NFL Waiver Wire: Week 2 Deep Dive

We have our first data points of the NFL season. As usual, our perception of player roles on teams can either be quickly confirmed or completely turned upside down. We'll try to make sense of it all in this week's Deep Dive by highlighting both streaming options in Week 2 and players to stash in hopes of impact performances later in the season. One thing to note is that I won't highlight options already covered in the traditional waiver wire column, so head there for full analysis on the likes of Jameis Winston, Mark Ingram, Tim Patrick and others.

Quarterback

Ben Roethlisberger - vs. Raiders (35 percent)

Roethlisberger admittedly didn't look good in a win against Buffalo. But he'll now return for a home game, where he's performed significantly better than when on the road. Add in a matchup against the Raiders' subpar secondary that will also be on a short week traveling east and there's a strong case for Big Ben as one of the week's best streaming quarterbacks.

Kirk Cousins – at Cardinals (25 percent)

Cousins took to the air 49 times in Week 1, which allowed him to post a strong fantasy line based on volume alone. That's not likely to repeat itself frequently throughout the season, but there's a strong chance for a similar script this weekend. The Vikings will travel to Arizona to face what looked like an unstoppable Cardinals' offense, in what should be another contest where the Vikings will take to the air more than they may want to.

Teddy Bridgewater - at Jaguars (nine percent)

I made the case for KJ Hamler on the basis Bridgewater wasn't as timid unleashing the long ball as narratives in the fantasy community suggest. Through one week, I'll take an extremely premature victory lap. Bridgewater registered four deep balls – defined as pass attempts of 20 or more yards in the air – and finished 11th among quarterbacks with 308 total air yards (stats from playerprofiler.com). In Week 2, he faces a Jacksonville D that was shredded by Tyrod Taylor in the season opener.

Tua Tagovailoa – vs. Bills (49 percent)

Tagovailoa didn't post a gaudy fantasy stat line in Week 1, even with the help of a rushing touchdown. As expected, his metrics present mixed signals on how the rest of his season may play out. On the positive side, his average target depth was 9.4 yards - up from 7.8 last year. Will Fuller will return for a matchup against the Bills, and Tagovailoa showed some rapport with rookie Jaylen Waddle. To put things in perspective, he threw four interceptable passes (from playerprofiler.com) against the Patriots and will face a Bills' defense that bottled up the Steelers in Week 1. All told, I'd feel better waiting to roll out Tagovailoa until a Week 3 matchup against the Raiders with the exception of superflex/two-QB leagues.

Mac Jones – vs. Jets (22 percent)

The Patriots seem to have made the right call both in letting Jones fall into its lap at the 2021 Draft and also immediately making him the starting quarterback. He managed the team efficiently in his professional debut, which is hardly a knock for rookie in their first contest. For the time being, Jones appears to be a more valuable player in real life than for fantasy managers. But if the team opens up the offense at some point, rostering him during his ascent could pay dividends.

Justin Fields – vs. Bengals (49 percent)

The Bears offense looked fairly pathetic with Andy Dalton under center, an outcome that was easy to project. Fields saw five snaps, which was enough for him to reach the end zone on a three-yard rush. Things won't be that simple for him once he takes over as the full-time starter, but that time should come sooner rather than later.

Trey Lance – vs. Eagles (29 percent)

Like Fields, Lance received a little work and also recorded his first pro touchdown. It seems like he may have to wait a bit longer than Fields to take over a full starting role, but those types of projections can quickly change.

Running Back

James White – vs. Jets (50 percent)

White isn't going to turn into a workhorse back, but it's clear he'll be a key target in the Patriots' passing attack. Not only did he grab six receptions in Week 1, but he was also clearly the designed target on at least one occasion when he caught the ball deep down the sideline on a wheel route.

Tony Jones – at Panthers (17 percent)

Four of Jones' 11 Week 1 carries came in the final drive of a blowout win over the Packers. However, it's worth noting Alvin Kamara received 20 carries, a mark he reached or exceeded only once in 2020. Jones should remain involved in the offense, and his potential role versus current roster rate seems disproportionately high.

Phillip Lindsay – vs. Texans (44 percent)

Mark Ingram emerged as the clear leader in the Texans' backfield in Week 1. But one must question how often Houston will play from ahead as they did in their opener, and how a change in game script could dictate a corresponding change in running back usage. A Week 2 matchup against Cleveland will likely give us that answer.

Latavius Murray - vs. Chiefs (48 percent)

Murray should be the Ravens second back at worst for at least one more week working behind and potentially alongside Ty'Son Williams. The Ravens backfield is going to get more crowded, with one of Le'Veon Bell or Devonta Freeman almost certain to be promoted from the practice squad. For at least another week - and likely longer - Murray could be a worthy dart throw if fantasy managers require an immediate need at the position.

Kenneth Gainwell – at 49ers (15 percent)

For those fantasy managers who are currently comfortable with their running back situation, Gainwell should be among the top targets on this list. He was fortunate to find the end zone while spelling Miles Sanders after the latter recorded a long run. However, Gainwell has clearly surpassed Boston Scott – who only played on special teams in Week 1 – so he'll offer some volume alongside Sanders and could be an RB2 should Sanders be sidelined.

Tevin Coleman – at Patriots (22 percent)

Coleman received nine carries in Week 1 to lead the Jets' backfield. However, he failed to compile any meaningful production and his role is likely to slip as the season wears on. Coleman is fine as a desperation play in Week 2, but expectations should be very limited. 

Cordarrelle Patterson – at Buccaneers (five percent)

Patterson looked better than Mike Davis in Week 1, but Davis should still have the lead-back role. It's possible we've already seen the best of Patterson, but most backs who receive nine touches in a game are at least worth noting. Week 2 isn't the time to take a chance on him as the Falcons' offensive line isn't likely to make much room against an elite Buccaneers' D-line.  

Le'Veon Bell – vs. Chiefs (34 percent)

Bell still holds name value in the fantasy football community due to his days as a locked in RB1 in Pittsburgh. But those days are long gone and it's not even certain that he'll even be on the roster against Kansas City. The Baltimore rushing attack  is always worth speculating on, but that's the only reason to roster Bell at this point in his career.

Larry Rountree –  vs. Cowboys (two percent)

Rountree has no appeal in Week 2, but he was the Chargers' clear backup. Just use this as a note to store for future reference.

Alex Collins/DeeJay Dallas – vs. Titans (one percent each)

Rashaad Penny is sidelined yet again, so the backup job is also up for grabs in Seattle. Collins is likely to operate as a more traditional back, while Dallas would likely be the blocking/pass-catching back. Another situation simply worth monitoring.  

Wide Receiver

Nelson Agholor – vs. Jets (35 percent)

Agholor took the first step towards becoming Mac Jones' preferred target in Week 1. Not only did he finish tied for the team lead in targets, but he also accounted for 37.9 of the team's air yards. One effort doesn't guarantee that type of role moving forward, but Agholor is worth a streaming look in a matchup against a porous Jets' secondary.

KJ Hamler – at Jaguars (three percent)

Tim Patrick has rightfully earned the majority of the attention with Jerry Jeudy sidelined, and was covered in the traditional waiver wire article published earlier this week. However, I'll mention Hamler here again. He had an ugly drop on what would have been a 50-plus yard touchdown against the Giants and should be on the field in all three-receiver sets with Jeudy sidelined. If you missed out on Patrick, consider Hamler a decent consolation prize. 

Bryan Edwards – at Steelers (17 percent)

Feel free to set aside Edwards' strong stat line as a potential one-week outlier. Even so, he led the Raiders' receivers with 57 offensive snaps - one more than Henry Ruggs, who missed some time with an injury. Derek Carr was locked into Darren Waller, leaving others in the passing game with limited targets. But assuming defenses are more competent at taking Waller away in the future, Carr will have to look elsewhere. Based on usage, Edwards is a prime candidate to benefit. Note there are superior streaming targets in Week 2 considering the Raiders will take on a tough Steelers' D in Pittsburgh.

Sammy Watkins – vs. Chiefs (20 percent)

It was an obligatory splash performance in Week 1 for Watkins, as he commanded a 27.6 percent target share and accounted for 36.1 percent of the team's air yards. On top of his proven shortcomings as a fantasy receiver, he's also now a part of a Ravens' offense that prefers to keep the ball on the ground. They may not be able to do that against the Chiefs, so it may be worth turning to Watkins once again. Just don't get too comfortable. 

Christian Kirk – vs. Vikings (17 percent)

Speaking of excellent efforts, Kirk is getting hyped after logging two scores in Week 1 against Tennessee. He's not a bad speculation play – especially with A.J. Green not looking great – but he was still on the field for only 59 percent of the team's offensive snaps. Grab Kirk to speculate on the upside of the Cardinals' explosive offense, but two TDs aren't coming every time and that's what powered his fantasy performance in the opener.

Dyami Brown – vs. Giants (two percent)

It's hard to truly get excited about many options in Washington outside of the trio of Terry McLaurin, Antonio Gibson and Logan Thomas. That's especially true after Taylor Heinicke was forced into the starting quarterback role. Even with that said, there should still be targets left to claim with Curtis Samuel currently on IR. Brown should be the best candidate, as he was on the field for 93 percent of the Week 1 offensive snaps.

Cedrick Wilson – at Chargers (0 percent)

Given all that happened on Sunday, it's easy to forget the season kicked off last Thursday. In that contest, Michael Gallup suffered a calf injury and was subsequently placed on injured reserve. Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb remain firmly atop the wide receiver depth chart, but the team will need a fourth pass-catcher – including Dalton Schultz – to step up. That could be Wilson, or it could mean more two tight-end sets with Schultz and Blake Jarwin on the field together. Much like was discussed for Kirk, the Dallas offense boasts the potential to be explosive, so taking chances on finding the right offensive pieces is worth the risk.

Jamison Crowder – at Patriots (19 percent)

Barring any unexpected issues, Crowder will make his season debut this weekend. It's difficult to imagine him emerging as a consistent must-start option given the presence of Corey Davis and the Jets' overall lack of offensive firepower. But in a PPR league, Crowder could do enough to be worthy of a flex spot – particularly once we start to hit the bye weeks.

Donovan Peoples-Jones – vs. Texans (two percent)

Peoples-Jones is an interesting example of how fantasy managers allow very small samples to dictate their decisions. It could very well turn out to be the right call to prioritize Anthony Schwartz ahead of Peoples-Jones after his strong debut, but the latter was the buzz of Browns training camp and also out-snapped Schwartz in Week 1. Most importantly, Odell Beckham has already been ruled out against the Texans, so there will be opportunity for someone to step up among the Cleveland receiving corps. 

Amon-Ra St. Brown and Kalif Raymond – at Packers (10 percent and one percent)

The Lions' offense did the majority of its damage in garbage time. But given the roster talent, there's little reason to believe that won't continue moving forward. Tyrell Williams is currently in concussion protocol, which could increase the roles for St. Brown and Raymond – both of whom registered significant time in Week 1. It's not likely each of the duo will consistently produce given that Jared Goff is under center, but it's an ambiguous situation where one receiver could emerge. Forced to choose, I'd rather speculate on St. Brown. 

Terrace Marshall –  vs. Saints (20 percent)

Despite the fact Marshall managed to out-target Robby Anderson in the opener, snap rate and air yards suggest Anderson is the second receiver in Carolina behind DJ Moore. But that doesn't mean it's time to give up on Marshall, who flashed a lot of big-play potential throughout the preseason and was involved enough in the Week 1 offense to remain intriguing.

Elijah Moore – at Patriots (38 percent)

Moore did nothing in his first professional game. The Jets wide receiver corps is going to get more crowded with the projected returns of both Jamison Crowder and Keelan Cole. That leaves Moore's role uncertain in Week 2 and beyond, although he qualifies as a player who remains worth adding to stash for potential production later in the season for fantasy teams that avoided serious injury in the opening week.

Rondale Moore – vs. Vikings (20 percent)

Moore represents the fourth wide receiver on the Arizona depth chart, so this is purely a stash option. It's likely he's a fantasy producer worth getting into lineups at some point this year, but league context will dictate whether or not it's worth keeping him.

Tight End

Jared Cook – vs. Cowboys (36 percent)

Cook was seemingly an undervalued tight end throughout draft season, and that has continued into the campaign as he saw eight targets and an 18.8 percent air yards share in Week 1. With Justin Herbert as his quarterback and a matchup against Dallas, Cook is a strong option to immediately plug into lineups.

Adam Trautman – at Panthers (five percent)

Juwan Johnson is the hot waiver wire name because he found the end zone twice. That performance feels like the ultimate red herring, especially because he only played 12 offensive snaps. In contrast, Trautman led the team's tight end corps in air yards, target share, and snap rate.

Hayden Hurst – at Buccaneers (two percent)

Arthur Smith carried over his tight-end heavy approach from Tennessee, as both Hurst and Kyle Pitts logged snap rates at or above 60 percent. That makes Hurst one of the more exciting tight ends on the waiver wire. This Sunday may not be the time pick him up or start him given a matchup against Tampa Bay.

Tyler Conklin – at Cardinals (three percent)

Conklin is Minnesota's top tight end and ran a route on 38 of his offensive snaps (per Pro Football Focus). There's a very narrow target distribution for the Vikings dominated by Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen. That offers some upside for Conklin to see consistent targets, especially given the likely game script in the team's upcoming battle with Arizona.

Anthony Firkser – at Seahawks (13 percent)

The Titans' offense shouldn't remain as abysmal as it was in Week 1. Any improvement should aid all the club's offensive weapons, including Firkser. At tight end, that's enough to make him a viable desperation starting option.  

David Njoku – vs. Texans (two percent)

Fantasy managers have waited on a Njoku breakout for years. He ran a route on 58 percent of his 35 offensive snaps (per Pro Football Focus), but it's nearly impossible to predict on a weekly basis how the way Browns receivers will be targeted. Just monitor this situation.