Fantasy Football: Top waiver targets and your first look at Chris Towers’ Week 2 rankings for every position

Fantasy Football: Top waiver targets and your first look at Chris Towers' Week 2 rankings for every position

Towers walks you though the early Week 2 preview

Sep 13, 2022 at 2:08 pm ET • 11 min read

The biggest injury news coming out of Week 1 — besides Dak Prescott needing thumb surgery, obviously — revolved around two high-profile running backs, Najee Harris and Elijah Mitchell. We got good news about one and bad news with the other, so before we get to today’s newsletter, here’s the latest:

Najee Harris (foot) could play this week — Tests on Harris’ foot were negative, and according to reports, there’s a “good chance” he’ll play in Week 2 against the Patriots. I’m skeptical, but the fact that there’s even a chance is great news. Jaylen Warren is still worth adding as insurance seeing as Harris has now suffered a recurrence of his preseason injury, but he isn’t the top priority on waivers.
Elijah Mitchell (knee) is on IR and could miss eight weeks — Jeff Wilson is the top priority on waivers, with Mitchell likely out until at least November. He won’t need surgery, but the injury is serious enough that Wilson is likely to get some extended run.

We’ve got more on the top waiver-wire targets in today’s newsletter, and we’ll spend the next few days keeping an eye out for more injury news. One item I saw that is worth keeping an eye on is that Alvin Kamara has a rib injury that bothered him Sunday. That could help explain his lackluster usage, though coach Dennis Allen did downplay the injury. That’s just one thing to watch out for heading into Week 2.

For more on the latest news, make sure you tune in to Fantasy Football Today on CBS Sports HQ at noon ET, and for help locking in your waiver-wire claims make sure you tune into the FFT YouTube stream tonight at 8 p.m., where we’ll be taking your questions live for an hour. And, if you want to take one last look back at Week 1 before you move ahead, check out my Week 1 Winners and Losers column here, where I break down every game, including Monday’s surprise Seahawks win over the Broncos.

Tomorrow, we’ll have Heath Cummings’ previews for each position plus some buy-low candidates coming out of Week 1 if you’re looking to make a trade — email your trade questions to Chris.Towers@ViacomCBS.com for some advice. And here’s what else we’ve got on tap in today’s newsletter:

➕Top Week 2 Waiver Wire Targets
📈Week 2 Rankings📉

➕Top Week 2 Waiver Wire Targets

Sep 13, 2020; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Nyheim Hines (21) runs the ball in for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field. Douglas DeFelice / USA TODAY Sports

This time a year ago, Elijah Mitchell was the guy everyone was blowing their FAAB budget on coming out of Week 1. But the 49ers running back treadmill keeps churning, and Jeff Wilson is now the hot commodity. Jamey Eisenberg’s Waiver Wire column is up and ready for you to get all the help you need, whether you’re trying to figure out how much to spend on Wilson or are looking for something else. Here are the top targets for this first waiver run of the regular season:

Jamey Eisenberg’s top targets

Jeff Wilson, RB, SF (21%) — Wilson isn’t a one-for-one replacement for Mitchell, because he’s not nearly the caliber of runner. But the 49ers offense is designed to run the ball efficiently, and Wilson should get 12-15 carries per week as the lead runner with Mitchell out. That’ll be enough to make him worth starting ahead of the likes of Dameon Pierce and Damien Harris, in all likelihood. I wouldn’t blow my FAAB budget for him, but a 30% bid, if you need a running back, seems reasonable.
Jaylen Warren, RB, PIT (9%) — I’m not necessarily saying I don’t believe the reports that Harris is going to be good to go this week, but I’m skeptical, given the recurring nature of this injury. Even if Harris does play, Warren remains worth stashing given the risk of re-injury here. I think a 10% bid is reasonable.
Tyler Boyd, WR, CIN (54%) — Higgins’ concussion could give Boyd an opportunity to play a bigger role, and he put up solid numbers in the two games he played without Higgins last season, averaging 17.2 PPR points. Higgins should be back before long, so I wouldn’t make Boyd more than a 5% bid guy — you shouldn’t be that desperate in Week 2.
Jarvis Landry, WR, NO (43%) — Landry going over 100 yards was one of Week 1’s most surprising developments, but he played basically a full snap share, so there’s clearly a role here. I’m not sure how long Landry is going to be Fantasy relevant, given Chris Olave‘s presence as a (hopefully) ascending player, but he could be a viable starter in the near term.
Sterling Shepard, WR, NYG (34%) — The Giants don’t seem to like Kadarius Toney, and Kenny Golladay looks completely washed up, so Shepard could have a chance to emerge as the go-to option. He only had two catches on four targets, but his long touchdown showed he’s still got some explosiveness coming off that ruptured Achilles. Like Boyd and Landry, he’s like a 5% bid guy for me.

One (more) target for each position

QB: Marcus Mariota (18%) — If I absolutely needed a starter at QB in Week 2, I’d probably lean toward Jameis Winston (73%), but if he isn’t available, Mariota is a perfectly accepted replacement. His 12 carries in Week 1 give a good sign of what his weekly floor and upside can be, especially as Drake London and Kyle Pitts continue to develop.
RB: Jordan Mason (2%) — If you don’t need a Week 2 starter, Mason is a nice low-dollar alternative to Wilson. He was active in Week 1 ahead of Tyrion Davis-Price after an excellent preseason and training camp, and he could be next in line for the 49ers. There’s a non-zero chance he’ll have a role next week alongside Wilson.
WR: Curtis Samuel (5%) — If you’ve been reading this newsletter since the preseason, you know I’ve been targeting Samuel as a sleeper, and I was thrilled to see how he was used in Week 1 — 80% route participation, seven backfield snaps, 11 targets, and four carries. He won’t have that role every week, but the Commanders made a point of getting him involved early and often, and he’s a talented playmaker when healthy. There’s top-24 upside here.
TE: Gerald Everett (59%) — Albert Okwuegbunam was involved enough (six targets) Monday that I don’t necessarily regret making him my favorite late-round tight end, but I do wish I had Everett in more spots. With Keenan Allen out this week, Everett could take on an even bigger role coming off an opener that saw him find the end zone.

📈Week 2 Rankings📉

React, don’t overreact. That’s the whole goal coming out of Week 1, but it’s so much easier said than done. Here’s my first go at Week 2 rankings for every position, and if you want more, I’ve written about over 80 players at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and tight end, and those will be updated throughout the week. These are all for PPR leagues:

Quarterbacks

You drafted Dak Prescott as a top-10 quarterback for your Fantasy Football team with the hope that, outside of his bye week, you wouldn’t really have to worry about the position. However, Prescott suffered a thumb injury in Week 1 that will likely keep him out for the next month and a half or more, and suddenly, you’re scrambling … For more on my thoughts on the QB position for Week 2, head here.

Josh Allen vs. TEN
Patrick Mahomes vs. LAC
Lamar Jackson vs. MIA
Justin Herbert @KC
Jalen Hurts vs. MIN
Kyler Murray @LV
Joe Burrow @DAL
Matthew Stafford vs. ATL
Russell Wilson vs. HOU
Derek Carr vs. ARI
Kirk Cousins @PHI
Tom Brady @NO
Aaron Rodgers vs. CHI
Trey Lance vs. SEA
Justin Fields @GB
Trevor Lawrence vs. IND
Jameis Winston vs. TB
Tua Tagovailoa @BAL
Marcus Mariota @LAR
Carson Wentz @DET
Jared Goff vs. WAS
Baker Mayfield @NYG
Daniel Jones vs. CAR
Mitchell Trubisky vs. NE
Mac Jones @PIT
Matt Ryan @JAX
Ryan Tannehill @BUF
Cooper Rush vs. CIN
Joe Flacco @CLE
Jacoby Brissett vs. NYJ
Davis Mills @DEN
Geno Smith @SF

Running backs

On his 68-yard run in Week 1, Saquon Barkley hit a top speed of 21.1 mph, the second-fastest speed by any ball-carrier last week. That was the fastest speed he’s hit on a carry since 2019 – back before his torn ACL, back in the days when Barkley was arguably the league’s premier big-play artist at the RB position … For more on my thoughts on the RB position for Week 2, head here.

Christian McCaffrey @NYG
Jonathan Taylor @JAX
Saquon Barkley vs. CAR
Austin Ekeler @KC
D’Andre Swift vs. WAS
Leonard Fournette @NO
Alvin Kamara vs. TB
Joe Mixon @DAL
James Conner @LV
Dalvin Cook @PHI
Aaron Jones vs. CHI
Antonio Gibson @DET
Derrick Henry @BUF
Javonte Williams vs. HOU
Darrell Henderson vs. ATL
Nick Chubb vs. NYJ
Cordarrelle Patterson @LAR
Josh Jacobs vs. ARI
David Montgomery @GB
Chase Edmonds @BAL
AJ Dillon vs. CHI
Miles Sanders vs. MIN
Michael Carter @CLE
Rashaad Penny @SF
Ezekiel Elliott vs. CIN
Kareem Hunt vs. NYJ
Breece Hall @CLE
Jaylen Warren vs. NE*
Jeff Wilson vs. SEA
Damien Harris @PIT
Rhamondre Stevenson @PIT
Kenyan Drake vs. MIA
James Robinson vs. IND
Nyheim Hines @JAX
Devin Singletary vs. TEN
Clyde Edwards-Helaire vs. LAC
Tony Pollard vs. CIN
J.D. McKissic @DET
Zack Moss vs. TEN
Travis Etienne vs. IND
Rex Burkhead @DEN
Jamaal Williams vs. WAS
Melvin Gordon vs. HOU
Dameon Pierce @DEN
Sony Michel @KC
Isaiah Pacheco vs. LAC
Eno Benjamin @LV
Raheem Mostert @BAL
Kenneth Gainwell vs. MIN
Alexander Mattison @PHI
Ameer Abdullah vs. ARI
Rachaad White @NO
Mark Ingram vs. TB
Cam Akers vs. ATL
Avery Williams @LAR
Khalil Herbert @GB
Mike Davis vs. MIA
Jordan Mason vs. SEA
Dontrell Hilliard @BUF
D’Onta Foreman @NYG

Wide receivers

If Week 1 of the NFL season is anything to go by, this is about to be a very special season for wide receivers. Justin Jefferson, Cooper Kupp, Davante Adams, and Ja’Marr Chase were probably the first four drafted in most leagues, and all four had at least 28.9 PPR points in Week 1; early-rounders like Stefon Diggs, Michael Pittman, A.J. Brown, all topped 20 points, too … For more of my thoughts on the WR position for Week 2, head here.

Cooper Kupp vs. ATL
Justin Jefferson @PHI
Davante Adams vs. ARI
Ja’Marr Chase @DAL
Stefon Diggs vs. TEN
Deebo Samuel vs. SEA
Tyreek Hill @BAL
Michael Pittman Jr. @JAX
A.J. Brown vs. MIN
D.J. Moore @NYG
Brandin Cooks @DEN
Diontae Johnson vs. NE
Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. WAS
Michael Thomas vs. TB
JuJu Smith-Schuster vs. LAC
Mike Williams @KC
Darnell Mooney @GB
Marquise Brown @LV
Jaylen Waddle @BAL
CeeDee Lamb vs. CIN
Julio Jones @NO
Christian Kirk vs. IND
Gabe Davis vs. TEN
Adam Thielen @PHI
Mike Evans @NO
Jerry Jeudy vs. HOU
Courtland Sutton vs. HOU
D.K. Metcalf @SF
Elijah Moore @CLE
Rashod Bateman vs. MIA
Terry McLaurin @DET
Allen Robinson vs. ATL
Hunter Renfrow vs. ARI
Drake London @LAR
Tyler Lockett @SF
Curtis Samuel @DET
Amari Cooper vs. NYJ
Tyler Boyd @DAL
Russell Gage @NO
Zay Jones vs. IND
DeVante Parker @PIT
DeVonta Smith vs. MIN
Robert Woods @BUF
Josh Palmer @KC
Chris Olave vs. TB
DJ Chark vs. WAS
Chase Claypool vs. NE
Brandon Aiyuk vs. SEA
Greg Dortch @LV
Robby Anderson @NYG
Jarvis Landry vs. TB
Corey Davis @CLE
Sterling Shepard vs. CAR
Sammy Watkins vs. CHI
Nico Collins @DEN
Garrett Wilson @CLE
Kyle Phillips @BUF
Donovan Peoples-Jones vs. NYJ
Jahan Dotson @DET
Treylon Burks @BUF

Tight ends

Did any tight ends fundamentally change how we should view them in Week 1 of the Fantasy season? As you can see by my Week 2 rankings for the position, the answer is, “Not really” … For more at tight end, head here.