Week 1 gave us points.

A lot of them.

What it did not give us was an obvious 100%-FAAB, empty-the-wallet waiver wire superstar.

That is probably good news for the teams we drafted. It also makes the first waiver run of the 2026 fantasy football season a little more difficult.

There was no Puka Nacua-level breakout sitting on waivers. There was no backup running back who suddenly inherited 25 touches because of a season-ending injury. Most of the players we liked in August are still the players we like today.

But that does not mean the waiver wire is empty.

The biggest mistake fantasy managers make after Week 1 is chasing points instead of chasing roles.

One touchdown can be random. Fourteen carries are not. One 50-yard catch can be random. Running 30 routes as a rookie is not. A quarterback throwing three touchdowns in a shootout might be difficult to repeat. A running back playing nearly half the snaps behind Christian McCaffrey is information we need to act on.

That is how we are approaching Week 2.

The players below are generally available in many leagues, and the rankings are based on a combination of immediate usability, season-long upside, positional scarcity, and how likely the Week 1 role is to stick.

Here are the 10 best fantasy football waiver wire pickups heading into Week 2.

Week 2 Waiver Wire Top 10

Rank	Player	Position	Suggested FAAB
1	Kaelon Black	RB	8-10%
2	Devaughn Vele	WR	4-6%
3	Denzel Boston	WR	4-5%
4	Deebo Samuel	WR	3-5%
5	Rashod Bateman	WR	2-3%
6	Caleb Douglas	WR	2-3%
7	Bryce Young	QB	2-3%
8	Ted Hurst	WR	1-2%
9	Tre Tucker	WR	1-2%
10	Tyjae Spears	RB	1-2%

1. Kaelon Black, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Rostered: 35%
Suggested FAAB: 8-10%

Kaelon Black is the clear No. 1 waiver claim this week.

Not because Christian McCaffrey is injured. Not because Black scored two touchdowns. He did neither.

Black is the top target because San Francisco showed us something far more important:

They actually intend to use him.

McCaffrey played 55% of San Francisco’s offensive snaps against the Rams. Black played 43%. The rookie actually led the 49ers with 14 carries, turning them into 65 rushing yards while adding one catch for five yards. McCaffrey finished with 10 carries for 68 yards and five receptions for 20 yards.

Game script absolutely played a role. San Francisco controlled the second half of its 27-7 win, so there was no reason to run McCaffrey into the ground.

But we should not dismiss what happened.

Black has firmly established himself as San Francisco’s No. 2 running back, and that alone carries substantial value.

McCaffrey handled an enormous workload last season, including the playoffs, and San Francisco has every reason to manage him more carefully. If Black can settle into 8-12 touches even when games are competitive, he may offer standalone FLEX value.

And if McCaffrey misses time?

Black immediately becomes one of the most valuable running backs in fantasy football.

That combination is exactly what we want from a waiver-wire running back: standalone touches plus elite contingent upside.

San Francisco also gets Miami and Arizona over the next two weeks, games where the 49ers could once again find themselves protecting leads.

Waiver Verdict

Black should be the No. 1 claim in most leagues.

Spend aggressively if your running back room is weak.

2. Devaughn Vele, WR, New Orleans Saints

Rostered: 23%
Suggested FAAB: 4-6%

Devaughn Vele’s Week 1 box score was good.

His usage was better.

Vele caught seven passes for 69 yards and a touchdown as the Saints pushed Detroit into overtime.

We should not expect New Orleans to throw 56 passes every week. That part was game-script driven.

But Vele played 82 of the Saints’ 90 offensive snaps and stayed on the field alongside Chris Olave in two-receiver formations. That is the part fantasy managers should care about.

This was not a receiver catching four passes while rotating with three other players.

Vele was a full-time receiver.

Chris Olave also left the game multiple times while dealing with injuries, adding another layer of uncertainty to the Saints’ receiving room.

Meanwhile, Tyler Shough attempted 56 passes. New Orleans may not throw that much every week, but there is reason to expect volume. The defense struggled, Kellen Moore wants to play quickly, and the Saints are heading to Baltimore in Week 2 as underdogs.

That is exactly the environment where a full-time secondary receiver can become fantasy relevant.

Waiver Verdict

Vele is the best wide receiver add of the week.

He can be used as a FLEX immediately, and if Olave misses time, Vele’s ceiling rises considerably.

3. Denzel Boston, WR, Cleveland Browns

Rostered: 40%
Suggested FAAB: 4-5%

Do not let Cleveland’s ugly offense scare you away from Denzel Boston.

The Browns were destroyed by Jacksonville.

Boston still gave us multiple encouraging signals.

He led Cleveland’s wide receivers with 47 snaps, 30 routes, and a 46-yard touchdown. The touchdown will get everyone’s attention. The route participation should get yours.

Boston and fellow rookie KC Concepcion appear to be legitimate focal points of this passing game, and that aligns with what we heard throughout training camp.

Now we have actual NFL usage to support the hype.

The quarterback situation is still a problem. That will create volatility. But late-season fantasy breakouts usually do not come from waiting until every problem disappears.

By the time Boston is seeing eight targets per game and producing consistently, he will already be rostered.

You add him now because the underlying opportunity is there.

Waiver Verdict

Boston is a priority upside add.

You may not start him in Week 2, but he belongs on fantasy benches before the breakout becomes obvious.

4. Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Rostered: 71%
Suggested FAAB: 3-5%

First, check your league.

Deebo Samuel should not be available in many competitive formats. But his offseason market cooled enough that he slipped onto waiver wires in some shallower leagues, and if that happened in yours, fix it.

Deebo returned to San Francisco after spending 2025 in Washington, where he still caught 72 passes and finished around the WR2/WR3 border in fantasy.

The reunion immediately looked natural.

Against the Rams, Samuel caught six of seven targets for 48 yards and a touchdown and added a 12-yard rushing attempt.

That rushing attempt is important.

Kyle Shanahan knows exactly what Deebo does well. We already know this offense is comfortable manufacturing touches for him. San Francisco does not need Samuel to command a traditional alpha-WR workload for him to matter.

He can score on screens. He can take carries. He can win underneath. He can be used near the goal line.

And the 49ers may need him more than expected if the receiving corps deals with injuries throughout the season.

Waiver Verdict

If Deebo is available, add him.

He should not remain on waivers after this week.

5. Rashod Bateman, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Rostered: 7%
Suggested FAAB: 2-3%

Rashod Bateman did not catch a pass in Week 1.

And he is still one of the better pickups this week.

Welcome to waiver-wire season.

This is why we care about more than the box score.

Baltimore lost Zay Flowers to a hamstring injury. Ja’Kobi Lane fractured his wrist and is expected to miss several weeks. Suddenly, the Ravens’ receiver room looks very different.

Bateman led Baltimore’s receivers in snaps and routes in its Week 1 win over Indianapolis even though the targets never arrived.

If Flowers misses Week 2, Bateman could enter the game as Baltimore’s clear top healthy wide receiver.

Does that guarantee 10 targets?

Absolutely not.

Baltimore can funnel offense through Derrick Henry, Lamar Jackson, and the tight ends. But we have seen Bateman produce useful fantasy stretches before, and opportunity matters.

You are not adding him because of what he did Sunday.

You are adding him because of what might be available next Sunday.

Waiver Verdict

Bateman is one of the better speculative receiver adds of the week.

His value depends heavily on Flowers’ status, so monitor Baltimore’s practice reports.

6. Caleb Douglas, WR, Miami Dolphins

Rostered: 22%
Suggested FAAB: 2-3%

Sometimes “someone has to catch the football” actually works.

Caleb Douglas entered the year with an opportunity in Miami’s rebuilt receiving corps.

Week 1 showed us that the opportunity is real.

The rookie caught five passes for 94 yards, the eighth-most receiving yards among NFL wide receivers in Week 1 and the most by a rookie receiver.

More importantly, he played more than 90% of Miami’s offensive snaps and ran 32 routes, second only to Malik Washington.

That is not a gadget role.

That is a starting NFL wide receiver role.

Douglas was a second-round pick, so there is also real investment behind him.

Miami’s offense is going to be volatile with Malik Willis at quarterback. Willis struggled as a passer against Las Vegas, and Miami’s offensive line allowed five sacks in the loss.

But negative game scripts could also create plenty of passing volume.

Douglas does not need Miami to be good.

He needs Miami to throw.

There should be plenty of weeks when that happens.

Waiver Verdict

Douglas is one of the better upside bench additions of the week.

He has a clearer role than many receivers rostered in far more fantasy leagues.

7. Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers

Rostered: 19%
Suggested FAAB: 2-3%

We need to be careful here.

Bryce Young just played one of the best games of his NFL career.

He threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns, added a rushing touchdown, and finished around QB3 for the week after Carolina and Chicago combined for nearly 100 points.

That is exciting.

It is also not something we should blindly project forward.

Chicago’s defense got shredded. The game environment was ridiculous. Young is not suddenly Josh Allen.

But there are reasons this performance matters.

Jalen Coker’s emergence gives Carolina another legitimate receiving weapon. The Panthers defense may force Young into more pass-heavy scripts. And Young has shown enough improvement that he deserves to be back on the streaming radar.

The Week 2 matchup also helps.

Carolina gets Atlanta after the Falcons struggled to contain an aging Aaron Rodgers in Week 1.

You do not need Young to repeat 361 yards.

You need him to be useful.

After what we saw in Week 1, that possibility looks much more realistic.

Waiver Verdict

Young is the best widely available quarterback pickup for managers who need a Week 2 streamer or upside QB2.

Do not spend heavily in one-quarterback leagues.

8. Ted Hurst, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rostered: 7%
Suggested FAAB: 1-2%

Ted Hurst is exactly the kind of Week 1 player fantasy managers overlook.

His stat line was not enormous.

Three catches. 36 yards. No touchdown.

But look at the role.

Hurst played 75% of Tampa Bay’s offensive snaps and ran 30 routes.

Chris Godwin ran 32. Emeka Egbuka ran 33.

That is far more meaningful than catching one random deep touchdown on 12 snaps.

The rookie was expected by many to be brought along slowly after entering the NFL as a Day 3 small-school prospect. Instead, Tampa Bay immediately used him as its WR3 with Jalen McMillan sidelined.

McMillan’s eventual return creates uncertainty.

But Hurst now has an opportunity to make that decision difficult for the Buccaneers.

If he keeps playing 70%-plus of the snaps, the targets should eventually follow.

Waiver Verdict

Hurst is a stash before he becomes a pickup everyone wants.

Prioritize him in deeper leagues.

9. Tre Tucker, WR, Las Vegas Raiders

Rostered: 38%
Suggested FAAB: 1-2%

Tre Tucker did not explode against Miami.

That should not completely erase what made him interesting entering Week 1.

Tucker’s preseason treatment suggested Las Vegas viewed him as a legitimate starting receiver. The Raiders rested him with other offensive starters while other wide receivers continued playing.

He also quietly produced 57 catches for 696 yards and five touchdowns last season despite playing in an ugly Raiders passing offense.

Week 1 gave us a different concern.

Las Vegas did not need to throw much.

The Raiders beat Miami 27-13 while Ashton Jeanty dominated the offense with 102 rushing yards, six receptions, and two receiving touchdowns.

That can happen again.

This may be an offense that prefers to funnel everything through Jeanty.

But Tucker remains cheap, and Brock Bowers’ knee situation could create additional targets if the star tight end misses more time.

This is not a player to chase aggressively.

It is a player to stash before we have a bigger sample.

Waiver Verdict

Tucker is a low-cost bench add.

I would rather have the players above him, but the starting role keeps him on the Top 10.

10. Tyjae Spears, RB, Tennessee Titans

Rostered: 46%
Suggested FAAB: 1-2%

Nobody should be excited about the Titans offense right now.

Tennessee scored 10 points against the Jets. There was very little rhythm. Cam Ward and the passing game struggled.

But Tyjae Spears gave us one important piece of information.

This backfield may be closer to a split than expected.

Tony Pollard played 26 snaps. Spears played 25.

Spears only turned five touches into 24 yards, so the fantasy result was meaningless.

The usage was not.

If those snap shares continue, Spears has standalone involvement. More importantly, he has a clear path to becoming Tennessee’s lead back if Pollard struggles, gets hurt, or the coaching staff decides to lean younger as the season progresses.

Running backs with legitimate paths to 15 touches are rarely available once that role actually arrives.

You stash them beforehand.

Waiver Verdict

Spears is an upside RB bench stash, not a Week 2 starter.

He belongs on rosters in leagues where running back depth is difficult to find.

Quarterback Waiver Wire Targets

Bryce Young, Panthers

Young is the preferred quarterback pickup if you need help immediately.

The 361 passing yards and four total touchdowns are almost certainly near his weekly ceiling, but Carolina’s defense should keep the offense throwing, and Atlanta gives him another reasonable matchup.

Suggested FAAB: 2-3%

Malik Willis, Dolphins

Malik Willis is more interesting for fantasy than he might be for real-life quarterback evaluation.

He threw for 220 yards in his Miami debut and added 39 rushing yards and a touchdown. That rushing production accounted for a major portion of his fantasy output.

That is exactly why he remains interesting.

Running quarterbacks do not need to be elite passers to provide fantasy value.

The Week 2 matchup against San Francisco is ugly, though. Willis is more of a stash than a start this week.

Suggested FAAB: 1-2%

C.J. Stroud, Texans

C.J. Stroud quietly posted 274 yards and two touchdowns while trying to keep pace with Buffalo.

He is not suddenly back in the elite-QB conversation, but he remains useful in two-quarterback leagues and gets Cincinnati next.

That game has shootout potential.

Suggested FAAB: 1%

Running Back Waiver Wire Targets

Kaelon Black, 49ers

The top add of the week.

Do not overthink it.

Tyjae Spears, Titans

The nearly even snap split with Pollard is more important than the five touches.

Kendre Miller, Saints

Kendre Miller is one of the sneakiest additions of the week.

With Alvin Kamara sidelined, Miller matched Travis Etienne with nine carries. More importantly, New Orleans gave Miller both rushing attempts from inside the 10-yard line.

He converted one into a touchdown.

Even when Kamara returns, that goal-line role could stick. On an offense that wants to play fast and can score points, that has value.

Suggested FAAB: 2-3%

George Holani, Seahawks

George Holani essentially split snaps with Jadarian Price in Week 1.

Price played 24. Holani played 23.

The production was not impressive. Holani gained 29 yards on eight carries and failed to catch his only target.

But he handled the third-down work.

That matters.

If Seattle continues using a committee while Zach Charbonnet recovers, Holani has a role.

Suggested FAAB: 1%

Chris Brooks, Packers

Green Bay’s entire backfield struggled.

But Chris Brooks opened the game as the early leader, playing 55% of the snaps while the Packers built their first-half lead.

He only managed 29 yards on seven carries. MarShawn Lloyd eventually outproduced him.

Neither player is exciting right now.

Brooks is only worth adding if you desperately need running back depth.

Suggested FAAB: 1%

Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Targets

Devaughn Vele, Saints

Full-time role.

Seven catches.

Touchdown.

Potential shootouts.

Easy add.

Denzel Boston, Browns

The rookie route participation is what makes him exciting.

Do not wait until the target total catches up.

Deebo Samuel, 49ers

If your league somehow left him available, he becomes an immediate priority.

Rashod Bateman, Ravens

Do not chase the zero-catch box score.

Chase the suddenly thin Baltimore depth chart.

Caleb Douglas, Dolphins

Ninety-plus percent snap share and 94 yards in his NFL debut.

There is real upside here.

Ted Hurst, Buccaneers

Thirty routes as the WR3 is enough to demand attention.

Tre Tucker, Raiders

A cheap starting wide receiver in an offense we still need to learn more about.

Antonio Williams, Commanders

Antonio Williams was one of Week 1’s surprise producers.

He caught all four of his targets for 64 yards and a touchdown while Washington struggled to get Terry McLaurin involved.

The issue is hierarchy.

Williams is still likely behind McLaurin, Stefon Diggs, and the tight end in the normal passing-game pecking order.

He is worth rostering.

Just do not overreact to one game.

Suggested FAAB: 1%

Dontayvion Wicks, Eagles

Dontayvion Wicks caught two passes for 73 yards and a touchdown.

The deep role is interesting.

The concern is rookie Makai Lemon.

Lemon ran only two fewer routes than Wicks and also saw four targets. Wicks can give you spike weeks, but volume may be difficult.

Suggested FAAB: 1%

Tight End Waiver Wire Targets

Kenyon Sadiq, Jets

Rostered: 14%
Suggested FAAB: 2-3%

Kenyon Sadiq barely had a preseason.

Then the first-round rookie stepped onto an NFL field and immediately became relevant.

Sadiq scored the Jets’ first touchdown of the year on a three-yard rushing attempt and added three catches for 21 yards.

The stat line was not huge.

The involvement was encouraging.

Omar Cooper Jr. also suffered a high ankle sprain, potentially opening additional passing-game opportunity.

Rookie tight ends can be frustrating.

Sadiq at least has enough talent and usage to justify patience.

Michael Mayer, Raiders

Rostered: 26%
Suggested FAAB: 2%

Brock Bowers’ absence immediately put Michael Mayer back into fantasy relevance.

He saw seven targets in Week 1 and caught six passes for 32 yards.

The question is how long Bowers stays out.

There has been optimism Bowers could return quickly after his meniscus procedure, so do not overspend on Mayer.

But if you lost Bowers or need a short-term tight end, Mayer makes sense.

Pat Freiermuth, Steelers

Pat Freiermuth’s usage was much more encouraging than last season.

He ran roughly twice as many routes as Darnell Washington and immediately produced a TE1 fantasy week.

That is enough to put him back on the streaming radar.

Suggested FAAB: 1%

Players to Watch

These players do not necessarily require an immediate waiver claim, but they need to be on the radar.

Carson Wentz becomes a streaming option if Kyler Murray misses time. Chicago just allowed Bryce Young to throw for 353-plus yards.

Drew Lock is relevant only in Superflex if Sam Darnold misses multiple games.

Raheim Sanders moves closer to fantasy relevance if Dylan Sampson’s knee injury proves serious.

Braelon Allen saw 10 carries for 40 yards and remains one of the better contingent-value running backs in football.

Devin Singletary benefited after another Tyrone Tracy fumble and scored a touchdown.

Tre Harris would become much more interesting if Ladd McConkey’s chest injury costs him time.

Mack Hollins produced four catches for 51 yards with A.J. Brown injured, but his long-term ceiling remains limited.

Mike Gesicki posted five catches for 78 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. We have seen the boom/bust act before, so one game is not enough to fully buy in.

Defense to Stream: Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati’s defense was one of Week 1’s surprises.

The Bengals sacked Baker Mayfield four times and recovered three of his fumbles in their win over Tampa Bay.

Now they get Houston.

C.J. Stroud lost two fumbles himself in Week 1 and took three sacks against Buffalo.

Cincinnati suddenly looks like one of the better Week 2 streaming defenses.

Kicker to Add: Trey Smack, Packers

Trey Smack missed an extra point against Minnesota.

He also drilled all three of his field-goal attempts, including one from 59 yards.

That leg strength gives him weekly ceiling.

Green Bay gets the Jets in Week 2 in a game that could create plenty of scoring opportunities.

Week 2 Waiver Wire Strategy

The biggest takeaway from this waiver period is simple:

Do not spend like this is your last chance to improve your roster.

The wire is useful.

It is not loaded.

Kaelon Black is the one player I am comfortable being aggressive on because running backs with his combination of standalone work and contingent upside are difficult to find.

After Black, the wide receiver group is mostly about betting on roles.

Vele played nearly every snap. Boston ran legitimate starter routes. Douglas was on the field for more than 90% of Miami’s snaps. Hurst immediately operated as Tampa Bay’s WR3. Bateman could benefit from Baltimore’s injuries.

Those are the signals we want.

Do not spend 30% of your FAAB because someone caught a touchdown in Week 1.

Spend on players whose opportunity changed.

That is the difference.

Final Verdict

Week 1 did not completely reshape fantasy football.

That is a good thing.

But it did give us several players we need to react to before the rest of the league does.

Kaelon Black is the clear No. 1 target because San Francisco showed a willingness to give him real work behind Christian McCaffrey.

Devaughn Vele looks like a legitimate full-time receiver in a fast New Orleans offense.

Denzel Boston has the playing time and talent to become Cleveland’s breakout rookie.

Deebo Samuel should not be sitting on waiver wires after immediately sliding back into a productive San Francisco role.

Rashod Bateman suddenly has an opportunity because Baltimore’s receiving corps is injured.

Caleb Douglas played like a starting receiver and immediately produced 94 yards.

Bryce Young put himself back on the quarterback streaming map.

Ted Hurst ran enough routes to become a legitimate deep-league stash.

Tre Tucker remains an inexpensive starting receiver worth another look.

And Tyjae Spears quietly played nearly the same number of snaps as Tony Pollard.

That is your Week 2 waiver wire.

Do not chase Week 1’s points.

Chase Week 2’s opportunity.