Each week I'll list the best widely available free agents for fantasy football — I define "widely available" as being owned in around half of all ESPN or Yahoo leagues — and some guys who are probably better off in the free agent pool than collecting dust on your roster.
Follow me on Twitter @UTEddieBrown if you have questions throughout the week.
Here are my best bets off the waiver wire for Week 2:
ADD
— QB Carson Wentz, Commanders (ESPN: 17%; Yahoo: 14%): Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen are the only quarterbacks who topped Wentz (313 passing yards and four TDs) in fantasy Week 1. He finished as fantasy's QB14 in a run-oriented offense last season and his next two opponents (Lions and Eagles) both allowed 35-plus points in their first game (to each other).
— RB Darrell Henderson Jr., Rams (ESPN: 46%; Yahoo: 77%): Cam Akers didn't even see the field until the second quarter and only produced three carries for zero yards. Henderson finished with 73 total yards on 18 touches (including five receptions), which was good enough to be overall RB21 in PPR.
— WR Jarvis Landry, Saints (ESPN: 58%; Yahoo: 42%): Michael Thomas received most of the fanfare for his two-touchdown performance, but Landry led New Orleans or tied for the lead in receiving yards, receptions, targets, routes run and offensive snaps — he was overall WR22 in standard formats (WR15 in PPR).
— RB Jeff Wilson, 49ers (ESPN: 4%; Yahoo: 18%): Elijah Mitchell (knee) is likely out until the middle of November. Wilson couldn't get going on a soggy Soldier Field against the Bears, but he's produced at a high level before — he scored 10 touchdowns on just 139 touches in 2020 — and he will receive plenty of opportunity to do so again.
— QB Jameis Winston, Saints (ESPN: 36%; Yahoo: 46%): It's time we stop seeing Winston as the interception machine he was back in 2019 — it feels like a lifetime ago anyways. He has thrown 16 touchdowns against only three interceptions in eight games as the Saints starting quarterback and is fantasy's QB7 headed into Week 2.
— BONUS: WR Curtis Samuel, Commanders (ESPN: 8%; Yahoo: 6%): Samuel was a fantasy starter last time he was fully healthy (for the Panthers in 2020). He received a 24% target share while also carrying the ball four times against the Jaguars. He'll need to maintain this volume if he's going to be anything more than a weekly flex candidate.
— BONUS: TE Gerald Everett, Chargers (ESPN: 14%; Yahoo: 28%): Everett had three receptions (four targets) for 54 yards and scored a touchdown — Travis Kelce was the only other tight end with over 50 yards and a touchdown in Week 1. The starting tight end in one of the NFL's best offenses deserves to be rostered in more leagues, especially with Allen limited or sidelined.
— BONUS: QB Marcus Mariota, Falcons (ESPN: 4%; Yahoo: 9%): Mariota finished as Week 1's QB10 on the strength of 72 rushing yards and a touchdown on a robust 12 carries (he also passed for 215 yards). There's no reason Mariota can't do the same things Ryan Tannehill did in Arthur Smith's offense. Tannehill was fantasy's QB7 in 2020, Smith's last season as Tennessee's offensive coordinator before he became head coach in Atlanta. More importantly, Tannehill ran for 11 touchdowns in his two years with Smith and only Jalen Hurts outgained Mariota on the ground at the QB position in the opener.
— BONUS: TE Taysom Hill, Saints (ESPN: 4%; Yahoo: 11%): I'd keep my eye on Juwan Johnson (ESPN: <1%; Yahoo: <1%), who is clearly the receiving tight end for New Orleans — Johnson ran a route on 80% of the pass plays and finished third in targets (five) — but Hill just finished as the overall TE3 on five touches (four carries) with 81 rushing yards, including a 57-yard TD. There are opportunities in the run and pass game he will have that other tight ends simply will not.
— BONUS: RB Khalil Herbert, Bears (ESPN: 25%; Yahoo: 41%): David Montgomery remains the starter — he out-snapped and out-touched Herbert — but Chicago turned to the Virginia Tech product to close out the 49ers. He produced 45 yards and the game-sealing TD on just nine carries and could earn a more even share of the backfield as the season progresses.
— BONUS: WR Josh Palmer, Chargers (ESPN: 36%; Yahoo: 21%): Pro Bowler Keenan Allen suffered a hamstring injury against the Raiders and you never know how that's going to go. At very least, I doubt Allen plays Thursday night against the Chiefs, which should be an offensive showcase. Palmer showed his rookie season, he was more than capable of filling in if either Allen or Mike Williams went down. He was fantasy's WR30 the final five games (four starts) of the season in standard formats (WR33 in PPR).
— BONUS: RB Jamaal Williams, Lions (ESPN: 35%; Yahoo: 48%): Williams received a majority of the goal-line work and scored two touchdowns. He's more than a vulture though. He will likely see double-digit touches consistently enough to warrant flex consideration in most standard leagues despite the existence of D'Andre Swift.
— TE Hayden Hurst, Bengals (ESPN: 20%; Yahoo: 10%): Hurst was third on the team in routes while drawing a 15 percent target share. The athletic former first-rounder is a good fit for Cincinnati's high-powered offense. Two of his eight targets were in the red-zone, which is a good sign.
— BONUS: RB Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs (ESPN: 18%; Yahoo: 31%): The rookie led Kansas City in rushing attempts (12) and yards (62) while scoring the Chiefs' only rushing touchdown. The vast majority of his snaps came in the fourth quarter with the Chiefs trying to salt away the game, but the production is indicative of what we can expect if he ever cuts into Clyde Edwards-Helaire's playing time — who, by the way, was quite good against the Cardinals. Pacheco makes for a solid stash in deeper leagues.
— BONUS: RB Jaylen Warren, Steelers (ESPN: 1%; Yahoo: 5%): Najee Harris reaggravated the Lisfranc injury he suffered in training camp and it sidelined him in overtime against the Bengals. It sounds like he's going to be fine, but it's concerning, and if you didn't handcuff him in the draft, it's certainly time to do so. Warren took all of the other snaps in place of Harris while he was still healthy, including all of the reps in overtime.
— BONUS: WR Jahan Dotson, Commanders (ESPN: 56%; Yahoo: 24%): I anticipate the talented rookie to be a boom-or-bust flex option most weeks, but the two touchdowns he scored against the Jaguars is an example of the "boom."
— BONUS: RB Kenyan Drake, Ravens (ESPN: 5%; Yahoo: 12%): Drake was the clear leader in Baltimore's backfield with 12 touches and I anticipate he'll continue to have flex value considering his all-around skill set even after JK Dobbins returns.
— BONUS: D/ST Browns (ESPN: 46%; Yahoo: 27%): Cleveland battered former quarterback Baker Mayfield in Week 1, sacking him four times, intercepting him once and forcing him into four fumbles (all of which the Panthers recovered). The Browns' next three opponents: the Jets and Steelers at home followed by a road matchup against the Falcons.
— BONUS: D/ST Steelers (ESPN: 61%; Yahoo: 31%): Reigning Defensive Player of the Year TJ Watt will likely miss multiple weeks with a pec injury, but this defense has plenty of talent and the Patriots, Browns and Jets are on deck.
— BONUS: D/ST Bengals (ESPN: 40%; Yahoo: 44%): If you're streaming defenses, why not stream against Cooper Rush?
DROP
— RB Elijah Mitchell, 49ers: Mitchell will land on injured reserve after suffering an MCL sprain. He will miss about eight weeks and needs to be dropped unless your league allows you to reserve him.
— QB Mac Jones, Patriots: Jones experienced back spasms following Sunday's season-opening loss at Miami, but New England's offense underwhelmed regardless. I'd only consider rostering him in super-flex formats at this time.
— RB Mike Davis, Ravens: Davis played seven snaps and had two carries in Week 1. If he wasn't involved against the Jets, he certainly won't have a place in Baltimore's offense once JK Dobbins returns.
— WR Jalen Tolbert, Cowboys: The rookie was a healthy scratch against the Buccaneers despite Michael Gallup not being active.
— RB Mark Ingram, Saints: The former Heisman winner produced 23 total yards on five touches against the Falcons. If you drafted him in anticipation of an Alvin Kamara suspension, that's likely not happening this season.
