Fantasy Football Week 1 Waiver Wire: Best Adds to Kick off 2024 Season

The 2024 NFL season may not even be underway yet, but fantasy football managers can already start working the waiver wire to get a leg up on the competition.

If you aren't fully satisfied with how your draft shook out and have glaring issues with your roster, don't fret—there are a variety of free-agent options who can help plug these holes.

Plenty of solid players wound up flying under the radar in most leagues. These high-upside talents possess the potential for big fantasy seasons and could pay dividends for managers who noticed and subsequently picked them up before breakout performances in the opener.

With that in mind, here are five players available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo! fantasy football leagues who are worth rostering before Week 1.

QB Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings (Nine Percent Rostered)

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MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - AUGUST 10: Sam Darnold #14 of the Minnesota Vikings looks on in the first quarter of the preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 10, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Fantasy managers who finished their draft with only one quarterback or a subpar No. 2 option should look no further than Sam Darnold on waivers. The Minnesota Vikings signal-caller is not only a quality backup option, but he's also a potential long-term starter with upside for a top-12 finish in 2024.

Darnold was initially expected to serve as a bridge quarterback for J.J. McCarthy, but those plans went awry after the prized rookie suffered a season-ending meniscus tear. The injury left Darnold as the clear-cut No. 1 QB in the Twin Cities for all of 2024, a job he could thrive in thanks to the elite talent surrounding him.

Although he's now with his third team in as many seasons and fourth since entering the league as the No. 3 overall pick in 2018, Darnold is still just 27 years old. There's a good chance he hasn't reached his ceiling in the league either, as the USC product has been saddled with so many poor offenses throughout his career.

Darnold provided a glimpse of how he may fare in Minnesota during his stint with the San Francisco 49ers last year. While he made just one start in a meaningless Week 18 matchup, Darnold completed 16-of-26 throws for 189 yards and a score. He also rushed seven times for 19 yards and added a touchdown on the ground, helping him finish as the No. 15 quarterback that week.

With perennial All-Pro wideout Justin Jefferson leading a crop of pass-catchers that also includes promising second-year receiver Jordan Addison and veteran tight end T.J. Hockenson—who could be back on the field by Week 5 after opening the year on the PUP list—Darnold has the weapons at his disposal to become an elite fantasy option this year.

RB Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys (48 Percent Rostered)

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - AUGUST 17: Rico Dowdle #23 of the Dallas Cowboys warms up prior to a preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on August 17, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

The Dallas Cowboys enter 2024 with plenty of questions surrounding their backfield platoon. After top running back Tony Pollard exited in free agency, the team opted against drafting any notable rookies and instead brought in a pair of aging veterans in Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook to augment incumbent backup Rico Dowdle.

While Elliott is expected to open the year as the starter, he's coming off a concerning campaign with the New England Patriots. He garnered just 642 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground while averaging a meager 3.5 yards per carry, all career-low marks for the 29-year-old. Even though he still flashed skills as a pass-catcher for the Pats—reeling in 51 balls for 313 yards and a pair of scores—it's hard to envision Elliott truly dominating Dallas' backfield in his return.

According to Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News, Mike McCarthy recently tipped his hand regarding his backfield plans. The head coach revealed Dowdle won't be as involved with special teams in 2024 because of an expected increase in offensive duties.

Based on that statement, it seems more likely the Cowboys opt for a balanced approach featuring a relatively equal split of the workload to open the year. Dowdle could eventually even usurp Elliott as the No. 1 back in this high-powered offense.

While Dowdle posted a pedestrian 361 yards and two touchdowns on 89 totes in 2023, he's the youngest of the team's top three rushers and doesn't have much mileage on his legs. The 26-year-old has only played 266 offensive snaps since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and has flashed upside to take on a larger role this year.

Considering he's only rostered in approximately half of all leagues right now, Dowdle is a great pickup for most managers. Although you won't want to plug him into your Week 1 lineup, he's a fantastic lottery ticket to stash on the bench because of his upside as a potential RB1 in an offense that is likely to be one of the NFL's best again.

RB J.K. Dobbins, Los Angeles Chargers (45 Percent Rostered)

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EL SEGUNDO, CA - JULY 29: Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (27) participates in a drill during the team's training camp at The Bolt on July 29, 2024 in El Segundo, CA. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

J.K. Dobbins is hoping a change of scenery will rejuvenate a career that has been plagued by injuries. Since his standout rookie season ended, the Ohio State product has appeared in just nine games and hasn't had an opportunity to show he's still one of the league's most promising backs.

Dobbins finished his four-year run with the Baltimore Ravens with 1,347 yards and 12 touchdowns on just 234 carries over 24 contests. The Los Angeles Chargers rolled the dice on Dobbins remaining healthy after he missed 49 possible games over the past four seasons, inking him to a one-year deal as a free agent this offseason.

The running back appears confident he'll be turning a new leaf on the West Coast. According to ESPN's Kris Rihm, Dobbins believes he'll rate as one of the best at his position in 2024 and highlighted his impressive stats as proof.

"I do think if I get the volume, I'll be one of the best in the league. I've shown that. Y'all know how much yards I averaged per carry?" I don't know how many backs got that."

With a 5.8 yards per carry average since 2020, Dobbins leads all backs with 200 or more carries in that span and ranks ahead of stars like Nick Chubb (5.4 YPC), Aaron Jones (5.1 YPC) and Jonathan Taylor (5.0 YPC). De'Von Achane (7.8 YPC) is the only RB with a higher YPC average over the last four years, although the Miami Dolphins back only logged 103 rushing attempts over his 11-game rookie season.

If Dobbins can keep contributing at a high level while staying healthy, there's little doubt he'll emerge as a great fantasy option and vastly outperform expectations for a player who wasn't even selected in a most drafts.

Few, if any, current fantasy free agents have the upside that Dobbins possesses. If he's sitting on the free-agent scrap heap in your league, pluck him off with hopes that he'll finally shake the injury bug and reach his potential.

WR Adonai Mitchell, Indianapolis Colts (27 Percent Rostered)

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - AUGUST 11: Wide receiver Adonai Mitchell #10 of the Indianapolis Colts flexes during warmups prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Denver Broncos at Lucas Oil Stadium on August 11, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

Adonai Mitchell could get off to a fast start to his NFL career by opening it as the No. 2 wideout within the Indianapolis Colts' offense.

Josh Downs—Mitchell's primary competition for looks behind top wideout Michael Pittman Jr.—has been sidelined since early August with a high ankle sprain, an injury that the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported could take upwards of six weeks to recover from.

While Nate Atkins of the Indianapolis Star reported that head coach Shane Steichen is still hopeful Downs will be in the lineup for the opener, there haven't been any concrete updates regarding the receiver's possible return.

Mitchell should heavily benefit from Downs' absence by emerging as a favorite target of second-year signal-caller Anthony Richardson. After measuring up at 6'2", 205 pounds, running a 4.34-second 40-yard dash and leaping 39.5 inches vertically at the combine, the Texas product clearly has the size, speed and athleticism to succeed at the NFL level.

Although there are concerns about Mitchell's raw route-running abilities and questionable catching skills, he should get ample opportunity to put those doubts to rest in Week 1.

Rostered in just over a quarter of leagues right now, Mitchell is worth consideration for a bench spot on any team lacking upside at the receiver position. His floor may be low, but his ceiling is far higher—an asset that makes Mitchell the perfect rookie wideout to take a flier on before the campaign kicks off.

TE Taysom Hill, New Orleans Saints (47 Percent Rostered)

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GLENDALE, ARIZONA - AUGUST 10: Taysom Hill #7 of the New Orleans Saints catches a pass during warmups before a preseason football game against the New Orleans Saints at State Farm Stadium on August 10, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Christy/Getty Images)

You never know what you are going to get with Taysom Hill. As one of the most unique players in modern NFL history, the New Orleans Saints utility man is capable of lining at every skill position and impacting the game from each.

Although he's listed on the Saints' depth chart as a quarterback, Hill has tight end eligibility in fantasy leagues and is a major asset due to this. Considering the dearth of consistent options at this position outside of the stars drafted in the early rounds, Hill is a great waiver wire addition for his ability to put points up in all sorts of ways.

Hill showed that versatility off last year when he posted four consecutive top-six finishes between Weeks 6 and 9. During that stretch he hauled in 16 receptions for 126 yards, rushed 26 times for 135 yards and punched in four total touchdowns. He also completed three of his four passing attempts for 51 yards and an additional score.

It remains to be seen how the Saints will utilize Hill in 2024, but new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak appears to want him heavily involved. According to SI.com's Ross Jackson, Hill was spotted lining up in the backfield, at the tight end spot and split out wide during training camp while also continuing to serve as an option under center.

Head coach Dennis Allen confirmed that Hill would see quarterback snaps during the regular season, warning opposing defensive coordinators back in May that they should "start game planning" for the possibility.

Managers who missed out on drafting one of the handful of elite tight ends and plan to stream the position should snap Hill up as soon as possible. He's still available in 53 percent of leagues right now, but heavy usage in Week 1 would make him one of the more popular waiver wire claims.