Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups and Sleepers Who May Be Available After Box Score Analysis

Week 2 kicked off with a potential playoff preview between the Washington Commanders and Green Bay Packers. While one game is already in the rear view, there's still time for fantasy managers to search for help on the waiver wire.

We didn't see a ton of sleepers emerge in Week 1, and initial claims have already been made. Therefore, immediate help may be hard to find. However, a few deep sleepers are still available who are worth targeting for depth.

Here's a look at the top remaining waive targets of Week 2, based on what we saw in Week 1 and what we expect to lie ahead.

All picks and analysis are based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

Trey Benson, RB, Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson remains arguably the top waiver target of Week 2. He wasn't as heavily claimed as most expected and is still available in more than 45 percent of ESPN leagues and 50 percent of Yahoo leagues, as of Thursday evening.

While Benson doesn't have the highest ceiling of this week's waiver targets—while Cardinals starter James Conner is healthy, at least—the RBs options coming out of Week 1 are extremely limited.

In other words, it's a bad time to need a running back.

Benson is also one of the few players who could provide real flex value right away. He logged nine touches to Conner's 16 on Sunday and is set to face a Carolina Panthers defense that allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to opposing running backs in Week 1.

Dylan Sampson, RB, Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/David Richard

Cleveland Browns running back Dylan Sampson's outlook is a bit more uncertain than Benson's. While Sampson performed extremely well in Week 1, he could see a significantly reduced role in the near future.

The Browns signed rookie second-round pick Quinshon Judkins just before the start of the season. Whenever Judkins enters the lineup, he's expected to be a high-volume option in Cleveland's offense.

Still, Sampson has intriguing value as a receiving back. He only played 43 percent of the offensive snaps in Week 1 and still managed to record eight receptions and 93 scrimmage yards.

This week, Cleveland will visit a Baltimore Ravens team that surrendered the ninth-most fantasy points to opposing RBs in Week 1. While Sampson is rostered in 57 percent of Yahoo leagues, he's rostered in only 33 percent of ESPN leagues.

Kayshon Boutte, WR, New England Patriots

AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty

Wide receivers are more plentiful on the waiver wire this week, though pass-catchers like Quentin Johnston, Cedric Tillman and Marquise Brown saw a lot of early claims.

New England Patriots receiver Kayshon Boutte is more readily available late in the week, rostered in just 23 percent of Yahoo leagues and one percent of ESPN leagues.

Boutte was New England's most productive receiver in Week 1, finishing with six catches for 103 yards on eight targets. He's unlikely to replicate those numbers each and every week, but there's a non-zero chance that he'll cement himself as Drake Maye's go-to target. That makes him worth a stash in deeper leagues.

This week, Boutte and the Patriots will visit the Miami Dolphins, who surrendered the 11th-most fantasy points to opposing receivers in Week 1. Another strong outing will make Boutte a top waiver target in Week 3.

Joshua Palmer, WR, Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Adrian Kraus

Being a prominent pass-catcher on a team that features the reigning MVP is usually enough to get a player some fantasy attention. However, Buffalo Bills receiver Joshua Palmer is still only rostered in 25 percent of Yahoo leagues and 15 percent of ESPN leagues.

This is after Palmer caught five passes for 61 yards against the Ravens and after he was targeted nine times. It was also after fans watched quarterback Josh Allen completely validate his status as league MVP.

Palmer's target share shouldn't be ignored here. Allen threw a league-high 46 times in Week 1, and Palmer saw 19.5 percent of Buffalo's targets. Only Keon Coleman (11) saw more.

With Coleman, Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox also in Buffalo's receiving corps, Palmer figures to be a matchup-based play moving forward. This week, he'll see a New York Jets defense that surrendered the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing receivers in Week 1.

*Fantasy scoring and roster information from FantasyPros.