2024 NFL fantasy football waiver wire, Week 2: J.K. Dobbins, Isaiah Likely among top targets

ROSTERED: 1%

Deep breaths. This might blow your mind: Carr’s been one of the best quarterbacks in the league for the past five regular-season weeks dating back to last season. He ranks first in the NFL in completion percentage (76.2), passing TDs (15) and passer rating (129.0) since Week 15 of 2023. As you can see from his rostered percentage, there are basically only Carr skeptics out there. I get it. We have a decade-long sample size to see what he offers. I’m not suggesting he should make it into fantasy starting lineups with the Cowboys potentially bringing him back down to earth in Week 2 after a three-TD day against the woeful Panthers. I am saying Carr deserves to be rostered in more than one percent of leagues and should not be ignored as a fantasy backup.  

ROSTERED: 24%

Maybe Mayfield didn’t need Dave Canales after all. The Liam Coen offense suited him just fine in Week 1, when he carved up the Commanders for 289 yards passing and four TDs. Now, he averaged just 5.0 air yards per attempt (third-fewest among Week 1 starting QBs) and has a tougher matchup awaiting him in Week 2, with a trip to Detroit on tap. The Bucs fell at Ford Field in the Divisional Round last season, but Mayfield racked up 349 yards and three TDs through the air (to go along with two INTs). This is a better Lions defense than the one Baker had success against in January. So, I’d expect some regression, but doubting Mayfield has been a losing proposition for most of the past year. The man is the fantasy QB2 heading into Monday Night Football. He’s at worst a viable backup in most formats and is a worthy streaming option for QB-needy managers.

ROSTERED: 0.5%

A strong preseason carried over into the regular season for Bigsby. He led the Jaguars with 73 yards rushing on 12 carries (6.1 per) against Miami on Sunday. For those of you keeping score at home, that’s the same number of carries that Travis Etienne received in the opener. I’m certainly not expecting to see a 50/50 split between the two backs every week, and Bigsby has not been a factor as a pass catcher (four targets in 18 career games), which limits his fantasy ceiling. He has the burst and elusiveness to provide a spark with the ball in his hands, though. He’s worth a look in deeper leagues with the offseason hype being backed up for one week.

ROSTERED: 11%

The glimpses of greatness from Dobbins are back and better than ever. Now, if only we could get something close to a full season’s worth of them. He exploded for 135 yards and a TD on 10 carries (13.5 per!) against the Raiders, including a 61-yard jaunt. Dobbins entered this season averaging 5.8 yards per carry in 24 career games, so there was never a doubt he had big-play ability. The problem is, he played in just nine of a possible 51 games from 2021 through 2023 with the Ravens, missing all but one game in ’23 with a torn Achilles and sitting out the entire ‘21 campaign with an ACL injury that also cost him nine games in ‘22. He looked healthy running through Las Vegas' defense on Sunday, and he saw a larger share of the snaps than starter Gus Edwards (58% to 42%). With a coaching staff committed to running the ball and a salivating matchup against Carolina up next, I’d advise picking Dobbins up if you can.

ROSTERED: 0.8%

Surprise! After Zamir White breakout chatter buzzed around fantasy circles all offseason, Mattison saw 36 snaps to White’s 23 in Week 1. So much for that storyline. I can’t say I’m super bullish on Mattison’s potential after his disappointing 2023 season as the Vikings’ RB1, but he did look spry on his 31-yard TD catch, which accounted for half of his total yardage against the Chargers. If you’re in the deepest of leagues, he should be on your radar, but keep in mind that White had 15 touches to Mattison’s nine. I can’t endorse him as a starting-lineup option with the well-rested Baltimore defense awaiting him in Week 2.

ROSTERED: 12%

We know the Cowboys are going to throw the ball around the yard every week, and someone other than CeeDee Lamb has to catch it. Dak Prescott threw to Cooks seven times in Week 1, making him the second-most-targeted Dallas player. He reeled in four grabs for 40 yards and a TD and also had a carry for 5 yards against what’s expected to be a stout Browns defense. People forget, but Cooks did have eight TD catches last season. I don’t love his matchup in Week 2 (vs. Saints), but if you’re desperate for a flex option, he’s a candidate.

ROSTERED: 0.4%

Pierce was only targeted three times against the Texans, but he made the most of them, going off with the two longest plays from scrimmage of the day for the Colts: a 60-yard bomb for a TD in the first quarter and an additional 58-yard connection with Anthony Richardson in the fourth. In all, he finished with three catches for 125 yards, which means he gets to tell everyone he averages 41.7 yards per catch this week. Not too shabby. Now, Josh Downs did not play in Week 1 and he’s expected to eat into Pierce’s opportunities when he returns from an ankle injury. Pierce is also a feast-or-famine type, with 100-plus yards in two of his last seven regular-season games, but 30 or fewer in most of those contests. It’s worth monitoring Downs’ status, but deep-league fantasy managers should be intrigued by Indianapolis’ home run threat.

ROSTERED: 0.5%

ROSTERED: 0%

With uncertainty about the severity of Puka Nacua’s knee injury, Robinson and Johnson are suddenly two players fantasy managers need to know. Robinson had the edge over Johnson in snaps on Sunday night (72 to 51), but both players were targeted seven times. Johnson made a little more hay, with five receptions for 79 yards, including a 63-yarder (4-42 for Robinson). I’d prioritize Robinson (80-plus yards in two of the last three regular-season games in 2023) over Johnson, but given Sean McVay’s affinity for 11 personnel, both players have the potential to produce in a flex spot.

ROSTERED: 2%

He might play in a putrid offense, but his 12 targets (tied for second-most in the league heading into Monday Night Football) in Week 1 have my attention. Robinson turned those chances into six catches for 44 yards, which isn’t going to excite anyone. He did have a carry for 14 yards, which is a little more enticing. I wouldn’t sleep on him as a flex option in deep leagues with a matchup next week at the Commanders, who have allowed the fourth-most passing yards and third-most YAC of the 30 teams that have played as of this writing.

ROSTERED: 1%

Move over, Luke Musgrave? Kraft posted just two catches for 37 yards, but the reason he’s included here is because of his playing time. He was on the field for 96 percent of the snaps against the Eagles, while Musgrave saw just 25 percent of them. The injury to Jordan Love doesn’t help anyone on the Packers' offense, but if Kraft is going to play that much, solid production could follow.

ROSTERED: 13%

The 139th pick of the 2022 NFL Draft has arrived. Likely might change his cleats for the Ravens’ Week 2 game against the Raiders if he takes Patrick Mahomes’ advice, but the 6-foot-4, 247-pound tight end really shouldn’t be tinkering with much after a dazzling opener. While he had shown flashes in his first two seasons, Likely entered 2024 widely viewed as Baltimore’s TE2 behind Mark Andrews. Likely will be the TE1 on a lot of fantasy managers’ rosters moving forward, though. He played nearly as many snaps as Andrews (59 to 53) and was targeted a team-high 12 times (Andrews was targeted twice) against the Chiefs, making a career-high nine receptions for 111 yards and a TD. That will most definitely play at a position that is not the deepest.

ROSTERED: 25%

Get on the Bolts D/ST bandwagon before it’s too late! This unit was stingy (10 points allowed) and opportunistic (three takeaways) against the Raiders. Now the schedule sets up beautifully for the Chargers. They visit the Panthers -- who are coming off a 10-point showing -- in Week 2 and then travel to play a Steelers team that did not muster an offensive TD against the Falcons in Week 1.

ROSTERED: 6%

It’s a bit risky to rely on the Colts, considering the defense provided a paltry three fantasy points in a tough game against the Texans. This is all about the matchup with Green Bay, though. Do you want to miss out on a potential chance to capitalize against Malik Willis in what would be his first start since the 2022 season? Jordan Love is sidelined, and Willis has yet to show he can be an effective passer in the NFL, posting a completion rate of 52.2 percent with 350 yards, no TDs and three INTs in 12 career games. Indy is a good option for managers looking to stream a defense.

ROSTERED: 58%

I was stunned to see the Jets are rostered in less than 60 percent of leagues, but I suppose a Week 1 matchup with the high-powered 49ers is to blame. That number most certainly will rise above 60 in Week 2 because Gang Green has a juicy matchup with the Titans. Tennessee is coming off a disastrous loss to the Bears, with Will Levis giving the game away by turning the ball over three times (two INTs, one fumble). New York had the No. 4 fantasy defense a year ago, and there’s no reason to think it can’t wreak havoc again in Nashville against a quarterback who is still learning how to be smart with the football.