Following an exciting Week 1, it’s time to improve our rosters for Week 2 by using the waiver wire. Let’s take a look at the top waiver wire pickups to target for your fantasy football team.
Week 2 waiver wire pickups | Quarterbacks
Here are the quarterbacks to target on the Week 2 fantasy football waiver wire.
Teddy Bridgewater, Denver Broncos (35% rostered on Fleaflicker)
Whether or not you believe the Broncos made a mistake in choosing Bridgewater over Drew Lock, you have to admit Bridgewater looked solid in Week 1. He showed everyone watching why he won the job over the summer by completing 28-of-36 passes for 264 yards and 2 touchdowns in a Week 1 road victory over the Giants.
While that win did come at the cost of WR Jerry Jeudy (ankle), the Broncos have more than enough perimeter talent with Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, and KJ Hamler to keep this offense humming.
In Week 2, they take on the Jacksonville Jaguars, who somehow managed to make the Houston Texans look like a good team. Start all your Broncos this week and snag Bridgewater off the waiver wire as a high-end QB2 and potential streaming option for Week 2.
Taylor Heinicke, Washington Football Team (9% rostered on FleaFlicker)
Ryan Fitzpatrick suffered what appears to be a severe hip injury in Sunday’s game and was placed on the IR on Monday [September 13]. Heinicke played fine for a backup with little preparation or expectations of playing time, going 11-of-15 for 122 yards with 1 touchdown.
We did see him play well last season in crucial games, even throwing for over 300 yards before a shoulder injury knocked him out of their playoff game against the eventual Super Bowl champions.
Washington has talent on the offense and will only get better once Curtis Samuel (groin) makes his way back. As a QB2 in superflex leagues, all starting NFL QBs need to be rostered, including Heinicke. They rarely come across the waiver wire so he should be added in all superflex leagues heading into a Week 2 matchup against the New York Giants.
Running Backs
There are quite a few RBs you should scour the waiver wire for in Week 2.
Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers (21% rostered on Fleaflicker)
Odds are Mitchell will be the No. 1 waiver wire priority for Week 2, and for good reason. After a surprise inactive designation for Trey Sermon and Raheem Mostert leaving early (knee/IR), Mitchell took advantage of the opportunity. He rushed for 104 yards and a score on 19 carries in Week 1 against the hapless Lions defense, finishing as the RB15 in PPR with 16.4 points.
Although Sermon will be active this week, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan, Mitchell will undoubtedly receive an ample workload in Week 2. Any primary ball carrier for the 49ers is a valuable fantasy asset. And for now, Mitchell looks to be in contention for the RB1 role. He is a priority add off the waiver wire in Week 2 as they take on the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mark Ingram II, Houston Texans (34% rostered on Fleaflicker)
I mean, I guess? Look, I feel just as weird writing this as you probably do reading it. But I can’t ignore the volume. Ingram rushed 26 freaking times in Week 1 for a grand total of 85 yards with a touchdown.
Did it help they played the Jaguars? Of course. Am I saying this is repeatable? Maybe not the volume, but if he is the Texans’ RB1, we have to consider him in waiver wire moves for Week 2.
Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles (40% rostered on Fleaflicker)
No question, Miles Sanders is the RB1 for the Eagles. But I believe it is equally clear that Gainwell has jumped Boston Scott on the depth chart and is the RB2. Gainwell had 9 carries for 37 yards and a score. He also saw work in the passing game, hauling in 2 of his 3 targets (RB22 in PPR).
For my money, Gainwell was the best pass-catching back of the class. And given Sanders’ issues with drops last season, he fills a perfect role for the Eagles’ dynamic offense with Jalen Hurts at the helm. In Week 2, the Eagles take on the 49ers, who just allowed both D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams to combine for 16 receptions, 121 yards, and 1 TD through the air (34.1 points), with each RB finishing inside the top four at the position.
Cordarrelle Patterson, Atlanta Falcons (14% rostered on FleaFlicker)
A player to keep in mind for Week 2 waiver wire moves, especially in deeper leagues, is Cordarrelle Patterson. While Mike Davis did lead the Falcons in carries with 15, Patterson saw decent volume as well, recording 7 carries for 54 yards and caught both of his targets for 13 additional yards. Wayne Gallman was inactive for Week 1, and Patterson could be in line for even more work as the season progresses.
Wide Receivers
Here are the wide receivers to target on the Week 2 fantasy football waiver wire.
Emmanuel Sanders, Buffalo Bills (45% rostered on Fleaflicker)
This one might be cheating, but if Sanders is available in your league, fix that by adding him in your Week 2 waiver wire moves. Sanders played 79 snaps in Week 1, which was more than Stefon Diggs (78). He also nearly had a monster day if not for an overthrow by Josh Allen. Still, he had a productive day. Sanders was third on the team in targets with 8 while recording 4 receptions for 52 yards.
After finding the end zone last week, Gabriel Davis (40% rostered) should also be considered for Week 2 waiver wire moves.
Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler, Denver Broncos (21% and 24% rostered on Fleaflicker)
For my money (or FAAB in this case), Patrick needs to be the top waiver wire addition in Week 2. With Jeudy out for an extended period of time, Patrick is set to see a significant role.
Last season, when filling in for the injured Courtland Sutton, Patrick recorded 51 receptions on 79 targets for 742 yards and 6 touchdowns (WR44). At 6’5″, Patrick has a massive catch radius and should perfectly mesh with Bridgewater.
If not for a drop 59-yard bomb, Hamler would be the talk of the town. With Patrick gaining all the attention, Hamler needs to be considered as well.
Sterling Shepard, New York Giants (48% rostered on FleaFlicker)
Even with Kenny Golladay on the field, Shepard was the clear WR1 in Week 1, recording 113 yards and 1 TD on 7 receptions (9 targets). Shepard looks to be the top target for Daniel Jones. Given how the Giants look, they could be playing from behind fairly routinely.
Christian Kirk, Arizona Cardinals (38% rostered on FleaFlicker)
With all the attention on Rondale Moore, Kirk said, “Hold my cleats, rookie,” and went off in Week 1 on what is one of the most dangerous offenses in the NFL. Kirk was the WR9 in Week 1 (24 points), hauling in all 5 targets for 70 yards and 2 touchdowns. I still like Moore’s season-long upside (45% rostered). Nevertheless, Kirk’s solid outing should have him on the waiver wire radar for Week 2.
Week 2 waiver wire pickups | Tight Ends
Which tight end should you target on the waiver wire in Week 2?
Tyler Conklin, Minnesota Vikings (12% rostered on Fleaflicker)
Look, I don’t want to say I told you so. But if you have been paying attention, you would have known that Conklin should have been on your radar. Now, he is on everyone’s.
Playing over 80% of the offensive snaps and hauling in all 4 of his targets for 41 yards (8.1 PPR points), Conklin was the clear TE1 for the Vikings. Productive tight ends are hard to come by. Therefore, I expect to see Conkin’s rostership rise after the processing of Week 2 waiver wire claims.
Players to also consider for fantasy Week 2 waiver wire moves
While these players are above our typical cut-off (50%), double-check your waiver wire to see if they are floating around as they should be rostered.
- QB Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
- QB Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints
- QB Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
- QB Trey Lance, San Francisco 49ers
- RB Latavius Murray, Baltimore Ravens
- RB Tony Jones Jr., New Orleans Saints
- RB James White, New England Patriots
- WR Darnell Mooney, Chicago Bears
- WR Jalen Reagor, Philadelphia Eagles
- TE Jared Cook, Los Angeles Chargers
- TE Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears