Whew, that was fun! Week 1 of a brand new NFL season is in the books. As always, there were plenty of surprises on the fantasy football front, both good and bad. Even in the opening week of the season, many owners were forced to make lineup adjustments thanks to bum hamstrings and unexpected absences. Although most drafted rosters still look promising, it’s important to attack the fantasy football waiver wire early and often.
While it’s important not to overreact to a one-game sample size, managers are encouraged to be flexible with the last few spots on their roster. Avoid clinging to bench stashes too long and letting the competition get a jump on you early in the season. By being proactive with fantasy football waiver wire pickups right out of the gates, you have a much better chance of maintaining a deep and well-rounded roster.
Let’s take a look at some of the best fantasy football waiver wire pickups heading into Week 2 of the season.
Note: Players must be owned in less than 50% of ESPN leagues to be included in the best fantasy football waiver wire pickups column. Ownership percentages will reflect their status on Tuesday mornings ahead of standard waiver processing.
QB Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (35.8%)
The fact that Matthew Stafford was rostered in just over a third of leagues to begin the season is almost mind-blowing. No one is as tough and gritty as the Rams’ signal-caller. Well, maybe Dan Campbell, but Stafford damn near got an upset road win over his former team in Week 1. Stafford has no shortage of weapons at his disposal and could be an immediate option to start at the position in Week 2 when the Rams take on an Arizona Cardinals defense that has very little talent.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (34.0%)
We’re at the point where Baker Mayfield cannot be ignored when it comes to the fantasy football waiver wire. Mayfield quietly finished as the QB10 in fantasy a year ago and picked up right where he left off to begin the 2024 campaign, finishing as the QB2. The Bucs have a solid trio of receivers, and Mayfield is capable of turning broken plays into fantasy production with his legs.
A Week 2 matchup against Detroit could be tough, but opportunities await for Mayfield to be a viable start against the mess that is the NFC South. Oh, and while we’re at it, Deshaun Watson is owned in 10% more leagues than Mayfield at this juncture. That needs to be flipped immediately, please and thank you.
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RB Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Alexander Mattison, Las Vegas Raiders (10.2%)
In the wake of Josh Jacobs’ departure to Green Bay, many believed that incumbent Zamir White would get the bulk of the workload out of the Raiders’ backfield. Instead, Alexander Mattison played 60% of the offensive snaps compared to just 38% for White in Week 1. He didn’t do much on the ground but had 43 yards and a touchdown as a pass-catcher. The Las Vegas backfield could be tough to predict on a weekly basis, but Mattison needs to be rostered given the initial developments.
Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens (3.3%)
The Ravens’ backfield also had a surprising disparity of touches in Week 1. Despite all of the excitement surrounding the offseason acquisition of Derrick Henry, it was Justice Hill who led the backfield in snaps played on kickoff night. The roles of the two are quite clear. Managers can expect Henry to be the primary ball-carrier with Hill being the pass-catcher. The latter made a nice impact in that realm to begin the year, and there’s reason to believe his eight targets could be somewhat sustainable, especially as Baltimore’s offensive line works out the kinks.
WR Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills (49.7%)
The Bills’ wide receiver corps got an overhaul in the offseason. The result is an opportunity for young players like Khalil Shakir to take the next step forward. Shakir made some noise in the fantasy football waiver wire discussion in the second half of his rookie season with multiple strong showings. He only played 53% of all possible snaps in Week 1, but caught all three of his targets and found the end zone. Josh Allen has numerous other options, but managers can do much worse than fortify their depth with Shakir early on in the season.
Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints (42.0%)
With the Michael Thomas experience now in the rearview mirror, there is a wide-open path to be the Saints’ WR2 behind Chris Olave. In Week 1, it was Rashid Shaheed who stepped up. The Weber State product flexed his speed and set the tone early with a long touchdown reception, a play that buoyed him to a WR13 finish in PPR for the week.
It will be interesting to see whether Shaheed maintains his 68% offensive snaps played regularly once A.T. Perry is back in the fold. Either player could wind up having sneaky steady volume throughout the full season. In addition, Shaheed brings added value to those managers who play in leagues that reward return stats.
TE Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens (9.8%)
Okay, this may seem like Captain Obvious checking in. That said, Isaiah Likely just finished as the TE1 by a dozen points and is available in over 90% of leagues. How can we not include him amongst our fantasy football waiver wire pickups?! Now, it must be stated that Likely’s Week 1 fantasy output may not be replicated again all season. However, when you consider that he garnered 12 targets, plays for a team lacking competent receivers and that the Ravens had him on the field in clutch time late instead of Mark Andrews, he is well worth a claim bid.
Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders (2.3%)
Look, I get it. Zach Ertz is certainly not as exciting an option in fantasy football as he once was. Then again, can we not agree that the TE position, in general, is just not that exciting? As such, Ertz is worthy of consideration when making Week 2 waiver claims. Until he gets hurt or is overtaken by rookie, Ben Sinnott, Ertz will remain the primary receiving tight end for the Commanders. He played 71% of the snaps and was targeted four times in Week 1. The production wasn’t great, but the opportunity is at least encouraging at fantasy’s weakest position.
