Welcome to the Waiver Wire for Week 2!
Week One of the 2025 NFL season is officially in the books, which means that it is time for WEEK TWO WAIVERS!! In today’s discussion, we will be going over the most significant targets on the waiver wire currently for week 2 of the 2025 NFL season.
Before we get started, though, there are a couple of things to keep in mind throughout today’s discussion. First, all statistics referenced today are from Half-PPR scoring. Secondly, players discussed today are rostered in under 50% in the FantasyPros consensus, which is a combination of Yahoo and ESPN roster percentages. With all that being said, let’s dive right into it!
Quarterbacks
Daniel Jones (IND)
- Week 1 stats: 76%, 272 yards, 1 passing TD, 7 carries, 26 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs
- Week 1 Half PPR scoring: 29.5 points
- Consensus rostership: 7.7%
- Next 3 games: vs. DEN, @ TEN, @ LAR
- Positives: The Colts will have to pass a lot due to their subpar defense. He also has easy button throw options in Tyler Warren and Josh Downs, providing a high amount of rushing upside every single week.
- Negatives: Daniel Jones has a past of bad turnovers.
Aaron Rodgers (PIT)
- Week 1 stats: 73%, 244 yards, 4 TDs
- Week 1 Half PPR scoring: 25.7 points
- Consensus rostership: 13.7%
- Next three games: vs. SEA, @ NE, vs. MIN
- Positives: The Steelers offense was much more pass-heavy in week 1 than expected, and they have an alpha #1 WR in DK Metcalf
- Negatives: Minimal rushing upside every single week, subpar weapons on offense outside of DK Metcalf, offense could revert back to being very run-heavy at any point
Michael Penix Jr. (ATL)
- Week 1 stats: 64%, 298 yards, 1 passing TD, 6 carries, 21 yards, 1 rushing TD
- Week 1 Half PPR scoring: 24.0 points
- Consensus rostership: 29.0%
- Next three games: @ MIN, @ CAR, vs. WSH
- Positives: will have to pass a lot due to Falcons’ subpar defense, has an alpha #1 WR in Drake London
- Negatives: limited rushing upside every single week, and still has limited starting experience in the NFL up to this point.
Running Backs
Dylan Sampson (CLE)
- Week 1 stats: 12 carries, 29 yards, 8 targets, 8 receptions, 64 yards
- Week 1 Half PPR scoring: 13.3 points
- Consensus rostership: 43.3%
- Week 1 snap share: 45.1%
- Next 3 games: @ BAL, vs. GB, @ DET
- Positives: Quinshon Judkins’ NFL debut timeframe is still unclear at this time. Sampson is the most explosive RB in this backfield and possesses a high amount of receiving upside every single week.
- Negatives: This backfield could still be a split between Jerome Ford and Sampson; this is still the slow Browns offense.
Trey Benson (ARI)
- Week 1 stats: 8 carries, 69 yards, 1 target, 1 reception, 6 yards
- Week 1 Half PPR scoring: 8.0 points
- Consensus rostership: 48.6%
- Week 1 snap share: 34.4%
- Next three games: vs. CAR, @ SF, vs. SEA
- Positives: Arizona is a very run-heavy offense, and James Conner has a long history of injuries in the NFL
- Negatives: Conner outsnapped Benson by a wide margin in week 1, but does not provide much receiving upside every single week
Wide Receivers
Hollywood Brown (KC)
- Week 1 stats: 16 targets, 10 receptions, 99 yards
- Week 1 Half PPR scoring: 14.9 points
- Consensus rostership: 35.6%
- Week 1 snap share: 93.1%
- Week 1 target share: 35.9%
- Next three games: vs. PHI, @ NYG, vs. BAL
- Positives: Rashee Rice is still suspended for five more games, and Xavier Worthy’s injury status going forward is unclear at this time. Brown is the only downfield threat in this Kansas City offense.
- Negatives: With all the injuries to the WR room, the Chiefs might lean into the running game and short passing game
Quentin Johnston (LAC)
- Week 1 stats: 7 targets, 5 receptions, 79 yards, 2 TDs
- Week 1 Half PPR scoring: 22.4 points
- Consensus rostership: 9.0%
- Week 1 snap share: 80.6%
- Week 1 target share: 20.6%
- Next three games: @ LV, vs. DEN, @ NYG
- Positives: Johnston is the only true X receiver on this Chargers team, ranked 2nd in WR snaps for this offense in week 1
- Negatives: Justin Herbert’s high passing volume from week 1 may have been an outlier; this offense could revert to being very run-heavy at any point
Kayshon Boutte (NE)
- Week 1 stats: 8 targets, 6 receptions, 103 yards
- Week 1 Half PPR scoring: 13.3 points
- Consensus rostership: 2.0%
- Week 1 snap share: 79.4%
- Week 1 target share: 17.4%
- Next three games: @ MIA, vs. PIT, vs. CAR
- Positives: led New England WRs in snaps in week 1, downfield target for Drake Maye (week 1 aDOT of 17.3)
- Negatives: the Patriots aren’t exactly an overly explosive offense, Drake Maye may not have to pass a whole ton due to New England’s top-tier defense
Romeo Doubs (GB)
- Week 1 stats: 4 targets, 2 receptions, 68 yards
- Week 1 Half PPR scoring: 7.8 points
- Consensus rostership: 17.9%
- Week 1 snap share: 70.2%
- Week 1 target share: 18.2%
- Next three games: vs. WSH, @ CLE, @ DAL
- Positives: led Green Bay WRs in snaps in week 1, is attached to an excellent QB in Jordan Love
- Negatives: the Packers still like to utilize a “WR by committee” approach, it seems, making it hard to know who will put up big numbers when weekly
Josh Palmer (BUF)
- Week 1 stats: 9 targets, 5 receptions, 61 yards
- Week 1 Half PPR scoring: 8.6 points
- Consensus rostership: 23.6%
- Week 1 snap share: 62.8%
- Week 1 target share: 19.6%
- Next three games: @ NYJ, vs. MIA, vs. NO
- Positives: tied to an elite QB in Josh Allen, Buffalo may have to pass a lot due to their subpar defense.
- Negatives: the Bills still like to utilize an “everybody eats” approach on offense, it seems, complicated to know who will put up big numbers when weekly
Tight Ends
Hunter Henry (NE)
- Week 1 stats: Eight targets, four receptions, 66 yards
- Week 1 Half PPR scoring: 8.6 points
- Consensus rostership: 48.2%
- Week 1 snap share: 94.1%
- Week 1 target share: 17.4%
- Next three games: @ MIA, vs. PIT, vs. CAR
- Positives: New England’s supporting cast outside of Henry is very young and improved. Henry is a safety blanket for Drake Maye.
- Negatives: the Patriots aren’t exactly an overly explosive offense, Drake Maye may not have to pass a whole ton due to New England’s top-tier defense
Jake Tonges (SF)
- Week 1 stats: three targets, three receptions, 15 yards, 1 TD
- Week 1 Half PPR scoring: 9.0 points
- Consensus rostership: 0%
- Week 1 snap share: 38.9%
- Week 1 target share: 8.6%
- Next three games: @ NO, vs. ARI, vs. JAX
- Positives: The 49ers will have a void at TE from now on, with George Kittle likely missing a few weeks with a hamstring injury. The 49ers don’t have nearly the talent at WR right now that they’ve had in the past.
- Negatives: San Francisco could opt to go with a TE by committee approach with Kittle out for the next few weeks, or they could lean even more into the running game with Christian McCaffrey healthy right now
Juwan Johnson (NO)
- Week 1 stats: 11 targets, 8 receptions, 76 yards
- Week 1 Half PPR scoring: 11.6 points
- Consensus rostership: 3.7%
- Week 1 snap share: 97.1%
- Week 1 target share: 23.9%
- Next three games: vs. SF, @ SEA, @ BUF
- Positives: New Orleans will have to pass a lot due to their consistent struggles in games and subpar defense. Spencer Rattler will have to get the ball out quickly and utilize his middle-of-the-field targets a lot, much like Juwan Johnson.
- Negatives: Spencer Rattler could be benched for Tyler Shough at any time, and at that point, who knows what this offense will look like
