Fantasy Football Week 2 Waiver Wire: Colt McCoy, Willis McGahee and More

Week 2 of the NFL season is now behind us and fantasy football owners can begin to see some trends developing, for better or worse.

Injuries continued to be a factor this past Sunday as the Kansas City Chiefs (and fantasy owners that drafted him early in Round 1) lost running back Jamaal Charles for the season due to a torn ACL.

Colt McCoy, Cleveland Browns

McCoy went 22-of-32 for 211 yards with one touchdown, along with 10 rushing yards against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Through two games, he is averaging 212 passing yards per game and has completed nearly 57 percent of his passes.

He should be throwing the ball plenty again in Week 3 against the Miami Dolphins, who have allowed six passing touchdowns through two games this season.

Cleveland’s offense does not have a lot of dynamic talent, but time should allow McCoy to become more comfortable and the unit overall to be fairly productive.

Fantasy owners in need of an upgrade at backup quarterback should consider adding McCoy, who is currently still available in many Fleaflicker leagues.

Thomas Jones and Dexter McCluster, Kansas City Chiefs

With Jamaal Charles reportedly out for the season with a torn ACL, the door is now open for someone to take the reins in the Chiefs’ backfield. Jones had 12 carries for 40 yards in Week 2, while McCluster had eight carries for 51 yards along with four receptions in the game.

It’s easy to forget that Jones actually had more carries than Charles in 2010 and should be able to step into the starting role fairly seamlessly.

That being said, McCluster looks likely to have a role. His fantasy football value is further enhanced by the possibility that he could be eligible at running back and wide receiver in many leagues.

If you are a Charles owner, you need to make sure you head to the waiver wire and snag one of these running backs. It’s unknown exactly how their roles will be carved out, but odds are Jones will be the primary ball carrier while McCluster is used as a dynamic option out of the backfield. 

Willis McGahee, Denver Broncos

With Knowshon Moreno (hamstring) out for Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals, McGahee had 28 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown, along with one catch for five yards as he became the Broncos’ top ball-carrier.

Moreno’s long-term prognosis is unclear right now, but this most recent leg issue may convince Denver that he is best suited to a part-time role with McGahee also seeing significant work.

In any case, McGahee proved once again that he is productive when given the opportunity. Owners who have had their running back corps hit by injuries, or poor early season performances, should head to the waiver wire and snag Willis. 

Eric Decker, Denver Broncos

Decker returned a punt for a touchdown in Week 1 against the Oakland Raiders, and followed that up by making an impact as a receiver in Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

With Brandon Lloyd (groin) out and Eddie Royal (groin) leaving Sunday’s game early, he had five receptions (on nine targets) for 113 yards and two touchdowns.

It looks to be a war of attrition in Denver’s receiving corps right now, so Decker could become a top target for Kyle Orton by default. He is starting to earn his keep in the passing game and seems to have firmly grasped the No. 2 option behind Lloyd in Denver.

Fantasy owners who have Lloyd on their roster right now may want to consider adding the second-year man from Minnesota immediately. He also has some appeal in leagues that reward return yardage. If you are in a deeper league and need some depth, take a long look at Decker.

Also Consider Reading

Week 3 Players To Add

Week 3 Players To Cut

Week 3 Quarterback Rankings

Week 3 Running Back Rankings