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Dan's top quarterback Week 2 fantasy pickups (2026). The best QB fantasy waiver wire pickups to add and Week 2 QB streamers for 1QB, 2QB and superflex leagues.
The 2026 NFL season is finally here, and we saw some memorable performances in Week 1. Whether it was Caleb Williams showing that he may have taken another step as a player in 2026, finishing as the QB1 through Sunday’s games (37.2 points), or Lamar Jackson looking like he was in vintage form with a new offensive coordinator against the Colts (24.9 points), there was plenty to celebrate.
Whether your fantasy team won or lost, now is a great time to take a step back and identify potential upgrades. The start of the season has plenty of players who can alter your team’s season on the waiver wire. That’s especially true at quarterback.
In this article, I will focus on players under 65% rostered in fantasy leagues while adding a couple of deep sleepers for two-quarterback leagues (less than 25% rostered). Let’s look at who you should consider picking up for Week 2 below. All roster percentages will be from Yahoo fantasy leagues.
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Single-QB Waiver Wire Pickups and Stashes
Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Yahoo: 40% rostered
Tyler Shough struggled throughout the first half of the New Orleans Saints’ Week 1 matchup against the Detroit Lions. Thankfully, he found his footing to salvage his day in both real life and fantasy, losing a hard-fought matchup by throwing an incompletion on the team’s two-point conversion attempt in overtime.
Shough set career highs in attempts (56), completions (32), passing yards (410), and passing touchdowns (three). However, he left opportunities on the table as well, throwing two interceptions and fumbling twice, with one lost. Despite that, Shough still finished with 23.2 fantasy points and his first top-10 finish of the season (Monday night pending), despite having just four carries for eight yards.
WHAT A CATCH ⚜️
Tyler Shough finds Devaughn Vele for the TD!
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/YY25lXqlaf
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 13, 2026
The Saints will have a difficult matchup against the Ravens in Week 2. But we know that head coach Kellen Moore isn’t afraid to run a lot of plays and trust his quarterback to throw the football regardless of his performance. He will likely be one of the highest-volume passers in the NFL in 2026 and has rushing upside to boot.
That’s a tough combination to leave on the waiver wire regardless of matchup.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Yahoo: 58% rostered
Baker Mayfield’s first game after receiving a contract extension could have gone better. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ quarterback completed 23 of 28 attempts for 216 yards, but threw for zero touchdowns. He added five carries for 30 yards and a touchdown with three lost fumbles.
The result was a subpar 11.64 fantasy points in a game where the Buccaneers’ offense scored 27 points. His opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals, upgraded their defense majorly this offseason, but it was still a disappointing showing.
Mayfield will have an ideal opportunity to get back on track in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns. The Browns’ defense was punchless in their first game without Myles Garrett, allowing the Jaguars to score 34 points while giving up 26.1 fantasy points to Trevor Lawrence.
Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins
Yahoo: 40% rostered
Malik Willis’ first game as the Miami Dolphins’ starting quarterback was a mixed bag. Willis completed 15 of 27 passes for 220 yards and an interception. However, he salvaged his day in fantasy with four carries for 39 yards and a touchdown. When all was said and done, he finished with a respectable, but not game-breaking, 16.7 fantasy points.
It’s discouraging that Willis didn’t have a bigger day against the Raiders’ defense, but the fact that he still finished as a top-15 quarterback is a testament to the value his rushing provides fantasy managers.
The passing attack will be frustrating in 2026, but there is potential for growth as the season goes on. Willis showed a strong connection with rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas (seven targets, five receptions, and 94 yards) and has plenty of other explosive weapons capable of taking any touch to the end zone.
The Dolphins will have a very difficult quarterback matchup against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2, but Willis’s ability to produce as a rusher elevates his floor significantly regardless of opponent.
Two-QB Waiver Wire Pickups and Stashes
Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Yahoo: 13% rostered
2026 is a big season for both Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers’ offense. They passed their first test against a hapless Chicago Bears’ defense.
Young finished as the QB3 in fantasy scoring pending Monday night, completing 23 of 37 passes for 361 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. He also added two carries for 10 yards and a touchdown. That helped him produce 31.44 fantasy points, making him one of three quarterbacks (Williams and Josh Allen) who broke the 30-point mark in Week 1.
Bryce Young goes long to Jalen Coker!
CHIvsCAR on FOX/FOX One pic.twitter.com/y4dv1AgdzS
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026
The Bears may have one of the worst defenses in the NFL and were without two safeties and their slot cornerback, but Young still had a strong game throwing the ball and showed growth in his fourth season.
Carolina has matchups against the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, and Detroit Lions over the next three weeks before having a bye in Week 2, giving Young multi-week appeal on waiver wires.
Geno Smith, New York Giants
Yahoo: 7% rostered
Geno Smith didn’t make much of an impact in both real life and fantasy in his first game with the New York Jets. However, he also wasn’t called to do much in a 23-10 win over a Tennessee Titans team that never threatened them much throughout the day.
Smith completed just 19 of 24 passes for 215 yards while adding six carries for seven yards in the decisive win. More importantly, he didn’t have any turnovers and avoided being sacked. That’s important considering how disastrous his lone season with the Las Vegas Raiders was in 2025.
The Jets face off against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2, a matchup against another questionable defense that allowed Carson Wentz to replace an injured Kyler Murray and complete 12 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns. More importantly, the Packers have an offense that can generate explosives at will, giving this game shootout potential if Smith is up to the occasion.
Even if you aren’t sure about a matchup against the Packers, the Jets have matchups against the Detroit Lions in Week 3, the Chicago Bears in Week 4, the Cleveland Browns in Week 5, the Miami Dolphins in Week 7, and the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8. Geno has streaming appeal in any of those weeks, especially once bye weeks start.
Drew Lock, Seattle Seahawks
Yahoo: <1% rostered
Sam Darnold was knocked out of the Seattle Seahawks Week 1 matchup against the New England Patriots early, which gave veteran Drew Lock an opportunity to see extended playing time. Lock had some questionable plays, but was better than expected, completing 16 of 22 passes for 187 yards and a touchdown.
Lock isn’t going to break fantasy football, but Seattle features plenty of playmakers able to take safe throws and turn them into explosive plays.
Darnold may only miss one week with a hip injury, so Lock doesn’t hold much long-term appeal. But he will get a matchup against an Arizona Cardinals defense that played well against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1.
Carson Wentz, Minnesota Vikings
Yahoo: <1% rostered
Murray suffered a concussion in the first quarter of the Minnesota Vikings’ Week 1 game against the Green Bay Packers, which forced Wentz onto the field. Wentz ultimately led the Vikings to a 39-22 comeback win, completing 12 of 19 passes for 133 yards and a QB1 finish (Monday night pending).
There is a chance that Murray will clear concussion protocol before next week, making Wentz a low-priority pickup. However, he’s worth stashing in case he draws the start against a Chicago Bears’ defense that just gave up 37 points and 361 passing yards to Young.
Who Should I Pickup Tool
Trying to decide who to pickup off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here:
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to pickup...
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Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for Tyler Shough, Baker Mayfield, Malik Willis, C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, Carson Wentz, Cam Ward:
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