2025 Fantasy Football Week 1 Waiver Wire Adds ft. Ollie Gordon, Dylan Sampson and more

Don't let anyone tell you that the waiver wire in fantasy football opens after the Week 1 games. Right now, you should be griding your free agent pools to find high upside players that drafters forgot.

I'm going to look at players rostered in less than 50% of Yahoo fantasy football leagues and offer advice on whom to add before this weekend's games. We're trying to jump the waiver wire and save ourselves FAAB or our claim number.

Remember, we want our benches filled with upside stashes at running back and wide receiver. Don't waste your time with backup quarterbacks and tight ends unless the scoring/format leans heavily in the favor of those positions. We want players who are one injury away from a massive role. Let's go find some waiver wire gems.

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2025 Fantasy Football Week 1 Waiver Wire Adds

Ollie Gordon (MIA) 36% – I've been drafting the rookie from Oklahoma State everywhere. He's slated to share touches with De'Von Achane, who is nursing a calf injury and isn't built for a between-the-tackles role. Enter the 2023 All-American and Doak Walker winner of the nation's best running back. At 6'2" and 225lbs, Gordon is the thunder to Achane's lightning. Last season, Achane handled 45% of the Dolphins carries. Without old reliable options like Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. from years past, there needs to be someone else to carry the rock on South Beach. Gordon is your man. Add him as someone with stand-alone value in Miami's offense that wants to get the ball out of Tua Tagovailoa's hands and keep him upright. There's a big chance that Gordon handles the goal line work as Achane converted just three times inside the five a year ago.

NFL: Miami Dolphins at Detroit Lions

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Woody Marks (HOU) 9% - This is simple. Houston's offensive line stinks. The running backs infront of Marks are unproductive or coming off catastrophic injuries. He's a high-end pass catcher who will immediately become a trusted safety value out of the backfield for C.J. Stroud. In college (at Mississippi State and USC), Marks caught 261 over his five years. That includes an incredible 83 receptions in 2021. That includes an incredible 83 receptions in 2021.

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Dylan Sampson (CLE) 48% - Cleveland has a mess of a roster. They'll likely play several quarterbacks and won't win many games. But there's still room for fantasy points. Rookie Quinshon Judkins has yet to sign his contract and could face a suspension when he does. Veteran Jerome Ford will split snaps with Sampson for the time being. Sampson gives some upside as he has more 'wiggle' than Ford. If we're playing for upside, then take a shot on a back who has shown 4.4 speed and the ability to make splash plays in the open field.

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Trey Benson (ARI) 39% - Over the summer, Benson was being talked up by his Cardinals teammates. James Conner, the starting RB, is on record saying, "He's gonna play a lot this year." That's something we should pay attention to. It's no secret that Conner misses time. In this run-heavy Cardinals attack, it's valuable. Arizona was the #7 rush offense in the league a year ago. They've added nothing to their pass game. Translation: they want to run the rock. Benson is a must-own.

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Dont'e Thornton (LV) 9% - Sometimes rookies take a while to catch on, but it seems like Thornton is already playing like a veteran. This is a 6-foot-5 receiver who runs a 4.30 forty. Those guys don't grow on trees. He'll start at the "X" receiver spot for Vegas, who is dealing with Jakobi Meyers' trade demands. Thornton could quickly become the deep threat Vegas has long coveted.

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DeMario Douglas (NE) 16% - Remember when the Patriots peppered their slot receivers with fantasy-friendly targets? Their play caller was Josh McDaniels. He's back. With QB Drake Maye growing into a more comfortable passer, Douglas could be an outlet valve who could catch 60+ balls as the slot in three-wide sets. Deep league PPR play only.

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Chig Okonkwu (TEN) 33% - The athletic talent isn't debatable. It's putting it all together every week. That should be easier in Tennessee this season with a much better quarterback situation and an above-average offensive line. Okonkwu is battling Calvin Ridley, rookie Elic Ayomanor, and ... not much else for targets. I like Chig to breakout as a low-end TE1 for the season with Cam Ward using him as a safety net underneath.

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Mason Taylor (NYJ) 12% - The Jets' receiving options are a bigger joke than anything you'll hear at an NYC comedy club. Behind Garrett Wilson, it's Taylor and a collection of dust balls. I'm predicting Taylor finishes the season as the Jets' second-most-targeted receiver. Jets QB Justin Fields was quoted this summer saying that Taylor is a "great route runner" and has "natural hands." It won't take much for Taylor to become one of Fields' favorite targets.