Finally, week one for the NFL is almost over, and right now, most teams feel that their rosters are complete, but are they? The answer is no, since most leagues are won through the waiver wire after the draft has taken place. By the end of the season, your roster may have changed multiple times, which is why we’re here. Let us do the work for you while you take care of your busy lives. This year, for the Hard Hits and Cool Picks article, I will be increasing the number of players covered and not just focusing on lower-owned superstars. That means you’ll be able to come here if you like streaming IDP players or need someone to replace an injured player. You also don’t want to forget about my IDP Heats of the Week article, which focuses on players who are in a great spot that week. All of this, plus all of the other great content at Dr. Roto, will have you in the best position to win your leagues this year. So let’s buckle up and get ready to bring the pain to your competition this year. Have a great day, everyone, and may the tackles be with you.
DE Andrew Van Ginkel, MIN
Andrew Van Ginkel starts off this week’s article on a high note since he’s still available before his Monday Night game against the Bears. After leading all defensive linemen in scoring for most leagues last year, Van Ginkel still gets no respect like Rodney Dangerfield and is currently owned in only 54 percent of leagues. That means if Van Ginkel is available in your league, you should grab him right now.
LB Azeez Al-Shaair, HOU
Azeez Al-Shaair has had a bad rap over the years, from dirty hits to outbursts because of his attitude. This keeps most people away from him, which is why he’s only owned in 36 percent of leagues. In 11 games last year, Al-Shaair accrued 80 tackles and two sacks, making him a player that should be owned around 60 percent in most leagues. Against the Rams, Al-Shaair had seven tackles, showing that he can be consistent for your team if you take a chance on him.
LB Quay Walker, GB
Every year I write about Quay Walker, and every year, everyone forgets about him. Nothing has seemed to change this year because right now, Walker is only 21 percent owned. After racking up nine total tackles yesterday, Walker and the Packers dismantled the Lions pretty easily. What’s even crazier, Walker only played in 13 games last season and still recorded 102 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. That tells me that not only is Walker a great backup for your fantasy teams, he could be the starter.
S Jordan Battle, CIN
When everyone looks at the box score for the Bengals and the Browns game, they’ll think they had a defensive game. Instead, what they got was a bad offense taking it to a bad defense, which will help Jordan Battle this entire season. Currently, Battle is around 13 percent owned and is coming off a 12-tackle and one-interception game. With the Bengals not getting any better on defense, this could be a career year for Battle and your fairway defense.
S Byron Murphy, MIN
Byron Murphy is another player on the Vikings who people look over, and they shouldn’t. After finishing the 2024 season as one of the top scoring cornerbacks with 126 fantasy points, last season. Murphy is poised to build on that this year, and with the NFC North full of teams that have great offenses, you’ll be striking gold when you pick him up. Right now, Murphy is rostered in almost 13 percent of leagues, giving you a superstar that most fantasy football players don’t know.