Fantasy Waiver Wire Targets Week 2: Tyler Allgeier, Devaughn Vele, and Caleb Douglas Are Top Pickups
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The first week of the fantasy football season always gives us plenty to reconsider. Some performances reveal opportunities we should pursue, while others are an invitation to waste a roster spot. Our Week 2 waiver wire column sorts through the pickups worth your attention and how aggressively to pursue them. Whether you need an immediate starter or have room for a speculative bench stash, let’s figure out where to spend.
Tyler Shough, QB, New Orleans Saints
Rostered: 40%
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Tyler Shough attempted 56 passes in Week 1, throwing for 410 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers might look like an outlier at first. While we obviously can’t expect 400 yards every week, I think we’re going to see plenty of games where the New Orleans Saints ask Shough to keep throwing.
This team should find itself in quite a few shootouts, and next week’s matchup with the Baltimore Ravens could be another one. In general, I like the schedule for Shough, giving him a chance to be more than a one-week streaming solution.
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Shough belongs firmly on the streaming radar and is a viable QB1 option going forward. You don’t need to spend heavily at quarterback, but managers searching for an answer at the position should give him a serious look.
Aggressiveness Rating: 1.0
Tyler Allgeier, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Rostered: 51%
Tyler Allgeier is slightly over our rostership threshold, but the workload warrants an exception. He earned 17 carries and two targets against the Los Angeles Chargers. Any running back getting that much work needs to be rostered.
The Arizona Cardinals benefited from positive game script that I don’t expect them to enjoy very often. Nevertheless, Allgeier is the 1A ahead of Jeremiyah Love for now. That arrangement probably won’t last, but we can take advantage of the volume while it’s available.
This is a two-man backfield, giving Allgeier standalone value along with the potential for a larger workload if Love misses time. Even when the order flips, Allgeier doesn’t have to disappear from the offense. Add him wherever he’s still available.
Aggressiveness Rating: 4.5
Kaelon Black, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Rostered: 26%
We entered the season with plenty of uncertainty about who would back up Christian McCaffrey. Apparently, we just needed to fly to Australia to get an answer. Kaelon Black handled the role while Jordan James was a healthy inactive.
Some teams work three running backs into the game, even if the third barely touches the ball. The San Francisco 49ers used two, giving Black a more direct path to meaningful volume. He finished with 14 carries and one target, turning his 15 touches into 70 yards.
I didn’t think Black looked particularly impressive. He mostly ran straight ahead and took what his blocking gave him. Nevertheless, the usage was highly encouraging, especially how early and frequently he entered the game.
After years of hearing about plans to keep McCaffrey fresh, Kyle Shanahan may finally mean it. Black’s involvement looked deliberate, with scheduled opportunities throughout the game instead of occasional appearances whenever McCaffrey needed to catch his breath. That gives him a chance to offer something to fantasy managers even while the starter is healthy.
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Of course, the 49ers won’t have such favorable game script every week. We also need to acknowledge the unusual circumstances of opening the season on the other side of the world. It’s too soon to pencil Black in for 15 touches a game or declare that Shanahan has permanently changed his approach.
Even if the standalone value proves fleeting, Black established himself as the clear McCaffrey handcuff. That alone warrants a roster spot. Managers with McCaffrey should prioritize him, but you don’t need to roster the starter to want his backup on your bench.
Aggressiveness Rating: 4.0
Braelon Allen, RB, New York Jets
Rostered: 15%
Braelon Allen is the clear RB2 behind Breece Hall. He turned 10 carries into 40 yards and would have had a much more noticeable fantasy day if a holding penalty hadn’t wiped out his touchdown.
There isn’t much standalone value here, but the appeal is straightforward. Allen is Hall’s handcuff and would be startable if the New York Jets’ lead back went down. Managers with room to stash a backup should consider him, especially those already relying on Hall.
Aggressiveness Rating: 1.5
Samaje Perine, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Rostered: 4%
This one is for deep leagues only. Samaje Perine doesn’t offer much standalone value, but he’s the clear handcuff to Chase Brown. That alone makes him worth considering if your bench has room.
Perine earned eight touches against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, turning them into 50 total yards. Nobody is rushing to put him in a lineup based on that performance. Nevertheless, there will come a point this season when injuries and bye weeks make eight fantasy points look awfully appealing.
The main reason to add Perine is still his potential role if Brown misses time. At the very least, Brown managers in deeper leagues should consider grabbing their starter’s backup before they need him.
Aggressiveness Rating: 0.0
Jalen Coker, WR, Carolina Panthers
Rostered: 61%
Jalen Coker is well over our usual roster threshold. After eight catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns, I’m making an exception to ensure fantasy managers don’t leave him lingering on the waiver wire. His 33.8 fantasy points had him sitting as the overall WR1 heading into Sunday Night Football.
Coker picked up right where he left off in January’s NFC Divisional Round. He’s a very underrated talent, and his spot as the Carolina Panthers’ WR2 gives him a role we can buy into beyond one huge afternoon.
Of course, the setup won’t always be this friendly. Negative game script and a poor opposing defense gave Coker an ideal environment to pile up points. We shouldn’t expect a repeat every week, but we also shouldn’t dismiss a talented receiver just because the matchup helped.
If Coker is available in your league, make him a priority. This is a player who belongs on rosters everywhere.
Aggressiveness Rating: 7.0
Devaughn Vele, WR, New Orleans Saints
Rostered: 6%
Hopefully, you grabbed Devaughn Vele when I featured him in my lookahead Week 1 waiver wire column. The idea was that he could provide sneaky early-season value while Jordyn Tyson is out. After seven catches for 69 yards and a touchdown on nine targets, the sneaky part is probably over.
Vele is the clear WR2 for the New Orleans Saints. Although Chris Olave remains the main guy, this offense should throw enough for Tyler Shough to support two fantasy-relevant receivers, plus Juwan Johnson. I expect New Orleans to find itself in plenty of shootouts this season, which should keep the targets flowing.
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We don’t need Vele to challenge Olave for the top spot. Nine targets is plenty, and he can deliver useful fantasy numbers even when he doesn’t find the end zone. That’s what makes this performance so encouraging.
Vele needs to be rostered everywhere. If you passed on the early pickup, I would make an aggressive effort to get him this week.
Aggressiveness Rating: 6.0
Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Rostered: 48%
Deebo Samuel looked the best I’ve seen him in three years. He was noticeably quicker and more fluid than last season with the Washington Commanders, catching six passes for 48 yards and a touchdown while adding a 12-yard carry. I’m not ready to declare prime Deebo back, but apparently there is still something left in the tank.
The 49ers used Samuel situationally rather than giving him a full-time role. Nevertheless, this was his first regular season game back with the team after spending a year in Washington. There’s room for his involvement to grow, especially given what happened around him.
De’Zhaun Stribling’s ankle injury could push Samuel into a much larger role sooner than anticipated. With Stribling facing an extended absence, Samuel has a path to becoming the clear WR2 opposite Mike Evans. George Kittle still working his way back to full speed adds to the opportunity in the short term.
We don’t need Samuel to turn back the clock all the way to his peak for this to work. A healthier-looking version with a larger receiving role would be plenty useful to fantasy managers. He needs to be rostered everywhere, and I would make an aggressive effort to add him before we see what that expanded role looks like.
Aggressiveness Rating: 5.0
Demario Douglas, WR, New England Patriots
Rostered: 1%
Demario Douglas is more of a pickup for deep leaguers. In a typical 12-team league, you should have enough at wide receiver to avoid needing him in your Week 2 lineup. Nevertheless, there’s a case for giving him a spot on your bench.
Douglas looked firmly ahead of Romeo Doubs in the New England Patriots’ receiving pecking order, leading the team in routes run and drawing seven targets. Drake Maye looked his way more frequently than Doubs, particularly after A.J. Brown left the game.
With Brown out at least six weeks with a high ankle sprain, I would rather have Douglas than Doubs going forward. One game doesn’t settle the receiving hierarchy for the entire season, but it gives us a reason to prioritize Douglas while Brown is sidelined.
There’s no need to empty the wallet here. Douglas is a cheap bench stash who could help managers digging deeper for receiving options. Add him if you have room, then let him earn his way into your lineup.
Aggressiveness Rating: 1.5
Caleb Douglas, WR, Miami Dolphins
Rostered: 12%
Caleb Douglas led the Miami Dolphins in receiving, catching five of his seven targets for 94 yards. The offense looked about as bad as expected, but Douglas emerged as Malik Willis’ favorite target.
We don’t have to like an offense to find fantasy value in it. Miami should spend plenty of time trailing, forcing Willis to keep throwing. If Douglas continues to be his preferred option, that volume can help him produce even when the Dolphins aren’t accomplishing much else.
One game doesn’t guarantee Douglas will lead this receiving group all season. Nevertheless, seven targets and 94 yards are enough to warrant a closer look. He needs to be rostered in far more leagues.
Aggressiveness Rating: 3.0
Antonio Williams, WR, Washington Commanders
Rostered: 4%
So much for Antonio Williams being the WR7 on the depth chart. He looked explosive and caught the late fourth-quarter touchdown that gave the Commanders a chance to tie the game, only for the two-point conversion to fail.
I’m not overly confident in this pickup, but Williams has a real shot to establish himself as the clear WR3 behind Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs. That may not lead to consistent fantasy value right away. However, an absence for either starter would make Williams considerably more interesting.
For now, he’s a speculative add in deeper leagues. If you have an available bench spot, there’s enough here to take a look while we see how his role develops.
Aggressiveness Rating: 1.0
Kendrick Bourne, WR, Arizona Cardinals
Rostered: 0%
I’m really not sure what to make of this Cardinals offense. Trey McBride led the team in receiving, which isn’t surprising. Among the wide receivers, though, Kendrick Bourne was the one doing the damage.
Bourne caught all eight of his targets for 75 yards. Meanwhile, Michael Wilson finished with five catches for 56 yards, and Marvin Harrison Jr. managed one catch for 33 yards. That’s probably not the order fantasy managers had in mind.
Will this continue? Probably not. But we’ve seen Bourne produce before. He’s the clear WR3, and eight targets are enough to get our attention even if we shouldn’t expect him to keep outproducing the receivers ahead of him.
If you need a wide receiver in a deeper league, you can do worse. Keep the investment small and the expectations reasonable.
Aggressiveness Rating: 1.0
Keenan Allen, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Rostered: 27%
Keenan Allen caught all six of his targets for 32 yards. That’s about as efficient as we can ask him to be, even if the yardage looks like he spent the afternoon running routes in a phone booth. Fortunately, PPR leagues don’t ask how far the catches traveled.
Seeing six targets is encouraging, especially since Allen was far more involved than Josh Downs. The Indianapolis Colts will have better games and better matchups, giving those short receptions a chance to come with a little more production.
With that said, Alec Pierce was limited in this one. Allen may not have as significant a role going forward, making it difficult to get too excited about his involvement after one game.
There’s no need to spend on Allen or prioritize him over players with more upside. Nevertheless, he’s at least on the radar as a free pickup for managers in deeper PPR leagues who could use some receiving depth.
Aggressiveness Rating: 0.0
Michael Mayer, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Rostered: 26%
Michael Mayer didn’t exactly make anyone forget about Brock Bowers. Nevertheless, he was the unquestioned TE1 for the Las Vegas Raiders, drawing seven targets and catching six passes for 32 yards.
That plays in PPR leagues, even without much yardage. Add in the chance to score a touchdown each week, and Mayer offers enough to start while Bowers is sidelined.
My expectation is that Bowers misses another two to three weeks. That’s my read on the situation, not a confirmed return timetable, but it makes Mayer worth pursuing for managers who need help at tight end. He will be startable every week Bowers is out.
Aggressiveness Rating: 3.0
Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rostered: 6%
Pat Freiermuth didn’t have a monster game, but five catches for 46 yards and a touchdown will certainly work. He finished second on the team in receiving yards behind Michael Pittman Jr., providing a useful reminder that he remains a red zone target.
Most weeks, Freiermuth will need a touchdown to deliver for fantasy managers. Of course, that puts him in the same boat as just about every non-elite tight end. Welcome to the position.
There’s no need to aggressively pursue Freiermuth, but managers who need a tight end should give him a look. A modest receiving floor with a chance to score is enough to put him in the streaming conversation.
Aggressiveness Rating: 1.0
Mike Gesicki, TE, Cincinnati Bengals
Rostered: 1%
Mike Gesicki caught five passes for 78 yards and a touchdown, scoring 18.8 fantasy points. He’s going to appear in plenty of waiver wire columns. I’m including him to tell you he isn’t an add.
This was a strange game in which the Buccaneers took away Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, leading Joe Burrow to pepper his tight ends with targets. I view that as an exception. The Cincinnati Bengals aren’t going to build their passing game around the tight ends when they have Chase and Higgins.
Most concerningly, Gesicki ran only 17 routes. That’s a thin foundation for repeatable fantasy production, regardless of how good the final line looks. With the Houston Texans up next, he isn’t startable, and I wouldn’t use a roster spot chasing this performance.
Aggressiveness Rating: 0.0
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.