Welcome to another wonderful weekly (future) waiver wire workshop, where we wield many “Ws” in our opening sentences, wishing for more wins for our readers!
How does this series work? It’s not your normal waiver wire article, where I suggest players to pick up for the upcoming weekend’s games. Instead, I’m looking ahead two weeks, helping you fill a lineup hole before others get a chance.
Advertisement
These stories get published before the upcoming week’s games happen, but after the Thursday Night Football game. I’ll share eight players, at least one at each fantasy lineup position, who could be hot pickups for the following week. In other words, this article is meant to give you a leg up on the waiver-wire competition before rosters lock on Sunday at 1pm ET.
I won’t just choose random fantasy players — “I like this Davante Adams guy this week!” These players are going to be available in at least 60 percent of CBS leagues. Their roster percentage is just 40 percent or lower, so you should have a decent shot at picking them up in your league.
Understand that leagues are different sizes with different scoring systems and roster makeups, but the majority of the players we suggest here should be available.
This series will have more misses than hits, since we are searching through a pile of manure, hoping to find a gem — a gem that’s not going to shine for two weeks, mind you.
I do track my “wins” and “losses,” because I want to be accountable to my readers.
I track if the player I recommend ends up finishing among the best or worst guys for the week. I’m saying they could fill a hole in your lineup. A “win” indicates a player I recommended who scored enough fantasy points to be a starter (Top 12 QB, Top 30 RB, Top 30 WR, Top 12 TE/K/DST). A “Big Win” indicates a player who finished Top 5 at his position (I just added this to the series last year). If they stink, then I get a loss. An incomplete refers to a player who gets injured.
My 2018 “Future Waiver Wire” Record: 33 Wins, 23 Ties and 50 Losses
My 2019 “Future Waiver Wire” Record: 28 Wins, 2 Ties and 28 Losses (5 Incompletes)
My 2020 “Future Waiver Wire” Record: 39 Wins, 15 Big Wins, 64 Losses, 16 Incompletes
Those records look pretty ugly, but just remember that we’re picking players from the scrap heap and expecting them to be start-worthy — two games into the future.
Advertisement
Note that when we hit on a good player, that could end up being the difference between a win and a loss for your fantasy team. On the other hand, a miss is probably just barely worse than whatever replacement player you were already planning to use. Low risk/big possible reward — that’s what this article is about.
In 2018, this article series helped managers pick up players like Chris Godwin and Austin Hooper in season-long leagues when they were rostered in less than half of CBS fantasy leagues.
In 2019, this series helped managers to several high weekly finishers at their position, too, including Jamaal Williams, Randall Cobb , Deebo Samuel, Rashaad Penny and Diontae Johnson, along with several high finishers among tight ends, kickers and defenses.
In 2020, we helped managers get big one-week hits (and some season-long holds) on Teddy Bridgewater, Tua Tagovailoa, Nyheim Hines, Jamaal Williams, Chase Claypool, Keke Coutee, Rodrigo Blankenship, Younghoe Koo and the Browns defense.
This column is also much more helpful during the bye weeks, when people are scrambling to fill lineup spots. We look a week ahead, so you can fill that lineup spot with the best available kicker/defense well before your opponents even realize they’ll need one.
If you are in a league with large rosters (say, 16 spots or more), or if your league has injured reserve spots where you can stash players, or you are just a big baller who likes to stay a step ahead, then this article series is for you.
NFL Week 2 Schedule
BYES: None
- NYG at WAS Thursday
- CIN at CHI
- HOU at CLE
- LAR at IND
- BUF at MIA
- NE at NYJ
- SF at PHI
- LV at PIT
- NO at CAR
- DEN at JAC
- MIN at ARI
- ATL at TB
- DAL at LAC
- TEN at SEA
- KC at BAL Sun night
- DET at GB Mon night
8 Fantasy Players We’ll Want Off Week 2 Waivers
We’ll only list players available in at least 60 percent of CBS Sports leagues before the Week 1 games. But we won’t be including players from the teams in Thursday night’s game between the Cowboys and Buccaneers, since they are locked out in most league services after they play. Also, these players are not ranked by who should be picked first. You should determine where your team needs the most help.
Advertisement
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia in Week 2 — 13% rostered
We can all agree that Jimmy G is a placeholder for first-round pick Trey Lance, but that doesn’t mean Garoppolo can’t still offer value at different points this season. In Week 2, he’ll be coming off a game against the Lions, who allowed the most fantasy points to quarterbacks last year. That means his fantasy roster percentage should certainly increase before Week 2, when he faces an Eagles defense who was in the middle of the pack vs. QBs.
The 49ers were doomed by injuries last season, including an ankle injury to Garoppolo. With George Kittle, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk to throw to, we could see a nice spike in Jimmy G’s fantasy value.
Another option to pick up is Teddy Bridgewater (22% rostered), who has a really great Week 2 matchup at Jacksonville, and has a higher probability of still starting in Week 2 than Garoppolo.
Devontae Booker, RB, NY Giants at Washington in Week 2 — 23% rostered
This one isn’t so much the upcoming opponent for the Giants (Washington ranked second against RBs last season) as it is about hedging Saquon Barkley’s injury status. Booker steps in as Barkley’s backup this season, and Barkley is returning from a torn ACL and MCL from a year ago. While Booker might not be start-worthy against a tough WFT defense, he’s certainly worth rostering if Barkley can’t go.
Rashaad Penny, RB, Seattle Seahawks vs. Tennessee in Week 2 — Owned in 24% of leagues
This former first-rounder really hasn’t paid off in fantasy terms, partially due to injuries. But he’s also backing up another oft-injured running back in Chris Carson, and the Titans ranked seventh-worst against running backs.
Devonta Freeman is also an option, as he recently signed with Baltimore, after they lost J.K. Dobbins, Justice Hill and Gus Edwards to injury. But Freeman will have to battle with other discards, like Latavius Murray and Le’Veon Bell for touches.
Jalen Reagor, WR, Philadelphia Eagles vs. San Francisco in Week 2 — 25% rostered
While the Eagles plan on seeing Heisman-winning DeVonta Smith turn into a WR1 this season, it’s last year’s first-round pick who could lead this team in receiving early on. Reagor and Smith replace Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson from last year’s lineup, and Reagor has shaken off an injury-riddled freshman year. With Jalen Hurts installed as the starting quarterback, his improvisation skills should benefit the speedy Reagor. The Eagles should have a great passing day in Week 1 against the Falcons, so Reagor should be highly sought after come Tuesday.
Advertisement
A.J. Green, WR, Arizona Cardinals vs. Minnesota in Week 2 — 31% rostered
This Cardinals offense packs a big punch, and getting a piece of it isn’t a bad idea — especially when it’s a seven-time Pro Bowler ready to start a new chapter in a high-passing offense. The Cards have a pretty soft schedule early on for wide receivers, and Green will be coming off a Week 1 debut game against the Titans, who rank among the worst defenses against wide receivers (allowing the second-most fantasy points). The Vikings were bottom-five against WRs, too, setting up a nice opportunity for Green’s managers in Week 2.
Cole Kmet, TE, Chicago Bears vs. Cincinnati in Week 2 — 33% rostered
Second-year tight ends usually treat fantasy managers well, and Kmet has a nice chance to do that in Week 2 against a Bengals team that allowed the third-most receiving yards per game (61.7) to tight ends last season. Kmet caught 20 passes in his last five games of his 2020 rookie season. Once rookie QB Justin Fields takes over, he should see even more passes.
Chris Boswell, K, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Las Vegas in Week 2 — 23% rostered
This article series has a long-standing tradition of finding great season-long kickers to grab and hold onto, including Rodrigo Blankenship and Younghoe Koo last season. We’ll start this season off suggesting Boswell, who is coming off a career-best with a 95% field-goal percentage. He’ll kick against a Raiders defense who tied in allowing the fifth-most field goals made in 2020. The Steelers offense should be better in 2021, with a healthy Ben Roethlisberger and a new commitment to the running game. More first downs means more chances in the red zone.
Bears Defense vs. Cincinnati in Week 2 — 25% rostered
Note that this spot in all future waiver wire articles will likely be filled with any defense with whichever 40%-owned defense is facing the Texans that week. Unfortunately, the Browns (Houston’s Week 2 opponent) are rostered in 47% of leagues right now. So we’re going with the Bears, who will face a Bengals team that gets Joe Burrow (knee) under center again.
Let’s hear some of your favorite Week 2 future waiver-wire pickups in the comments section below!
(Top photo: Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)