Fantasy: Streaming options with Luck hurt, Bucs-Dolphins postponed

In advance of Week 1, many fantasy owners find themselves needing to make adjustments after drafting injured Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, or any of the marquee players who were supposed to be involved in the postponed game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins.

Here are the best options likely to be available on the waiver wire at each position.

Quarterback

Who's out: Luck, Jameis Winston, Jay Cutler

Joe Flacco, Ravens (at Bengals)

Flacco has deemed himself good to go for Week 1, and head coach John Harbaugh has declared the quarterback "ready to roll."

Flacco threw just one touchdown and two interceptions across two games against the Bengals last season, but completed an impressive 67.9 percent of his passes. The Ravens are still expected to be an extremely pass-heavy team after ranking first in the league with 66 percent passing plays last season. Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and running back Danny Woodhead will only help boost Flacco's overall numbers.

Sam Bradford, Vikings (vs. Saints)

Bradford's home game raises both his floor and ceiling. He completed 73.7 percent of his passes at home last season, while owning an 11-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Rookie Dalvin Cook steps in as the pass-catching back the team sorely needed last season, while the returning trio of Stefon Diggs, Adam Thielen, and tight end Kyle Rudolph will attack a Saints defense that Football Outsiders ranked 30th in pass defense DVOA last season. New Orleans has made few important changes to the unit since.

Brian Hoyer, 49ers (vs. Panthers)

Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin represent lackluster options for Hoyer as the 49ers' top two receivers, but the journeyman quarterback was hand-selected for a reunion with head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Both Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman excelled as pass-catchers in Shanahan's system with the Atlanta Falcons last season. Carlos Hyde, who averaged 6 yards per reception last season, is expected to follow suit.

Running back

Who's out: Jay Ajayi, Doug Martin, Jacquizz Rodgers

Shane Vereen, Giants (at Cowboys)

Giants running back Paul Perkins handled just 112 rushing attempts last season, averaging an adequate 4.1 yards per carry but failing to score a touchdown. He received 24 targets in his 14 games, catching just 15 passes.

The Cowboys opened as 5.5-point favorites at home versus their division rival, likely forcing the Giants and quarterback Eli Manning to pass more than their 61.61 percent rate of last season.

Vereen missed much of last year, but has averaged 9.1 yards per reception and nearly three catches per game for his career.

Alvin Kamara, Saints (at Vikings)

As running backs Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson cap each other's upside in the ground game, Kamara is expected to serve as the primary pass-catcher out of the backfield. It's an even more important role with No. 2 receiver Willie Snead suspended to start the season.

The Vikings allowed 40 receiving yards per game to opposing running backs in 2016. The Vikings are favored in this one by 3.5 points, indicating the Saints will need to lean on the passing attack late in the game.

C.J. Prosise, Seahawks (at Packers)

While considered questionable, Prosise is expected to handle passing work behind Eddie Lacy and Thomas Rawls.

He averaged 12.2 yards per reception on 17 catches as a rookie, without losing a fumble. His floor is extremely risky, but he did have two games with more than 80 receiving yards last season, with two catches topping 35 yards.

Wide receiver

Who's out: Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Jarvis Landry, DeVante Parker, Willie Snead, Julian Edelman, Cameron Meredith, John Ross

Phillip Dorsett, Patriots (vs. Chiefs)

While it remains unclear how, or how often, Dorsett will be used in his first game with the Patriots, his ceiling is sky high.

Unfortunately his floor remains low - a big risk for owners forced to plug in a player for Thursday's game.

The former first-round pick was targeted by the Patriots as a partial replacement for Julian Edelman. He could quickly prove himself to be a must-own player in PPR leagues.

Zay Jones, Bills (vs. Jets)

Of the No. 2 receivers available on the waiver wire, Jones has the best quarterback and the best shot at emerging as his team's No. 1 option in the passing game.

What's working against the Bills is the likelihood of this game quickly developing into a rout of the lowly Jets, something that could shut down Buffalo's passing attack early. But fantasy managers shouldn't worry too much about Jones being able to return value before his departure.

Mohamed Sanu, Falcons, at Bears

Sanu had just two games with 10 or more targets last season, but he caught at least three passes in all but four regular season games.

New Falcons offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian is likely to simplify the system ran by 2016 coordinator Kyle Shanahan. Sanu finished last year ranked 18th among qualified receivers by Pro Football Focus, and he starts the season as the Falcons' No. 2 threat on the depth chart.

Tight end

Who's out: O.J. Howard, Cameron Brate, Julius Thomas

Evan Engram, Giants, at Cowboys

Both Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall are fully expected to play in the Sunday night game, but both could be less than 100 percent.

Even with both active, the 240-pound Engram represents a massive red-zone threat. Dallas ranked 30th in DVOA against tight ends last season and allowed 75.5 yards per game to the position.

Jared Cook, Raiders, at Titans

The Raiders ranked 13th in the NFL last season by scoring a touchdown on 58.62 percent of their red-zone drives.

The 6-foot-5, 254-pound Cook should help out in this facet of Oakland's game. Running back Latavius Murray, who ranked third in red-zone touchdowns in 2016 is gone. And while Marshawn Lynch is likely an overall improvement in talent, the 11 scores could be dispersed around the offense.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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