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Fantasy Football provides an excellent additional interest in the NFL and ahead of Week 1, the game is back.
Many fans are looking for an advantage in their personal leagues, be that over their friends, family members or work colleagues.
It is natural for the biggest name players to go early on in the draft. Users won’t be looking at Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen by the time you make your pick at sixth or seventh overall.
However, that doesn’t mean players are consigned to the foot of the standings for the duration of the NFL Fantasy Football season. There is value you can still extract from the board, even after the draft is over.
Be the GM of your favorite team, use our free Mock Draft Simulator with trades
Week 1 of the season is now underway following the Buffalo Bills’ excellent victory over the defending Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, September 8. With the games coming thick and fast, Fantasy football users need to start making their final roster decisions.
It’s too early to trade and it’s likely your friends are happy with their selections and won’t entertain such a notion anyway, so you need to look to the free agency wire. This may sound like a cheap strategy, but there is value here in players that will shine in Week 1.
Which 5 NFL Free Agent players will win you your Week 1 Fantasy matchup?
#1 Samaje Perine | Cinicinnati Bengals
Samaje Perine is a backup running back for a team that has one of the best throwing quarterbacks in the NFL. Consequently, there is little to no expectation on his shoulders ahead of the 2022 season.
Few, if any, Fantasy players will have selected him ahead of Week 1 and he will be there, ripe for the plucking on the free agency wire. This isn’t a long-term pick. He isn’t going to see a huge number of reps this season, dependent on whether he will be the second- or third-string running back on the Cincinnati Bengals roster.
However, going up against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 represents a chance for him to rack up points.
The Steelers were statistically the worst defense against the run in 2021 and allowed 2,483 yards. This will give the Bengals a chance to exploit their defense and we will see a lot of work for Joe Mixon.
Yet, with that additional workload comes a greater need for Mixon to rest. Perine could well see a lot of goal-line plays where he can get you vital points with touchdowns.
#2 Jameis Winston | New Orleans Saints
Quarterback is a difficult position to select in Fantasy Football. Traditional point scorers are selected early on, and viable players at the position are ignored and left on the shelf.
Jameis Winston is ready to continue as the starter for the New Orleans Saints and they face a favorable Week 1 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons' defense was one of the worst in 2021 with respect to giving up completed passes.
If there is one thing that Winston can be relied upon for, it is ripping the ball out of his hands with speed and finding the hands of a target. He has racked up yards with ease through numerous completions and will likely have a field day in terms of Fantasy numbers in Week 1.
#3 Trevor Lawrence | Jacksonville Jaguars
Trevor Lawrence arrived into the NFL with too much hype after his Clemson career. He arrived into a poor Jacksonville Jaguars team with a coach who made life even more difficult for his players.
As such, his rookie year literally made no headlines. It was just average across the board and it’s hard to even think of any notable plays made by the generationally talented QB.
However, he is gifted and has what it takes to be a future star in the NFL. 2022 could be the year where he begins to shine.
Few Fantasy players will take the risk on a player who did very little last year in such a key position. But if you’re looking for a free agent sleeper, Trevor Lawrence will win you games, especially going up against a Washington Commanders team in Week 1.
#4 Jerry Jeudy | Denver Broncos
Jerry Jeudy's is perhaps the only name on this list that may not be on your free agency wire.
Having entered the NFL as a potentially prodigiously gifted receiver, Jeudy has underperformed so far. His stock has gone right down, whilst off-field issues haven’t helped his focus.
The Denver Broncos begin the 2022 season with an elite quarterback in Russell Wilson and the service Jeudy will receive will instantly improve. Furthermore, the Week 1 matchup is a Fantasy player’s dream as the Seattle Seahawks gave up the second-most passing yards in 2021.
Jeudy won’t excite many Fantasy players, but he is set to play a huge game on Monday as Wilson’s #1 target. Expect touchdowns from the 23-year-old.
#5 Hunter Henry | New England Patriots
There are three things you can take for granted in life: death, taxes and Bill Belichick making use of a physically dominant tight end.
Hunter Henry isn’t the most popular player in the NFL, but he has already started to show how effective he can be for Belichick in the red zone. Henry isn’t a prolific scorer like Travis Kelce and will have slipped down draft boards. However, he could get a lot of targets for the New England Patriots.
Week 1 sees the Pats face their divisional rival Miami Dolphins, who have had defensive struggles recently. Consequently, Henry is likely to have multiple opportunities for touchdown catches.
As a free agent pick-up, he will always offer you a guarantee of targets and points with Belichick never ignoring his tight ends. You can surprise your friends with this money pick that nobody else thought to make.
