The NFL is back and one week of play is already in the books. Many teams relied on their stars to carry them to success, but Week 1 had no shortage of heroes coming from lower places on the depth chart. Many teams were challenged by injuries and depth issues, but many guys stepped up and put together a nice week. From a fantasy football standpoint, some of these players are worth adding off the waiver wire for Week 2. Week 1’s list highlights the receiver position, with guys like the Ravens’ Devin Duvernay and the Panthers’ Robbie Anderson having a great start.
Note that to qualify for this list, a player needs to be available in at least 50% of fantasy leagues. Depending on the various sizes of fantasy leagues, there could be better or worse options available than the ones listed here. This article will cover leagues with an average of about 10-12 teams.
Devin Duvernay, Robbie Anderson Highlight Waiver Wire Targets For Week 2
Devin Duvernay, Baltimore Ravens
Duvernay made a big stride in Week 1, posting 21.4 points behind a two-touchdown outing. Lamar Jackson played really well and looked good throwing, which could mean a big boost for the Ravens receivers. Duvernay caught all four of his targets for 54 yards and two touchdowns. His speed helped him break out for both of his 15+ yard scores.
Duvernay is essentially the WR2 in Baltimore behind Rashod Bateman but is technically the third receiver on the team with star tight end Mark Andrews leading the unit. Duvernay could continue to see a steady share of targets as the Ravens continue to expand their offense. Plus, with a few key matchups against solid AFC East opponents coming up, the Ravens may have to rely on the passing game quite a bit.
Robbie Anderson, Carolina Panthers
Robbie Anderson had a really solid game for the first time in a long time. The Panthers struggled last year after sending out multiple insufficient quarterbacks. Now with Baker Mayfield, Carolina looks to expand their offense and get more people involved. Anderson finished Week 1 with five catches for 102 yards and a touchdown on eight targets. A 75-yard bomb from Mayfield gave Anderson his first touchdown of the year.
BAKER MAYFIELD 75-YARD TD PASS TO ROBBIE ANDERSON 😱
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/HXBYYDWS6X
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 11, 2022
Anderson is the WR2 behind DJ Moore but elusive running back Christian McCaffrey will also see quite a few targets. Anderson was targeted on nearly a third of Mayfield’s passes and will likely see a steady rate like that. He isn’t a bad pickup by any means and could prove vital later in the season should the historically likely McCaffrey injury arise. Anderson was good several seasons ago with the Jets but has fallen off due to a poor situation in Carolina; perhaps he is on the mend and on the rise as is the Panthers’ new offense.
Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders
Samuel looks to finally be a breakout candidate for the Commanders’ offense. He is primed for the WR2 on the offense behind Terry McLaurin. Samuel had an impressive season debut, bringing in eight catches for 55 yards and a touchdown. He also got four carries for 17 yards which shows his dual-threat ability. He will certainly be touchdown-dependent for a lot of the season but he will get a substantial target and touch share with Carson Wentz at the helm.
Wide Receivers: Very, Very Deep Leagues
The aforementioned players probably aren’t available in deeper leagues, but there are still a few interesting Week 2 waiver wire pickups for deeper leagues. These two receivers are solid options now while their starters/veterans get back from various issues. Each had a very good Week 1 and could continue their success for at least a few more weeks.
De’Andre Carter, Los Angeles Chargers
Carter has the chance to be really productive in the next couple of weeks. Posting 15.4 points on three targets in Week 1, Carter has the chance to see even more volume from the Chargers offense in the coming weeks. Keenan Allen is battling an injury and could see a few weeks away. If that’s the case, Carter will likely be around the WR2 or WR3 for Los Angeles behind Mike Williams and Jalen Guyton.
Greg Dortch, Arizona Cardinals
Dortch finished as the second receiver for Arizona behind Marquise Brown. In fact, he had the most catches and yards (13.3 points, 7-63 line) for any Cardinals receiver on the team; Brown had a touchdown which boosted his 4-43 line. Dortch may be a suitable option in the next few weeks before guys like Rondale Moore and De’Andre Hopkins return from injury and suspension, respectively.
Running Backs on the Rise
Dontrell Hilliard, Tennessee Titans
Hilliard put up two touchdowns in Week 1 which was honestly a surprise. He only got two carries (eight yards) behind Derrick Henry but his performance in the receiving game was a hit. He brought in three receptions for 61 yards and two touchdowns. This week may have been a fluke but he showed his playmaking ability by having multiple 20+ yard plays. He was a dependable option for Ryan Tannehill, who has lost quite a few star receivers in the past few years.
Dontrell Hilliard finds the end zone for the 2nd time this afternoon!!! #NFL #TitanUp
pic.twitter.com/m7YaKFSTga— OutOfSightSports🚀™️ (@OOSSports) September 11, 2022
Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions
Williams is surprisingly rostered in only 35% of leagues despite being one of the league’s more reputable backups. Williams will get quite a few red zone touches while D’Andre Swift gets most of the early down and early possession carries. He capitalized on his eleven carries by scoring two touchdowns. Williams likely won’t get too many yards, and with that carries and catches, but he still could score a reasonable amount of times.
Rex Burkhead, Houston Texans
Longtime NFL veteran running back Rex Burkhead wraps up the Week 2 Waiver Wire pickups. The other two options listed above, Hilliard and Williams, look to be touchdown-dependent. Rex Burkhead seems like he could be a great, non-touchdown-dependent option in a committee with Dameon Pierce. Burkhead actually had more carries than Pierce, turning 14 attempts into 40 yards. What was even better was the volume he got in the passing game; he hauled in five passes for 30 yards and totaled 12 PPR fantasy points. He should see a continuously steady volume week after week as long as the Texans don’t fall too far behind in games.
