In today’s Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by Mike’s Hard Lemonade:
One might think that this is currently the calm before the storm.
Football preseason is over. Our first game is still a few days away. Things will probably be quiet until the first week kicks off… right?
Incorrect.
There has been a major shakeup in the Kansas City Chiefs backfield over the past few days that has had quite significant implications for the fantasy football scene.
Last week, KC signed RB Samaje Perine from the free agent pile after being released by the Denver Broncos.
Then yesterday it was announced that Clyde Edwards-Helaire will miss at least the first four games of the season because he has been placed on the reserve/non-football illness list.
We now have a new direct backup for Isiah PachecoIf something were to happen to Pacheco, Perine would likely have most of the touches in the backfield.
But this goes beyond mere quota value. Perine is an extremely good pass catcher and could easily deliver Jerick McKinnon-like production as a regular contributor in temporary situations.
There’s no reason to be scared of Pacheco—he’ll get as much running work as he can handle—but Perine quickly went from a supporting figure in the Broncos’ backfield to a must-have No. 2 in the best offense in football.
For more early Week 1 waivers, check out Kendall’s article below…
What else is in today’s newsletter?
- Kendall Valenzuela’s Week 1 Waiver Wire
- Water cooler: Injury News
- Ian Hartitz’s Sheesh Report
Week 1 Waiver Wire Pickups
Congratulations, everyone! You’ve officially made it to Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season. We’re finally here, which means most of your fantasy football teams have been drafted.
You’ve worked hard, so take a victory lap and give your roster one last look. I hope you have the quarterback of your dreams, the best picks out there, and the running back in the final rounds who is sure to win your league.
Now drafting season may be over, but the fun part is just beginning – so what’s next?
Waivers, baby! Now is the time to be a real fantasy manager. We know how the season goes. There will inevitably be injuries, usage changes, and players that seemingly appear out of nowhere.
This will be your guide to the 2024 fantasy football season. Each week I’ll highlight the biggest waiver wire targets worth claiming, players to keep on your radar, and also the recommended FAAB. Most importantly: WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP. Injuries happen, but we can work our way out of anything. It’s a fresh start, a new season… so let’s get started.
Samaje Perine, RB – Chiefs (3% in the squad at Yahoo)
As Pete suggested above, this could be the waiver wire pickup of the week, so don’t miss out.
The Kansas City Chiefs placed running back Clyde Edwards–Helaire on the reserve/non-football illness list, meaning he will miss (at least) the first four games of the season.
For me this means that the Samaje Perine The signing was more than just a reinforcement of depth. Add to that the fact that the Chiefs were reportedly trying to Josh Jacobs during the off-season and we should conclude that perhaps Isaiah Pacheco’s His workload will not increase this season.
Perine will look to take on the passing down and third down role we have seen Jerick McKinnon in 2023. Of course, Pacheco is the team’s RB1, but Perine is now a solid backup to target on the waiver list this week.
Jaleel McLaughlin, RB – Broncos (33% in the squad at Yahoo)
So, Javonte Williams wasn’t released (LOL), but that doesn’t mean we should stop looking for value in that backfield. Jaleel McLaughlin is the team’s No. 2 RB, which gives him a chance at relevance.
Last season he averaged 5.4 yards per run – better than Williams (3.6) and Samaje Perine (4.5). He was also the second-leading running back in targets per route run, which is a sign that the coaching staff was willing and able to pass him the ball when he was on the field.
With Perine out of the game, Williams could be the focal point in two-minute situations. While he’s the lead back, there’s no guarantee he’ll do the bulk of the work. I really like McLaughlin this season, and a bigger role is on the horizon.
Fantasy Life projects McLaughlin to have 525 rushing yards, 241 receiving yards and five total touchdowns.
More new arrivals before week 1
🍋 Fancy an ice cold Mike’s Hard Lemonade?
Ask yourself: Was your day hard enough?
Slow drafts that never seem to end, getting slammed in draft rooms, one-sided trade offers, that one league mate who is always so extra… we know that life in fantasy is hard and Hard days deserve a hard lemonade.
To find a Mike’s near you, go to www.MikesHard.com.
The latest fantasy news, silliness and NFL gossip from our fun band of football nerds:
📈 Capacity forecasts for the 2024 season. Let us be one step ahead of developments.
😆 The 5 phases of a fantasy football draft. Check out.
🐬 A Miami Dolphin in every draft. Always a good rule.
❌ No tweets from the press box in Brazil?! Wild stuff.
🚑️ An injury worth watching. The JSN season is here.
🤯 Josh Jacobs which team did i almost end up on?? Wild.
⚔️ RB depth chart discussions. What to do with the Steelers, Titans and Cowboys?
My goodness, report!: Reliving fantasy nightmares?
In a week, there will be plenty of “Sheesh!” moments to analyze. From dropped touchdowns to canceled points to just about anything Kadarius Toney does: Fantasy managers are about to deal with a LOT of incredibly dicey near-miss moments.
But first, we still have a chance to learn from two particularly stupid 2024 leaderboards that revolve around missed air yards and goal-line TDs. Because what’s the point of reliving our fantasy nightmares if we don’t learn a little in the process?
🤦 Unrealized air yards
Air yards measure the distance a particular pass travels through the air (note!) If we subtract the yards after the catch from each player’s total number of receiving yards and then calculate the difference with the total air yards, we can determine exactly how many opportunities a player missed for one reason or another.
Sometimes unrealized air courts resemble “prayer courts” because the Pass was not exactly catchable in the first place, while another time a bad drop is the culprit. Looping the old film helps in identifying such situations.
Anyway, here are the top 10 WRs with the most unrealized air yards last season:
While guys like Adams, Ridley, Wilson, Diggs, and McLaurin will indeed have new and (maybe) better quarterbacks in their midst before 2024, the rest of the group will once again be reliant on the same playmaker who contributed to all this crap last season.
New year, new fantasy results. You just have to realize that it would be a lot cooler if everyone involved could sort things out and, you know, score more fantasy points this season.
🤏 So close and yet so far
Getting to the one-yard line but not scoring a TD is objectively a queasy feeling, especially when fantasy managers are forced to watch different Player Geier the TD on the next play (I’m looking at you, Taysom Hills).
Here are the players who experienced at least five such instances in 2023 where they were stopped at the one-yard line and then failed to score a TD on the same drive:
These totals also include cases where a player was stopped short of the goal line multiple times on the same drive, which explains why a certain former Eagles running back didn’t take the lead.
Naturally, Saquon Barkley is the new man responsible for the promotion Jalen injured‘ tush when the Eagles reach the opponent’s one-yard line. Unfortunately (for fantasy managers), this job has resulted in the Eagles RBs ranking 30th in runs from the one (10) over the past three seasons, but interestingly, they rank First on running attempts from the opponent’s 2- to 5-yard line during this time period.
Barkley should get at least one chance to score when the Eagles go around the goal line—he should just take advantage of it.
