Dak Prescott

With fantasy football draft season over, here are the best waiver wire options

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:35 p.m. ET

Ryan Fowler

After months of speculating, projecting, hypothesizing, and hyperventilating as the draft clock ticked down to zero, the 2016 fantasy football season is finally here.

What lies ahead is glorious. We’re locked into four months of strategy and chess moves, which can be won or lost on the fantasy waiver wire. Playing the weekly waiver wire may be my favorite part of the fantasy season aside from the camaraderie and trash talk spewed during the draft.

Now that most rosters are set heading into Week 1 of the NFL season, here are my top, widely-available waiver wire targets at each position. By widely available, I mean they are available in more than 40 percent of leagues.

Quarterback

Dak Prescott – available in 56 percent of leagues

I'll admit, I poked fun at the hyperbolic attention Prescott earned after his first couple preseason games. The words "statue" and "erect" and "outside the Jerry Dome" may have been uttered. However, when you bury the bias, and review Prescott's entire preseason efforts, he was impressive. His accuracy was on point, his mobility out of the pocket noteworthy and now he doesn't have to wait his turn with Tony Romo out for most of the season with a back injury. My reason for buying Prescott now is there will never be a time the rest of the season his fantasy value will be this cheap. Plus, it's often noted that quarterbacks just need time to find their second and third options on any given pass play. The Cowboys offensive line will provide him with those precious added seconds. For Prescott's ownership percentage to sit below 50 percent means the skeptics are still out there. That is until he drops 25+ fantasy points on the Giants this weekend and is the top waiver wire target of Week 2.

Running Back

Bilal Powell – available in 53 percent of leagues

I found several PPR-friendly running backs owned in less than 60 percent of leagues ahead of Week 1's games. Darren Sproles could have made this cut as he's got a tasty matchup against the Browns' Swiss-cheese defense. Javorius "Buck" Allen earned a lot of praise during the fantasy draft season, but the re-signing on Justin Forsett dinged his rest-of-season value once more. So, I'm looking at Bilal Powell who made a name for himself down the stretch of the 2015 fantasy football season. Powell averaged better than five receptions per game the final six contests of the season. Ryan Fitzpatick may have Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker downfield, but they don't really have a tight end. So, keep close tabs on Matt Forte's workload this first week to see if Powell can carve out an even larger role this season.

Wide Receiver

Tajae Sharpe – available in 83 percent of leagues

I don't think any two teammates did more for their draft stock this past August than Sharpe and Derrick Henry. Sharpe caught nine passes for 163 yards including three receptions of 20+ yards. At worst Sharpe is a lesser version of possession receiver Jarvis Landry, but at best his Landry 2.0 who scores 7-10 touchdowns for the Titans this season. He'll fight Delanie Walker for targets and DeMarco Murry and Henry for touches, but if he can trump Rishard Matthews in the WR pecking order, he's won the day.

Tight End

Zach Miller – available in 60 percent of leagues

He missed most of the preseason due to a concussion, but has been cleared to play. With Martellus Bennett now with the Patriots, Alshon Jeffery never quite as healthy as we would like, Kevin White still an unknown commodity, the Bears backfield in an awkward state, and the likelihood they'll be playing from behind in the second half - yeah I'll take some shares of Miller. He scored five touchdowns with four games of 5-or-more receptions the final two months of last season.