Fantasy Football 2019: Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups
The waiver wire is always wild in Week 2. Some players we didn't expect to perform had big games. It doesn't mean you shouldn't be aggressive on the waiver wire because good players can emerge from one game, as Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay showed last season. Injuries have opened up opportunities for players, and some rookie wide receivers impressed in Week 1.
Below are players I recommend adding who are owned in under 40% of leagues on Yahoo, ESPN or CBS.
QUARTERBACKS
Allen didn't have his best performance against the Jets, throwing two interceptions and fumbling twice. His ability to run the ball raises the floor each week and Week 1 was a prime example. Allen went 24-of-37 for 254 yards with one touchdown and rushed 10 times for 38 yards with a touchdown. Next up is the Giants, who allowed 405 passing yards and four touchdowns to Dak Prescott on Sunday.
Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis Colts
Brissett played well on the road and almost led the Colts to a win against the Chargers. He went 21-of-27 for 190 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for nine yards on three carries. He took only two sacks and ran the offense well, making him a solid QB2 that can be streamed in favorable matchups.
RUNNING BACKS
Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals
Starting running back Joe Mixon left Week 1 with an ankle injury and his status for Week 2 is unknown at this point. Bernard has filled in well the last two seasons when Mixon has been out. In two games last season when Mixon was out, Bernard had at least 19 points in PPR formats in both games. Bernard should be owned in all leagues.
Malcolm Brown, Los Angeles Rams
Remember when the Rams said running back Todd Gurley wouldn't be limited? Don't believe everything coaches say. Coach Sean McVay still doesn't have full confidence in Gurley. While it was expected that Gurley would see fewer touches than last season, it was the usage that was a concern. Gurley had 14 carries for 97 yards (6.9 yards per carry) and caught a four-yard pass. Brown had 11 carries for 53 yards and two touchdowns. Gurley played 53 snaps, Brown 21 and Darrell Henderson two. Brown was clearly the preferred red zone back, getting five carries inside the 20 while Gurley had none. In a high-powered offense, Brown needs to be on a roster, especially since Gurley's arthritic knee can limit him at any time.
Chris Thompson, Washington Redskins
Derrius Guice has a meniscus injury and will miss a few weeks. Adrian Peterson, who should be added if available, was a healthy inactive for Week 1 and he will be active and get some touches. Thompson will play a big role on passing downs and get some carries for a Redskins team that projects to play from behind often. Thompson had three carries for 10 yards and led the team with 10 targets, catching seven passes for 68 yards.
Raheem Mostert, San Francisco 49ers
Running back Tevin Coleman has a high-ankle sprain and will miss time. Matt Breida will likely get the majority of the reps, but Mostert could get double-digit touches per game. Breida has a penchant for getting injured and he's not going to get 20-25 touches. After Coleman left the game on Sunday, Breida had 10 touches, while Mostert had six. Mostert had nine carries for 40 yards and one reception. He also had a touchdown run called back due to a penalty.
Ronald Jones, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It wasn't a good summer for Jones, but he looked the best he has and showed some good burst against the 49ers. He had 13 carries for 75 yards with an 18-yard reception. Peyton Barber had eight carries for 33 yards and Dare Ogunbowale was the pass-catching back with four receptions for 33 yards on five targets. While he's not a player to start, Jones can be stashed on the bench in deeper formats in case he builds off this game.
WIDE RECEIVERS
John Brown, Buffalo Bills
When Brown is healthy, he produces. Quarterback Josh Allen has a strong arm and will hit Brown down the field. In a great matchup against the Jets, Brown took advantage and caught seven of his 10 targets for 123 yards with a touchdown.
Marquise Brown, Baltimore Ravens
Brown would have been going higher in drafts if he was healthy. He had surgery in February to repair a Lisfranc injury and didn't play in the preseason until the third week. Brown has explosive speed and it was on display against the Dolphins. Quarterback Lamar Jackson made excellent throws to Brown, who can get wide open with ease. Brown caught four of his five targets for 147 yards and two touchdowns while playing 14 snaps. The Ravens were in control with a 59-10 win and didn't need to push Brown, who became the first player in NFL history with two touchdown receptions of at least 40 yards in his NFL debut.
Mecole Hardman, Kansas City Chiefs
Hardman could be underlooked because he didn't have the explosive game of several other wide receivers in Week 1. With Tyreek Hill out a few weeks and potentially longer, Hardman was on the field for 52 snaps and didn't have a reception. Hardman was basically the Hill replacement and also has a lot of speed. Demarcus Robinson will also see a bigger role, but Hardman seems to be the better replacement.
John Ross, Cincinnati Bengals
Ross was one of the bigger surprises of the week. The Bengals played a competitive game on the road in Seattle and almost won. They attempted 51 passes and Ross looked excellent. Health and inconsistency plagued Ross in his first two seasons, but he possess top-notch speed and quarterback Andy Dalton had time to find him. While Ross had two bad drops, he caught seven passes for 158 yards with two touchdowns. A.J. Green is still in a boot and the offense looked good under first-year coach Zac Taylor. Ross will face another bad secondary against the 49ers in Week 2.
Terry McLaurin, Washington Redskins
McLaurin played the most snaps of any Redskins wide receiver and was tied for second on the team with seven targets, catching five passes for 125 yards with a touchdown. He almost had another long TD.
D.J. Chark, Jacksonville Jaguars
Chark had a good camp and went off in Week 1 with four catches for 148 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Nick Foles will be sidelined with a broken collarbone and Gardner Minshew will take over. Minshew was sharp replacing Foles.
A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans
This is more for deep leagues. Brown showed good power and quickness and caught three passes for 100 yards with a touchdown on four targets, but played fewer than 40% of the snaps. Quarterback Marcus Mariota only attempted 24 passes, and if the Titans have their way, the pass totals will remain low.
TIGHT ENDS
T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions
Many shy away from rookie tight ends since there's usually an adjustment period to the NFL at the position. Hockenson looked like a veteran with an impressive Week 1 against the Cardinals, catching six of nine passes for 131 yards and a touchdown. He's still available in the majority of ESPN leagues.
Darren Waller, Oakland Raiders
Waller was already an interesting backup tight end with upside and became more appealing once the Raiders released Antonio Brown, who was expected to command a lot of targets. Waller is 6'6", 258 pounds and a former wide receiver. The Raiders are going to be playing from behind and passing a lot. The Raiders threw 101 passes to tight end Jared Cook last season and Waller could be in the 85-90 range.
Vernon Davis, Washington Redskins
Davis will depend on the status of Jordan Reed, who is in concussion protocol and missed Week 1. Whenever Davis has filled in he tends to be productive. Davis caught four of his seven targets for 59 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown.
Looking for an edge? Check out the Fantasy Assistant from FullTime Fantasy. Sync with your league, and this premium tool offers personalized waiver advice, team analysis, projections, optimal lineups and trade suggestions.
