Days after most fantasy football owners completed their drafts, it was announced Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Julius Thomas would miss likely a month due to an injury. To make matters more complicated, the wide receiver position also is in flux, with several injury concerns across the NFL, including Randall Cobb, Victor Cruz, Alshon Jeffery, Brandon LaFell and more.
What should fantasy football owners do? Get depth at the position and do it now.
The wide receiver position is likely the easiest position to shop for on the waiver wire. You won’t get a dominant force on the waiver wire likely, but you can find spot starters with the right matchup.
Here are a few options to add depth to your wide receiver stable and to replace Thomas’ production for the season’s first month.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, tight end
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end is poised to have a much bigger season than his average draft position indicates.
He’s currently ranked as the 25-ranked tight end off the board in fantasy football leagues, meaning he’s likely available on the waiver wire in many leagues.
Seferian-Jenkins biggest problems during his rookie campaign were working through a nagging injury and suffering through an inept offense. The Bucs should improve on offense and quarterback Jameis Winston is a step up from last year’s quarterback carousel.
And with a rookie signal caller, the tight end position becomes crucial. The tight end position usually acts as a security blanket and Seferian-Jenkins’ big body will likely be a big incentive for Winston’s development.
With the Bucs possibly trailing in several games, they will look to throw more. Seferian-Jenkins will lose out on targets from Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson, but he should have a far bigger impact than his 38 targets from last year.
Ty Montgomery, wide receiver
Green Bay is a hot bed for fantasy football wide receivers, and with Jordy Nelson missing the 2015 season, and Cobb possibly going through injury problems, Montgomery will get more looks at wide receiver than previously thought.
Montgomery is going off as the 73rd-ranked wide receiver according to ADP, making him available in some leagues on the waiver wire. If Cobb can’t go in week 1, then Montgomery will probably start for the Packers. With Aaron Rodgers as the quarterback, that makes Montgomery a desirable option in the early going.
Montgomery is only a rookie, so we don’t know how he will translate into the NFL. He was a big-play receiver for Stanford in college football, so he does have the potential to break through the coverage. Depending on how well he does early in the season, he could continue to get more touches as the season progresses.
Tavon Austin, wide receiver
The St. Louis Rams receiver hasn’t done much in his NFL career to induce optimism. That’s likely why his ADP is 79th among wide receivers.
However, head coach Jeff Fishers has publicly said Austin is poised for a breakout year, and the Rams do have a quarterback in Nick Foles who has shown glimpses of being a competent quarterback in the past.
Austin’s production has gone down in his two seasons, going from 40 catches in 2013 to 31 grabs in 2014. He does get a few rushing touches per game, so Austin’s value is all determined if the Rams have figured out how to use him as a multi-faceted threat.
Austin has the skill set of being a person who should see several touches in a game, but the Rams have been inconsistent to say the least at the quarterback position. There’s not much trust in Austin, but he’s available on the waiver wire, and if the Rams use him in the right way, he would likely be the Rams best option at wide receiver.
