Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings & Pickups (Week 2)

Our analysts combine to provide rankings for weekly fantasy football waiver wire targets. We’ll help you prioritize your bids for the week ahead. Check out our full expert consensus fantasy football waiver wire rankings and all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice for the week.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings

Note: Players chosen based upon having early-week consensus roster percent below 50%.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Target

Dylan Sampson (RB – CLE): 46% Rostered

• 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.

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.

Daniel Jones (QB – IND): 5% Rostered

• 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.

Juwan Johnson (TE – NO): 1% Rostered

• 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.