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With Week 1 of the fantasy football season in the books, attention now shifts to Week 2. The first order of business for many managers is scouring the waiver wire for potential additions. Here, we break down the top overall waiver pickups at each position for Week 2.
Quarterback: Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Shough's debut got off to a shaky start in the first half against the Detroit Lions, but he caught fire after halftime. He ended the game with 410 passing yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. Many in the fantasy community had pegged him as a sleeper entering the season, and his Week 1 performance was a promising sign. Shough might be more than just a spot starter. With his skill set and a solid group of pass-catchers in Chris Olave, Devaughn Vele, Juwan Johnson, and eventually Jordyn Tyson, he has the upside to be a low-end QB1 for the 2026 fantasy season.
Running Back: Kaelon Black, San Francisco 49ers
Black tops the running back waiver priorities for Week 2. He likely should have been rostered in most leagues already, but uncertainty about whether he or Jordan James would be the RB2 kept him available. Week 1 provided clarity: Black is the clear RB2 for the 49ers. While we had projected Black as the RB2, we didn't anticipate the usage rates of San Francisco's running backs. Christian McCaffrey played only 55% of snaps, carrying the ball 10 times with eight targets. Black was on the field for 43% of snaps, logging 14 carries and one target. He turned his 15 opportunities into 70 yards, while McCaffrey totaled 88 yards. Even if this usage doesn't hold, Black offers a handcuff in a valuable offense for a 30-year-old running back with an extensive injury history and a heavy recent workload. If the usage continues, he could emerge as a flex option.
Wide Receiver: Jalen Coker, Carolina Panthers
Among all the top waiver wire options, Coker stands out as the best. In Week 1, he led the Panthers in every major receiving category, catching eight of nine targets for 138 yards and two touchdowns—all team highs. The buzz around Coker all offseason was overwhelmingly positive, and it translated to the field in Week 1. While we still project Tetairoa McMillan to be Carolina's top fantasy producer at wide receiver, Coker could challenge for the WR1 role and, at worst, should be a consistent, valuable fantasy contributor.
Tight End: Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
There aren't any standout tight end waiver pickups this week, but Freiermuth is appealing, especially with Jonnu Smith no longer in Pittsburgh. In Week 1, he caught all five of his targets for 46 yards and a touchdown. Unlike a tight end such as Mike Gesicki, who we view as a one-week wonder in an offense featuring Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, Freiermuth can sustain this level of production throughout the season.
More Fantasy Sports On SI News: Mark Morales-Smith is a father of five, a former college football scout and semi-pro football player. Morales-Smith is a long-time competitive fantasy football player with well over a decade of professional writing experience at multiple high-level sites, including Sports Illustrated, FullTime Fantasy, FantasySP, and more. Follow CoolCutter21.