(ALL PLAYERS ARE ROSTERED IN 25 PERCENT OR LESS OF YAHOO LEAGUES)
Last season, post-Week 1, going into Week 2 waiver wire, was one of the most impactful waiver wire runs. Elijah Mitchell, Cordarrelle Patterson, Hunter Renfrow, Christian Kirk, and Dalton Schultz were added in most leagues. Mitchell was the clear running back to roster in a good offense with a path to yearly usage. Other players went under the radar and could be picked up with reasonable faab bids and waiver priorities.
These players were fixtures in starting lineups all season. The takeaway is that we simply cannot ignore Week 1 usage. NFL teams have all spring and summer to mislead us, but when the pads go on for a regular season game we find out what coaches really think.
There are some apparent additions this week- Jaylen Warren and Jeff Wilson, but there are several others who can help your roster. Do not go overspending this week.
Quarterbacks
Carson Wentz- Washington Commanders
Wentz passing for four touchdowns and over 300 yards was one of the most eye-opening stat lines of Week 1. A healthy and resurgent Curtis Samuel, along with rookie Jahan Dotson, has given the Washington passing game a real boost. Add in Terry McLaurin, along with two pass-catching RBs in Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic, and Wentz has some of the best weapons of his entire career. He has a streamable matchup this weekend in Detroit and is available in most leagues. I did not anticipate writing about Wentz this season but here we are.
Marcus Mariota- Atlanta Falcons
Prescott managers may be in scramble mode and depending on your league depth, Mariota could be an appealing addition. This past week he ran for 72 yards and a TD on an impressive 12 carries. He also added 215 through the air despite star TE Kyle Pitts being a non-factor.
Atlanta’s functional offense held a strong New Orleans Saints defensive front without a sack. Pitts, Drake London, and Patterson are all solid weapons. Mariota can have his sloppy moments and has a tricky matchup this week against the Los Angeles Rams, but his rushing floor should keep him afloat. Head coach Arthur Smith had successful offenses in Tennessee with another dual-threat quarterback in Ryan Tannehill.
Running Backs
Jeff Wilson- San Francisco 49ers
Wilson would be the number one addition this week if he is available in your league. Elijah Mitchell looks like he will be out for up to eight weeks. We always have to have some fear of Shanahan-igans with RB usage in San Francisco, but Wilson is in a great spot. He should see the majority of the rushing work along with a target, here or there, in a must win home game against Seattle. I expect the San Francisco offense to look a lot more cohesive in non monsoon conditions. Consider Wilson to be an RB2 any week Mitchell is out. (Add Tyrion Davis-Price and Jordan Mason in deeper formats)
Jaylen Warren- Pittsburgh Steelers
As of writing this, I am unsure of the extent of Najee Harris‘ injury or status for week two. He was wearing a boot on the sidelines after exiting Sunday’s game with a foot injury. Harris’ injury looks to be a re-aggravation of his Lisfranc injury that kept him out for a month in the preseason. Even if Harris is back this week (don’t bet on it), Warren is a priority RB to roster.
A training camp standout, the Steelers have a great deal of confidence in the UDFA. Warren should be treated as a flex play if Harris is out this week. Long term, this is a handcuff that could see multiple starts this season if Harris struggles to stay on the field.
Dontrell Hilliard- Tennessee Titans
Like Warren, Hilliard is a clear handcuff that should be available on your wire. He also has a role in the Titans’ game plan as the passing down back. This past Sunday, he received four targets and turned them into three catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns. On a team without a clear go to WR or TE, Hilliard could maintain a few targets every game. Henry took a knock this past weekend that required a look, and only played eight games last season. Consider Hilliard an upside handcuff.
Rex Burkhead- Houston Texans
Sunday was not a kind day for Dameon Pierce drafters. In a game that Houston led throughout, it was Burkhead and NOT the hyped rookie Pierce that led the charge. Burkhead out carried Pierce 14-11 and was also second on the Texans in targets with eight.
Rex Burkhead Advanced Stats & Metrics Profile
Burkhead is 32 and an unexciting addition, but he has seen double-digit carries in eight of his last nine games and four or more targets in four of his previous six. He is a floor play RB or Flex option. Add him wherever he is available.
Kenyan Drake Baltimore Ravens
J.K. Dobbins was out this week, and the length of his absence is unknown. Despite signing with Baltimore only 12 days ago, Drake was the top back this past weekend out carrying Mike Davis 11-2. He also added a 15-yard reception. Baltimore was unproductive on the ground. They rushed for only 63 yards total against The Jets, and it will not get that much easier against Miami. Still, Devonta Freeman saw some relative fantasy success last season next to Lamar Jackson, and Drake could do the same.
Tight Ends
(NOTE: Gerald Everett is rostered in 28 percent of Yahoo Leagues. He would be my TE preference by a decent margin above anyone listed below)
Juwan Johnson New Orleans Saints
Johnson started off last season in my waiver wire column as well after a two touchdown performance. This year he is back and promisingly is more under the radar. This is a usage addition more so than a production one. Johnson tied Jarvis Landry for the most snaps of any wide receiver and was neck in neck with Landry, Michael Thomas and Chris Olave for the team lead in routes run. While he only had four targets, the usage should not be ignored.
Taysom Hill New Orleans Saints
I cannot recommend you spend up on Hill. He only played 16 snaps and only ran four routes.
Hayden Hurst Cincinnati Bengals
Tee Higgins was forced out of this week’s loss to Pittsburgh with a concussion, and his status for this coming week against Dallas is unknown. Hurst had five catches on eight targets and missed a potential TD opportunity around the goal line on a shovel pass. Hurst is a speculative addition to see if the usage holds up, but TE always is a vast wasteland. At least Hurst has a pulse and a clear role.
Kylen Granson Indianapolis Colts
Deeper league players could speculate on Granson. He tied Mo Allie-Cox in snaps but ran more routes and out-targeted him 6-1- which tied him for second on the team. Granson was a highly productive player at NC State, and tight ends have had success with Matt Ryan-led offenses.
Wide Receivers
Robbie Anderson Carolina
Once I thought I was out, and then they pull me back in. Robbie Anderson looks to be a big part of the Carolina offensive game plan. He led the team in routes run and targets (eight) and caught five passes including a 75 yard TD score. Anderson finished with 102 yards for the day. Terrace Marshall was inactive. It looks like Anderson has a shot at being fantasy relevant again.
Donovan Peoples-Jones Cleveland Browns
Peoples-Jones had an impressive 11 targets to Amari Cooper‘s 6 and tied Cooper in snaps. More importantly, no other WR for Cleveland saw more than two targets. Peoples-Jones looks like a locked in every down wide receiver for the Browns. The Browns are certainly no offensive juggernaut under Jacoby Brissett. However, if Peoples-Jones sees this sort of usage, he should be rostered in all formats. Beat your league mates to the wire to see if this is a thing.
Kyle Philips Tennessee Titans
Phillips exploded out the gate with a whopping 27-percent target share this past weekend. The fifth round draft pick caught six passes for 66 yards and looks to be a major part of the Tennessee offense as their slot receiver.
I fully expect Treylon Burks‘ role to grow, but that should have more of an impact on Nick Westbrook Ikhine and Robert Woods and not Philips. Philips should be added in redraft and should be prioritized in dynasty formats as well. There is a youth movement at WR in Tennessee.
Curtis Samuel Washington Commanders
Samuel is my favorite waiver wire addition among WRs this week. This could be a dead cat bounce-type career resurgence. Samuel was a big free agent signing who has struggled to stay healthy in Washington, but he had a great deal of success under Ron Rivera in Carolina. A former Ohio State RB, Samuel is a jack of all trades type wide receiver and certainly was featured in that role this past weekend.
Samuel had eight catches and a touchdown on 11 targets and also received four rushing attempts. He also looked explosive and elusive with the ball in his hands as he made several Jaguars defenders miss him on tackles. Samuel averaged 11.2 PPG in 2019 and 13.8 PPG in 2020. He could be headed to that range this season.
Devin Duvernay Baltimore Ravens
Do not go paying up for stats with Duvernay, but he is worth a cheap bid and a bench spot in deeper formats. Despite the two touchdowns, Duvernay only ran 18 routes. We will know much more about this Ravens offense after the next two weeks against Miami and New England.
