Waiver Wire Week 2: Jeff Wilson Jr., Devin Duvernay Highlight Pickups to Know
The first of many Sunday trips to the fantasy football waiver wire was made during the late wave of Week 1 games on Sunday afternoon.
A few injuries and breakout performances kickstarted the process of laying waiver claims and queueing up potential free agents to sign in the middle of the week.
The biggest fantasy football development came from the San Francisco 49ers, who lost Elijah Mitchell midway through their loss to the Chicago Bears.
Jeff Wilson Jr. was already a potential deep sleeper in fantasy football leagues because of San Francisco's running back usage and quarterback situation. He should be one of the most popular players over the next few days.
Devin Duvernay broke out in the Baltimore Ravens' win over the New York Jets. Duvernay took advantage of his opportunity as one of Lamar Jackson's top targets in the 24-9 win.
Duvernay still has competition from Rashod Bateman and Demarcus Robinson, but it appears he will have an important role inside the Baltimore offense.
Duvernay could be targeted by fantasy football players who rostered Keenan Allen. The Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver left Sunday's game with the Las Vegas Raiders because of a hamstring injury, and he faces a short turnaround to get ready for the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday.
Jeff Wilson Jr., RB, San Francisco
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Jeff Wilson Jr. may end up as the most popular player on the fantasy football waiver wire ahead of Week 2.
Wilson took over the No. 1 running back role inside the San Francisco offense once Elijah Mitchell went down with a knee injury in Chicago.
The 49ers were not sure of Mitchell's status when he talked to the media after Sunday's loss to the Chicago Bears, per NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco.
"I'm not sure," Shanahan said. "[The medical staff] thought he had a chance to come back and then they ruled him out about a quarter later, so not sure yet."
Wilson only had 22 rushing yards on nine carries, but increases are expected in Week 2 if he starts in place of Mitchell. Soldier Field had a sloppy surface caused by hours of rain that made it difficult for the offenses to do anything.
The 49ers should play in better conditions next Sunday versus the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium. The expected better weather and Wilson's previous time as the No. 1 running back should persuade fantasy football players to pick up Wilson.
San Francisco dressing only three running backs on Sunday could be significant as well. If Mitchell can't go in Week 2, Wilson could receive a bulk of the carries in an attempt to support Trey Lance in his first home start of 2022.
Devin Duvernay, WR, Baltimore
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The Baltimore Ravens came into Sunday with some questions about their wide receiver depth chart.
We knew Rashod Bateman could be a top target of Lamar Jackson, but there were a few other options on the 53-man roster who could have emerged as key contributors.
Duvernay caught all four of his targets for 52 yards and two touchdown catches in the team's opening victory over the New York Jets.
Baltimore was expected to beat the Jets, but it impressed in the manner in which it beat the AFC East side. Jackson threw for 213 yards, and the rushing attack managed just 63 yards.
Duvernay will likely be the more popular waiver-wire pickup than Bateman, who led the team with 59 receiving yards, because of his scoring output.
Baltimore has a tough Week 2 matchup against the Miami Dolphins that may prevent some fantasy football players from picking him up, but he may be the best option based on Week 1 performance.
Duvernay could see his roster percentage increase a bit more than a normal Week 1 pickup because Keenan Allen, one of the top wide receivers in the NFL, hurt his hamstring on Sunday and may not be available for Thursday's clash with the Kansas City Chiefs.
DeAndre Carter, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
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The preparations for Thursday night have already begun because of the Los Angeles Chargers' injury situation.
Keenan Allen departed the contest against the Las Vegas Raiders with a hamstring injury and will not be ready to face the Kansas City Chiefs.
Allen told ESPN's Lindsey Thiry that he can "possibly" play on Thursday, but that is a "small possibly," in his words.
DeAndre Carter thrived in Allen's absence, as he produced 64 yards and a touchdown on three catches.
Carter could be thrust into an even larger role on Thursday if Allen is unable to go. He and Mike Williams would be Justin Herbert's top targets in a game that could turn into a high-scoring affair. Kansas City produced 44 points on Sunday, and the Chargers put up 24 points.
Carter may be a risky pickup because Williams and tight end Gerald Everett could take up some of the targets in Week 2. Austin Ekeler could take up shares in the passing game as well.
He is more of a direct replacement for Allen, but some fantasy players may wait until Sunday to find replacements for the Chargers' top target based on injury reports elsewhere.
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O.J. Howard, TE, Houston
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O.J. Howard entered Sunday with four touchdowns in his last three seasons.
So to say his two-touchdown performance for the Houston Texans came as a massive surprise is a major understatement.
Both of Howard's receptions were touchdown catches in Houston's 20-20 tie with the Indianapolis Colts.
Howard caught passes of 16 and 22 yards from Davis Mills to go down as the most surprising fantasy football star from Week 1.
Howard's awful numbers from the previous three seasons with Tampa Bay come as a huge warning to picking him up off the waiver wire.
The early returns from Howard's time in Houston are promising, but we understand if you want to see more of a sample size out of him before making the addition.
If you do need help at tight end, Howard is worth the risk because there is potential for his stock to rise in Houston.
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