The golden rule of early season fantasy football, is simple: react to real usage, not summer projections.
Though it is dangerous to overreact to a single week, ignoring underlying volume indicators like snap counts, routes run and target shares, is how you miss out on league-winning pickups.
When the initial data cleanly resolves a preseason ambiguity, you must act aggressively on the waiver wire. Secure the player now, and let Week 2 decide if the breakout is sustainable.
Wide receivers who immediately secure full-time roles represent the highest priority waiver targets, and two pass catchers in particular made undeniable statements in their opening games.
It begins in Carolina’s hierarchy, which was a massive question mark entering the season. However, Week 1 may have just provided instant clarity.
Jalen Coker played an 84 percent snap share, the highest among all Panthers wide receivers, and turned his opportunities into a monster stat line, catching eight of nine targets for 138 yards and two touchdowns.
Though critics might point out that his explosive day came against Bears backup slot cornerback Cam Lewis, dismissing this performance as a product of matchup luck is a mistake. Coker ran routes on almost every dropback and operated as Bryce Young’s clear top option alongside 2025 Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan.
With a soft matchup ahead against an Atlanta secondary that looked vulnerable against an aging Aaron Rodgers, Coker has every opportunity to cement his standing as Carolina’s locked-in No. 2 receiver.
In Green Bay, Dontayvion Wicks spent years buried on a crowded depth chart, struggling to earn consistent snaps despite flashes of elite efficiency. Now in Philadelphia, the context has shifted dramatically.
With A.J. Brown traded to the Patriots, Wicks has stepped into a primary boundary role as the Eagles X receiver opposite DeVonta Smith and capitalized immediately.
Wicks logged a 91 percent snap share in his Philadelphia debut, displaying the big-play ability that made him a sleeper candidate for years. He finished the contest with two receptions on four targets for 78 yards and a touchdown.
The efficiency and long-range threat were fully on display, offering plenty of reason to drop the “Droptayvion Bricks” moniker for good.
Being on the field for more than 90 percent of offensive snaps in a high-powered system gives Wicks an incredible ceiling as the now-clear No. 2 receiver for the Eagles.
Betting on the NFL?
Waiting for absolute certainty in fantasy usually means watching another manager claim the week’s top prize. While a one-game sample size carries inherent volatility, full-time route participation and immediate target volume are the purest predictors of sustained production.
Grabbing either Coker or Wicks, or both for that matter, solidifies your receiver depth and gives you crucial flexibility as the season unfolds.
Claim the volume now, and evaluate the rest once Week 2 arrives.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy, catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Ch. 87) weekdays from 6-8 p.m. and dominate your leagues with the latest football news and advice from Fantasy Alarm.
