Let Your Idiot Leaguemates Splurge on the Week 2 Waiver Wire

AJ Brown suffered a high ankle sprain, creating a void in the Patriots' passing offense. Emma Johnson uses his injury as a primary example of a high-profile player absence that forces fantasy managers to seek immediate, short-term waiver wire replacements.

Emma Johnson confirms A.J. Brown suffered a high ankle sprain, which creates significant uncertainty for the Eagles' passing attack.

Adonai Mitchell is ranked ahead of Dontayvion Wicks; he is an explosive separator who runs all the routes and showed promise with a 40-yard reception, keeping him as an interesting fantasy asset.

Antonio Williams is a player to monitor for a potential breakout after a solid Week 1 performance (4 catches, 60 yards, 1 TD). Despite running only 28.9% of routes, his performance warrants an uptick in snaps, especially with Jiggy Ako dealing with a hamstring injury and Treylon Burks being a healthy scratch. He is a prospect to keep an eye on, though not an immediate waiver add in most leagues.

Cade Otton is a worthwhile stash candidate for fantasy managers who waited on the tight end position; he is a high-upside late-round dart throw who could grow into a larger role.

Emma Johnson expresses cautious interest in Caleb Douglas as a waiver wire pickup, noting he ran almost all routes in his first game; however, she remains skeptical of his ability to be a high-level target earner given the Dolphins' low offensive play volume and competition from Malik Washington.

Chris Bell ran 50% of routes in his return from an ACL tear. Emma Johnson expects his usage to rise as he gets healthier, making him a recommended hold or luxury stash in deep leagues.

Christian McCaffrey's limited Week 1 usage was due to minor summer injuries and game script rather than a role change; he remains the primary back and commands all high-value touches in the San Francisco offense, making it difficult for secondary receivers to earn consistent volume.

Courtland Sutton is unlikely to see consistent high-volume target games (8-10 targets) because the Broncos' offense is expected to spread the ball around to many different players.

Darren Waller is a viable 'touchdown lottery' play at tight end; while his overall route volume is low, he is frequently targeted in the red zone and demonstrates high-end receiving ability near the goal line.

Emma Johnson noted that David Njoku led his room in routes run by a significant margin, yet his current route participation sits at only 48.6%. Johnson remains cautious, stating that unless a player is a full-time participant, they are not highly desirable; however, Njoku becomes a much more interesting fantasy asset in tight end premium formats if his route participation increases toward the 60-70% range.

Deebo Samuel has successfully returned to his old role with schemed-up targets, drawing a comparison to Keenan Allen's historical usage patterns.

Despite running 81% of second-half routes following an injury, Emma Johnson advises against adding Demarcus Robinson because he is unlikely to earn sufficient targets alongside the team's primary weapons like Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel.

Emma Johnson identifies Deshaun Watson as a favorable quarterback to target against for defensive streaming purposes. Specifically, Johnson recommends picking up the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense for their matchup against Watson, citing Todd Bowles' tendency to blitz heavily.

Devin Singletary is not a recommended roster addition for the back end of fantasy teams.

Dontayvion Wicks runs 81% of routes and draws 16% of targets; he is a viable bet if one believes the offense can sustain multiple receivers, though his playing time could be threatened by Malik Lemon.

The Patriots' passing game is difficult to project due to the way targets are spread around, making it hard to identify which receivers will have a decent game attached to Drake Maye.

Evan Engram is explicitly listed as a player to avoid on the waiver wire.

George Kittle is identified as a primary target earner in the San Francisco offense, which contributes to the difficulty of trusting secondary receiving options for consistent fantasy volume.

Jaylen Waddle is unlikely to see consistent high-volume target games (8-10 targets) because the Broncos' offense is expected to spread the ball around to many different players.

Jaylen Warren is clearly the primary backup in the Steelers backfield and saw significant route participation in Week 1.

Joe Williams is cited as part of a history of 49ers third and fourth-round running back picks that failed to earn playing time.

Emma Johnson identifies Jordan Love as an undervalued waiver wire target in 10 and 12-team leagues, noting the Packers' increased reliance on his passing volume and a favorable upcoming schedule.

Jordan Tyson's upcoming return from injury within the next four to five weeks is expected to muddy the target share and long-term value for other receivers on the team.

Emma Johnson views Kendre Miller as a non-factor in fantasy leagues unless they are extremely deep, citing his lack of involvement in the passing game and the fact that he is splitting snaps with others while Alvin Kamara is sidelined.

Kyler Murray is expected to miss one week of action after suffering a concussion early in his previous game.

Ladd McConkey suffered a chest/rib injury after taking a big hit. While he might suit up for Week 2, Emma Johnson notes his potential absence opens up significant opportunities for other Chargers receivers.

Emma Johnson identifies Mack Hollins as the most interesting waiver wire option in the Patriots' passing game, noting he could occupy a possession role while AJ Brown is sidelined. However, she remains cautious about his overall upside due to the team's tendency to spread targets around.

Mark Andrews saw a handful of targets in the Baltimore Ravens' Week 1 offensive performance.

Michael Mayer is a recommended fill-in tight end while Brock Bowers is out, offering a high floor and potential for 15-point games if he finds the end zone; he is a volume-driven play in PPR leagues.

Mike Evans looked phenomenal in his recent outing and remains a primary target earner in his offense, making it difficult for secondary receivers to earn consistent volume alongside him.

Mike Gesicki is not a recommended waiver target despite his big Week 1 performance; his production was largely at the detriment of Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase having poor games, and he is not a full-time player.

Najee Harris was inactive for Week 1, but is expected to lead the Steelers backfield once he returns to the lineup.

Emma Johnson notes Pat Bryant had encouraging usage numbers in Week 1, but warns he is likely a short-term roster band-aid rather than a long-term solution. He looked strong in the first half of his recent game but faded as the offense struggled; he is currently viewed as a high-end handcuff rather than a consistent starter due to the team's tendency to spread targets among six different players.

Emma Johnson suggests that Quentin Johnston's role is under threat from Tre Harris, noting that Harris matched his route participation and could potentially displace him if he performs well during McConkey's absence.

Emma Johnson identifies Raheem Sanders as the direct replacement for Dylan Samson should Samson's knee injury result in missed time, though she notes that the Cleveland running back situation is generally unappealing for fantasy.

Rashod Bateman is an easy waiver wire pickup; Emma Johnson notes that Baltimore has a very friendly passing schedule over the next four weeks against New Orleans, Dallas, Tennessee, and Atlanta. While he is viewed as an emergency band-aid option who could see a near 100% route rate if Zay Flowers and Jacobe Lane miss time, there remains skepticism regarding his actual target volume and production.

Emma Johnson expresses low confidence in Romeo Doubs' production following a lackluster performance, despite the expectation that he may continue to lead the team in targets.

Sam Darnold is expected to miss three to four weeks due to a glute injury, creating a need for fantasy managers to find a replacement quarterback.

Emma Johnson expresses that Travis Etienne is the only running back in New Orleans worth having on a fantasy roster, despite the team's recent attempts to rotate other players into the backfield.

Emma Johnson recommends targeting Trey Harris on the waiver wire as a young, ascending player with a fun prospect profile; he represents a high-upside dart throw compared to veteran route-based options.

Emma Johnson highlights Tre Harris as a high-upside waiver target who matched Quentin Johnston in route participation. She believes if Harris performs well while McConkey is out, he could permanently eat into Johnston's role.

Trey Sermon, along with Tyrion Davis-Price and Joe Williams, is cited as part of a recurring history of 49ers third and fourth-round running back picks that failed to earn playing time.

Treylon Burks was a healthy scratch in Week 1, which was unexpected as he was projected to be a primary wide receiver for the Commanders. His absence opens the door for other players like Antonio Williams to earn more routes. While he is expected to continue running a significant share of routes, his current usage is disappointing.

Tyrion Davis-Price is cited as part of a history of 49ers third and fourth-round running back picks that failed to earn playing time.

Zay Flowers has re-aggravated a hamstring injury. While reports are relatively optimistic that he may only miss one week, the situation remains fluid; Emma Johnson noted reports suggesting he could have returned to the game if it had been a tight contest, making his practice participation throughout the week critical for his availability.