2024 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week 2

2024 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week 2

A lot of people believe fantasy football leagues are won or lost on draft night. In reality, leagues are often won on the waiver wire. A season ago Puka Nacua , Sam LaPorta , C.J. Stroud , and Zack Moss were all waiver wire targets in standard leagues. The goal today is to find those league winners who were underrated in fantasy drafts. Here are the five best waiver wire targets heading into Week 2 of the NFL season.

*The bar for waiver wire targets is players owned in less than half of ESPN leagues. Players above that threshold will not be included. *

Isaiah Likely – 9.6%

The fantasy football waiver wire priority heading into Week 2 of the NFL season is Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely.

Likely has been a popular waiver wire target throughout his NFL career. In the past, it was because starting tight end Mark Andrews was dealing with injuries. That is not the case this time. Likely outplayed Andrews in Baltimore’s season opener and was a much bigger part of the offense.

In Baltimore’s Week 1 game, Likely was the tight end featured in the passing game while Andrews was often used as a blocker. Likely finished the game with 12 targets for nine receptions, 111 yards, and a touchdown. Andrews finished with two targets for two receptions for 14 yards.

In the future, Likely and Andrews will both get their share of playing time. The Ravens often utilized two tight end formations. That resulted in Andrews playing 74% of offensive snaps while Likely played 66% of snaps. Regardless, as long as both players are on the field, Likely appears to have far more receiving upside.

It should also be noted that Likely is one of the Ravens’ top offensive weapons regardless of position. The top pass catcher in the offense is Zay Flowers , but Likely has a clear opportunity to be the next-best option.

Likely’s combination of talent and opportunity is a dream for fantasy football managers looking to add a waiver-wire tight end. The position is already barren for talent. Likely is a sensational option for anyone looking to add talent.

Jordan Mason – 37.5%

San Fransico 49ers running back Jordan Mason should be one of the most popular running back waiver wire targets heading into Week 2 of the NFL Season.

In Week 1, Mason got the most playing time in his NFL career after Christian McCaffrey was ruled out with a calf injury . That resulted in a strong fantasy football outing. Mason finished with 28 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown.

A lot of Mason’s value will come when McCaffrey is sidelined. That may not sound great, but it is undoubtedly worth a waiver claim and roster spot. Mason is talented and will produce in Kyle Shanan’s offense.

In different situations, Mason’s upside as a handcuff would not be as strong, but McCaffrey is already hurt. This is not a situation where you have to hold onto Mason and wait for him to get meaningful snaps. On top of that, McCaffrey is coming off a season where he played 19 games and had 417 touches. All things considered, McCaffrey is coming off a heavy workload, is already injured, and has struggled with injuries in the past. If McCaffrey can make it the remainder of the season without missing a game, it will be a miracle. You will want to have Mason on your roster if McCaffrey misses another game.

Mason’s value is clear and he should be a top waiver wire target heading into Week 2 of the NFL Season. If you have McCaffrey on your roster, you should be desperately trying to add Mason.

Tank Bigsby – 4.6%

The third waiver target after week one is Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby. Jacksonville’s backup running back had 12 attempts for 73 yards.

The Jacksonville Jaguars running back room is in an interesting position. Bigsby’s aforementioned stat line made him the team’s leading rusher. Meanwhile, Travis Etienne finished with 12 rushes for 44 yards and a touchdown. On top of that, he added two catches for 15 yards. The one difference that provides Etienne owners optimism is that he finished with a 70% snap share while Bigsby saw a 32% share.

Bigsby is an elite handcuff running back. If Etienne were to get hurt, Bigsby’s expanded role would result in massive production. More importantly, he has a path to production as a backup. If he can continue to get more than ten touches a game, he has a chance to produce a decent amount of points. Furthermore, there is a chance he can get goal-line carries and snipe touchdowns. In Week 1, Etienne had a one-yard touchdown run. If Bigsby gets that carry, he likely finishes the day with a productive week.

Overall, Bigsby has a chance to eat into Etienne’s workload while also being a top-tier handcuff running back. That makes him a sensational waiver wire target heading into Week 2 of the NFL Season.

Bucky Irving – 20.7%

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving is the fourth fantasy football waiver wire target heading into Week 2. This selection follows similar logic to the previous Bisby entry.

In Week 1, Irving had a productive day considering it was his NFL debut. The rookie finished the game with nine carries for 62 yards and two catches for 14 yards. This came while playing 31% of offensive snaps. Starting running back Rachaad White had 15 rushing attempts for 31 yards. The separating factor is that he had six receptions for 75 yards. That came while playing 70% of the offensive snaps.

In all likelihood, White will continue to produce in the passing game. That said, Irving should be significantly more efficient in the run game. That should help him steal carries from White.

It cannot be overstated how massive it is that Irving finished the game with nine carries. That is a strong number for a running back in his NFL debut. For comparison, 2023 first-round draft picks Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs finished their debuts with ten and seven carries, respectively. Irving also had the most carries out of the 2024 running back class. That is meaningful.

Irving deserves to be rostered as he grows into his role with the Buccaneers. This is the type of player that sits on the bottom of your roster while you wait for him to explode later in the season. This comes with the caveat that he is a must-have if White gets hurt. That makes Irving a great waiver wire target heading into Week 2 of the NFL Season.

Justin Fields – 11%

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields is the final waiver wire target heading into Week 2 of the NFL Season. This is a tricky addition to manage, but it should be considered in especially in deep leagues and leagues that play multiple quarterbacks.

Fields was named the Steelers starting quarterback for opening weekend after Russell Wilson was ruled out with a calf injury . As the starter, Fields completed 17 of 23 passes while adding 14 carries for 57 yards in the run game.

That catch with Fields is that the Steelers may make Wilson the starter when he returns from injury. The team has to at least give Fields serious consideration, however. The team picked up a victory with him under center and he adds value as a rusher that Wilson does not.

If Fields becomes the starter, he has the potential to be a league winner. In 2022, Fields was a waiver wire target who finished as a top-ten fantasy quarterback. It would not be a shock to see that happen again. If he becomes the starter and consistently gets 14 carries, it will end up becoming a likely outcome.

Ultimately, Fields’ fantasy stock will greatly depend on his future as the Steelers starter and your league settings. If the team starts him over a healthy Wilson, it’s go time for Fields. Otherwise, you must be cautious about whether you can afford to roster Fields while hoping he is eventually named the starter. Regardless, he has to be mentioned when discussing the best waiver wire targets heading into Week 2 of the NFL Season.

***

CLICK HERE for more of our Fantasy Football content

Check out the Vendetta Shop

Subscribe to Vendetta’s YouTube

The post 2024 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week 2 appeared first on Vendetta Sports Media .