Thomason: Top Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 2
By Jack Thomason--
(CBS) What a Week 1 slate of games! We started off with a bang in the Super Bowl rematch, which was a better game than the actual Super Bowl, and we weren't disappointed with the remaining battles. Fantasy football is also in full effect, and we as owners are looking for the next big waiver addition to bolster our teams.
Given it's only been one week, we shouldn't panic over our duds nor should we overreact to our stud performances, but adding the right players only helps get us a step closer to the main goal: championships.
Here are my top 10 waiver adds for 10- and 12-member leagues.
1. Will Fuller, (WR, Houston Texans) – This speed demon has caught the eye of Brock Osweiler on multiple occasions within the preseason and now in Week 1. He torched the Bears defense for five receptions, 107 yards and a score on team-high 11 targets. Fuller creates amazing separation with his blazing wheels, and that's something that can't be taught. He's the Texans first-round pick, a worthy complement to DeAndre Hopkins and a threat to score every time he touches the ball.
2. Theo Riddick (RB, Detroit Lions) – Running back is as thin as it gets in fantasy football, so when you see a guy as explosive as Riddick involved as much as he was in the Lions offense, you snag him and don't look back. Yes, he was playing the Colts. And yes, Ameer Abdullah and company are still there, but Riddick has himself a locked in role and it's an impactful one. He totaled 108 yards, two scores, five receptions and 12 total touches. He's a big play waiting to happen, and I'd gladly add him to my team, especially in PPR leagues.
3. Tevin Coleman, (RB, Atlanta Falcons) – All offseason we have heard from Atlanta that Coleman would be a larger part of the offense and that the Falcons would ride the hot hand. Well, on Sunday that was Coleman, who on 13 touches totaled 117 yards. Meanwhile, Devonta Freeman had 19 touches for 40 yards. Running back is always a challenge and week-to-week this projects to be a time-share, but if anything happens to Freeman, Coleman will be gold.
4. Mike Wallace (WR, Baltimore Ravens) – Joe Flacco's best attributes are his rocket-launcher arm and his deep ball. Wallace is known for being a burner who takes the top off defenses. This is a match made in heaven, and we saw it in action Sunday. Wallace nabbed a 66-yard bomb from Flacco and finished the day with three receptions, 93 yards and a touchdown on six targets. Wallace may not be a consistent option week to week, but he's going to be a solid WR3 and a great guy to fill in over bye weeks.
5. Tyrell Williams (WR, San Diego Chargers) – Keenan Allen has a torn ACL and is now done for the year. San Diego will attempt to lean on Melvin Gordon and Danny Woodhead, but the passing attack will still be in play. Travis Benjamin and Williams will give Philip Rivers two quality targets, and Williams is the bigger-bodied receiver at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds with speed. He reeled in two of his five targets for 71 yards and will be a large part of the offense moving forward with Allen's injury.
6. Tajae Sharpe (WR, Tennessee Titans) – The rookie Sharpe was one of the bigger topics during the preseason, and it carried over into Week 1. Sharpe isn't in a high-volume offense nor is he going to score a ton of touchdowns, but he will resemble a poor man's Jarvis Landry for PPR purposes. He led the Titans with a whopping 11 targets and converted those into team highs in receptions (seven) and yardage (76) as well.
7. Mohamed Sanu (WR, Atlanta Falcons) – He was seen limping badly after the game, so take this with a grain of salt before getting more info. Sanu was tied for a team-high with eight targets, and he capitalized on them. He turned in an 80-yard, one-score performance and was a focal point in the Falcons' passing attack. He's the complement to Julio Jones at receiver, and that will always allow him less defensive attention.
8. Phillip Dorsett (WR, Indianapolis Colts) – It's obvious that the Colts defense isn't going to stop anyone and that Andrew Luck is going to be throwing a ton. Dorsett is a super-speedster and as the third receiver in Indy, he's going to see targets. He tallied a team-high 94 yards on four receptions and six targets. Dorsett will be a boom-or-bust WR3/flex.
9. Michael Thomas (WR, New Orleans Saints) – The Saints offense put on an aerial show and about the only player who wasn't part of it was Coby Fleener. Thomas got in the action though, catching six balls on six looks for 58 yards in his NFL debut. With Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead doing work on the outside, Thomas is going to have space to operate in the middle of the field, especially if Fleener continues to struggle. He's worth an early pickup given the explosiveness of this offense.
10. Eli Rogers (WR, Pittsburgh Steelers) – Pittsburgh has been looking for a second receiver to step up opposite Antonio Brown, and Rogers has been the guy flashing ability throughout the offseason. He works the middle of the field and gets open, providing a solid outlet for Ben Roethlisberger. We know what Markus Wheaton is, we've seen Sammie Coates flounder with a golden opportunity and now Rogers has capitalized in Week 1. He did so by scoring a touchdown and adding six receptions and 59 yards on seven targets. You want a piece of this high-flying offense, so grab Rogers.
Just missed: Chris Thompson, Alfred Morris, Shaun Draughn, Jalen Richard, Jeremy Kerley, Chris Hogan, Qunicy Enunwa, Terrelle Pryor, and Eric Ebron.
Jack Thomason is 670 The Score's fantasy football expert and co-host of "Chicago's Fantasy Football Today," which can be heard every Sunday during football season from 8-9 a.m. CT on WSCR-670 and670thescore.com/listen. Follow him on Twitter @jthomason77 and feel free to ask fantasy questions.
