NFL Waiver Wire Week 2
The waivers are based on Yahoo’s system and roster percentages. Waivers typically process Tuesday or Wednesday night so go get those claims in! I wish you luck with Week 2 and may the NFL overlords give us some great football, no missed kicks, and plenty of healthy players with no injuries.
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Quarterbacks
Cooper Rush
Dallas Cowboys (Yahoo -0% rostered)
It sounds like Dak Prescott will be out for quite a while due to undergoing thumb surgery and in a Superflex league, quarterbacks reign supreme in fantasy. Even though Cooper Rush is by no means a great quarterback, he’s still likely to score more than most of your bench players simply by being the starting quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. In his only start last year, Rush had 325 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception which was good for nearly 20 points. I see no reason as to why you wouldn’t take a flier on a quarterback that will likely be throwing the ball a ton playing from behind. Garbage points are still points and they can add up quickly. The Cowboys’ season might be over, at least in terms of the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t snag some solid Superflex points from Cooper Rush if you’re in need of a quarterback. Rush will have plenty of weapons to throw to from Gallup, Lamb, Brown, Schultz, Pollard, and Zeke all being active in the weeks to come.
Joe Flacco
New York Jets (Yahoo- 1% rostered)
The Jets quarterback is key for garbage time points and if you need a quarterback in a Superflex league, they will often get you at least 16 points or so. Flacco had a terrible game against the Ravens, but still had over 300 passing yards and 16+ points. That’s better than likely everyone on your bench did. If you think Flacco or White starts against the Browns, Bengals, and Steelers, then add one of them. Zach Wilson isn’t going to start until Week 5 at the earliest so might as well get some injury protection and a usable QB3 until then. While Flacco won’t outscore the likes of Trevor Lawrence, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Matthew Stafford, he did this week. As I said, garbage time points really do add up.
Running Backs
Jeff Wilson Jr and Jordan Mason
It’s time to play the annual game of guess which 49ers running back is going to explode in fantasy once again. Elijah Mitchell is out for two months with a knee injury which means that it’s the next man up in that golden backfield. While Deebo Samuel is now likely the RB1 in crucial situations or red zone, there are still plenty of rushes/points to be had in the 49ers backfield. Although Trey Lance rushing will take some of them away. Jeff Wilson Jr was the immediate backup to Mitchell on Sunday and filled in behind Deebo after Elijah left. Of course, he isn’t the most healthy running back having missed 19 games over the last three seasons. On Sunday, he had 9 rushes for 22 yards and two catches for eight yards. Jordan Mason didn’t see the field. Regardless, you should attempt to pick up at least one of these two players as they likely will have some big games in the future. Prioritize snagging Wilson, but Mason is a fine fallback as well, especially if you’re in deep leagues.
Jaylen Warren
Pittsburgh Steelers (0% rostered)
First, it was revealed that Najee Harris was battling a lisfranc sprain in the preseason which was worrisome as it could get worse should he reinjure it at any point. Now, he rolled his ankle in Week 1 and didn’t return. While the Steelers are hopeful he starts Week 2, you should be sure to add the backup running back Jaylen Warren. He was the only other running back to get a touch in Sunday’s game after Najee went out. Should the Steelers hold out Harris, Warren is an RB2/3. Not often can you get a potential workhorse running back off the waivers and in this case you could. If Harris misses any extended amount of time, Warren could be a league winner. These are the types of moves that set you up to make crucial trades later on or to win a championship. Take a shot on Warren, especially if you already have Najee on your team.
Rex Burkhead
Houston Texans (13% rostered)
So it turns out that it wasn’t the Dameon Pierce show in the Texans backfield that we were expecting. Instead, it turned out to be the veteran Rex Burkhead’s backfield. Should Rex continue to be this involved in the offense with 14 carries and eight targets, he’ll find his way into the fantasy world as an RB3. Burkhead had five catches for 30 yards which makes him an intriguing flier off the waivers in PPR leagues. If your team needs more depth at running back, make a speculative add on Burkhead. Perhaps the Texans really do prefer the vet to the rookie. Plus, in a miserable running back week, Burkhead finished as the RB22 on the week.
Honorable Mentions: Eno Benjamin (clear handcuff RB2 to James Conner), Kenneth Gainwell (Clear RB2 to Miles Sanders), and Isiah Pacheco (potential future RB1 of the Chiefs if he keeps up this pace)
Wide Receivers
Curtis Samuel
Washington Commanders (6% rostered)
Well, it appears that Curtis Samuel is finally healthy once again. He put on a show against the Jaguars in Week 1 demonstrating his ability as a receiver and running back, He rushed four times for 17 yards, but saw a team-high 11 targets and caught eight of them for 55 yards and a touchdown. He was the WR12 on the week through Sunday. As long as Samuel is healthy, he’s a cheat code. Curtis is able to rush the ball, catch it, and is a threat with it in his hands at any time. He struggled mightily with injuries and poor quarterback play last year. This year with Carson Wentz is shaping up to be a different season. There’s no doubt you have to be encouraged by this performance. Definitely try to snag him off waivers if you can since it’s more likely he continues to be a threat than disappear in this new-look Commanders offense. Time will tell, but he’s easily the best wide receiver on the majority of the waiver wire.
Zay Jones
Jacksonville Jaguars (12% rostered)
The Jaguars gave Zay Jones a contract for a reason and it wasn’t to sit on the bench. He had the second-most targets on the team and was tied for the lead in receptions on Sunday afternoon in the Jags’ loss. Zay saw nine targets and caught six of them for 65 yards. He is officially the Jaguars WR2 in an offense that will be passing a lot in order to keep up with their opponents. This is a deep league waiver pickup, but he could easily break out should he continue to see 9+ targets a game. I wouldn’t be surprised to see his roster percentage grow by a decent margin as a wide receiver with plenty of upside. He’s worth the dart throw if you have an empty spot on your bench, or if you’re in a deep league. In 14+ team leagues, Zay is a quality flex candidate.
Donovan Peoples-Jones
Cleveland Browns, (4% rostered)
This is a purely deep league waiver claim since it’s unlikely DPJ is a significant fantasy contributor until the Browns’ quarterback is back from suspension. Still, though, Peoples-Jones showed strong chemistry with fill-in quarterback Jacoby Brissett after he saw 11 targets and caught six of them for 60 yards in Sunday’s game. I wouldn’t expect Donovan to continue to see 10+ targets a game, but it’s clear he’s the WR2 on this Cleveland offense. Don’t be surprised to see him become a reliable flex play for 14-team+ leagues since targets do reign supreme. Plus, he has an extremely enticing matchup next week with the Jets. See if you can’t snag him off the waivers.
Honorable Mentions: Kyle Phillips (led the team in targets, but is a risky play still), Corey Davis (WR2 in Jets offense), Noah Brown (showed he can handle a receiving workload opposite Lamb and has a connection with Rush), and Greg Dortch (potential WR2/3 fill in while Rondale Moore is hurt)
Tight Ends
Hayden Hurst
Cincinnati Bengals (10 % rostered)
I had a feeling Hurst would become a semi-usable fantasy tight end and so far through Week 1, I’m claiming a victory. Although, I wasn’t predicting the top-5 tight ends of Week 1 in PPR to be Kelce, OJ Howard, Taysom Hill, Gerald Everett, and Dalton Schultz. This was another extremely weird week for tight ends in the NFL. However, the Bengals appear committed to making Hurst a fantasy name to know. He had five receptions on eight targets for 46 yards. He was the TE11 on the week and saw a trick play shovel pass at the goal line even. With the news that Tee Higgins has a concussion and could miss next week, Hurst’s value only rises. In the fantasy wasteland of tight ends, you can’t ever have enough decent-solid tight ends to play. If you find yourself in the market for a backup tight end, definitely go snag Hurst until the Bengals show he isn’t a part of the offense anymore. Although I expect Hurst to be an early-mid TE2 come season’s end.
Taysom Hill
New Orleans Saints (10% rostered)
Oh, you knew this was coming when you saw him play on Sunday. Then, you definitely knew it was coming in the previous paragraph. Hill is not just a tight end for the Saints. He’s a wildcat quarterback/tight end. In Week 1, he was the TE3 with only one catch for two yards but rushed four times for 81 yards and a touchdown. It looks like Taysom will continue to be used in the rushing game, especially close to the goal line. In this sense, he’s an absolute cheat code at the tight end. not many tight ends will have the opportunity to rush for a touchdown at least once a game. I would be adding Taysom in all leagues that have 12+ teams. He’s a terrific bye-week fill-in and could become a weekly start should he continue to produce in the rushing game. The 32-year-old has a career rushing average of 7 yards per carry, so I definitely expect him to stay involved with this offense. Once again, he’s a cheat code at the tight end position where reliable points are hard to come by.
Honorable Mentions: Tyler Conklin (looks like he’s the TE1 of the Jets), and Kylen Granson (saw 7 targets with Matt Ryan)
As always, I’m more than happy to talk on Twitter. Let me know your thoughts on these players if you managed to trade for/away from them. If you need thoughts on any trade, my DMs are open on 18/7. I respond to everyone.
