Waiver-Wire Pickups Week 2: 2012 Fantasy Football Lineup Advice

We have some key receivers to talk about right off the top on our Week 2 waiver-wire pickups, and a few quarterbacks I don’t believe we should pay much attention to at this point.

Top Pickups

Alshon Jeffery, WR—Chicago Bears

The rookie will win an expanded role in the offense as the season progresses. In just a taste of what he has to offer, Jeffery hooked up on a long bomb for a touchdown from Jay Cutler. Put Cutler’s confidence and ability to throw stick throws with Jeffery’s sure hands and wide catch radius, and you have a terrific combination for the present and future.

Kevin Ogletree, WR—Dallas Cowboys

Ogletree has a firm grip on the No.3 receiver job in Dallas, but look for Miles Austin and Jason Witten to work their way back into full-time roles soon. Ogletree is worth holding on your depth chart, but he is probably best left on the bench this week.

Dexter McCluster, RB / WR—Kansas City Chiefs

I liked what I saw from McCluster in the preseason, and he continued to work well in Brian Daboll’s offense in Week 1. A better fit in PPR leagues, McCluster will rack up a decent amount of receptions, but touchdowns will be hard to come by.

Jonathan Dwyer, RB—Pittsburgh Steelers

Clearly the top running back in the Steelers backfield against the Broncos, Dwyer will still fight for minutes with Isaac Redman, but if he should continue to outplay Redman he may take over the starting job.

Alfred Morris, RB—Washington Redskins

Perhaps the top waiver pickup if he’s still available in your league. Morris was a hot waiver option in the weeks leading up to the season, and he didn’t disappoint against the Saints. Expect another respectable performance against the Rams.

Patriots Defense

After a dominant performance in Tennessee, the Patriots return home to play Kevin Kolb and the Cardinals' shaky offense. Arizona held up alright against the Seahawks at home, but playing on the road will be another story.

Billy Cundiff, K—Washington Redskins

After his big miss in the playoffs last year, Cundiff wasn’t about to win a close competition against youngster Justin Tucker in Baltimore, but he played well for the Redskins. Washington looks like a wild-card sleeper at this point, so expect them to be in a lot of games, and Cundiff will benefit with respectable points weekly.

Justin Tucker, K—Baltimore Ravens

Impressive first game for Tucker against the Bengals, and with Joe Flacco playing better than ever, he will have a good year. We can look to Tucker as an option to start next week against the Eagles.

Not Buying It

Mark Sanchez, QB—New York Jets

Maybe you go with Sanchez as a backup if you're desperate, but I’m not buying that his success in Week 1 will sustain throughout the season. Let’s see how he does over the next month—if he continues to play well against tough defenses, we can start to expect more from the Jets' passing attack.

Blaine Gabbert, QB—Jacksonville Jaguars

Good first game, but Gabbert was playing against one of the worst secondaries in football. He’s clearly improved over last year, but I still don’t like Gabbert as a fantasy option.

Watch List

Stephen Hill, WR—New York Jets

Great Week 1 from Hill, but he’s nothing more than a depth hold at this point. I need to see more from Hill before I’m a believer in his ability to help fantasy owners with any consistency.

Martellus Bennett, TE—New York Giants

The Giants tight end has been a productive position in fantasy leagues in the past, so we need to keep an eye on Bennett. Still, he continues to make bonehead plays in key situations, so for now he’s not worth holding on your roster.

Andrew Hawkins, WR—Cincinnati Bengals

I like how Jay Gruden used Andrew Hawkins in the team's opening game against the Ravens. In PPR leagues, Hawkins holds some value if the Bengals continue to give him a regular role.

Donnie Avery, WR—Indianapolis Colts

With Austin Collie out of the lineup, Avery is starting and will get opportunities to produce. This week the Colts play a weak pass defense in Minnesota, so let’s see if he can continue to develop chemistry with Andrew Luck.

Aldrick Robinson, WR—Washington Redskins

I like what I saw from Robinson, especially when Pierre Garcon was out of the game. If Garcon misses time, we could see the young receiver develop into a decent fantasy option.

Dennis Pitta, TE—Baltimore Ravens

Joe Flacco has taken the next step in his career, and Dennis Pitta could hold some fantasy value if he continues to make big plays like his touchdown catch against the Bengals. Let’s keep an eye on Pitta in the coming weeks.

Greg Zuerlein, K—St. Louis Rams

The kid has a big leg and has done nothing but impress through preseason and Week 1 against the Lions. Still, for a kicker to hold fantasy value, his team needs to play competitive football. If they hold their own against the Redskins this week, Zuerlein will be worth a pickup.

Week 2 Rankings – QB | RB | WR | Flex | Start – Sit |