Week one brought us fantasy football fireworks. However, it’s important not to overreact and blow your FAAB budget with 15 more games to go until your league’s championship.
Below we break down the most notable waiver wire adds for week two. Headlined by a plethora of wideouts, as well as a handful pass-catching running backs.
* All owned percentages are based off of Yahoo Fantasy Football leagues.
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Chris Thompson, RB, Washington Redskins (12% Owned)
Adrian Peterson was a surprise healthy-scratch for Washington’s week one tilt vs. Philly. Washington decided to roll with second-year man Derrius Guice as the lead-dawg in the backfield. However, Guice is once again dealing with an injury that will likely keep him out a few games at the very least.
Sources: #Redskins RB Derrius Guice had an MRI this morning on the other, non-ACL knee and he’s likely to miss some time. The hope is he does not need surgery, but the team is doing a full evaluation. He gained 18 yards on 10 carries, looking like he wasn’t himself.
Chris Thompson produced how we’ve come to expect from him during his tenure with Washington. Thompson struggled in the run game (three carries, ten yards) however, that’s not why Thompson makes this list.
Thompson led Washington in targets with ten, catching seven of them for 68 yards. Thompson has top-end RB2 upside in PPR leagues as long as Guice is sidelined.
Jamison Crowder, WR, New York Jets (47% Owned)
My favorite add for week two of fantasy is Jets wideout Jamison Crowder. The wideout was targeted an insane 17 times in week one. Crowder nearly topped the 100-yard mark in receiving, going for 99 yards on 14 receptions.
Adam Gase ran his offense through slot maven Jarvis Landry while in Miami. Now in New York, Crowder will likely serve as the focal point in the Sam Darnold-led offense. No player on this list may have more lasting power than Crowder.
John Brown, WR, Buffalo Bills (50% Owned)
Brown is owned in half of yahoo fantasy leagues, an extremely low rate for an NFL team’s number one wide receiver. Brown carved up the Jets defense to the tune of seven receptions, 123 yards, and one touchdown on ten targets
Brown fell out of favor in Baltimore once Lamar Jackson took the helm at QB a season ago. However, prior to Jackson’s insertion into the starting lineup, Brown was on pace for a phenomenal fantasy season.
Brown’s top-end speed is the perfect match for Josh Allen’s monster arm, plus Brown flashed his ability to do more than just run go-routes vs. the Jets. Brown gets a juicy matchup this week vs. the New York Giants who surrendered 400-passing yards and four touchdowns through the air in week one.
John Ross, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (9% Owned)
John Ross celebrates with fellow Bengals WR Tyler Boyd after a big play
After two years of mediocre play, John Ross finally flashed his big play potential in week one. Ross was targeted a team-leading 12 times, reeling in seven receptions for a whopping 158 yards and two touchdowns. Ross has now scored seven touchdowns over his last seven games dating back to last season.
Ross is finally in position to succeed, as he fits seamlessly into new head coach Zac Taylor’s offense. However, Ross’ fantasy output will likely take a dip when pro-bowl AJ Green makes a return to the Bengal’s starting lineup.
Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, WR, Baltimore Ravens (31% Owned)
You can attack Hollywood’s fantasy value from two directions. For starters, Brown absolutely balled in his NFL debut. He torched the abysmal Miami Dolphins defense on his way to a four receptions, 147 yards, and two touchdowns performance.
The more pessimistic view will point out that Brown played just 14 snaps in week one. This could be due to the fact that Brown missed much of the offseason due to surgery. However, this could also be to the wideout’s limited route tree. Hollywood was pegged as a one-trick pony coming out of OU, but he is one of the most lethal one-trick ponies in the league. Brown will be hit-or-miss this season, yet his hits will win you games.
Other Notable Waiver Wire Options:
Keep an eye on these fantasy options moving forward.
Gio Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals (15% Owned)
It’s unclear if Bernard will be worthy of a starting spot in leagues this week, as Joe Mixon is listed as day-to-day with a left ankle injury.
Much like Chris Thompson, if Mixon misses week two, Gio becomes a viable starter in PPR leagues thanks to his receiving prowess.
TJ Hockenson, TE, Detroit Lions (53% Owned)
Lions TE TJ Hockenson hauls in a TD pass vs. the Cardinals
The tight end position is once again extremely thin in fantasy, filled with a number of question marks. Yet, no need to question Lions stud rookie TJ Hockenson. Hockenson was targeted nine times, gaining 130+ receiving yards and finding the endzone in his NFL debut. Hockenson has already inserted himself in the TE1 discussion moving forward.
Malcolm Brown, RB, Los Angeles Rams (14% Owned)
For all the Darrell Henderson hype during the offseason, it was Malcolm Brown, not the rookie Henderson who received a prevalent workload in week one. Spelling Todd Gurley in the run game would be a stretch, as Brown received just three fewer carries than Gurley in week one, vulturing two touchdowns from Gurley.
Gurley obviously hampers Brown’s value on a weekly basis, however, he is a must-add handcuff for Gurley owners.
Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Redskins (3% Owned)
It’s hard to trust the Washington Redskins passing game, however, someone in D.C. needs to catch passes from the receiver position. McLaurin seems to be that guy for the ‘Skins. He finished with five receptions for a buck-25 and one touchdown.
The rookie is worth a waiver wire flyer as he is owned in virtually no leagues.
Tennessee Titans DEF (9% Owned)
The Titans defense completely dismantled the Cleveland Browns offense in week one. Tennessee totaled five sacks, three picks, and one defensive score.
Over the next seven weeks, Tennessee faces off with the likes of Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew, Josh Allen, Joe Flacco, and Jameis Winston. The Titans defense needs to be owned in all leagues.
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Fantasy: Chris Thompson Headlines Must-Add Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 2