Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Early pickups for Week 2

Mo Castillo

It's never too early to look toward your next matchup and a chance to bolster your fantasy football lineups. Here are some options to consider for Week 2.

If I were to tell you that a healthy Mark Andrews would finish Week 1 of the 2024 season with just two catches for 14 yards, while Isaiah Likely would end with a 12-9-111-1 stat line, would you believe me?

Likely not. (Sorry, I had to.)

Yet, that's exactly how things shook out in a loss against the Chiefs to open to season. Likely was nigh unstoppable in the game, averaging 12.3 yards per reception and looking like Lamar Jackson's clear No. 1 target.

Of course, it's too early to say there's been a change in the tight-end guard for the Ravens. Andrews was bracketed for the vast majority of the game, as the Chiefs seemed to make it their mission to remove him from Jackson's arsenal. With that said, it would behoove the Ravens to use Likely, especially considering A) he's an athletic marvel and B) it's not like the Ravens have an embarrassment of riches at pass-catcher. With Jackson at quarterback, this offense could ... likely make two tight ends fantasy relevant. Likely should be rostered in way more than just a third of fantasy leagues.

For all the talk of talented rookie AD Mitchell receiving an enhanced role from the jump with Josh Downs injured, it was actually third-year man Alec Pierce who showed out in Week 1. Pierce had just three catches on three targets in the game, but he made the absolute most of them, compiling 125 yards and a touchdown.

And while it was awesome to see Anthony Richardson's arm on the throws that resulted in Pierce's stat line, we should temper expectations here. Pierce was third in targets behind Michael Pittman Jr. (8) and AD Mitchell (5) and again, Downs missed this game. Nonetheless, we saw Pierce's big-play ability on display along with his connection with ARich. Pierce is officially on the flex radar.

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Look away, Marvin Harrison Jr. fantasy managers, look away.

While everyone was waiting for the rookie phenom to deliver in his debut, Greg Dortch actually led the Cardinals in receiving on a day the team scored 28 points. Dortch was second in targets (8) behind Trey McBride (9) but first in catches (6) and yardage (47). He also carried the ball once for 4 yards.

Harrison Jr. had 4 yards on one catch (three targets).

Again, it's just Week 1. Better days will be ahead for the rookie. But it seems Kyler Murray really trusts Dortch out of the slot, meaning targets in a fantasy-friendly offense. At the very least, Dortch looks useable in deeper PPR leagues as an emergency flex start.

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