Kaelon Black and the Best Week 2 Fantasy Football Waiver-Wire Pickups

The opening week of the 2026 NFL season is in the books. Now it's time for the fantasy football waiver-wire gold rush. Managers with serious championship aspirations need to assess their roster before Week 2 and make moves to bolster it for the long campaign ahead.

While it's far too early to consider cutting ties with your early-round draft picks who disappointed out of the gate, it is wise to turn over the bottom of your roster and dump off deep sleepers who didn't see the field or made no impact. Exchanging these busts for some of Week 1's breakout players could be the difference between missing the playoffs and claiming a title.

With that in mind, here are some of the best waiver-wire pickups you can make for Week 2.

Suggestions are available in approximately half or more of all Yahoo! Sports leagues. Fantasy points and rankings courtesy of FantasyPros' PPR data. Suggested free-agent acquisition budget (FAAB) bids are based on a $100 dollar starting budget.

Immediate Upside: Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers (14 Percent Rostered)

Young came on strong last season and picked up right where he left off to kick off the 2026 campaign. While his Panthers fell to the Chicago Bears in the highest-scoring Week 1 matchup in NFL history, Young did more than enough to move the fantasy football needle.

Young concluded the 59-37 defeat having completed 23 of his 37 throws for 361 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. He added 10 yards and another score on two carries. His 32.44 points were good for a top-five weekly finish, which was the third time he's earned a QB5 or better ranking since Week 11 of the 2025 season.

While Young struggled with consistency last year, there is hope he'll finally dial in and live up to his billing as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft. He's off to a strong start and will have a chance to string together a pair of elite fantasy performances when the Panthers visit the rival Atlanta Falcons in Week 2.

Atlanta's defense gave up 221 yards and a touchdown to a 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers in the opener and could struggle against a far more mobile signal-caller in Young. The Carolina passer racked up a 2025-high 31.8 fantasy points during his last visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a game in which Young torched the Falcons' defense for 448 passing yards and three touchdowns.

It would be imprudent to consider Young a must-start QB1 yet, but a second consecutive finish inside the top-five will make him one of Week 3's top waiver targets. Get ahead of the potential rush and add him for cheap in Week 2 if you aren't satisfied with your drafted QBs.

Season-Long Option: Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints (40 Percent Rostered)

Shough shook off a slow start in New Orleans' opener and exploded in the second half of an eventual 31-30 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions. He threw a whopping 56 times in the contest, completing 35 of those attempts for 410 yards and three touchdowns.

While it wasn't all great for Shough—he turned the ball over three times—he's clearly the QB1 for the foreseeable future in the Big Easy and will be involved in plenty of shootouts this year.

Shough ended his rookie campaign on a high note, keeping New Orleans competitive after taking the reins midway through the year. He's on track to do more of the same as a sophomore and is a good bet to finish as a lower-tier QB1 in 2026. If you aren't sold on your starter or need a high-end backup on a budget, look no further than this.

Long-Term Pickup: Kaelon Black, San Francisco 49ers (26 Percent Rostered)

The 49ers' backfield was a constant source of speculation this offseason, with managers hoping to learn the pecking order behind entrenched superstar Christian McCaffrey and the usage rate of the platoon's members. The team's Week 1 victory over the Los Angeles Rams brought some much-needed clarity to the running back situation.

McCaffrey unsurprisingly started but only logged 36 offensive snaps against the Rams. It marked the fewest snaps he's received in an opener since he entered the NFL in 2017. That total was vastly below the 54.8 snaps he averaged during last year's RB1 fantasy campaign.

Black's usage rate was one of the real surprises in San Francisco's 27-7 victory. The backup participated in 28 offensive plays and saw more rushing work than his veteran counterpart—earning 14 totes to McCaffrey's 10.

While McCaffrey was more effective on the ground, he remained the preferred passing game target and saw the red area work. Black is still going to be a fantasy asset if he continues to see similar playing time going forward.

Even if Black doesn't get as much run in more tightly contested matchups, his handcuff value alone makes him a must-add off waivers. If McCaffrey were to miss time in 2026—quite possible given his heavy usage last season and extensive injury history—Black becomes a plug-and-play RB1.

Consider Black more of a stash pickup at this juncture, but desperate managers and those in deep formats could use him as a flex option when the Niners return home to face a soft Miami Dolphins defense in Week 2. Black is one of the top targets you can land on waivers this week, so don't shy away from splurging to secure him.

Week 2 Rental: Tyler Allgeier, Arizona Cardinals (51 Percent Rostered)

Tyler Allgeier drew the start and led the Arizona Cardinals' backfield ahead of much-hyped rookie Jeremiyah Love in a surprising win over the Los Angeles Chargers. The performance makes him an intriguing waiver-wire add for Week 2.

Allgeier finished the 26-14 victory with 61 rushing yards on 17 totes. He also caught both of his targets for nine yards. While his 9.0 fantasy points aren't jumping off the page, the combination of volume and playing time—he outsnapped Love by a 44 - 32 margin—makes him the Cardinals' back to rely on right now.

Although he's likely to steadily cede touches and snaps to Love over the coming weeks, Allgeier is worth rostering and even deploying in deeper lineups right now. Don't expect a monster Week 2 performance against the Seattle Seahawks and their tenacious rushing defense. Allgeier should still get plenty of carries and some opportunities to score as Arizona looks to keep things close and grind out the clock versus the defending champs.

Safest Season-Long Bet: Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers (48 Percent Rostered)

Despite finishing as the WR25 last year during a tough season with the Washington Commanders and returning to a Niners team where he found consistent success, Samuel still slipped under the radar heading into the 2026 season. That should change after his strong showing in Week 1.

Samuel's return has been instrumental for a banged-up San Francisco receiving corps that was already set to go without Ricky Pearsall for the entire season. With rookie De'Zhaun Stribling sidelined for at least a month after getting injured in the opener, Samuel is locked in as the team's WR2.

Samuel nearly matched top wideout Mike Evans (6/49/1 on 7 targets) in production in Thursday's 27-7 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, contributing six catches for 48 yards and a score on seven targets and adding a 12-yard rush. Only running back Christian McCaffrey (eight targets) saw more looks in the contest.

While Samuel could conceivably be phased out after Stribling returns and gets brought back up to speed, it's more likely he establishes himself as an instrumental part of San Francisco's high-powered attack and goes on to have a top-20 fantasy season. If he's still available in your league, be sure to add him.

Short-Term Star: Devaughn Vele, New Orleans Saints (7 Percent Rostered)

Devaughn Vele was one of the breakout stars of Week 1, emerging as the clear No. 2 wideout for the Saints' offense. Vele exploded for 16.4 points in an overtime loss to the Detroit Lions, reeling in seven of his nine targets for 69 yards and a touchdown.

Given his prolific showing in the opener, Vele is the Saints' wideout to roster until prized rookie Jordyn Tyson returns to action. With the No. 8 overall pick ineligible to return until a Week 5 clash with the Minnesota Vikings on October 11 at the earliest, Vele should be considered a fantastic starting option in most formats for at least three more weeks.

While Chris Olave (10/182/0 on 13 targets) was the priority weapon for QB Tyler Shough, Vele was the only other receiver to see more than four looks in Week 1.

Although Vele is an extremely strong add for the next few games, there is a chance his fantasy value plummets come mid-October. Keep that in mind when determining how many FAAB bucks to use or how much of a waiver priority you are willing to give up to add him.

Plug-and-Play: Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals (2 Percent Rostered)

It was a slow week for tight ends who were largely unselected in fantasy drafts, but Mike Gesicki broke the mold and put himself on the map with a strong Week 1 performance. He was a key part of the Cincinnati Bengals' high-powered passing offense, finishing a 33-27 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with five catches, 78 receiving yards and a touchdown.

Gesicki's 18.8 points were good for a top-five finish and his best weekly ranking since Week 14 of last season. He led Cincinnati in both receiving yardage and targets on Sunday, making him an alluring free-agent choice for the many managers heading into Week 2 downright desperate for TE production.

While Gesicki's performance could be a flash in the pan—he caught as many passes in 2026's opener as he did over the first three games of last season and already has half as many TDs as he recorded in all of 2025. The Bengals should continue to leverage his pass-catching skills after finding success in the opener.

Although Gesicki struggled with injury and inconsistency last year to finish as the TE41, he was a serviceable TE13 in his first Cincinnati season two years ago. He had three consecutive TE12 or better finishes between 2019-21. If he can stay healthy, the 30-year-old could turn back the clock as one of Joe Burrow's top playmakers.

Don't invest a priority waiver claim or a heavy amount of FAAB dollars into adding him, but Gesicki is a worthwhile pickup for those who whiffed on their drafted TE or need a capable backup.

Still Worth Stashing: Terrance Ferguson, Los Angeles Rams (24 Percent Rostered)

Ferguson was a popular sleeper candidate this offseason but failed to live up to that hype in Week 1. Although the Rams' second-year tight end didn't log a catch and was only targeted once in his team's shocking blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers, he's still worth stashing in many formats.

Despite a glaring lack of contributions to the box score, Ferguson's usage was promising—especially in the first half. The second-round sophomore was on the field for over half of L.A.'s offensive snaps, posting a 73 percent route participation rate during the first two quarters. He finished with a still-decent 56 percent route participation rate while Matthew Stafford remained in the contest.

Considering Ferguson put up back-to-back TE14 or better performances in his final two games of 2025 and still has plenty of upside in this offense, it's not worth giving up on him yet. If you can afford a roster spot for an immensely high-ceiling tight end, be sure to stash him.