IR stashes and late-week pivots drive week one prep. Tajay Spears and Marshawn Lloyd loom as priority adds for backfields with uncertain early workloads. Jalen McMillan and Jaden Shirden offer rookie upside for those hunting cheap Week 1 upside, especially in deeper leagues. Chris Godwin’s status and Cade Otton’s role add nuance to TB’s pass game, while Roschon Johnson sits on deck for Chicago as the season opens.

In Jacksonville, Etienne and Bigsby shape a nuanced backfield dynamic, with coachspeak signaling continued usage. Brandon Ayuk and Brandon Johnson offer potential Week 1 relevance in shallow formats, and the wider WR corps in Green Bay and TB holds intriguing late-week potential as rosters settle.

Cade Otton’s breakout potential is front and center as Chris Godwin heals, with a 19% target share in 2024 signaling a floor that could rise in a shallow Tampa Bay TE field. The waiver-wire playbook is data-driven: weigh league fab, league size, and season timing to bid smartly. Brenton Strange and Chig Okonkwo offer solid upside in Jacksonville and Tennessee, while Theo Johnson and Mason Taylor add depth for Giants and Jets rosters. Calvin Ridley’s downfield presence and Tampa’s offense keep tight ends in play.

Giants’ Theo Johnson and Mason Taylor present late-round upside in two-TE sets; Brenton Strange could flirt with a strong week if matchups favor TE usage; Otton remains the safe, higher-floor play with direct path to volume as Godwin misses time. The episode doubles as a practical blueprint for roster shaping and weekly pivots, reinforced by Fantasy Life’s bid-calculation tools and promo codes.