Fantasy Football Week 2 waiver wire pickups
The fantasy football began with a bang during Week 1. Those who won their matchup are looking to keep the good times rolling, while those who weren’t able to come away with a victory are seeking to bolster their roster with talent. Here are some pickups that will be popular heading into the second week of the season.
Starting Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins tore his Achilles during the team’s victory over the Houston Texans, and is done for the season. Baltimore has elected to elevate veteran Melvin Gordon off the practice squad, but he likely won’t factor into the fantasy equation. Hill scored two touchdowns in Week 1, and Edwards had the most rushing yards of any back on the team.
It was fair to wonder how the Rams would function offensively without the services of superstar Cooper Kupp. Los Angeles received immense contributions from Nacua and Tutu Atwell, both of whom recorded 119 yards receiving. Nacua received twice as many targets as Atwell though, which is why he’s the recommended fantasy target.
The Rams also surprised fans with how they chose to operate on the ground. Many believed that they would feed Cam Akers the rock to continue his 2022 late season surge. Akers received 22 carries, but it was Williams who was more productive with his touches. Williams got into the endzone twice and ran for more yards than Akers.
Figuring out the New England passing attack is going to be a chore from week to week, but Bourne put himself on the fantasy map with his two touchdown performance on Sunday. JuJu Smith-Schuster was expected to push for the team lead in targets, but Bourne paced the offense with 11 on a day that Mac Jones threw the ball 54 times.
It’s hard for fans to come to grips with the notion that the last pick in the 2022 NFL Draft could be a star in the making, but Purdy has passed almost every test in his brief career. He played extremely well against the Pittsburgh Steelers, throwing for 220 yards and two touchdowns. While those numbers won’t blow anyone off the page, he’s entered the fantasy streaming QB conversation.
The Colts won’t have the services of running back Jonathan Taylor for another three games, and will badly need production to hold down the fort. Deon Jackson had about as inefficient of a game as one could have against Jacksonville, and rookie Evan Hull went down with an injury. Moss figures to be able to return from an arm ailment of his own in Week 2.
A banged up Carolina receiving corps was not what rookie quarterback Bryce Young needed in his first NFL start, but his tight end picked up the slack. Hurst caught five passes for 41 yards and a touchdown, which would be the only time the Panthers found the endzone on the day. It’s possible that the connection Young and Hurst have will continue on for weeks to come.
The Cowboys absolutely stopped the New York Giants dead in their tracks on Sunday Night Football. Dallas confused Daniel Jones, causing him to turn the ball over and rattle his confidence. Dallas plays the New York Jets in Week 2, who are coming into the season with a suspect offensive line. They could be in a prime position to bring Aaron Rodgers down a few times in that game.