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Week 2 fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Kenneth Gainwell, Brashard Smith, Woody Marks in 2025. Read their waiver wire outlooks for fantasy football.
Week 2 of the fantasy football season is all about identifying early trends and separating noise from actionable information. Week 1 always delivers surprises, whether it’s unexpected snap counts, backfield rotations, or rookies carving out roles faster than anticipated. The key for fantasy managers is finding those players who could hold sneaky short-term or long-term value before the rest of the league catches on.
This week’s waiver wire targets highlight a mix of familiar names in new situations and rookies trying to earn a foothold. Veterans like Kenneth Gainwell are already finding themselves in meaningful roles despite modest production. At the same time, young players such as Brashard Smith and Woody Marks flashed enough intrigue to warrant deeper-league consideration. None of these backs are immediate plug-and-play options, but each carries situational upside worth monitoring as the season unfolds.
Whether you play in standard redraft formats, deeper 14+ team leagues, or long-term dynasty setups, understanding usage trends is critical. In this article, we’ll break down how Gainwell, Smith, and Marks fit into their respective backfields, the matchups ahead, and why they deserve to be on your radar. If you’re hunting for under-the-radar RB depth, these three could provide sneaky value in the right league formats.
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Kenneth Gainwell Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered in 2% of leagues
Kenneth Gainwell surprisingly emerged as the clear third-down back in Pittsburgh’s Week 1 win over the Jets. While most fantasy managers chased rookie Kaleb Johnson (84% rostered), it was Gainwell who logged more snaps than even starter Jaylen Warren (29 to 25).
The veteran wasn’t particularly effective on the ground (seven carries for 19 yards), but he carved out a steady role in the passing game with four targets, hauling in three receptions. His involvement on key downs gives him sneaky PPR value, even if the efficiency wasn’t there in the opener.
Pittsburgh split 20 rushing attempts almost evenly, with Warren handling 55% of the carries, Gainwell at 35%, and Johnson only seeing one attempt. Johnson was used primarily on special teams, suggesting the Steelers trust Warren and Gainwell to carry the load while protecting Aaron Rodgers in a win-now approach.
With the Seahawks on deck after allowing 119 rushing yards to the 49ers, Gainwell is worth monitoring as a deep-league stash or speculative PPR add.
STEELERS FOOTBALL
Fantastic special teams play by Kenneth Gainwell to punch the ball out! pic.twitter.com/hdt7ucPQPj
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 7, 2025
Baller Move: Add in PPR and 14+ team leagues
Brashard Smith Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered in 1% of leagues
The Kansas City Chiefs debuted seventh-round rookie Brashard Smith in their Week 1 matchup, and while he didn’t make much of an impact on offense, he flashed some big-play ability in the return game. Smith returned a pair of kicks for 63 total yards, averaging an impressive 31.5 per attempt, and gave Kansas City strong field position.
That type of spark could help him carve out a longer-term role, but for now, his path to consistent offensive touches remains limited.
Brashard Smith selling the hell out of that screen lol https://t.co/9Oj5W7zWbY
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) September 6, 2025
Smith saw the field for only eight of the Chiefs’ 61 offensive snaps, leaving the majority of the backfield work to Isiah Pacheco (31 snaps) and veteran Kareem Hunt (23). Pacheco continues to operate as the lead back, while Hunt provided a steady change-of-pace presence and looked sharp in pass protection.
With both players healthy and firmly ahead on the depth chart, Smith was relegated to a distant third in the pecking order and failed to make an impact as a runner or receiver.
From a fantasy perspective, that makes Smith more of a developmental stash than an immediate contributor. He’s unlikely to see meaningful touches unless injuries hit the depth chart. That said, his explosiveness on special teams, combined with his rookie pedigree, makes him worth keeping an eye on in deeper dynasty formats.
For fantasy managers with taxi squads or expanded benches, Smith could be a speculative add, especially in leagues that reward return yardage.
Baller Move: Monitor in 14+ team leagues
Woody Marks Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered in 13% of leagues
Rookie running back Woody Marks saw limited involvement in Houston’s Week 1 backfield rotation, logging just seven snaps compared to Nick Chubb (32), Dare Ogunbowale (17), and Dameon Pierce (7). Chubb dominated the workload with 13 carries, while Ogunbowale added two rushes and caught both of his targets.
Pierce and Marks each had three carries, though Marks managed only three yards on his attempts.
The result is a crowded and somewhat murky depth chart. Marks currently finds himself firmly behind Chubb and Ogunbowale, while effectively splitting the RB3 role with Pierce. That usage does little for his redraft value, especially given his lack of production in the opener. Still, the Texans did trade up to draft Marks in the fourth round, signaling long-term interest.
Complicating matters further is Joe Mixon’s injury timeline. Mixon is out through at least Week 4, giving Marks a short-term window to earn more work. However, once Mixon returns, Marks’ role will shrink even further, making him an afterthought in redraft formats unless Houston sustains multiple injuries in the backfield.
For dynasty managers, Marks remains a stash-worthy player thanks to his draft capital and potential down the line, but immediate returns will be minimal.
The upcoming Week 2 matchup against Tampa Bay won’t make things any easier. The Buccaneers just held Atlanta’s rushing attack to 69 yards on 28 carries, with Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier both bottled up at 24 yards apiece. With Baker Mayfield and the Bucs’ offense capable of putting points on the board quickly, Houston may be forced to lean on the passing game, reducing already limited rushing volume for Marks.
For now, Marks should be avoided in redraft leagues but remains a dynasty stash with upside if circumstances change later this season.
Baller Move: Monitor in 14+ team leagues
Who Should I Pickup Tool
Trying to decide who to pickup off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here:
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Who Should I Pickup? Some common 2025 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Kenneth Gainwell, Brashard Smith, and Woody Marks. But not to worry, we are here to help make these waiver wire decisions and build winning teams in 2025. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups in 2025. Our free Who Should I Pickup? tool will help make your fantasy football waiver wire decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to pickup... all free! Make the right decisions.
2025 Player Decisions. Today's focus in on specific players - Kenneth Gainwell, Brashard Smith, and Woody Marks. These are some common searches for 2025 fantasy football waiver wire pickups.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy football rankings, projections and more.
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