Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings & Pickups (Week 2)

Our analysts combine to provide rankings for weekly fantasy football waiver wire targets. We’ll help you prioritize your bids for the week ahead. Check out our full expert consensus fantasy football waiver wire rankings and all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice for the week.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings

Note: Players chosen based upon having early-week consensus roster percent below 50%.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Target

J.K. Dobbins (LAC): 49% rostered

Next Opponents: @CAR, @PIT, KC
True value: $37
Desperate Need: $58
Budget-minded: $24

Analysis: Thirteen touches is a nice chunk of work for any NFL running back, especially in his first game back from an Achilles injury and two years removed from an ACL tear. Dobbins converted his 13 touches into 139 yards and found the end zone once in Week 1 for Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers. The two breakaway runs showed the wear on Dobbins’ lower body, but his trademark vision and contact balance were as stellar as ever. I’m not normally one to blow my FAAB right off the bat, but Dobbins looked incredible and plays for a team that will run the ball in heaping quantities with offensive coordinator Greg Roman calling the plays.

Brandin Cooks (DAL): 32% rostered

Next Opponents: NO, BAL, @NYG
True value: $5
Desperate Need: $7
Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: Cooks walks away from a tough Week 1 with a respectable 40 receiving yards and a score. He managed 1.33 yards per route run with a 21.8% target share (per PFF). Not too shabby considering that he faced one of the best outside corner duos in the NFL. Cooks is the clear No. 2 in this passing offense, and that distinction will be even more clear with Jake Ferguson now dealing with a knee injury. Cooks’ Week 1 performance inspires a tad more confidence if you’re in need of a flex play over the next three weeks, as Cooks is staring down three more tough matchups. Last year, the Saints, Ravens and Giants were all among the 10 stingiest secondaries in PPR points per target allowed to perimeter wide receivers.

Baker Mayfield (TB): 34% rostered

Next Opponents: @DET, DEN, PHI
True value: $5
Desperate Need: $8
Budget-minded: $2

Analysis: Baker Mayfield was a highly successful DFS target in Week 1, turning a primo matchup with the horrendous Commanders secondary into four touchdown passes and nearly 30 fantasy points. Mayfield also scrambled for 21 yards on three attempts — a wrinkle we haven’t seen from him in a long time. The Bucs don’t have an imposing schedule in terms of pass defenses, so Mayfield is a priority add in leagues where I am streaming QBs based on matchups.

Isaiah Likely (BAL): 28% rostered

Next Opponents: LV, @DAL, BUF
True value: $14
Desperate Need: $22
Budget-minded: $8

Analysis: Likely went wild in Week 1 with a 29.3% target share, a 38.2% air-yard share, and 3.58 yards per route run (per Fantasy Points Data). His 26.1 fantasy points will likely be a season high, but we can’t dismiss Likely’s usage. I do think this could be fool’s gold, as Likely still only had 60.8% route participation. The Baltimore offense will still have limited passing volume, and I doubt Mark Andrews continues to draw a 4.9% target share weekly. I agree with strong bids for Likely’s services for your team, but I won’t be emptying the clip or bidding with reckless abandon. If Likely’s production and Andrews’ production flip in Week 2, you’ll feel foolish for spending 35% of your FAAB on Likely.