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Hayden's fantasy football risers, breakouts, waiver wire sleepers for Week 2 of 2025. Are these unexpected booms legit for Quentin Johnston, Keenan Allen, Daniel Jones, others?
The NFL regular season is finally here. Starting with a tense opener between Dallas and Philadelphia, Week 1 gave audiences some exciting finishes. It also gave fantasy managers a lot of action to sate their appetites. With the highs, lows, and everything in between, fantasy football is officially back.
The two big stars of Sunday both showed out in primetime. Buffalo QB Josh Allen led the Bills to a thrilling 41-40 victory over the Ravens with 394 passing yards, 30 rushing yards, and four total touchdowns. On the losing side, Baltimore RB Derrick Henry erupted for 182 scrimmage yards and two TDs. These two studs helped countless fantasy managers win their matchups this week.
However, some less heralded players also turned in strong performances in Week 1. Let's take a look at five of this week's unexpected boom performances, beginning with a much-maligned receiver out west in Los Angeles.
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Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Ever since he arrived in Los Angeles as a first-rounder in 2023, things have rarely gone according to plan for Quentin Johnston. The highly-touted prospect out of TCU caught just 38 passes as a rookie despite playing all 17 games. He was more involved in 2024, catching 55 balls and scoring eight times, but he had some brutal lowlights along the way.
This past offseason, the Chargers drafted WR Tre' Harris in the second round and signed veteran wideout Mike Williams. When the latter abruptly retired, he was replaced by Keenan Allen. The additions brought bad news for Johnston's prospects with the team, and many wrote him off for 2025. He responded with a five-catch, 79-yard, two-TD performance in a season-opening win over Kansas City.
HERBERT. JOHNSTON.
Chargers take a two-possession lead!
KCvsLAC on YouTube https://t.co/JVXS9sMZhB pic.twitter.com/SPxtCcsvm0
— NFL (@NFL) September 6, 2025
Johnston is currently placed as the WR2 for Week 1 with 22.4 half-PPR points. This was the second-best fantasy performance of his young career thus far. Importantly, Johnston, Allen, and Ladd McConkey formed the clear top three WRs for the team, unchallenged by Harris, Keandre Lambert-Smith, and Derius Davis.
Unfortunately, the passing offense is unlikely to click every week as well as it did on Friday. Without 318 yards and three touchdowns from Herbert to spread around on a routine basis, there may not be enough production to support both Johnston and Allen consistently. Still, Johnston's outing makes him one of the top waiver targets ahead of Week 2.
Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Keenan Allen spent last year with the Chicago Bears after the Chargers traded him to the Windy City. He had a down season, though, posting the fewest yards per game of his career. After the so-so campaign, Allen left in free agency and remained unsigned until he reunited with L.A. in August.
After his performance on Friday in Brazil, you would be forgiven for thinking Allen's 2024 campaign was simply a hallucination. His connection with Herbert returned without issue, as he caught a team-leading seven passes on 10 targets against the Chiefs. Allen's 68 receiving yards ranked third among the Chargers behind Johnston and McConkey, and his touchdown was crucial in the close win.
back like he never left
📺 | @youtube pic.twitter.com/2Kvh0QUAaO
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) September 6, 2025
Allen's 16.3 half-PPR points place him as the week's tentative WR9. This start to his second Chargers stint exceeded expectations, and now the team has three wide receivers who look ready to be fed targets. This presents a murky situation for fantasy managers, though. While McConkey remains the top talent on the squad, how exactly everything shakes out remains to be seen.
Both Johnston and Allen should be among the top waiver pickups ahead of Week 2. Allen is a starter-level fantasy option moving forward, and he should be targeted as such in any league where he is available. He will look to continue his solid start on Monday versus the Las Vegas Raiders.
Daniel Jones, QB, Indianapolis Colts
Arguably, the most surprising scoreline from Sunday came out of Indianapolis. The Colts manhandled the Dolphins, winning 33-8. Quarterback Daniel Jones was a big part of that victory. He connected on 22 of his 29 pass attempts, tallying 272 yards and one touchdown. Jones also did damage on the ground, gaining 26 yards and finding paydirt twice with his legs.
Jones finished the day as the league's QB3 with 29.48 fantasy points. This marked the fifth-best performance of his seven-year career, and it was his highest-scoring outing since Week 2 of 2023. This was a dream debut for Jones with the Colts after beating out Anthony Richardson Sr. for the starting QB gig in the preseason.
Throughout the game, Jones's early connection with wideout Michael Pittman Jr. and rookie tight end Tyler Warren was evident. Pittman caught six of eight targets for 80 yards and a score, and Warren made seven grabs for 76 yards. Jones also found deep threat Alec Pierce for a great 36-yard gain on the sideline, proving that he can make big throws downfield.
OH MY ALEC PIERCE.
MIAvsIND on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/Kkc968cK3R
— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025
Jones is one of the top quarterback options on the waiver wire this week. While he faces a difficult matchup against the Denver Broncos in Week 2, his play was inarguably strong. This was just one game, and things could still fall apart. Right now, though, it looks like naming Jones the starter was a great call by the Colts coaches.
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
For the second time in three seasons, Aaron Rodgers spent Week 1 suiting up for a new franchise. In 2023, Rodgers had a catastrophic beginning to his tenure with the New York Jets, rupturing his Achilles tendon on just his fourth snap. His debut on Sunday with Pittsburgh went much better.
Rodgers completed 22 of his 30 passes for 244 yards against the Jets. Four of those 22 connections went for touchdowns, with all four going to different players. While Rodgers was sacked four times, he threw no interceptions. His quality play helped the Steelers emerge with a clutch 34-32 win. It also earned Rodgers 25.66 fantasy points, making him the week's QB7 heading into Monday.
Highest Pass Rating in a game as Steelers QB over last 7 seasons
Aaron Rodgers 136.7 (Sunday)
Russell Wilson 126.4 (Week 13, 2024)
Ben Roethlisberger 125.4 (Week 5, 2020) pic.twitter.com/uTqwUIXkUG— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 7, 2025
The performance marks a promising beginning to the future Hall of Famer's tenure with the Steelers. Rodgers had just two better fantasy showings across 17 starts last season, and his four scoring tosses matched his 2024 season high. If Pittsburgh's running game improves from its paltry 53 yards on Sunday, Rodgers will have an even easier time succeeding.
With that said, Rodgers is 41 years old and will provide no rushing production for fantasy managers. He will not give four scores through the air every week, either. Fantasy managers in dire need of a new QB can look to Rodgers, though, and hope he repeats his strong showing against Seattle in Week 2.
Calvin Austin III, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rodgers received a fair bit of help from his offensive weapons to help him boom on Sunday. One such weapon was dynamic receiver Calvin Austin III. Austin made four grabs on six targets for 70 yards; all of those figures were either second or tied for second on the team. Austin also scored an 18-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to give the Steelers their first lead of the second half.
Aaron Rodgers throws his 4th TD to give Pittsburgh the lead!
PITvsNYJ on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/3bU0DRNvjN
— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025
With 15.0 half-PPR points, Austin ranks as the week's WR12 through Sunday. His 45 snaps per PFF trailed only DK Metcalf among his WR teammates, and they vastly outnumbered those of Ben Skowronek, Roman Wilson, and Scotty Miller. Austin's snap share exceeded the 80% threshold, something he achieved just once in 2024.
Austin's outing proved that he is locked in as Pittsburgh's WR2 for the foreseeable future. The problem is that it may not lead to consistent targets each week. Tight ends Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth figure to continue to be involved, and running back Kenneth Gainwell was targeted four times on Sunday, too. With Rodgers no longer an MVP candidate passer, it is likely that Metcalf is the only consistent fantasy WR in this offense.
Therefore, Austin is a potential waiver pickup ahead of Pittsburgh's Week 2 bout with Seattle, but other players should be higher priorities. Fantasy managers willing to take a swing on Austin should temper expectations.
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