Fantasy football drafts are done. Teams are complete but never set in stone. The most dedicated fantasy football owners have a detailed watch list loaded with players who are just waiting to break out. Sometimes it is young rookies like DK Metcalf who were overlooked during fantasy drafts. Other times it is wily veterans who fell out of favor due to injuries. Either way, this weekly segment looks at players who are not on teams in at least 50 percent of leagues. This is the chance to get ahead of the game, as many of them will become top waiver wire adds in a short time.
Week One Fantasy Football Watch List Featuring DK Metcalf
Wide Receiver – DK Metcalf
Seattle Seahawks rookie wide receiver DK Metcalf has been garnering attention since well before the draft with his combine results. Metcalf is the embodiment of a physical freak at wide receiver. He put up 27 reps on the bench press during the combine, tied for best among wide receivers. Then, he showed off his speed, running a 4.33 40-yard dash, one of the best at the combine.
Metcalf has been getting nothing but praise from head coach Pete Carroll this offseason. Carroll said that the wide receiver “is even more unique than we thought he was” when they drafted him. Now, despite having a minor knee surgery done, Metcalf is already being penciled in as the starter week one.
The concern for Metcalf and the reason that he is still readily available in leagues is his lack of college production. He never had more than 650 yards in a season. However, he did put up 12 touchdowns during a two-year span. If Metcalf plays week one, he will be a player to watch closely, as he could quickly blow up.
Running Back – Carlos Hyde
The fact that Carlos Hyde has not been getting much hype in fantasy circles since the Houston Texans traded for him is mind-boggling. Yes, Hyde is not the most exciting running back in the NFL, but he has shown that he can have some value, especially for the Texans.
Many expect Duke Johnson to take over Lamar Miller’s role after he went down, but that’s not what Houston got him to do. Johnson has never had more than 400 yards rushing in a season, and won’t reach that mark again in 2019. Remember, he couldn’t even beat Hyde out for the carries last season when the two were teammates.
And Hyde was actually relatively productive during his time as a starter with the Cleveland Browns. In standard leagues he was the RB12, meaning he could be ridiculously underrated. He only had two games where he scored under ten points, and one game with under five points.
Sure, Hyde will only be a two-down back, but that is the exact role he played with the Browns. Players might want to consider adding Hyde now, as he could be a top waiver wire add next week.
Tight End: Delanie Walker
Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker has become a forgotten man in fantasy football circles. After being a top-ten tight end for years, Walker was hurt week one of 2018 and now finds himself mostly undrafted in leagues. The facts are that Walker is coming into his 14th season, so it is fair to wonder how much he still has left in the tank.
However, no one else on the Titans has really established themselves either. Former first-round pick Corey Davis had 891 yards, but no other player even cracked 500 yards. In fact, the team traded their second-leading receiver of 2018, Taywan Taylor, to the Cleveland Browns.
Walker’s last healthy season, he was the TE7. With how barren the position is year-to-year, team owners who missed out on a top-five talent, or who have to deal with an injury, should definitely give Walker a look.
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