Fantasy Football Waiver Wire power rankings, Week 2: Isaiah Likely, J.K. Dobbins and Bucky Irving stand out

Each week during the 2024 NFL season, FanSided fantasy football expert Lior Lampert creates a hierarchy of ideal waiver wire pickups. He'll base his ranks on performance, usage, coachspeak, injury news/analysis, stats, upcoming matchups, FAAB value and more. Every player mentioned is available in at least 50 percent of Yahoo fantasy leagues.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire power rankings, Week 2

Week 1 of the 2024 NFL campaign gave us plenty to discuss, especially from a fantasy football perspective. Rookie quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix made their pro debuts. The Dallas Cowboys and Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominated. It doesn't look like any defense will have an answer for C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans offense. Overall, it was a fun slate of games with several noteworthy takeaways, prompting managers to adjust accordingly on the waiver wire.

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely had a breakout game in the league's regular-season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. Los Angeles Rams star wide receiver Puka Nacua is headed to injured reserve. Is Rachaad White's grip on the Bucs' backfield loosening? The fallout of these developments could have massive fantasy football implications.

Jerry Jeudy earned eight targets in his first game with the Cleveland Browns, trailing only Amari Cooper. The volume is encouraging, but the overall offensive environment of the team can't support two fantasy-viable wide receivers. Perhaps that could change if Deshaun Watson gets hurt (or benched). Moreover, Ravens receiver and advanced analytics darling Rashod Bateman looked healthy and logged an 84 percent snap rate in Week 1. Alas, his ability to create separation hasn't resulted in statistical production. Until that changes, he'll continue to fall into the honorable mentions category.

Dumpster diving, digging for scraps

It's hard to see Daniel Jones supporting two fantasy-relevant wide receivers (including rookie phenom Malik Nabers). But Wan'Dale Robinson’s low average depth of target (aDOT) passing game involvement is virtually an extension of the Giants' run game (and he gets occasional carries). With that in mind, he's a PPR scam for anyone desperately needing help at the position.

Two Washington Commanders crack the list here: Zach Ertz and Luke McCaffrey. Neither are necessarily appetizing options nor did they do much in Week 1. Nonetheless, the lack of weapons Daniels has behind Terry McLaurin in the passing attack makes them potential low-end volume-based plays, especially Ertz. A veteran tight end like him is a reliable safety valve for the young signal-caller.

Speaking of cheap volume, Ray-Ray McCloud drew six targets on 19 of his in the Atlanta Falcons' regular-season opener. He's the starting slot receiver for an offense we anticipate being productive, regardless of their struggles in Week 1.

Samaje Perine took a backseat to Isiah Pacheco in his Kansas City Chiefs debut. However, it's important to note the pass-catching veteran arrived in late August. His receiving prowess could make him a factor as he gets more acclimated to his new surroundings.

Less than one game into 2024, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce gave up on the Zamir White workhorse experiment. Alexander Mattison earned 11 opportunities to the former's 15 and was the more productive back of the two. After Week 1's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Pierce emphasized a need for riding the hot hand, turning this backfield into a full-blown timeshare.

The stash-and-save

As you can see, this tier exclusively features backup running backs. With stash-and-save, the goal is to take dart throws on players with upside for fantasy relevance with hopes of landing someone who could ultimately contribute. Understudies of high-usage workhorses personify this, hence the extensive catalog of clear-cut No. 2 backs.

Ray Davis fared well in his first game with the Buffalo Bills (albeit on a limited sample size). He turned four touches into 27 scoreless yards. At 5-foot-8, 220 pounds, the 24-year-old is a bowling ball who figures to be a factor in the red zone on a potent offense -- eventually. And should James Cook ever miss time, his ceiling is high.

Not only is Ty Chandler an upper-tier handcuff but he's also got a chance to carve out standalone value behind Aaron Jones. The former saw five less (11) touches than the latter (16). With Jordan Addison reportedly dealing with some "pretty significant [ankle] soreness" and T.J. Hockenson out until at least Week 7, there's room for both backs.

Despite getting out-snapped by Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin out-touched his backfield mate 15 to nine. Neither did much with their respective workloads, but the usage split makes the latter somewhat intriguing and worthy of a flier.

Seattle Seahawks tailback Kenneth Walker III told reporters "[he's] good" after the team's 26-20 win over the Broncos. However, he wasn't on the field late in the fourth quarter because of an abdominal issue. His status bears watching. Zach Charbonnet would be the directing beneficiary and an intriguing plug-and-play RB2, especially considering offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb's desire to establish the run.

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told us point blank: Derrick Henry wasn't brought in to get 30 touches a game. The renowned sideline general also showed us with his actions in Week 1. Justice Hill had a higher snap rate than The King against the Chiefs. While negative game script played a factor, he caught six passes for 52 yards, making him a PPR bench stash in deeper leagues.

The educated guesses

Managers trying to overcome Jordan Love's multi-week absence would be wise to start searching for a replacement here if they don't already roster a backup. Baker Mayfield is poised to follow up his QB10 campaign with another solid year based on his near-perfect 289-yard, four-touchdown passing day against the Commanders. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense will continue to lean heavily on him and their elite wide receiver duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Meanwhile, Geno Smith has a star-studded trio of pass-catchers headlined by DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. The dynamic supporting cast combined with Grubb pulling the strings makes the Seattle signal-caller a viable fantasy option.

If Week 1 told us anything, it confirmed the tight end position is a fantasy wasteland. Isaiah Likely and Foster Moreau were the top two scorers, and Colby Parkinson's 8.7 PPR points netted him a TE7 weekly finish. With Puka Nacua and his 28.7 2023 target share facing an IR stint, the Rams need someone to step up. Los Angeles committed $15.5 million in guaranteed money to the seam-stretcher this offseason, demonstrating their faith in him.

Josh Downs was the PPR WR36 for the first eight weeks of his rookie season. A knee injury derailed him, but he still set an Indianapolis Colts record for most receptions by a first-year pro (68). An ankle ailment sidelined him for Week 1 this year, though he's shown he can have fantasy value when healthy.

The 'if you ain't first, you're last'

Capitalize on the opportunity if someone in your league panic-dropped Jaylen Wright after he was a healthy scratch in Week 1. Regardless, he is shockingly almost 80 percent available on Yahoo -- which is way too high. Remember, the Miami Dolphins gave De'Von Achane the same treatment last year. The franchise sent a 2025 third-round pick for a fourth-rounder in this year's draft to select Wright, so they're ostensibly fans of his work.

Wright is an elite handcuff to two running backs, making him a highly desirable asset. Achane and Raheem Mostert aren't quite poster boys of good health. Both got dinged up against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Miami has a quick turnaround in Week 2 playing on Thursday night. Achane and Mostert earned DNPs on the team's initial injury report, meaning Wright could step into a sizeable role.

On a day where Justin Fields threw for 156 scoreless yards and zero touchdowns, he still produced double-digit fantasy points. He amassed 57 rushing yards on a robust 14 carries. Workloads of that degree are typically a fantasy gold mine, so consider this output an anomaly. Fields' role as the Pittsburgh starting quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers isn't guaranteed beyond Week 1. Nonetheless, his rushing ability solidifies him as a surefire QB1 whenever Russell Wilson is hurt (or riding the pine).

Greg Dortch led the Arizona Cardinals in receiving yards in Week 1 (47). Only teammate and stud tight end Trey McBride (nine) saw more targets than "Dortch the Torch" (eight). We anticipate Arizona getting into several shootouts because of their porous defense, creating fantasy-friendly environments. Catching passes from a talented quarterback like Kyler Murray doesn't hurt either.

Gotta have 'em

Isiah Likely, TE, Baltimore Ravens

Likely probably already had his best outing of the season, but that shouldn't sway managers from pursuing him. He logged only six fewer snaps than Ravens star tight end Mark Andrews despite seeing 10 more targets than his counterpart.

In the inaugural contest of the 2024 NFL campaign, Likely asserted himself as someone who was severely mispriced in fantasy drafts. He caught nine of the 12 passes directed toward him for 111 yards, including this incredible 49-yard touchdown. Baltimore lacks talent at the receiver position beyond Zay Flowers, so this performance could foreshadow what's to come.

John Harbaugh told reporters this summer that Likely would be a "big part" of Baltimore's passing attack, and he wasn't kidding.

J.K. Dobbins, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

J.K. Dobbins' once-promising NFL career has been hindered by tragically bad injury luck. However, the 26-year-old may finally have regained his footing (albeit a step or two slower).

Dobbins turned 10 carries into 135 yards and a touchdown versus the Raiders. He's always been a hyper-efficient back, but so has anyone who shared a backfield with Lamar Jackson. So, it's encouraging to see him do in his Los Angeles Chargers debut. We all know the head coach/offensive coordinator tandem of Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman want to pound the rock. With two young franchise bookend tackles, they should be able to do that.

Gus Edwards got one more carry than Dobbins but 109 fewer yards. Nevertheless, the latter played 33 snaps to the former's 24. That gap should widen after Week 1.

Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Slowly but surely, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles is planting the seeds for a Bucky Irving backfield takeover.

Following Tampa's win over the Commanders, Bowles said the team will rely on Irving and incumbent starter Rachaad White this season. While saying this, he also alluded to the rookie being the superior runner in Week 1.

Irving lived up to his preseason hype, totaling 76 scrimmage yards on 11 touches. He was the Bucs' leading rusher with 62 yards, (literally) doubling White's output on nearly half the attempts. The latter has typically been highly inefficient throughout his career, paving the way for the former to supplant him atop the depth chart in time.

DeMarcus Robinson, WR, Los Angeles Rams

As previously mentioned, someone must help fill the void left by Puka Nacua. Enter DeMarcus Robinson, the Rams' de facto No. 2 receiver.

Robinson yielded fringe WR2 value down the stretch of 2023, with Nacua and Cooper Kupp healthy. Now head coach Sean McVay has virtually has to incorporate him in the game plan consistently. We trust the brilliant offensive mind to adjust accordingly and should do the same by adding the nine-year vet to our fantasy rosters.

Jordan Mason, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Mason showed what he can do if Christian McCaffrey isn't healthy enough to play in Week 1, gashing the New York Jets in primetime. He ran for wild, taking 28 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown. With the reigning Offensive Player of the Year's status beyond the regular-season opener in doubt, his understudy is a top waiver priority. The San Francisco 49ers offense is a Death Star, a unit we all want a piece of -- however we can get it.