When making waiver claims, strategy is important. If your league uses FAAB, blowing your budget in Week 1 could mean missed opportunities later in the season. If your league goes in reverse standings order, waiting could lead to a great late-week addition. Let’s look at who you should target heading into Week 2 of 2026.
Quarterback
If you have Kyler Murray, Sam Darnold, or want to stream the position this season, here are the top options to add heading into Week 2.
Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers $2-$5 FAAB
The Panthers’ offense was overshadowed by the Chicago Bears' incredible play and their 59-point performance on Sunday afternoon. But quietly, the Panthers scored 37 points. Bryce Young passed for 361 yards and scored 4 total touchdowns. The Bears’ defense is not great, but neither are the Falcons, who are next on the docket for the Panthers.
Tyler Shough - New Orleans Saints $2-$5 FAAB
Tyler Shough and the Saints started Week 1 very slowly, but after the half, they came out and scored 24 points and forced overtime against a good Detroit Lions team. Shough led the league in passing this week with 410 passing yards and 3 touchdowns. If the Ravens play like they did this week against the Colts, where they scored 41 points, the Saints will need to pass the ball a lot to keep up. Shough has a real shot at keeping the lead in passing yards through Week 2.
Running Back
Not much changed in the running back landscape in Week 1, but there may be players worth adding from the wire ahead of Week 2.
Devin Singletary - New York Giants $2-$5 FAAB
The Cowboys couldn’t stop Singletary in the flat this week. Singletary could be pushing Tyrone Tracy out of this backfield early in the season. I’d like to see more from him before I drop a guy like Woody Marks, Jordan Mason, or Chris Rodriguez, but if you’re desperate, Singletary could see more touches in the coming weeks.
Emmett Johnson - Kansas City Chiefs - $5-12 FAAB
The Chiefs rookie might not be an every-down back at this point in the season, but after his Monday night performance against the Denver Broncos, he could see more playing time due to his receiving ability. He caught two passes for 44 yards and added 24 more on the ground on 8 carries. If Johnson sees 8-12 touches per game, he is worth rostering for his flex upside alone. If Kenneth Walker III misses time, you’ll certainly want him in your lineup.
Wide Receiver
If you have A.J. Brown or Zay Flowers, you may want a long-term replacement at WR if you don’t have much depth at the position. Let’s find some guys who could step in and fill the gap in their absence.
Jalen Coker - Carolina Panthers $20-$50 FAAB
Jalen Coker might not be available in your league, but it’s worth making sure. If you’re in need at receiver, Coker is a must add. Since week 12 of last season Jalen Coker is the WR11 in Fantasy. Coker finished Week 1 as the best receiver in fantasy football with 8 targets for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns. Week 2, the Panthers travel to their division rival Atlanta Falcons, who just lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Coker probably won’t finish with 30+ points in Week 2, but could finish as a high upside flex option or a WR2 for a team that lost AJ Brown or Zay Flowers this week.
Devaughn Vele - New Orleans Saints $5-$15 FAAB
Vele finished Sunday’s contest against the Lions with 7 catches on 9 targets for 69 yards and a touchdown. Vele saw 8 of his 9 targets come within 9 yards of the line of scrimmage. What you won’t see in the box score is the endzone target from 22 yards out that was called defensive pass interference. He caught his lone touchdown on the next play from the 1-yard line. With the amount of time Olave spends on the sideline for health concerns, Vele could get 5-8 targets per game until Tyson returns to the field.
Caleb Douglas - Miami Dolphins $5-$15 FAAB
The Dolphins rookie has gotten some hype this offseason. In Week 1, we saw him emerge as the best receiver in Miami. Catching 5 passes for 94 yards, Douglas was by far the most productive pass catcher for the Dolphins. The Dolphins will be in a lot of passing situations this season, and Douglas could provide the opportunity you need in the absence of Brown or Flowers.
Tight End
With Bowers questionable for Week 2, you may be looking to stream another TE before he returns.
Cole Kmet - Chicago Bears $0-$2 FAAB
If the Bears are going to score like this in 2026, all of their pass catchers should be rostered. Kmet caught 2 passes for 35 yards and a score against the Carolina Panthers. While Kmet won’t score every week, when streaming TEs, having a guy like Kmet whose team is going to score a lot makes him a good streaming option.
Advice
Colston Loveland, Jordan Addison, or Matthew Stafford may have disappointed you in Week 1. Don’t panic. Your draft strategy didn’t fail you. One bad week won’t ruin your season this early. Watch for the other players in your league who panic and drop their 5th-rounder, or chase Week 1 points. If you can capitalize on your emotionally unstable league mates, you could add a player who escorts you to the championship.
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