Week 2 Waiver-Wire Pickups: Sleepers Who May Still Be Available

The 2020 NFL season has begun, which means fantasy football is in full swing.

Week 1 results are no reason to panic. Still, it is already a good time to start scouring the waiver wires for potential sleepers who made an impact in their regular-season opener.

Depth is almost certainly going to play a vital role this season. Injuries are always a factor, and the added uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic means fantasy managers will have to ensure they have ample quality at the skill positions.

Fortunately, wide receiver might be about as deep as ever in terms of the talent pool and potential bounce-back candidates.

Here are a couple of wideouts who might still be available in your fantasy league, as well as a potential stowaway option for deep rosters looking for an upside play.

Week 2 Waiver-Wire Names Pickups to Consider   

WR Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills   

Beasley did not necessarily have the most spectacular game in Buffalo’s win over the New York Jets, but he has tremendous promise for teams looking for a flex play, particularly in points per reception (PPR) leagues.

The 31-year-old is coming off a season in which he had 67 catches for 778 yards and six touchdowns from the slot. Beasley had 106 targets last year, and he should still see a strong target share this year despite the arrival of Stefon Diggs.

Josh Allen threw the ball a whopping 46 times in the opener and also showed comfort both in dropping the ball underneath as well as taking deep shots. If Week 1 is any indication, the Bills will air it out quite a bit.

Buffalo needs Allen to maintain this level of comfort and move the ball consistently this season, and a multidimensional receiving corps should loom large in that regard.

Diggs and John Brown are certainly marquee weapons on the outside, but Beasley’s ability to run short and intermediate routes—especially in the red zone—could unlock a new element to this Bills offense.

The drops might be slightly concerning (Beasley had six last year and one on Sunday), but Beasley is still a dependable weapon for Allen and Co. as they look to kick the offense into overdrive.

Beasley is rostered in just 13.1 percent of ESPN leagues, and he is a pretty low-floor option. Managers hoping for more flex production should consider adding him to the team.

WR Corey Davis, Tennessee Titans   

Whereas Beasley was somewhat quiet in Week 1, Davis exploded for 101 yards and caught seven of his eight targets in a win over the Denver Broncos.

Is Davis finally ready to deliver on some of the promise he showed in his first two seasons?

The former Western Michigan product was previously considered Tennessee’s No.1 receiver, and he finished his sophomore campaign with 65 catches for 891 yards and four scores.

But Davis had a bit of a down season in 2019, finishing with just 43 catches for 601 yards and watching his snap count drop from 88 percent to 72 percent, per Pro Football Reference. The Chicago native was essentially a non-factor in the playoffs, finishing with six receptions for 68 yards in three games.

However, the Titans have more steadiness with Ryan Tannehill under center, and the veteran displayed a strong connection with Davis especially on crossing routes. Davis was also on the field for 81 percent of the offensive snaps.

Tannehill likes to spread the ball around, and all of Tennessee’s pass-catchers will see their share of targets. But Davis routinely created separation on Monday, and he also showed some explosiveness with a massive stiff-arm on Broncos defensive back Kareem Jackson. 

Perhaps this is the year Davis lives up to his full potential. He is available in over 96 percent of ESPN leagues, and his upside is might be too tantalizing to pass up. If nothing else, Davis is a depth piece with WR2 potential. 

Washington Football Team D/ST   

Managers looking to get aggressive in streaming defenses might find opportunity in Washington, whose front seven dominated the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Washington finished with eight sacks. Rookie Chase Young had 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble, while Ryan Kerrigan had two sacks of his own. Washington also notched a pair of interceptions.

Granted, it should be noted this Eagles team was missing former All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson, as well as Andre Dillard.

Nevertheless, Washington had the best defensive performance of the week by defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA), per Football Outsiders. The Eagles could hardly get anything going on the ground, rushing just 17 times for 57 yards. Carson Wentz completed only 24 of his 42 pass attempts and was under constant duress in the pocket.

Washington’s pass-rushers are legit, and their ability to disrupt things in the backfield could have a drastic impact on the secondary. That could ultimately lead to Young and Co. anchoring one of the most well-rounded defenses in the game.

Washington D/ST is available in over 98 percent of ESPN leagues. But they might have a higher upside than the current defense on most rosters.

All stats obtained via Pro Football Reference and all fantasy information via ESPN, unless otherwise noted.