The first slate of fantasy football matchups in 2024 has ended, and most teams can clearly identify a need. Very few teams, for instance, got any production out of their starting tight end. Luckily, fantasy football is full of opportunities to improve your team. In preparation for the second week of fantasy football leagues, let’s look at the top options on the waiver wire.
Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups
TE Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
After Mark Andrews was injured in 2023, Isaiah Likely finished as a top-ten tight end in four of six weeks and was top-five three times. He carried that positive momentum over to 2024 with a career-high nine catches and 111 yards. Likely had almost as many snaps as Mark Andrews (59-53), and earned the second-most targets of any player in Week 1.
Andrews is working back from a car crash, and the Chiefs game plan was clearly to slow him down. At this point, I’m not ready to say that Likely is going to be an every-week starter in fantasy football. However, he certainly showed immense upside in week one that you can’t always find on the waiver wire. After a week where tight ends were unpredictable, claiming Likely gives you a chance at a productive option at the position.
RB Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
After being selected in the fourth round of the NFL draft by the Bucs, Bucky Irving was expected to have some sort of role in the Tampa Bay offense. In week one, he had eleven touches to starter Rachaad White‘s 21 and was much more efficient running the football. White outproduced the rookie through the air and led snaps 45-20. You can expect Irving’s role to grow as White’s history of inefficiency continues to grow.
RB Jordan Mason, San Francisco 49ers
Christian McCaffery was ruled out by the 49ers right before the game in a potential rules violation by San Francisco, as Mason accidentally made clear. Despite his media slip-up, there’s no denying that Mason was terrific on Monday night. He was an absolute bell-cow, receiving 29 total touches for 152 yards and a touchdown. McCaffery has a chance to play in week two, but Mason is a potential week-winning add in case CMC is out against the Vikings.
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