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Andy breaks down his must add fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 2 of the 2026 NFL season. Add these players now off the waiver wire and win more.
RotoBaller drops our top fantasy football Week 2 waiver wire pickups for the 2026 season for RB, WR, TE, and QB. This week, we will look at two wide receivers who could be moved up the depth chart due to recent injuries and an intriguing high-end streaming QB with a string of favorable matchups this month.
This week's must-add fantasy football free agents are hand-picked to ensure you make the right picks to prepare you for the fantasy football championship. These are waiver wire winners heading into Week 2 for running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and quarterbacks. Win more in 2026 with RotoBaller!
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2026 Fantasy Football: Week 2 Waiver Wire Adds
All Players are rostered in 60% or less in all Yahoo Leagues
Kaelon Black, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Let's begin this list with a player who made his NFL debut on Thursday night. In their dominant victory over the Los Angeles Rams, rookie running back Kaelon Black turned in an impressive NFL debut despite sharing the field with superstar Christian McCaffrey. Black took 14 carries and totaled 65 yards, while McCaffrey ran the ball just 10 times for 68 yards.
However, McCaffrey was far more involved in the passing game, drawing eight targets while Black saw only one. While managers should expect McCaffrey's usage to continue to increase as the season progresses, it was a very positive sign to see the rookie immediately carve out a role in this backfield.
Given McCaffrey's injury history, Black has now entered elite handcuff territory. Additionally, if he continues to see similar usage, Black could hold low-end FLEX upside in deeper half-PPR leagues.
#49ers RB Kaelon Black finished with 14 carries for 65 yards. Christian McCaffrey had 10 carries for 68 yards.
Including playoffs, this is the first time that a 49er had more rushing attempts than McCaffrey in a game that CMC played in (and didn't exit due to injury) since 2022…
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) September 11, 2026
Emari Demercado, RB, Dallas Cowboys
The other running back coming up is a more traditional handcuff. Before Week 1, Dallas' primary No. 2 option, Malik Davis, suffered a serious injury that resulted in him being carted off Friday's practice.
As a result, Demercado has emerged as the clear handcuff to the roster. On Sunday night, Demercado was deployed as the clear No. 2 option behind workhorse Javonte Williams. In their loss to the Giants, Demercado took two carries for seven yards while Williams logged 12 carries and brought in all five of his targets.
Like Black, Demercado's path to fantasy relevance is tied to the status of the team's starter. However, in the event he is moved up to the top of the depth chart, he could hold RB2 upside on a high-powered Dallas offense. Demercado should be viewed as a top handcuff entering Week 2 with less standalone value than Black.
Devaughn Vele, WR, New Orleans Saints
Before we look at the first WR on our list, let's spotlight Jalen Coker of the Carolina Panthers. Coker is slightly above the rostership mark of this piece but would be a top add across the board. After enjoying a breakout showing in their Wild Card loss last season, Coker followed that up with a 138-yard and two-score effort against the Bears.
If Coker is already rostered, I suggest pivoting towards Devaughn Vele. Vele may be viewed as a short-term option as Jordyn Tyson (hamstring) is on the shelf, but he flashed high-end upside in the season opener. In their tough overtime loss to the Lions, Vele caught seven of his nine targets for 69 yards and a touchdown.
While the top wideout Chris Olave missed a few snaps during the contest due to a nagging injury, Vele was heavily involved, operating as the clear WR2 in the offense. What makes Vele a worthy add, even if Tyson does return by early October, is the current play calling.
In their loss to the Lions, Tyler Shough threw the ball 56 times. While they had a positive game script, the New Orleans offense under Kellen Moore appears extremely pass-happy, which is a great sign for Vele's outlook.
Rashod Bateman, WR, Baltimore Ravens
The other two WRs could become fantasy relevant due to injuries. On Sunday, the Ravens saw both Zay Flowers (hamstring) and Ja'Kobi Lane (wrist) exit early. While Flowers could be cleared to play, Lane suffered a fractured wrist, which could keep him out for several weeks.
As a result, Bateman appears well-suited not only to operate as the clear WR2 but potentially the No. 1 if Flowers faces any type of setback. In Week 1, Bateman failed to bring in his lone target but logged 51 offensive snaps and should be far more productive if he moves up the depth chart.
With Lamar Jackson thriving in the Declan Doyle system in the opener, Batemen could enjoy several short-term spike weeks given the larger target share.
Tre' Harris, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Like the Ravens, the Los Angeles Chargers also potentially lost their top wideout for a period of time. Ladd McConkey enjoyed a hot start, catching five of his seven targets for 82 yards and a score. However, his production was cut short by a chest injury that ultimately ruled him out of the contest.
While Quentin Johnston now figures to be the WR1, Tre' Harris should play a much larger role if McConkey misses time. Harris took on a prominent role in their Week 1 loss, drawing six targets and bringing in three for 20 yards.
If McConkey were to miss time, Harris could have standalone FLEX upside in deeper leagues.
Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
The tight end of choice comes from the Steel City. While Pittsburgh struggled to find much rhythm against the Falcons, the one bright spot was tight end Pat Freiermuth. With Jonnu Smith now off the roster, Freiermuth stands as the lead pass-catching option in the room alongside the No. 2, Darnell Washington.
In Week 1, Freiermuth caught all five of his targets for 46 yards and a touchdown. Last season, he only saw more than five targets in one game, and this reception total (five) already matches a season-best. While his upside will be limited by Michael Pittman Jr. and DK Metcalf, Freiermuth could provide solid low-end streaming upside in deeper formats.
Prior to his quiet season in 2025, Freiermuth caught seven touchdowns with 653 yards back in 2024.
C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
Rounding this list out will be our QB of the week. C.J. Stroud turned in a very productive effort against the Buffalo Bills, throwing for 274 yards (26-for-38) with two passing scores. He would only surpass this total in two single games last season and only threw for two or more TD passes in five games.
While managers should not expect him to return to his rookie-year form, he could prove solid streaming production and be a high-end QB2 in most weeks. Managers needing some depth under center should prioritize him as he has several favorable matchups in the pipeline, facing the Bengals, Colts, and Cowboys over the next three weeks.
CJ Stroud to Nico Collins for the TD 🗣️
BUFvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/o89KSvE7BM— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026
Who Should I Pickup Tool
Trying to decide who to pick up 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...
Who Should I Pickup? Some common 2026 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Kaelon Black, Rashod Bateman, Devaughn Vele, Emari Demercado, Tre' Harris, Pat Freiermuth, C.J. Stroud. But not to worry, we are here to help make these waiver wire decisions and build winning teams in 2026. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups in 2026. 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 pick up... all free! Make the right decisions.
2026 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Kaelon Black, Rashod Bateman, Devaughn Vele, Emari Demercado, Tre' Harris, Pat Freiermuth, C.J. Stroud. These are some common searches for 2026 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's name. In the second box, search for the second player's 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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Popular Waiver Wire Searches. Curious to see some tough waiver wire decisions for 2026? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Pickup? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at. Click any of the links to see the results and recommendations.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for Kaelon Black, Rashod Bateman, Devaughn Vele, Emari Demercado, Tre' Harris, Pat Freiermuth, C.J. Stroud:
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