Isn’t it great to have the NFL and fantasy football back in our lives? The excitement of close games. Our players scoring touchdowns. Great catches. Big runs. Nachos. Wings.
Brock Bowers is hurt.
George Kittle is hurt.
Drake London is hurt.
Xavier Worthy is hurt.
Jaylen Waddle is hurt.
Wait… never mind. I hate fantasy football.
OK, that’s not true. But injuries are an inconvenient truth of this fun, maddening game that takes up so much bandwidth in our heads.
Mercifully, we have the fantasy football waiver wire to replace the wounded and help ease our pain.
Welcome back to FantasyPros’ weekly fantasy football waiver wire article. You can find this article bright and early every Monday morning, and we’ll continue to update it early in the week as we get news on injuries, benchings and other developments.
Which players should you try to roster? How much should you bid on the players you’re trying to acquire? Which players should you drop? Who deserves a second chance? Which possible waiver wire additions are fool’s gold? Every week, we’ll endeavor to answer all of those questions.
Not only will we make recommendations on how much of your Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB) to spend on a waiver-wire player, we’ll make three recommendations for each player: A “true value” bid, a “desperate need” bid for players you badly want to acquire and a “budget-minded” bid for when you’re trying to price-enforce or acquire a player as inexpensively as possible.
We realize some of the players we list might not be available in every league. There are shallow leagues with a lot of good players unrostered, and there are deep leagues that leave very few useful players unrostered.
For a player to qualify for our fantasy football waiver wire article, he has to be available in more than 50% of Yahoo leagues. But for those of you in deep leagues, we’ll do our best to include some players who are rostered in fewer than 10% of Yahoo leagues and might be available in your leagues.
After recommending possible waiver wire adds at every position, we’ll make suggestions about which players to drop and which players not to drop (at least not yet).
We’ll also give a letter grade to the waiver wire crop each week.
All right, friends. Let’s go shopping.
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice: Week 2
Week 2 Waiver Grade: C+
(Rostership percentages are based on Yahoo leagues; Recommended FAAB bids are based on a $100 budget.)
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings
Note: Players chosen based upon having early-week consensus roster percent below 50%.
RUNNING BACKS
Written by Ellis Bryn Johnson
- Next Opponents: @BAL, GB, @DET
- True Value: $7
- Desperate Need: $11
- Budget-Minded: $4
Analysis: It’s a true chicken-or-egg dilemma when discussing the Browns versus Bengals matchup. Are the Browns a functional offense? Or are the Bengals that bad on defense? While the answer probably lands somewhere in the middle, there is no denying Dylan Sampson‘s Week 1 involvement. He led the team with 12 rushing attempts for 29 yards and also caught eight passes for 64 yards. The concern is that this backfield is a firm committee, with Jerome Ford getting six carries and one reception in Week 1, and Raheim Sanders scoring a goal-line touchdown. Plus, Quinshon Judkins is set to join the team next week after finally coming to terms on his rookie contract. But Sampson’s passing-game prowess should help keep him afloat when the Browns take on the Ravens in Week 2. He’s worth targeting on waivers, but keep in mind that the Bengals may have made the Browns’ offense look better than it is.
- Next Opponents: CAR, @SF, SEA
- True Value: $5
- Desperate Need: $8
- Budget-Minded: $3
Analysis: Based on the box score, Trey Benson was the Cardinals’ most productive back in Week 1. With eight carries for 69 yards and one reception for six yards, Benson led the team in scrimmage yards against the Saints. The caveat was that his 52-yard run in the third quarter kept him from finishing with seven carries for 17 yards. James Conner is clearly Arizona’s lead back. He played 44 snaps on Sunday and had 12 carries for 39 yards. Conner also caught all four of his targets for five yards and a touchdown. Benson played 22 snaps in Week 1 and is the clear insurance policy for Conner. And Benson could be a deep Flex play as early as next week, when the Cardinals take on a Panthers team that allowed 200 rushing yards to the Jaguars in Week 1.
- Next Opponents: vs. NYG, @CHI, GB
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $4
- Budget-Minded: $1
Analysis: With Jaydon Blue a healthy scratch in Week 1, the Dallas backfield was dominated by Javonte Williams (47 snaps), with Miles Sanders (11 snaps) providing a change of pace. After breaking off an impressive 49-yard run, Sanders coughed up a critical fumble in the red zone. If it wasn’t for CeeDee Lamb eating buttered popcorn before the game and dropping multiple passes, this fumble would haunt Cowboys fans. So, why should you pick up Sanders? It appears he’s the clear backup, and Williams was not very impressive in Week 1, rushing 15 times for 54 yards, with his two touchdown runs supercharging his production. If anything happens to Williams or he continues to have disappointing efficiency, Sanders could easily step into fantasy Flex territory.
- Next Opponents: vs. SEA, @NE, MIN
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: The most surprising shootout of Week 1 was the Steelers’ 34-32 win against the Jets. Aaron Rodgers passing for four touchdowns against Aaron Glenn’s defense couldn’t have been on many people’s bingo cards. And few people expected Kenneth Gainwell to lead the Pittsburgh backfield in snaps and out-touch rookie Kaleb Johnson 10-1. With a 37% share of the running back carries and the most receptions among Steelers backs in Week 1, signs point to Gainwell being a prominent weapon in this offense early on. Every season, fantasy managers need to be flexible with their player opinions and not overreact to a single week of results. This balancing act is never easy, but it seems safe to say that Pittsburgh is not ready to trust Johnson and will be using a Jaylen Warren–Kenneth Gainwell combo in the short term. Gainwell can jump into Flex territory in deeper leagues.
Running Back Stash Candidates
After dealing with a recent hamstring injury, Kyle Monangai was able to make his NFL debut against the Vikings on Monday. The rookie from Rutgers played nine snaps and didn’t get any carries, but he had an 11-yard catch on his only target. Bears head coach Ben Johnson has repeatedly said how much he trusts Monangai, and it’s possible his role increases as the season goes on.
The Dolphins forgot to show up against the Colts in Week 1. Either Miami happened to have its worst game of the season in Week 1, or the Dolphins are on the fast track to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Although I lean toward the latter, Ollie Gordon is the clear No. 2 back behind De’Von Achane and will be utilized between the tackles in positive game scripts. A Week 2 matchup against a Patriots team that held the Raiders to 2.3 yards per carry on Sunday is a tough ask for Gordon. However, let’s give this Dolphins team a mulligan and see if they can turn it around in Week 2.
The Chiefs are staring down an 0-2 start, as they face the Super Bowl champion Eagles in Week 2. We saw Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt both have five carries and two receptions in Week 1. If this continues as something close to a 50-50 split, Kareem Hunt could have weekly fantasy value.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Written by Derek Brown
- Next Opponents: PHI, @NYG, BAL
- True Value: $9
- Desperate Need: $15
- Budget-Minded: $6
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 was technically held without a catch on only one target Monday night vs. the Bears, but he caught a two-point conversion. The veteran receiver 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Wide Receiver Stash Candidates
None.
QUARTERBACKS
Written by Ellis Bryn Johnson
- Next Opponents: DEN, @TEN, @LAR
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $4
- Budget-Minded: $1
Analysis: Daniel Jones became the first quarterback since 1991 to lead his team to points on every single drive over a full game. (That stat is courtesy of legendary RedZone host Scott Hanson.) We all knew the Dolphins were a questionable team, at best, heading into the season. What most didn’t envision was Danny Dimes posting a record-breaking performance against Miami and leading the Colts to their first Week 1 win in 11 years. They say lightning never strikes twice. If it does, Jones could become the latest quarterback to resurrect his career, joining Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold. Jones has a tough matchup this week against the Broncos. However, Cam Ward managed to keep his team competitive against Denver in Week 1 despite taking a few embarrassing sacks. We saw Jones record two goal-line scores in Week 1 and have a few throws worthy of his Dimes nickname. Jones is probably going to be a high-upside, low-floor play for fantasy, but if he can come through for the second straight week, you may find yourself with a weekly starter.
- Next Opponents: LAC, @WSH, CHI
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: The Raiders’ offense came out flying in Week 1. Geno Smith‘s first three completions were gains of 23 yards to Brock Bowers, nine yards to Dont’e Thornton and a 26-yard touchdown to Tre Tucker. Although the scoring slowed down, the yardage was just getting started. Smith finished with 362 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. The big yardage total was partly a result of the Patriots limiting the Raiders’ ground game to 2.3 yards per carry. That includes holding Ashton Jeanty to 38 yards on 19 carries. This week, the Raiders face a Chargers team that allowed the Chiefs to average 5.8 yards per attempt (YPA) in Week 1. Although YPA is not the most indicative statistic, the Raiders will likely have more success on the ground this week and will want to control possession against gunslinging quarterback Justin Herbert. As a result, Smith might not see the same yardage totals, but a steady ground game will help his efficiency. If Herbert continues his Billy the Kid impression, the Raiders may be forced to throw downfield to keep pace in a potential shootout.
- Next Opponents: @TEN, @PHI, IND
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: The Rams attempted a quarterback sneak with Matthew Stafford from the goal line in Week 1. Let me rephrase that. The Rams elected to charge their 37-year-old quarterback, with a history of back and neck problems, into a brick wall of 300-pound men. What could go wrong? Thankfully, nothing went wrong, except that they failed to get into the end zone. This could be taken as a sign that Stafford is feeling 100%, but I think we’d all prefer that Sean McVay not test that theory again. It may be difficult to justify bidding for Stafford after a week in which the Rams only scored 14 points, but better days are ahead. The Texans have one of the better defenses in the league and put it on display against a powerful Rams team. This week, the Rams face the Titans, who are coming off a surprisingly close game against the Broncos. This Titans team had an impressive outing at Mile High in Week 1, but will likely have its hands full trying to guard both Davante Adams and Puka Nacua. With Stafford’s negligible rushing work, he is very dependent on touchdown production. With a pair of star receivers to target, Stafford is a safe bet for middling fantasy production.
- Next Opponents: @ARI, ATL, @NE
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Harvey Dent, reincarnated, might actually be Bryce Young. The iconic two-face villain from Batman is a perfect metaphor for Young. In Young’s two seasons and one game, we have seen one player who looks poised and controlled, and another who looks like a deer in headlights on Sundays. Unfortunately, we saw the latter in Week 1. In what was expected to be a high-scoring affair, the Panthers lost 26-10 to the Jaguars. Young’s fantasy day was saved by two plays. The first was a 22-yard rush in the second quarter. (He finished with 40 rushing yards.) The second was a garbage-time touchdown pass to Chuba Hubbard down 23-3 with under five minutes left to play. This week, Young faces a Cardinals team that nearly allowed Spencer Rattler to lead a game-tying drive in the final seconds. It seems to be a coin flip on which Young we will get. If we don’t get the 2024 end-of-season experience from Young in this matchup, the alarms will be ringing.
Quarterback Stash Candidates
The Giants’ offense was not functional in Week 1. As a result, head coach Brian Daboll failed to name the Week 2 starter in his postgame press conference. We knew it was a matter of time before we saw rookie Jaxson Dart take the field, but it may be sooner than anyone expected.
TIGHT ENDS
Written by Derek Brown
- Next Opponents: SF, @SEA, @BUF
- True Value: $4
- Desperate Need: $6
- Budget-Minded: $2
Analysis: Juwan Johnson had one helluva Week 1. He had a 23.9% target share, finishing second on the team in targets behind only Chris Olave. Johnson was an every-down player who also surprised with 1.61 yards per route run. Spencer Rattler and the Saints were trailing all day, which ramped up the passing volume, as New Orleans only handed it off to their running backs 18 times. This could be a familiar weekly scenario for this team, so the target volume could be here to stay. If you’re looking for a cheap option to replace an injured tight end, Johnson could be your guy this week.
- Next Opponents: @BAL, GB, @DET
- True Value: $4
- Desperate Need: $6
- Budget-Minded: $2
Analysis: It looks like Harold Fannin Jr. will be an integral part of the Cleveland passing attack this year. He surpassed any expectations that I had for him in Week 1, playing 72.3% of the snaps with a 71% route per dropback rate and a 20% target share, per PFF. He led the team in targets and finished with seven grabs and 63 receiving yards. David Njoku had a quieter day in Week 1, so we also have to factor that in. In most weeks, Fannin will be fighting for the third spot in the target pecking order for this team, so keep your expectations in check. This was a nice start to his career, though. Fannin is a nice depth pickup and could assume an even larger workload later this season if the Browns decide to entertain any ideas of trading away Njoku, who becomes an unrestricted free agent after this season.
- Next Opponents: LAC, @WSH, CHI
- True Value: $4
- Desperate Need: $6
- Budget-Minded: $2
Analysis: Michael Mayer could be the Raiders’ starting tight end for the short term, as Brock Bowers was knocked out of Week 1 with a knee injury that isn’t believed to be major. Mayer’s 63% snap share and 50% route per dropback rate in Week 1 will both go up while Bowers is out. Mayer should be an every-down tight end for Las Vegas until Bowers is healed up and could be the No. 2 option in the passing attack behind only Jakobi Meyers during this stretch. Expect his 11.7% target share to rise in the next week or two.
- Next Opponents: @CIN, HOU, @SF
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Brenton Strange had a solid but not flashy performance in Week 1. He led the team with 59 receiving yards but only had a 12.9% target share. His 2.45 yards per route run were also nice to open the season. Strange looks like he’s fighting with Dyami Brown for the third spot in the target pecking order behind Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter. Strange is only a matchup-based streaming option at this point, but he’s worth a pickup if you have needs at tight end after the multiple injuries at the position in Week 1.
- Next Opponents: BUF, @TB, @MIA
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Better days are ahead for Mason Taylor. While he had only one target in Week 1, Taylor was a full-time player (87.5% snap rate). Jeremy Ruckert might have out-targeted Mason (two), but he ran only seven routes, per PFF. Jets quarterback Justin Fields looked quite comfortable in Week 1 against the Steelers, who have one of the league’s best defenses. Taylor’s role in this offense will only grow, so scoop him up for cheap this week and stash him on the bench. He will have streamer-worthy moments and could grow into a top-15 option at the position if Fields continues to spread his wings in this offense.
Tight End Stash Candidates
None.
DEFENSES
Written by Pat Fitzmaurice
Seattle Seahawks: 22% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @PIT, NO, @ARI
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $4
- Budget-Minded: $1
Analysis: It’s a toss-up as to which is the best streaming defense to add this week – Seattle or San Francisco. We give a slight nod to the Seahawks since we believe they have a better defense than the 49ers – even though Seattle just lost to San Francisco. The Seahawks intercepted Brock Purdy twice and sacked him once in a 17-13 home loss to the 49ers on Sunday. Seattle visits Pittsburgh this week for a date with Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers. Rodgers threw for 244 yards and four touchdowns against the Jets on Sunday, but he was also sacked four times and looked completely immobile in the pocket. The Pittsburgh running game recorded 20 carries for 53 yards versus the Jets. In Week 3, the Seahawks get the dream matchup: A home date with the Saints. New Orleans committed zero turnovers in Week 1 but generated only 13 points in a home loss to the Cardinals. And speaking of Arizona, you might be tempted to hold onto the Seattle defense for a Week 4 matchup in Arizona.
San Francisco 49ers: 34% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @NO, ARI, JAX
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $4
- Budget-Minded: $1
Analysis: We’re going to be targeting the Saints with streaming defenses all season, which is why San Francisco’s defense is an attractive waiver target this week. Not only is their Week 2 matchup juicy, but the 49ers’ defense was extremely sharp against the Seahawks in Week 1. San Francisco held Seattle to 14 points, 230 yards of offense and 4.6 yards per play. The 49ers also forced a pair of turnovers and sacked Sam Darnold once. San Francisco might not be just a one-week play, either. You can probably hold onto the Niners for home games against the Cardinals and Jaguars in Weeks 3-4, which makes the San Francisco defense worth an extra dollar in FAAB.
New England Patriots: 14% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @MIA, PIT, CAR
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $2
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: The Patriots’ defense has an appealing set of matchups ahead, with the Dolphins on the road, followed by the Steelers and Panthers at home. The Dolphins’ offense was a train wreck in Week 1, with Tua Tagovailoa throwing two interceptions and taking three sacks in a 33-8 loss to the Colts. The Patriots gave up 362 passing yards to Raiders quarterback Geno Smith on Sunday, but they sacked Smith four times, intercepted him once and held Ashton Jeanty to 38 yards on 19 carries. The Patriots played their opener without star cornerback Christian Gonzalez, who’s been dealing with a hamstring injury but could be back this week.
Los Angeles Rams: 27% Rostered
- Next Opponents: @TEN, @PHI, IND
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: After an excellent Week 1 showing in which they held the Texans to nine points, forced two turnovers and notched three sacks, the Rams now face rookie signal-caller Cam Ward and the Titans, who generated a meager 133 yards of offense in their 20-12 loss to the Broncos on Sunday. Ward absorbed six sacks in that game. The Rams are just a one-week play, however, as you won’t want to play them in a Week 3 road game against the Eagles.
Dallas Cowboys: 7% Rostered
- Next Opponents: NYG, @CHI, GB
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: The Cowboys’ defense held up surprisingly well in a road opener against the mighty Eagles, holding Philly to 302 total yards and 4.9 yards per play in a 24-20 loss. The Cowboys get a softer matchup this week, playing host to a Giants offense that sputtered in Sunday’s 21-6 loss to the Commanders. The Giants produced 231 yards and averaged only 3.7 yards per play.
D/ST Stash Candidates
None.
KICKERS
Written by Pat Fitzmaurice
- Next Opponents: CLE, DET, @KC
- True Value: $2
- Desperate Need: $3
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: The Ravens’ offense is a machine, and Tyler Loop has been good so far. After a strong preseason, Loop made field goals of 52 and 49 yards in Week 1, although a missed extra point proved costly in a 41-40 loss to the Ravens. Loop should have plenty of kicking opportunities this week in a home matchup against the Browns. This is an opportunity to get a kicker you can feel good about until the Ravens hit their bye in Week 7. Spend the extra buck.
- Next Opponents: @NYJ, MIA, NO
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: With Tyler Bass on injured reserve (IR) due to a hip/groin injury, the Bills have turned to 41-year-old Matt Prater to handle their kicking chores early in the season. A steady veteran, Prater made all three of his field-goal attempts for the Bills in their opener, including a 32-yard game-winner at the final gun. The Bills’ Charmin-soft schedule over the next three weeks should present Prater with abundant scoring chances.
- Next Opponents: WSH, @CLE, @DAL
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: With the Micah Parsons trade putting fresh wind in their sails, the Packers opened with a convincing 27-13 win over the Lions. After converting 20-of-21 field goals and 30-of-30 extra points in 11 games with Green Bay last season, Brandon McManus kicked a pair of short field goals and converted 3-of-3 extra-point attempts against Detroit in Week 1. The Packers should keep McManus awash in scoring opportunities this season, and his upcoming schedule looks manageable.
- Next Opponents: @GB, LV, @ATL
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Washington should have a high-scoring offense this year with young quarterback Jayden Daniels at the controls, which should make Matt Gay a solid kicking option throughout the season. He booted 31 field goals for Washington last season and averaged 8.7 fantasy points per game.
- Next Opponents: @CIN, HOU, @SF
- True Value: $1
- Desperate Need: $1
- Budget-Minded: $0
Analysis: Cam Little was rock-solid for the Jaguars in his 2024 rookie season, converting 27-of-29 field goals and 29-of-30 extra-point attempts. He picked up where he left off, drilling 4-of-4 field goals and 2-of-2 extra-point attempts in Jacksonville’s 26-10 Week 1 victory over Carolina. The Jaguars should be able to put up points this week against the Bengals and their less-than-irtight defense.
Kicker Stash Candidates
None.
FOOL’S GOLD
Noah Fant had four catches for 26 yards and a touchdown in his Bengals debut. Fant out-snapped Mike Gesicki 26 to 16, but ace blocker Drew Sample led the Cincinnati tight ends with 36 snaps. The bottom line is that neither Fant nor any of the other Cincy tight ends are likely to be consistently fantasy-viable behind the dynamic duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Rashid Shaheed played 85.3% of the Saints’ offensive snaps in Week 1 and ran a team-high 46 routes. He finished with six catches for 33 yards on nine targets. Shaheed got off to a fast start in 2024, with 20 catches for 349 yards and three touchdowns in his first six games before sustaining a knee injury that knocked him out for the season. Shaheed has big-play ability, but he needs a capable quarterback to unlock it, and it’s hard to imagine him being consistently useful to fantasy games when he’s catching passes from either Spencer Rattler or Tyler Shough.
Speedy KaVontae Turpin had 2-18-0 receiving and 2-9-0 rushing for Dallas in Week 1 while playing 45.9% of the offensive snaps. It was a performance that probably didn’t go unnoticed in the NFL’s nationally televised Thursday-night season opener. But Turpin is only rosterable in the deepest of leagues, and it’s hard to imagine circumstances that would make him startable.
DROP RECOMMENDATIONS
Droppable
Mike Gesicki played only 16 snaps in the Bengals’ season opener – 10 fewer than newcomer Noah Fant. With a 30.8% snap share in Week 1, Gesicki isn’t worth holding.
Chargers second-round rookie wideout Tre’ Harris is an attractive asset in dynasty leagues, but his minimal usage in Week 1 suggests that his redraft value is nil. Harris played just five of the Chargers’ 65 offensive snaps in Week 1, according to PFF, and had one catch for 11 yards. Ladd McConkey, Keenan Allen and Quentin Johnston are the Chargers’ top three receivers, and Harris is basically just Johnston’s backup.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn recently said that Chris Rodriguez Jr. would be used in short-yardage situations, which seemed to suggest that Rodriguez would be part of a three-man running back committee along with Austin Ekeler and rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt. But Rodriguez was a healthy inactive for Washington in Week 1, and veteran back Jeremy McNichols played 13 snaps behind Ekeler and Croskey-Merritt. Time to bail on Rodriguez.
Droppable With a Chance of Regret
Going into Week 1, it wasn’t clear how the Jaguars would divide snaps and touches in their backfield. It turned out that Travis Etienne led the way, carrying 16 times for 143 yards Sunday against the Panthers. Etienne played 40 snaps, per PFF. Bigsby played 14 snaps and had 5-12-0 rushing with zero targets. Tank Bigsby outperformed Etienne last season, but that seemed to have no bearing on the competition for snaps and touches in the 2025 Jacksonville backfield. Bigsby was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, and a Will Shipley rib injury could make him the potential handcuff to Saquon Barkley, at least in the short term. That’s good news for rookie RB Bhayshul Tuten, who climbs the depth chart with Bigsby gone, but Etienne appears to be the clear workhorse in Jacksonville for the time being.
Fleet-footed rookie Jaydon Blue was thought to be a factor in the Dallas backfield, but he was a healthy inactive on Opening Night, while Javonte Williams dominated the running back snaps and touches for the Cowboys, backed up by Miles Sanders. Unless your league has deep rosters and you have the luxury of patience, there’s not much reason to hold Blue.
Chris Godwin dislocated his ankle last October and hasn’t played since. He’s still recovering and is reportedly expected to return sometime in the first half of the season. But rookie first-rounder Emeka Egbuka was terrific in his NFL debut, catching four passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns. It’s hard to imagine Godwin coming back, immediately displacing Egbuka and playing a hefty snap share. In other words, it’s hard to tell when we’ll see Chris Godwin look like Chris Godwin again, and it might not be worth holding the veteran receiver long enough to find out.
Don’t Drop Yet
Josh Downs only played in 3-WR sets in the Colts’ opener and finished with 2-12-0 on three targets. The arrival of stud tight end Tyler Warren, the Colts’ first-round draft pick, could take a big bite out of Downs’ target load. It’s worth waiting to see if Downs is more active in Week 2, but if he’s quiet again, it might be time to dump him.
The Steelers spent a third-round pick on rookie back Kaleb Johnson from Iowa, but Johnson is currently No. 3 RB on the depth chart behind Jaylen Warren and ex-Eagle Kenneth Gainwell. Johnson played two snaps in the Steelers’ season opener versus the Jets and had one carry for -2 yards. Johnson was a fairly early pick in a lot of fantasy drafts, so some patience is warranted, but this doesn’t look good for Johnson stakeholders.
Cooper Kupp‘s late-season swoon in 2024 has a lot of people in the fantasy community suspicious that the 32-year-old receiver has turned to dust. Kupp’s 2025 debut with the Seahawks did little to dispel that notion. He had 2-15-0 on three targets despite leading Seattle receivers with 46 snaps, per PFF. Give it one more week, then shake out the dust.
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