Week 2 Waiver Wire: Breakout Fantasy Football Pickups After Opening Sunday

If you snooze, you lose in fantasy football, and if there's ever a key week to be active on the waiver wire, it's heading into the second week of the season.

For those fantasy football players who were not happy with the draft—that's about 90 percent of you—there is a need to upgrade the roster quickly. That means there can be no hesitation because your best friend, neighbor, college buddy or co-worker will act if you don't.

It takes courage to make a claim because you are saying you believe in a player who may not have a proven track record. If you have an eye for talent, it's a lot easier to do.

That's where we try to help.

Here are the players you should pick up after their Week 1 performances.

Position	Player	Team	Week 2 Opponent
QB	Tyrod Taylor	Buffalo	vs. New England
QB	Marcus Mariota	Tennessee	at Cleveland
QB	Alex Smith	Kansas City	vs. Denver
RB	Chris Ivory	N.Y. Jets	at Indianapolis
RB	DeAngelo Williams	Pittsburgh	vs. San Francisco
WR	James Jones	Green Bay	vs. Seattle
WR	Jermaine Kearse	Seattle	at Green Bay
WR	Donte Moncrief	Indianapolis	vs. N.Y. Jets
WR	Stevie Johnson	San Diego	at Cincinnati
TE	Jordan Cameron	Miami	at Jacksonville

Quarterback

Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills 

You can understand why Tyrod Taylor wasn't drafted in most leagues. While he won the starting quarterback job for head coach Rex Ryan in Buffalo, he had almost no track record.

It's one thing to look good in workouts, training camp and preseason games, but it's quite another thing to perform under pressure in Week 1 of the NFL.

"

Rex Ryan wins his Buffalo debut over the Colts 27-14. Tyrod Taylor: 14-19, 195 yards, TD pic.twitter.com/Im7oTstZQI

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 13, 2015"

Taylor came into his game against the Indianapolis Colts with the reputation of being a superb athlete who could take the ball and run with it without any issues. However, he proved to be an accurate passer in the season opener. Taylor was razor-sharp in completing 14 of 19 passes for 195 yards. He threw a spectacular 51-yard touchdown pass to explosive Percy Harvin, and he did not throw an interception.

While we can't be sure that Taylor will play consistently or build on his performance, we like him for the short term at the minimum. The Bills host the New England Patriots in Week 2, and Taylor will once again get the benefit of playing in front of a supportive crowd. The defending Super Bowl champions are vulnerable in the secondary, and Taylor will have another solid game.

Fantasy players need to jump on him.

"

Words I never thought I'd type: Tyrod Taylor is the best quarterback on the field today. By a lot.

— Bob Kravitz (@bkravitz) September 13, 2015"

Rich Schultz/Getty Images

Running back 

Chris Ivory, New York Jets

Todd Bowles is a defensive guru, and that makes the new Jets head coach fairly conservative when it comes to game-planning.

If he is successful and remains a head coach for many years, he could change his philosophy and become more aggressive and open-minded when it comes to offensive tactics. But for now, he wants to run the ball.

Bowles and the Jets started off with a victory over the Cleveland Browns, and Chris Ivory's running played a key role in the win. Ivory had 20 carries for 91 yards and two touchdowns. That's going to buy him more time in the lineup, and it will make him a vital part of the Jets offense.

"

Well @mortreport called it today on NFL Sunday Insiders...Chris Ivory ready to be the work horse for the @nyjets

— trey wingo (@wingoz) September 13, 2015"

He should be picked up immediately and given an opportunity to play in your fantasy lineup.

Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Wide receiver

James Jones, Green Bay Packers

After Jordy Nelson went down for the year with an ACL injury during the summer, questions abounded regarding what the Packers would do in his absence.

While the team is talented and deep at the receiver position with Randall Cobb and Davante Adams, there was still a move for it to make. When the New York Giants decided James Jones wasn't good enough to help them, the Green Bay Packers came calling.

"

Guys to add (so far): Eifert, Tyrod, James Jones, Jordan Reed, DeAngelo, Dion Lewis, Mariota, Moncrief, McManus (more to come)...

— Michael Fabiano (@Michael_Fabiano) September 13, 2015"

Jones had played with Green Bay from 2007 through 2013, and he has a tremendous rapport with Aaron Rodgers. The Packers brought Jones aboard, and he had a fine opening game against the Chicago Bears, catching all four passes in which Rodgers targeted him. Those catches resulted in 51 yards and two touchdowns.

Most impressive is that the Bears covered him fairly tightly throughout the game, and he made tough catches. Jones and the Packers are a good match, and he will be good for your fantasy team.

"

FANTASY ZOMBIE JAMES JONES

— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) September 13, 2015"