Week 1 was a great reminder of why we all love fantasy football.
At quarterback, Bryce Young scored more points than Drake Maye, Baker Mayfield, Matthew Stafford, Kyler Murray and Sam Darnold combined. At running back, two Bears finished inside the top-10 while Christian McCaffrey was out-carried by a rookie. The current WR1, Jalen Coker, had more fantasy points than Puka Nacua, DeVonta Smith, Drake London, George Pickens and Ja'Marr Chase combined. Finally, the currently list of TE1s includes Mike Gesicki, Pat Freiermuth, T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant, Cole Kmet and Kenyon Sadiq. Fun.
Thankfully, we can already start looking ahead to Week 2.
Here's an early look at Week 2 fantasy football rankings. Toggle between standard, half PPR (point per reception)
and full PPR to see where players rank in your league’s format. Scroll to the bottom to view the complete rankings.
Our team at USA TODAY Sports has you covered with plenty of content to help with your Week 2 waiver wire and roster decisions. Looking for up-to-date player news? We’ve got it. Wondering who the best waiver-wire claims are? We have that covered, so you can make your pickups. Need to know what players you can drop? We have that as well. We also have a list of the eight best buy low/sell high candidates and our biggest winners and losers from Week 1.
Please note: These rankings will change significantly as the week goes on. Check back on Sunday morning for final updates.
(The risers and sleepers sections will focus on players available in at least 50% of Yahoo leagues. All snap and target data from PFF.)
Week 2 fantasy football quarterback rankings: Risers and sleepers
- Saints QB Tyler Shough (41%) - Dating back to last season, Shough has now racked up more than 17 fantasy points in seven consecutive outings, including 22+ in four of his last six. The 26-year-old should be a high priority for those in need of a streamer early in the season.
- Panthers QB Bryce Young (14%) - Over his last eight games, Young has averaged 19.7 fantasy points while eclipsing 15 six times. The former first overall pick has finished inside the top five three times during that stretch. Young's next three games are against the Falcons, Browns and Lions, making him a viable pickup for those chasing upside in deep leagues.
Week 2 fantasy football running back rankings: Risers and sleepers
- 49ers RB Kaelon Black (27%) - Perhaps it was just a Week 1 anomoly, but in the 49ers opener, Black played 43% of the snaps and out-carried Christian McCaffrey 14 to 10. It might be part of San Francisco's plan to keep CMC fresh after totaling 450 touches last year, but either way, Black needs to be rostered. At worst, the rookie is one of the most valuable handcuffs in all of fantasy.
- Texans RB Woody Marks (49%) - While David Montgomery got all the results on Sunday, it was Marks who actually led the way in snaps (40 to 39) and routes (20 to 14). Monty averaged just 3.0 yards per attempt on 20 carries, while Marks was at 4.7. While the veteran currently holds the high-value role, Marks should still be rostered as a low-end flex play and high-end handcuff.
- Packers RB Chris Brooks (2%) - Green Bay's most recent choke-job saw their ground game average just 3.1 yards per carry on 21 totes, which isn't exactly inspiring. The matchup was brutal and the offensive line play even worse, but there were some fantasy implications if you look very, very closely. With Josh Jacobs out, Chris Brooks played 63% of snaps and ran as many routes (9) as backfield mate Marshawn Lloyd. There are worse flyers to take than a potential lead back in a high-powered offense.
Week 2 fantasy football wide receiver rankings: Risers and sleepers
- 49ers WR Deebo Samuel Sr. (49%) - In his first game back in a Niners uniform, Deebo looked as if he had never left. The veteran finished tied for second on the team with a 22% target share and his 19 routes were just two behind Demarcus Robinson for second among 49ers wideouts. Heading into MNF, the 30-year-old's three red zone targets rank second among all wide receivers. With rookie De'Zahun Stribling out at least a month, Deebo is worth a roster spot in most leagues.
- Saints WR Devaughn Vele (8%) - While Chris Olave led the Saints in targets, Vele led the way in snaps (82 to 77) and routes (58 to 55). The 28-year-old's nine targets ranked second on the team and he currently finds himself as the WR12 in Week 1. With rookie Jordyn Tyson out for a lengthy period, Vele could maintain fantasy relevance for the foreseeable future.
- Eagles WR Dontayvion Wicks (16%) - If there were any questions as to who would be Philly's WR2, those were answered resoundingly in Week 1. Wicks had a 91% snap and route share and his four targets were just one behind the team leaders (DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert). Wicks got behind the Commanders defense for a 64-yard reception, and he was also the team's only wideout to garner a red zone target, which he turned into a 9-yard score. The 25-year-old is worth a flyer on waivers for those hunting for upside.
Jalen Hurts goes DEEP to Dontayvion Wicks for 64 yards!
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 13, 2026
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/YWAd95NABQ
- Browns WR Denzel Boston (28%) - Rostering anyone from the Cleveland Browns might be a tough pill to swallow, but Boston might just be worth it. The 39th overall pick in the 2026 draft led all Cleveland skill position players in snaps (47), routes (30), targets (4) and receiving yards (59). He also caught the team's lone touchdown.
- Dolphins WR Caleb Douglas (12%) - Another rookie from an offense you probably don't want to watch, but Douglas sure looked like a viable fantasy option on Sunday. The Dolphins' third-rounder finished second on the team in snaps (50), routes (32) and targets (7) and he led the way in receptions (5) and yards (94). Douglas should be rostered in more than 12% of leagues.
Week 2 fantasy football tight end rankings: Risers and sleepers
- Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth (6%) - Last season, Freiermuth failed to log a snap share above 70% in any game. In Week 1, the 27-year-old played 73% of the snaps and tied for his most receptions in a game (5) since Week 17 of the 2024 season. Freiermuth caught both of his red zone looks, with one of them going for a touchdown, and should be able to maintain fantasy relevancy with Jonnu Smith no longer in Black and Gold.
- Jets TE Kenyon Sadiq (14%) - Sadiq played just 42% of snaps on Sunday and ran a route on just 46% of dropbacks, so the inclusion here is purely based on upside at a position that desperately lacks it beyond the top tier. The Jets' first-round pick is a freak athlete, as was clearly evident on this end-around touchdown. Sadiq did miss most of training camp and preseason due to a setback from hernia surgery, so it's likely that the Jets are working him slowly. For those in deeper leagues in need of tight end help, there are worse fliers to take.
Week 2 fantasy football rankings: PPR, half-PPR and standard
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Early Week 2 fantasy football rankings: 12 risers and sleepers
