five target option in this offense, and it’s not unrealistic to think he could end up as the No. 3 option. At only 10% rostership at a thin position (TE), Likely is the TE available on waivers with the highest upside.
Rachaad White, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Leonard Fournette appears locked in as Tampa’s three-down back yet again, but there has been significant talk that Rachaad White may steal touches – particularly receptions – from Uncle Lenny. He’s listed as the No. 2 back on the depth chart, while supposed third-down back Giovani Bernard is down at No. 4. White also becomes a high-end fantasy RB2 (at worst) if Fournette gets hurt.
Personally, I’m all-in on Fournette as “the guy” in Tampa, but White is certainly worth a shot in the event he has a bigger role than anticipated. A running back on one of the best offenses in the league is sure to be fantasy-relevant if he gets enough snaps.
