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Weekend Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 2 Fantasy Football)

Weekend Waiver Wire Stashes (Week 2 Fantasy Football)

How many times have you heard someone telling you to “stream” a position? Whether it be quarterback, tight end, or defense, the idea of streaming is great, provided you get the players you want off the waiver wire. The issue with streaming week-to-week is that everyone knows who you’ll be targeting in those good matchups and you might have that player swiped from underneath you, or even worse, your opponent that week may snag a player just to ensure you don’t get them.

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We started this article so you don’t have to worry about that anymore. Each Saturday morning, you’ll head over to your waiver wire and snag the players who are lined up for good matchups the following week. They may have a brutal matchup for that current week. Great, even better. That just means they’re more likely to be available for you. By snagging them a week prior, you eliminate the need to spend a lot of FAB dollars on the top tier defense that everyone is chasing. Here are the players who have solid Week 2 matchups on tap, or have breakout potential in Week 1, and are less than 40 percent rostered.

Quarterbacks

Philip Rivers (IND) vs NYJ in week 3
The Colts obviously trust Rivers to drop back and pass, considering they were in a neutral gamescript in Week 1 and he threw the ball 46 times. After losing Marlon Mack, they have Jonathan Taylor to step up, but it’s one less bullet in the backfield. The Jets are a funnel defense, as they don’t allow anything on the ground (just 3.12 yards per carry over the last two years) but have one of the worst cornerback units in the league. Rivers should be able to throw for at least 250 yards and two touchdowns in this matchup.

Gardner Minshew (JAX) vs MIA in week 3
What else does Cobra Kai need to do to earn your trust? He was the first NFL in history to throw for at least three touchdowns and complete 95 percent of his passes on opening weekend. His matchup against Tennessee isn’t the worst this week, but next week against Miami, he should deliver a stable floor for your fantasy team. There were just four quarterbacks who failed to score at least 15.6 fantasy points against them last year, and then we watched Cam Newton scamper all over them for 25.7 points in Week 1. With not much of a run game to speak of, he’s the one who’ll be moving the ball.

Tyrod Taylor (LAC) vs CAR in week 3
Week 1 put Taylor on a lot of waiver wires, and rightfully so. He didn’t seem to have it all together and continually took too many shots down the field. Against the Chargers, expect them to take advantage on the ground against their inexperienced defense. Taylor should be a part of that ground attack, and the Chargers pass catchers should be able to take care of business when they do drop back to pass against what might be the worst cornerback in the league.

Running Backs

Joshua Kelley (LAC) vs CAR in week 3
As mentioned above in the Tyrod Taylor notes, the Chargers should be expected to dominate the run game against the Panthers, like everyone does. Over their last six games, there hasn’t been a single backfield that’s totaled fewer than 29 touches. They’ve averaged a massive 32.3 touches per game in that time. Some have asked me, “Will Kelley take over the Gordon role?” In this matchup, it could be 50 percent of the Gordon role and he’d still be a top-30 running back. Knowing he got the only goal-line carry for the Chargers last week, you should snag him.

Myles Gaskin (MIA) at JAX in week 3
It’s gross, I know. Who would’ve thought Gaskin would’ve even been mentioned this year? Not me. But you have to understand that it’s a new year under a new offensive coordinator and he played 39 snaps, while Matt Breida played 14 snaps, and Jordan Howard dragged the caboose with just nine snaps in a game that was close throughout. The Jaguars are one of the worst defenses in the league, allowing 5.3 yards per carry over their last 17 games. I’m guessing Howard will still get the goal-line work, but Gaskin should offer a semi-stable floor with those snap counts and Miami’s defense.

Should be owned everywhere: Tony Pollard (DAL), Darrel Williams (KC)

Wide Receivers

Corey Davis (TEN) at MIN in week 3
It seems that everyone is still making Davis sit in timeout for disappointing them the last couple years, as it was shocking to see him just 21 percent rostered in Yahoo leagues after his seven-catch, 101-yard performance on Monday night. Now that we know A.J. Brown is dealing with a knee injury and may miss some time, Davis will be the top receiver for Ryan Tannehill. The Vikings just allowed the Packers receivers to catch 22-of-27 passes for 315 yards and four touchdowns.

Jalen Reagor (PHI) vs CIN in week 3
When you have the chance to snag what might be a team’s best wide receiver off waivers, you do it. Reagor was drafted in the first round to make a difference right away, and though he was expected to miss the first few weeks, he made his debut in Week 1 and flashed real playmaking ability. He had a 55-yard reception but should’ve also had an 80-yard touchdown where Carson Wentz overthrew him. We just got done watching Baker Mayfield dismantle this Bengals secondary.

Breshad Perriman (NYJ) at IND in week 3
Any time you can get a wide receiver off waivers who will get five-plus targets per game, it’s not a bad thing. When that wide receiver averages 16.1 yards per reception for his career, it makes it a bit nicer. The Colts have a funnel defense, as their secondary doesn’t have a lot of star power at cornerback. In fact, the move they made to acquire Xavier Rhodes made them worse, as he’s allowed 855 yards and six touchdowns on 82 targets in his coverage over the last 17 games.

Tre’Quan Smith (NO) vs GB in week 3
This is a different type of waiver wire stash, as Smith could turn out to be someone that’s coveted on waiver wires come next week. With Michael Thomas slated to miss multiple games, Smith is going to walk into a full-time role (he already played more snaps than Emmanuel Sanders last week). Here are his games where he’s seen three or more targets:

Tgts Rec Yds TD PPR Pts
13 10 157 1 31.7
6 3 44 0 7.4
5 5 56 1 16.6
4 3 18 0 4.8
4 2 15 0 3.5
4 3 30 1 12.0
4 2 29 1 10.9
3 3 111 2 26.1
3 2 23 1 10.3
3 3 49 0 7.9
3 1 13 1 8.3

 

Other viable alternate low-owned options: Preston Williams (MIA) at JAX, N’Keal Harry (NE) vs LV, Mohamed Sanu (SF) at NYG, Laviska Shenault (JAX) vs MIA, Larry Fitzgerald (ARI) vs DET, Scotty Miller (TB) at DEN

Should be rostered: Alshon Jeffery (PHI)

Tight Ends

Logan Thomas (WAS) at CLE in week 3
If you’re someone who streams tight ends, you should’ve already had your eyes on Thomas, who’s playing against the Cardinals in Week 2. We just watched C.J. Uzomah and Drew Sample light up the Browns for 11/87/1, and before that, it was Mark Andrews tallying 5/58/2 on just six targets. Their weak linebacking corps has been exposed. Thomas saw eight targets in his first game with Washington, in a game they threw the ball just 31 times.

O.J. Howard (TB) at DEN in week 3
Similar to Corey Davis, no one wants to roster Howard for burning them last year. But you must pay attention to what’s happening. Howard ran just one fewer route than Gronk, totaled twice the targets (6 to 3), had 25 more yards (36 to 11), and caught a touchdown in his debut with Tom Brady. The chemistry should only grow with the young tight end. On top of that, the Broncos allowed the fourth-most yards to the position in 2019, and then allowed two tight end touchdowns in Week 1.

Decent alternate option: Greg Olsen (SEA) vs DAL

D/ST

Indianapolis Colts vs NYJ in week 3
Have you watched Adam Gase run an offense? I’m not sure a whole lot more needs to be said. This team is fielding five new offensive lineman, so they’re far from an in-sync unit. The Colts secondary may be a mess, but their front seven should produce enough pressure to force Sam Darnold into some errant throws. He was pressured on nearly 40 percent of his dropbacks in Week 1.

Philadelphia Eagles vs CIN in week 3
I love me some Joe Burrow, but he’s also learning the speed of the NFL right now. You can see him throw into some windows he really shouldn’t, so with the increased talent in the Eagles secondary, we could be looking at some pick-six opportunities. On top of that, the Bengals offensive line has been a train wreck to start the season. The Eagles do pressure the quarterback, so you should be looking at a high-floor performance out of the Eagles D/ST.

Another viable option: Los Angeles Chargers vs CAR


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Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.

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