Drake London Injury: Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Replacements

With the injury to Drake London, fantasy football managers are left with a potential void on their roster. Let’s check out the extent of the injury and players you can target on your fantasy football waiver wire this week. And check out all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice for Week 2.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Injury Replacements

Injury Outlook

Drake London suffers shoulder sprain in Week 1
Falcons WR Drake London suffered a shoulder sprain and is considered day-to-day.

Fantasy Impact

London appears to have avoided a major injury, but he is still expected to undergo further testing. With Darnell Mooney also dealing with an injury, the Falcons could be heading into Week 2 with Ray-Ray McCloud and Casey Washington as their top two wide receivers.
– Jesse Garcia

Waiver Wire Replacements to Target

Written by Derek Brown

Marquise Brown (WR – KC): 25% Rostered

• Next Opponents: PHI, @NYG, BAL
• True Value: $10
• Desperate Need: $16
• Budget-Minded: $7

Analysis: With Rashee Rice suspended for the first six games of the season and Xavier Worthy sidelined with a shoulder injury, Marquise Brown looks to be Kansas City’s high-volume receiving option until either Rice or Worthy returns. A long reception versus blown coverage saved Brown’s final stat line in Week 1, getting him to 99 yards, with 2.25 yards per route run, per Fantasy Points Data. The more important figures for Brown’s short-term outlook are his 41% target share and 40% first-read share against the Chargers. Obviously, he won’t continue to see that type of insane usage, as Travis Kelce has to be more involved for this offense to function. But Brown should be competing with Kelce for the team lead in targets until Rice or Worthy return. Brown’s upcoming matchups are tough, but if he’s going to see anywhere close to this amount of volume weekly, he should be able to outkick the bad matchups as a weekly Flex option.

Quentin Johnston (WR – LAC): 8% Rostered

• Next Opponents: @LV, DEN, @NYG
• True Value: $8
• Desperate Need: $12
• Budget-Minded: $5

Analysis: It’s time to give Quentin Johnston his flowers and put some respect on his name. He started off the 2025 season with a bang as an integral part of the Bolts’ passing attack. Johnston had a 20.6% target share, 2.19 yards per route run and a 24% first-read share, finishing with 79 receiving yards and two touchdowns (two end-zone targets) against the Chiefs, per Fantasy Points Data. With an 87.8% route per dropback rate in Week 1, Johnston doesn’t have any concerns at the moment about losing time to Tre’ Harris or KeAndre Lambert-Smith. In two of his next three games (Raiders, Giants), Johnston has matchups that could easily put him in the Flex conversation for fantasy lineups.

Cedric Tillman (WR – CLE): 28% rostered

• Next Opponents: @BAL, GB, @DET
• True Value: $3
• Desperate Need: $5
• Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Cedric Tillman started the season with a solid game, although his final numbers were inflated by a ton of team passing attempts (much like his stat lines from 2024). While Tillman did tie for the team lead in targets and finished with 52 receiving yards and a score, he only managed a 17.7% target share and 1.13 yards per route run. If Cleveland continues to run this many plays and be this pass-happy, Tillman can sustain his value as a weekly Flex option, but I worry that it could come crashing down. If you have room on your bench and have needs at receiver, Tillman is worth a pickup. But he’s not a priority add this week, and you shouldn’t overspend for his services.

Adam Thielen (WR – MIN): 28% Rostered

• Next Opponents: ATL, CIN, @PIT
• True Value: $3
• Desperate Need: $5
• Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Adam Thielen should spend the first few weeks of the season battling T.J. Hockenson for the second spot in the Vikings’ target pecking order in Minnesota until Jordan Addison returns from suspension. Thielen proved last year that he still has something left in the tank. In the nine games in which he played at least 58% of the snaps, Thielen drew a 19.7% target share while averaging 63.9 receiving yards per game. He averaged 2.08 yards per route run with a 25.8% first-read share and 0.094 first downs per route run. Down the stretch (Weeks 12-18), when Panthers quarterback Bryce Young was revitalized, Thielen was the WR21 in fantasy points per game. Thielen isn’t dust. Not even close. Last year, among 112 qualifying receivers, he ranked 26th in separation, per Fantasy Points Data. Thielen has solid matchups in two of the next three weeks and could easily be in play for a Flex spot in your lineups.

Calvin Austin III (WR – PIT): 2% Rostered

• Next Opponents: SEA, @NE, MIN
• True Value: $2
• Desperate Need: $4
• Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Calvin Austin stepped up for Pittsburgh as the team’s clear No. 2 WR, as Roman Wilson was an afterthought. Austin ran a route on 96.9% of dropbacks while playing 80% of the snaps. He commanded a 20% target share, finishing with 70 receiving yards and a score. The Steelers played in an unexpected shootout in Week 1 with the Jets. The next three weeks could be lower-scoring affairs against talented secondaries that could give Aaron Rodgers fits. Austin is worth picking up in deeper leagues where you have receiver needs.

Kayshon Boutte (WR – NE): 1% Rostered

• Next Opponents: @MIA, PIT, CAR
• True Value: $2
• Desperate Need: $4
• Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Kayshon Boutte was a surprise New England standout in Week 1, tying Hunter Henry for the team lead in targets (eight) while finishing with 103 receiving yards. He played 81.6% of the snaps while seeing a 17.7% target share and finishing with 2.34 yards per route run, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). Boutte isn’t going to be a high-profile waiver target, but he’s a viable Flex against Miami and Carolina in the upcoming weeks.

Romeo Doubs (WR – GB): 15% Rostered

• Next Opponents: WSH, @CLE, @DAL
• True Value: $2
• Desperate Need: $4
• Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: OK, here’s the good from Week 1 for Romeo Doubs: He led the Green Bay wide receivers in snaps (34) and receiving yards (68) in Week 1. But that’s where the good feelings end. Jayden Reed ran only 12 routes against the Lions and led the team with five targets. Doubs drew an 18.1% target share, but with the Packers throwing the ball only 22 times in their 27-13 win over the Lions, that doesn’t really carry anyone that far in fantasy. The fantasy-related problems with the Packers’ passing attack in Week 1 looked eerily similar to what we saw last year. Five Green Bay receivers ran at least 11 routes against Detroit, as the Packers continue to be hell-bent on using a receiver-by-committee approach. Not every week will look like Week 1 for the Packers, who weren’t forced to ramp up the passing rate, as they led comfortably all day. Doubs is worth a pickup, but he will only be Flex-worthy in a bye-week pinch or in games where Green Bay is trailing.

Wan’Dale Robinson (WR – NYG): 20% Rostered

• Next Opponents: @DAL, KC, LAC
• True Value: $1
• Desperate Need: $2
• Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Wan’Dale Robinson posted a very Wan’Dale Robinson-like stat line in Week 1. He finished second on the team in targets (eight) behind only Malik Nabers. Robinson secured six of them for 55 receiving yards. He had a 21.6% target share while playing 76.4% of the snaps. Robinson is a pickup in PPR leagues only. We already know what this looks like, as we saw similar production from him in 2024. Robinson is a PPR cheat code who can give you double-digit points in any week, but he’s unlikely ever to post 100 receiving yards or score a touchdown. As long as you understand what you’re signing up for with Robinson and why, then take a cheap swing on him in PPR formats.