Best Fantasy Football Players and Sleepers to Add Before NFL Week 2

Here’s Rule No. 1 now that fantasy football has had its opening kickoff: Don’t take a knee in the end zone.

I don’t care if you were the Saints or the Giants of your league in your first matchup of the fantasy season. You made mistakes in the draft.

There is no better time to recover fumbles than after Week 1 of an NFL season. We know a lot more now—good and bad—than we did after watching third- and fourth-stringers battle it out in the preseason. 

I hope you now realize you wasted a roster spot if you picked a backup quarterback, tight end, kicker or defense/special teams. 

While you were securing Kirk Cousins for Josh Allen’s bye week two months from now, someone else was filling that slot on the roster with a shoot-for-the-stars selection. Like Jameson Williams. Or maybe Blake Corum.

The point is: You don’t win fantasy titles by having the best bye-week replacement quarterback. You win them by lucking into an unheralded wide receiver who might be able to help you every week.

And if you shoot and miss, as you might have with Corum, then just reload and try again next week while your opponent sits and waits for Cousins to become relevant.

It’s too late to change the guys you drafted, but not too late to replace them. The waiver process after Week 1 is a must participate. If nothing else, it will improve your depth. Best-case, you latch onto a Puka Nacua, which someone did in Week 1 waivers last year.

Chances are, there’s another Nacua or two out waiting to be plucked this year. Let’s throw a dart and see if we can find him. Better yet, let’s throw a handful, getting rid of all backup quarterbacks, tight ends, kickers and defense/special teams, and any other Odell Beckham types you couldn’t resist on draft day.

Quarterbacks

Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers. Pickings are slimmer in a 16-team league than an eight-teamer, so players mentioned here might or might not be available to you. Mayfield is a great pick-up if you drafted Jordan Love, Justin Herbert or Caleb Williams as your starter. The best thing about Mayfield is his assortment of receivers—a red-zone magnet (Mike Evans), a move-the-chains veteran (Chris Godwin) and one of the best pass-catching backs in the league (Rachaad White). Pass, pass and more passing. That’s fantasy-friendly.

Another to consider: Matthew Stafford, Rams.

Running backs

Jordan Mason, 49ers. Here’s why you should consider Mason your top priority in waivers this week: Because every league has someone very anxious to add him. He’s your ultimate fantasy flip: Grab him for free, then dangle him in front of Christian McCaffrey’s owner for a nice price. He could land you a starting tight end or replacement quarterback… before anyone realizes he’s about to turn into a pumpkin again.

Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks. I know what you’re asking: Where’s J.K. Dobbins or Gus Edwards? Some numbers from Week 1 cannot be trusted. The last thing you need is a tag-team back from one of the lowest scoring teams in the league. Charbonnet has much more upside, especially with Kenneth Walker III already dealing with an abdominal injury. Charbonnet is to Walker what Mason is to McCaffrey. Potentially, even more.

Another to consider: Jaylen Wright, Dolphins.

Wide receivers

Tyler Johnson, Rams. The most impactful injury of the season to date is Puka Nacua’s PCL strain, which opened the door for Cooper Kupp to become a potential Fantasy MVP while also creating a great opportunity for someone to step into a high-target role. Johnson is the lucky guy who gets the latter—and looked the fantasy part with five catches on seven targets in the opener.

Devaughn Vele, Broncos. Among the things we learned in Week 1 was that the Broncos are going to let their rookie quarterback, Bo Nix, air it out this season. If he keeps throwing 42 times a game and Vele develops into his second-favorite target (which it appears he already has), this could be the sleeper who leads your team on a second-half run. Heck, with eight targets in Week 1, his breakout could be this week against Pittsburgh.

Another to consider: Brandin Cooks, Cowboys.

Tight ends

Isaiah Likely, Ravens. The most encouraging thing about Likely’s eye-catching opener was that the Ravens had all kinds of issues in their offensive line. Apparently, Likely isn’t much of a blocker, because that became sidekick Mark Andrews’ role. Likely in turn got all the looks that had made Andrews someone’s fantasy starter in Week 1. This week in fantasy: Likely plays, Andrews sits.

Another to consider: Colby Parkinson, Rams.