Week 2 Waiver Wire Top Pickups and Drops After Evaluating Week 1 Box Scores

The opening slate of the NFL season is always an unpredictable one for fantasy football enthusiasts. While roles are easy to predict for top stars like Christian McCaffrey, Justin Jefferson, and Trey McBride, second-tier starters regularly surprise in Week 1.

Things were certainly no different in this year's opening week. With players like A.J. Brown, Sam Darnold, and Kyler Murray suffering injuries during the week, many managers will be looking to adjust their lineups via the waiver wire.

Here, you'll find a look back at what transpired in Week 1, projected roles for Week 2, and some recommendations for players to drop or target on the waiver wire.

All picks and analysis are based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

After throwing for more than 400 yards with three touchdowns in Week 1, New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough is the most obvious waiver target at quarterback for Week 2. Managers who can land him via claims, though, should consider Miami Dolphins signal-caller Malik Willis.

Willis had a solid outing against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, finishing with 17.7 fantasy points. He's a capable dual-threat with a tremendous amount of upside, even if he faces a tough matchup against the San Francisco 49ers this week.

The 49ers largely held the Los Angeles Rams and quarterback Matthew Stafford in check last Thursday.

This won't be an ideal week to start Willis, but it's the perfect time to claim and stash him. He's currently rostered in just 32 percent of fantasy leagues.

Drop: Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, New York Giants

Cam Skattebo is clearly the lead ball-carrier in the New York Giants' backfield. However, new head coach John Harbaugh is likely to use a committee approach throughout the 2026 season. This reality made backups Devin Singletary and Tyrone Tracy Jr. attractive handcuffs heading into Week 1.

Singletary, who logged four receptions and scored a touchdown in Week 1, is worth retaining. However, it's safe to drop Tracy.

The third-year back saw the field for just two offensive snaps against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. He did log carries on both of those reps, but he also fumbled on one of them.

Following a poor preseason and his latest gaffe, the Giants are highly unlikely to trust Tracy moving forward. Managers shouldn't trust him either, even as a handcuff.

Add: Kaelon Black, RB, San Francisco 49ers

There's a shortage of dependable fantasy backs this year, and managers simply aren't going to find quality starters on the waiver wire. However, 49ers backup Kaelon Black has a ton of upside as a rotational player in Kyle Shanahan's offense.

Christian McCaffrey is clearly San Francisco's starter, but Black recorded a catch and 70 scrimmage yards against the Rams on Thursday.

In addition to being one of the top handcuffs in the league this year, Black should have a high flex ceiling in games the 49ers are expected to win. They are widely expected to win big over the visiting Miami Dolphins this week, which could yield a sizeable workload for Black.

The rookie out of Indiana is rostered in only 21 percent of fantasy leagues.

Dehsuan Watson and the Cleveland Browns' passing offense were even worse than most expected during Sunday's blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. That's probably reason enough to abandon Jerry Jeudy, who has rapidly regressed since making the Pro Bowl in 2024.

Another reason to drop Jeudy is the emergence of rookie receivers K.C. Concepcion and Denzel Boston. The two were clearly the focal point of the Browns' offense on Sunday, and Jeudy finished with just two catches for 26 yards on four targets.

It's highly unlikely that Jeudy will return to Pro Bowl form in Cleveland, and he's certainly unlikely to do it this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

While the Bucs' defense surrendered 33 points to the Cincinnati Bengals, it held star receiver Ja'Marr Chase to just two catches and 12 yards.

D.J. Moore had a strong Buffalo Bills debut in Week 1, finishing with five catches for 110 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Dalton Kincaid, meanwhile, racked up five catches for 130 yards against the Houston Texans.

While Moore and Kincaid may be Josh Allen's go-to targets in 2026, there's room for Khalil Shakir in the passing attack. He wasn't as prolific against Houston but still finished with four catches and 50 yards on six targets.

Shakir and Kincaid tied for the second-most targets for Buffalo in Week 1 behind Moore's eight.

Shakir has flex value this week against a very suspect Detroit Lions secondary, and he has a very high season-long ceiling, given Kincaid's recent injury history. He's rostered in 59 percent of fantasy leagues, and it's worth seeing if he's still available in yours.

*Fantasy roster information from FantasyPros .