Welcome back, football! As we head into Week 2 of the NFL season, injuries are already reshaping the fantasy football landscape. This week’s best waiver wire pickups feature players stepping into bigger roles and potential league-winning adds you don’t want to miss. Every week, we’ll highlight our Top 5 waiver wire pickups to help you stay ahead of the competition and keep your roster strong.
A few quick notes: I use ESPN as my baseline, so players must be available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues to make the list. I’m also a proponent of streaming QB, TE, K, and DEF, so you’ll rarely see those positions here; they’re easy to snag for free after waivers. Save your FAAB! Now, let’s hit the Top 5.
Week 2 Fantasy Football Waivers
Marquise Hollywood Brown (50% Available on ESPN, 69% on Sleeper)
You can’t ignore the #1 WR in a Patrick Mahomes offense. You also can’t ignore 16 Week 1 targets. With Xavier Worthy set to miss a few weeks and Rashee Rice out until Week 7, Brown could be a PPR darling for the next month. His value will dip heavily in October, but enjoy these next 3 weeks.
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Bhayshul Tuten (58% Available on ESPN, 61% on Sleeper)
Travis Etienne looked GREAT in Week 1. So great, in fact, that the Jags traded Tank Bigsby to the Eagles. While Bigsby truthers are down bad, this opens things up for the rookie back out of Virginia Tech. Tuten is blazing fast, and the Jags spent a fourth-round pick on him. He didn’t do much in Week 1, only three carries for 11 yards, but we should see more volume head his way as the RB room thins out. With his speed, Tuten can score from just about anywhere on the field. He doesn’t need a ton of volume to be relevant.
Quentin Johnston (96% Available on ESPN, 91% on Sleeper)
Turns out, 2024 was not a fluke for QJ. After eight TDs last year, Johnston dropped two more in Week 1. The Chargers’ offense looked great, and Herbert did spread the ball around, but nobody else on this offense plays the same role as Johnston. He led the team with 79 yards, and his 15.8 yards per catch were ahead of what he put up last season. He was a top-40 WR last season and could climb further in 2025.
Dylan Sampson (68% Available on ESPN, 48% on Sleeper)
It’s hard to trust anyone in Cleveland, but it is clear that they don’t mind dumping the ball off to their rookie RBs. Honestly, two other Browns could have easily made this list, with Cedric Tillman and Harold Fannin also having solid weeks, but Sampson feels the most likely to repeat. His role is safe. Yes, the Browns will get Quinshon Judkins back, and it could even be this week, but he and Sampson will split time similar to Chubb and Hunt. Judkins is the runner, Sampson is the receiver. Eight targets, eight catches, and eight yards per catch in Week 1. Sampson is a perfect depth piece in PPR formats.
Hunter Henry (57% Available on ESPN, 63% on Sleeper)
Yes, I just said in the intro that you won’t find a TE in my articles. But early, there is always an opportunity to land a weekly starter and avoid streaming for a while. Hunter Henry is that opportunity. He led the team in targets last season and then started 2025 with an eight-target game. He reeled in four balls for 66 yards and finished with double-digit fantasy points without scoring a TD. That gives him a safe floor and excellent ceiling once he finds the endzone.
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You can also find Club Fantasy’s Week 2 rankings here!