Week 2 Waiver Wire Targets

Ladies and gentlemen, the best time of the year is finally upon us. There truly is nothing better or more rewarding than spending 7+ hours every Sunday consuming as much football as possible. Whether you’re rooting for your favorite team or your fantasy team, it’s simply an immaculate feeling. However, now that the season has started, the excitement of draft prep is now being replaced with the daily grind of figuring out which minor moves to make to improve your team over the course of the next 16 weeks. The reality is simple: winning your league’s championship does not come down to only how well you draft, you also have to make key managerial adjustments throughout the season. One of the best ways to do that is by being consistently active on the waiver wire. With that being said, here are three guys you should look to target on your league’s waiver wire ahead of week 2.

Keenan Allen/Quentin Johnston

The Los Angeles Chargers made one of the bigger statements of week 1 by defeating the three time defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs on Friday night in Sao Paulo, Brazil. However, the most interesting part about their victory was in how they went about doing so. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh has long been known for his desire to impose his will by running the football. While that will still be the case more often than not, the Chargers proved they can win through the air as well. QB Justin Herbert threw the ball 34 times for over 300 yards and 3 TDs. Even if those numbers regress slightly to an average of around 250 yards and 2 TDs per game, that makes at least one of either Keenan Allen or Quentin Johnston fantasy relevant behind WR1 Ladd McConkey. On Friday night, Johnston led the Chargers in receiving yards and touchdowns while being targeted 7 times. Allen led the team in targets with 10, and also accumulated 68 yards to go along with a touchdown of his own. Justin Herbert is one of the more talented QBs in the league, and he is more than capable of making several receivers fantasy relevant on a weekly basis. Make sure it happens on your roster instead of your opponents. 

Calvin Austin III

Similar to Justin Herbert making multiple Chargers receivers relevant, it’s not surprising that Aaron Rodgers looks to be doing the same for the Steelers. DK Metcalf entered the year as the clear cut WR1, but the question remained as to who would step up as a reliable WR2 option for Rodgers. Calvin Austin III answered that rather convincingly on Sunday against the Jets. Going for 70 yards and touchdown on 6 targets, as he was only outpaced in yards and targets by Metcalf. The Steelers, usually known for their elite defense and run game, showed on Sunday that neither appears to be a strength for them in 2025. The need to win on the back of Rodgers and the passing game is incredibly prominent moving forward. Given this, Austin has great appeal as a depth piece or even as a flex in deeper leagues, with an opportunity to continue to rise up the WR rankings as the season progresses.