Week 1 of the NFL season is in the books, and if your fantasy roster already feels like it’s been hit by a bus, you’re not alone. Surprise breakouts and depth-chart chaos have already shaken up The Wolf’s Rankings, which means it’s officially time to hit the waiver wire, especially if your league locked you out before the season kicked off. Whether you’re already panicking to replace an underperforming starter, stashing a rookie who flashed, or just looking for a high-upside lottery stash, Week 2 waivers are where championships start to take shape.
The good news? There’s plenty of talent available. Let’s dive into the best fantasy football Week 2 waiver wire pickups that can help you stay ahead of your league and keep your season rolling in the right direction.
NOTE: This Week 2 Waiver Wire article will be updated throughout the Week 1 slate and it is not final until Monday Night Football is concluded.
HEADS UP: Each player featured here is rostered in 50% or fewer leagues on Yahoo! at the time of publication.
FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 2 WAIVER WIRE
QUARTERBACKS
DANIEL JONES (5% ROSTERED)
Nobody, and I mean nobody, had “Danny Dimes turns into Peyton Manning 2.0” on their Week 1 bingo card. Yet, here we are. Daniel Jones led the Colts to a 33-8 beatdown of the Dolphins, a game where Indy scored on all seven possessions. Jones was in full cheat-code mode, tossing a touchdown, rushing for two more, and looking like the guy Giants fans thought they were drafting years ago.
Jones finished with 272 passing yards on 22-of-29 attempts, plus 26 rushing yards and those two short scores that definitely ruined some (my) Jonathan Taylor anytime-TD bets. He looked sharp, hitting Michael Pittman for a 27-yard touchdown and found some rhythm with Tyler Warren, who hauled in seven passes. The real test comes next week against Denver, but for now, Jones looks like a sneaky waiver add and future streamer for QB-needy squads.
MICHAEL PENIX JR. (32%)
We told you to stash Michael Penix Jr. before Week 1, and after his performance, we might’ve been right! The rookie southpaw put up nearly 25 fantasy points, making him one of the sneakiest cheat codes at QB that few wanted to believe in. Zac Robinson’s McVay-inspired offense is built to create splash plays, and Penix is already cashing in, even while the Falcons lean on Bijan Robinson.
Against Tampa Bay’s defense, Penix looked calm, collected, and borderline unbothered. He threw for 298 yards and a touchdown, then added a rushing score for good measure. He even led a ridiculous 18-play, 91-yard drive capped by his own four-yard scamper. Sure, they Drake London late, but he still had Atlanta in position to win it. If you need a QB and like the idea of sneaking in 20+ fantasy points while your league mates sleep, Penix is your guy.
Others to target: Aaron Rodgers (PIT, 14%), Geno Smith (LV, 21%), Joe Flacco (CLE, 5%), Jaxson Dart (NYG, 6%)
RUNNING BACKS
DYLAN SAMPSON, BROWNS (46% ROSTERED)
The Browns’ backfield is starting to look like a rebuilding dynasty team that needed to add as much youth as possible at running back. With Quinshon Judkins finally signing his contract, Rocket Sanders vulturing a goal-line score, and Dylan Sampson stepping in as a three-down horse, it’s a beautiful, chaotic mess.
Sampson led Cleveland in both rushing attempts and receptions in Week 1, seeing an eye-popping eight targets (seven of them on early downs). He played as the lead back while Jerome Ford handled passing downs, and Sanders did his best goal-line specialist impression.
Sure, Judkins will slide in as soon as next week and complicate things even further, but for now, Sampson looks like the guy to add. He’s already shown he can ball out in a three-down role, and if the rookie carousel spins in his favor, he might just be the Browns back you want. Plus, Judkins and Sampson’s skill-sets could work together, making it a lethal 1-2 fantasy punch.
TREY BENSON, CARDINALS (39%)
Trey Benson finally showed why the Cardinals were so high on him this offseason. He carried the ball eight times for 69 yards and added a reception in Arizona’s 20-13 win over the Saints, including a highlight 52-yard gain on the team’s first drive of the second half. While he’s still behind James Conner on early downs, Benson dominated third-down snaps and even saw a bit more action on first-and-second down than usual, hinting at a bigger role down the road.
Benson isn’t quite a fantasy starter yet, but he’s an excellent handcuff and someone to watch due to Conner’s injury history. He has a chance to ball out in Week 2 against the Panthers’ run defense, so it’s better to be early rather than late.
JAYDON BLUE, COWBOYS (32%)
Relax! I know Jaydon Blue was a healthy scratch in Week 1, but don’t let that scare you off because his time in Dallas is coming. Watching the Cowboys’ run game in Week 1, it was clear they’re missing a game-breaking speedster. Javonte Williams plodded in for two short TDs on 3.6 YPC, and Miles Sanders looked slow as hell on a long run that Blue likely would have turned into six. The rookie brings a different element: explosive speed, soft hands out of the backfield, and the ability to make defenders miss.
The former Texas Longhorn is a versatile, modern RB who can contribute in the run and pass game alike. In his final season at Texas, he totaled 730 rushing yards and eight scores on 134 carries while showing the kind of vision and acceleration that makes him a high-upside weapon. Think of him as a “diet Jahmyr Gibbs” waiting for his shot. If you’ve got room at the end of your bench, stash Blue now before he becomes the Cowboys’ future RB1 and you find yourself in a FAAB bidding war for his services.
Others to target: Kareem Hunt (KC, 18%), Kenneth Gainwell (PIT, 1%), DJ Giddens (IND, 3%), Tyler Allgeier (ATL, 32%), Brashard Smith (KC, 2%)
WIDE RECEIVERS
HOLLYWOOD BROWN, CHIEFS (25% ROSTERED)
Kansas City’s wide receiver room is already a mess, and Hollywood Brown looks like the biggest beneficiary. With Rashee Rice suspended, Xavier Worthy sidelined until further notice after being knocked out of Week 1 with a separated shoulder, and rookie Jalen Royals also banged up, Patrick Mahomes leaned heavily on Brown in Week 1. The veteran wideout ran 57 snaps, drew a whopping 14 targets, and turned them into 10 catches for 99 yards.
The efficiency wasn’t ideal, but that kind of volume is fantasy gold. As long as Rice and Worthy are out, Brown looks locked in as a WR2/Flex, especially in PPR formats. He’s still available in 75% of Yahoo leagues, which is something fantasy managers need to pounce on.
CHARGERS WRs KEENAN ALLEN (49%) & QUENTIN JOHNSTON (8%)
The Chargers’ passing offense came alive in Brazil, and both Keenan Allen and Quentin Johnston rewarded fantasy managers who rolled the dice. Allen looked like his usual self with Justin Herbert, leading the team in targets (10) and catches (seven) while adding 68 yards and a score. Signed just a month ago after wasting a season with Caleb Williams, the 33-year-old wasted no time reestablishing himself as Herbert’s chain-mover and safety blanket.
Johnston, meanwhile, showed off the big-play juice that will make Brazilians believe he’s the best Futebol Americano player in the world. He caught five of seven targets for 79 yards and two touchdowns, flashing the ceiling that can win you a matchup all on its own. The downside? He was still third in targets behind Allen and Ladd McConkey, so the week-to-week floor isn’t as secure.
If you’re looking for stability, Allen is your guy because of steady volume and steady production. If you’re feeling bold and want that boom potential, Johnston is the add. Ideally, grabbing a piece of the Chargers’ aerial pie is key to fantasy success.
KAYSHON BOUTTE, PATRIOTS (1%)
Kayshon Boutte came out of basically nowhere to be Drake Maye’s go-to guy in Week 1, posting six catches for 103 yards in a sloppy, rain-soaked loss to the Raiders. While the Patriots’ offense sputtered overall, Boutte stood out as the true X receiver New England has been searching for. It wasn’t Stefon Diggs or Demario Douglas making plays; it was the third-year wideout making plays all over the field.
This marks Boutte’s second career (and second-straight) 100-yard game, and it looks like that offseason “breakout buzz” around him was more than just noise. Sure, Mike Vrabel doesn’t want Maye throwing nearly 50 times every week, but Boutte has carved out a big enough role to matter in fantasy. He’s on the WR3/Flex radar heading into a juicy Week 2 matchup against Miami’s secondary that got pummeled by Danny Dimes and the Colts.
Others to target: Cedric Tillman (CLE, 28%), Calvin Austin (PIT, 2%), Tre Tucker (LV, 1%), Wan’Dale Robinson (NYG, 20%), Elic Ayomanor (TEN, 5%), JuJu Smith-Schuster (KC, 1%),
TIGHT ENDS
JUWAN JOHNSON, SAINTS (1%)
Juwan Johnson quietly turned in a monster Week 1, finishing as the top-scoring tight end with 15.6 half PPR fantasy points. The veteran hauled in eight of 11 targets for 76 yards, outproducing counterpart Trey McBride and leading the team in both catches and yards. With Spencer Rattler showing some real growth and slinging it a career-high 46 times, Johnson emerged as one of his most trusted outlets in Kellen Moore’s new-look offense.
The Saints might not be racking up wins this season, but that doesn’t mean they can’t give us fantasy value. Johnson’s combination of athleticism, target share, and red-zone upside makes him a legit streaming option moving forward.
HAROLD FANNIN JR., BROWNS (2%)
Harold Fannin Jr. is already making noise in Cleveland, and he’s quickly becoming more than just a stash. The rookie out of Bowling Green led the Browns in targets in Week 1, hauling in seven catches for 63 yards. That’s not the kind of production you expect from a rookie tight end sharing the field with David Njoku, but Fannin looks like a legitimate mismatch weapon whenever he’s out there. With Njoku in a contract year and Cleveland facing a brutal AFC North gauntlet, there’s a scenario where Fannin’s role only grows as the season goes on.
What’s most encouraging is his usage, which looked similar to what he did in the MAC. Fannin nearly matched Njoku’s snaps in multiple packages, splitting third downs and working into two- and three-tight-end sets seamlessly. Sure, Njoku still has the edge on early downs, but Cleveland didn’t draft this weapon to rot on the bench. If you’re streaming tight end, or love upside stashes, Fannin is looking like the kind of add who could pay off in a big way sooner than later.
Others to target: Noah Fant (CIN, 1%), Jonnu Smith (PIT, 31%), Michael Mayer (0%)
