FAAB Waiver Wire Bidding - Fantasy Football Pickups to Target for Week 2 (2026)

September 15, 2026

Nick Mariano's fantasy football waiver wire FAAB bidding guide for Week 2 (2026) -- how many FAAB dollars (free agent acquisition budget) to spend on waivers.

One high-scoring week of football is in the books, and now it is time for us all to take a deep breath and react completely rationally moving forward, right? Amidst all of the scoring, there were still plenty of duds, disappointments, and injuries to mull over. Let's take a calculated first step toward the title with our famous waiver wire pickups list and our fantasy football waiver wire columns by position -- specially tailored for leagues using FAAB.

Remember that these FAAB prices do not indicate how much these free-agent players will go for, as many early mavericks are happy to go berserk, but are ranges to use for setting your bearings. Those in longstanding leagues know how aggressively other managers will act in the first week, and only you know how proactive you need to be with your roster. We've presented multiple bidding ranges, just in case.

Try to leverage historical data and personal knowledge whenever possible, while respecting your team's construction. We will cap the rostered rate at 40% on Yahoo!, but you will obviously adjust if someone is dropped or remains on the wire above that threshold (and we accept feedback if you want higher ranges...I'd go 30% for Jalen Coker!). Please remember that while initial waiver churn is critical, it is also a long season, and most will try to save for the first big running back splash, rather than pony up at other positions.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Quarterbacks

Tyler Shough (QB, NO) - 40% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2-4%

It took a 2025 Jacoby Brissett-esque 56 pass attempts across a wild second half/overtime to get there, but Shough came through with 410 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in a wild 30-31 OT loss to Detroit.

Despite a horrid first 40 minutes, Shough found Chris Olave deep, Devaughn Vele in the shallow/intermediate space, and Juwan Johnson got his birthday score. Week 2 at Baltimore is not a good spot, but you probably have to snag-and-stash here ahead of the Raiders in Week 3. Starting then, six of NO’s next seven games will come at home.

Bryce Young (QB, CAR) - 14% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2-4%

Young picked up where he left off after a near-defeat of the Rams in the 2025 Wild Card round. Except he took things a few steps further, notching 361 yards and three touchdowns on 23-of-37 passing (one INT), with a fourth TD coming on the ground.

He showed the same chemistry with Jalen Coker that had led to four TDs in their final six games of ‘25. That makes two great weapons out there for Young, with a pair of exciting RBs and a red-zone threat in Darren Waller. Young also showed strong elusiveness in the pocket, and juked Jaylon Johnson out of his cleats on the rush TD.

Bryce Young's 3rd TD of the first half!

CHIvsCAR on FOX/FOX One pic.twitter.com/1knox4gJf2

— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026

Now, we’ve seen spike games from Young before, and they’ve always been followed by disappointment. Can he stay hot in Atlanta’s dome, where he’s thrown for a trio of TDs in each of his last two games there? Are we off to the races?

Malik Willis (QB, MIA) - 40% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2-3%

Willis delivered rushing results as advertised, going 6-39-1 with his legs, but a tilted scoreboard meant the Raiders’ pass rush could really squeeze him in the second half. Still, 220 yards on 15 completions is nothing to be ashamed of. It won’t be easy in Week 2 at San Francisco, but any QB with his rushing upside demands a mention.

Michael Penix Jr. (QB, ATL) - 3% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2%

With hopes of a Week 2 or 3 return in our sails, deep-leaguers will want to get ahead of the curve and see if Penix’s rocket arm can blast off immediately. Drake London and Kyle Pitts Sr. sorely miss him, and his game was never about hypermobility, so that ACL just needs to be able to extend plays and step into throws.

*Desperate Kyler Murray teams probably have to throw a small amount at Carson Wentz to be safe, though it won't be worth it for most of you. We can add a Superflex bid line here for the QB section if that would be helpful.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Running Backs

Kaelon Black (RB, SF) - 27% rostered 

FAAB Bid:6-10%
Aggressive Bid: 10-14%
Desperation Bid: 14-20%

Are the 49ers finally making good on the “easing Christian McCaffrey’s volume” talk? Black was involved from the jump, seeing five snaps on the opening drive, with a rush and a reception as San Fran approached the red zone. He got another carry on second down to start the second drive before CMC entered for a third-down target.

All in all, Black totaled 65 yards on 14 carries, as well as that five-yard reception from early on. CMC had 10 totes for 68 yards and a 5-20-0 receiving line on eight targets. Jordan James was a healthy scratch, with SF likely emboldened by Deebo Samuel Sr.’s versatility.

Now, the game was already going to be difficult to weigh with the travel circumstances in Australia. CMC was also held out during the preseason with “tightness” that he says was planned management, and then we found out he was also dealing with cramps during the game. But Black’s volume and team environment demand proactive action from us.

#49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said the knee injury for TE Jake Tonges "wasn't good."

He said it's an MCL but "there's some issues with it that we got to see it is."

Also, LT Trent Williams and RB Christian McCaffrey dealt with some cramps during game but made it through fine.

— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) September 11, 2026

Emmett Johnson (RB, KC) - 20% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 3-6%
Aggressive Bid: 6-9%
Desperation Bid: 9-12%

Johnson only had 24 yards on eight carries, but added a nice pair of longer catches (19, 25) that helped showcase the talent. He's a top handcuff, with room for more if this rush volume holds. Given Kenneth Walker III's injury history, or at least the heavy perception of his durability concerns being loud from a handful in any group of 10-14 fantasy managers, Johnson will demand a few bucks.

Kendre Miller (RB, NO) - 1% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 2-3%
Aggressive Bid: 3-5%
Desperation Bid: 5-8%

Travis Etienne Jr. managers were pulling their hair out as Miller wound up with a rushing TD alongside 30 yards on nine carries. Alvin Kamara (knee) was inactive and will further dilute things, though he’s more likely to subtract from Etienne’s passing opportunities than Miller’s carries.

We can monitor the split in Week 2 at Baltimore and see if the team is truly committed to 8-10 touches for Miller ahead of a better Week 3 home matchup against the Raiders. The Saints may be one of this season’s “bad-yet-fun” teams, making Miller a plus handcuff with light flex appeal in non-PPR formats.

Devin Singletary (RB, NYG) - 1% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 1-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-3%
Desperation Bid: 3-4%

Singletary wound up with 38 yards and a score on 10 total touches (four catches) as the clear spellback to Cam Skattebo. Tyrone Tracy Jr. gained 14 yards on two carries, but a lost fumble piled onto the poor preseason output and ended his night, while Najee Harris was inactive. This bodes well for a clear No. 2 role on Big Blue.

The 29-year-old would’ve been an afterthought, left only for the snap count watchers, but then got spammed as a checkdown in the flat as Dallas doubled Malik Nabers. NYG did that thing your little cousin annoys you with in Madden, repeating the same play en route to a TD. We can’t count on that again, but it’s good to see them comfortable with utilizing Singletary so heavily.

Dollar Bin:

*Emari Demercado is a strong handcuff add in Dallas, but NYG limited their drives and volume well.
*Seth McGowan got another endorsement as a clear handcuff with DJ Giddens scratched.
*George Holani underwhelmed in W1, but 8-12 W2 opportunities at ARI may yield a TD.
*Raheim Sanders stepped in with three catches for 25 yards after Dylan Sampson’s knee injury.
*Sione Vaki saw three touches to Jacob Saylors’ zero behind Jahmyr Gibbs.
*Chris Brooks outsnapped MarShawn Lloyd 38-30, averaging just over four yards a pop (7-29) while Lloyd couldn’t crack 3 YPC (13-37). GB’s line looked a fright, though.
*Kaytron Allen took over on the final drive (4-16-0) after Jacory Croskey-Merritt fumbled.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Wide Receivers

Caleb Douglas (WR, MIA) - 12% rostered
Malik Washington (WR, MIA) - 14% rostered
Chris Bell (WR, MIA) - 8% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 7-10% / 3-5% / 1-3%
Aggressive Bid: 10-15% / 5-8% / 3-4%
Desperation Bid: 15-20% / 8-12% / 4-6%

Douglas opens the season as Miami’s best wideout, capturing 94 yards on five catches (seven targets), including three first downs. Even on a lesser passing offense, it’s encouraging to see this carry over from a buzzy preseason. Washington ran the most routes to eight targets, but only caught three for 53 yards with a fumble lost.

Bell only saw two targets on 19 routes as he’s still being eased in, but catching one for 25 yards was a nice flash. These yards-per-catch figures have not been seen in Miami for a while, with all three of these WRs clearing a 16.0 average depth of target figure. Let’s hope that Willis continues to maximize the shots he takes all year and pushes the ball downfield.

No one dominated the slot role, with Fantasy Points Data giving Washington the highest mark (44%), as well as five from the backfield. We’ll see if the roles take more of a rigid shape in Week 2 at San Francisco. No matter what, Douglas' downfield utilization chart gives me butterflies.

Devaughn Vele (WR, NO) - 7% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 7-10%
Aggressive Bid: 10-15%
Desperation Bid: 15-20%

Vele served as a reliable intermediate option for the Saints, catching seven balls for 69 yards and a TD, while Olave went off for 182 yards on deeper throws. Vele ran just over half of his routes from the slot and got going once Tyler Shough got his feet under him in the second half. At the very least, Vele's appeal lasts as long as Jordyn Tyson is out, making him a nice September add for those needing immediate help.

Dontayvion Wicks (WR, PHI) - 16% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 6-8%
Aggressive Bid: 8-12%
Desperation Bid: 12-16%

With Makai Lemon rarely working downfield (-0.3 aDOT, woof), Wicks (21.5 aDOT) was able to splash for 73 yards and a score on his two catches. He ran two fewer routes than DeVonta Smith and saw a slightly higher air yard share, which puts him on our maps.

Until Lemon grows into a bigger threat, Wicks is a heavily involved WR with several potential shootouts on the horizon (Wks 3-5: CHI, LAR, JAX).

Mack Hollins (WR, NE) - 0% rostered
Kyle Williams (WR, NE) - 0% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 3-4% / 1%
Aggressive Bid: 4-6% / 2%
Desperation Bid: 6-8% / 3%

Once A.J. Brown exited with his high-ankle sprain, Hollins went from being a simple run-blocking signal to a reliable X receiver, catching four passes for 51 yards. Drake Maye clearly favored him when it mattered, though Romeo Doubs will have brighter days. And perhaps they’ll get creative with Williams’ speed and AJB’s ability off the field.

Denzel Boston (WR, CLE) - 28% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 2-4%
Aggressive Bid: 4-5%
Desperation Bid: 5-8%

Boston led the Browns with 27 routes run, resulting in two catches for 59 yards, including a garbage-time 46-yard TD. His 115 air yards more than doubled the next man on Cleveland (Jerry Jeudy had 44), so if you’re going to pan for gold in this muddy river, you might as well nab the big-play threat. Fully understand that the floor is lava, of course.

Antonio Williams (WR, WAS) - 2% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 2-3%
Aggressive Bid: 3-5%
Desperation Bid: 5-8%

Williams’ 4-64-1 line pops off the page, especially to eyes that already glow extra through the shiny-new-toy lens for rookies. Just beware that he only ran 11 routes (26 snaps), had fewer air yards than the bageled Dyami Brown, and may hinge on Chig Okonkwo’s hamstring status. But he was the primary read with the game on the line, and he delivered!

Jayden Daniels to the rookie, Antonio Williams, for a TD ‼️

WASvsPHI on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/rznfyftIjU

— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026

I’m game to posit he’s leapfrogged Brown, so does the WAS No. 3 WR sing to you as the team goes to Dallas for Week 2? His target share on my projection sheet will take a hit if Okonkwo’s nearly 90% route share is back on the field. He’s definitely a must-note if Terry McLaurin or Stefon Diggs got hurt.

Demarcus Robinson (WR, SF) - 0% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 1-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-4%
Desperation Bid: 4-6%

Robinson brought in a 39-yard TD strike to fuel a 2-50-1 line on three targets in Week 1. The veteran stepped into nearly an every-play role once De'Zhaun Stribling was forced out of the opener with his ankle injury, which we now know will cause him to miss a month.

With George Kittle still ramping up, Robinson could join the bigger names in the end zone against Miami and Arizona over the next couple of weeks. This is a fine offense to throw some darts at for potential routes.

Tre' Harris (WR, LAC) - 4% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 1-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-4%
Desperation Bid: 4-6%

Harris only caught 3-of-6 targets for 20 yards in a poor day for LAC. His breaking in instead of out on a pivotal late play is garnering much of Monday’s social media attention, but the man would be a key starter if Ladd McConkey’s “day-to-day” rib injury keeps him out against the Raiders. The Chargers offense would have to prove to us that the engine can hum without McConkey, hence the lower bid range.

Kendrick Bourne (WR, ARI) - 0% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 1-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-4%
Desperation Bid: 4-6%

Bourne caught each of his eight targets for 75 yards in the Week 1 victory, even while Trey McBride did his usual star thing (9-95-1). The effort is overshadowed by, or simply playing a foil to, the Marvin Harrison Jr. bust memes, as MHJ mustered just one 33-yard catch.

While it is unlikely that Bourne gets a fantasy-viable amount of looks in the long run, I know many of you hear the devil on your shoulder. “What if Marv is simply not a fit on this team, or with this quarterback?” Sure, maybe. Arizona is no stranger to copious passing volume. “Unlikely” doesn’t equate to “ignore it entirely.” But Weeks 2 and 3 against SEA and SF could get ugly.

Jacoby Brissett on Kendrick Bourne’s 8 catch, 75 yard day:

“I’m pretty sure none of y’all had him on your fantasy team.”

— Theo Mackie (@theo_mackie) September 14, 2026

Kalif Raymond (WR, CHI) - 1% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 1-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-4%
Desperation Bid: 4-6%

Continuing this mini-trend of rising WR3 surprises, Raymond led the Bears with nine targets, eight catches, and 84 receiving yards. It was a light passing day relative to the immense 59-point onslaught, with Raymond’s target tally eclipsing the eight combined from Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet, and Colston Loveland.

Of course, Odunze (calf) was questionable to play, but that was largely shared with Jahdae Walker. Raymond ran 95% of his routes in three-wide sets, which clearly gave Carolina fits. The Vikings and Eagles will put up more of a fight in the coming weeks. At the end of the day, Ben Johnson’s unrelenting aggressiveness does put any target-earner on the radar.

Rashod Bateman (WR, BAL) - 3% rostered
Elijah Sarratt (WR, BAL) - 0% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 1-2% / 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2-4% / 2%
Desperation Bid: 4-6% / 3%

While many of my fantasy teams rejoiced thanks to Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and Zay Flowers, the empty calories that Bateman served up were surprising. Declan Doyle was supposed to be getting creative with scheming him around, but it seems being a secondary player here is still a massive disadvantage.

However, Flowers’ hamstring injury and Ja'Kobi Lane’s fractured wrist open the door for hope. Even if Flowers’ day-to-day status clears up for Week 2, Bateman should see more than one target if the Saints show the same fight they gave Detroit late. The floor is low, but no Flowers would make Bateman a begrudging WR3/flex play.

Sarratt was a healthy scratch in Week 1, but he’s got the talent we’d want to speculate on versus Devontez Walker (who was dealing with a groin injury). Of course, Baltimore could spite us all by giving Mark Andrews and Matthew Hibner 16 targets if needed instead. Stay on your toes.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Tight Ends

Michael Mayer (TE, LV) - 26% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 3-4%
Aggressive Bid: 4-5%
Desperation Bid: 5-8%

This is complicated by the fact that Brock Bowers could return as soon as this week, or miss a few more games. Being active doesn’t mean he falls right back into the lion’s share of reps either. Furthermore, the Raiders’ poor wide receiver room still leaves the door open for two-TE sets with Bowers and their newly minted Mayer.

As for Mayer’s Week 1 performance, he paced the team with seven targets on 25 routes run, per PFF. While he caught six of those looks, it only amounted to 32 yards, and Vegas did not have to push the action down the stretch. We’d imagine they usually will have to. Seven targets put him near the top 10 of the TE leaderboard ahead of Week 2 at LAC.

Kenyon Sadiq (TE, NYJ) - 14% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2%
Desperation Bid: 3-5%

Sadiq has a ways to go before we get the play volume necessary to lean on him as a Jets skill player, as many still barely trust Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson! But for a guy who missed significant training camp and preseason action after hernia surgery in May, he showed burst, and we saw intentional scheming for his talent.

Rookie TE Kenyon Sadiq reached a top speed of 20.09 mph on his 3-yard TD run, the fastest play by a Jets tight end as a ball carrier in the NGS era (since 2016).#NYJvsTEN | #JetUp pic.twitter.com/sx5voebKac

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 13, 2026

You won’t snag him for a reliable Week 2 deployment, but let’s see if the first-round pick can separate from Mason Taylor and give the Jets a versatile skill set to get creative with. It is understandable if you don’t want to wait for a few weeks to sit on a secondary Jets player, of course.

Pat Freiermuth (TE, PIT) - 6% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2%
Desperation Bid: 3-5%

Aaron Rodgers connected with Freiermuth on all five targets for 46 yards and a touchdown, outdoing Darnell Washington (2-18-0) and tying Pat’s season-high catch mark from last year. This is not a particularly exciting offense, yet those needing a steady shot at 4-6 weekly looks can find comfort here. They’ll need him against the Patriots and Bengals in the coming weeks.

T.J. Hockenson (TE, MIN) - 22% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2%
Desperation Bid: 3-5%

Amassing 36 yards and a touchdown on four catches (five targets) won’t set the world on fire, especially given the 39-point backdrop, but Minny barely threw beyond Justin Jefferson. Kyler Murray’s exit (concussion) condensed things to ground-and-pound, Jefferson, Hock, and fellow TE Josh Oliver.

Oliver played on all 15 of the team’s 21 formation snaps, per PFF’s Nathan Jahnke, which led to fewer routes from Hockenson. While it is overall encouraging to see him remain involved on a lighter passing day (and in the red zone!), he’s still unlikely to be a top-12 option. The next month’s matchups (CHI, TB, MIA, NO) are fireworks-friendly, however.

Mike Gesicki (TE, CIN) - 1% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2%
Desperation Bid: 3-4%

The tight end shined with five catches for 78 yards and Joe Burrow’s only passing TD in Week 1, handily outworking the other TEs. It’s unlikely you’ll ever see Gesicki post more yards than a healthy Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combined again, but we can celebrate the moment.

Tampa Bay took away the perimeter, so it’s nice to see both Burrow and the game plan allow for Gesicki to capitalize with a 76.5% slot route rate. Fantasy Points Data Suite charted Gesicki with six first-read targets as well, so there was indeed intent versus “Oh, Chase/Higgins are covered…fine, where’s Mike?”

Alas, back-to-back road games against HOU and PIT approach, so this will be a muted FAAB endorsement. Mixing that schedule with the knowledge that Cincy’s key weapons will get theirs leaves Gesicki in the dollar bin.

David Njoku (TE, LAC) - 3% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2%
Desperation Bid: 3%

With the caveat that this offense got turned on its head after McConkey’s chest injury, it was notable that Njoku was the preferred passing TE. Charlie Kolar’s offseason hype and big contract may yield passing work eventually, but he saw zero targets on 12 routes run across 30 snaps. Compare that to Njoku’s five looks on 18 routes over his 30 snaps.

Njoku hauled in each of those targets for 58 yards as the Chargers unsuccessfully tried to overcome the Cardinals. That felt weird to type. Anyway, Njoku led the position and should see more action if McConkey misses time. Oronde Gadsden caught two balls for 32 yards on a handful of routes, so he may also step up as a de facto WR3 if needed.

Again, the floor is likely not high enough to warrant sizeable bids, but it is an intriguing opening signal.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Defense/Special Teams

*If available, Baltimore (70% rostered, vs. NO) is worth a couple of bucks.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defense (vs. CLE) - 3% rostered

FAAB Bid: 2-3%
Aggressive Bid: 4%
Desperation Bid: 5%

An angry Bucs unit should demolish Deshaun Watson’s offense. There’s no 1:1 carryover, but Tampa did a good job at containing Cincinnati’s superstar WR duo, only to be gashed on the ground and beaten by Gesicki.

They should be able to take away Quinshon Judkins and force an avalanche of mistakes, like the five sacks and pair of turnovers CLE had against the Jags. We'll hope to see better reps out of Rueben Bain Jr. in this one.

San Francisco 49ers Defense (vs. MIA) - 9% rostered

FAAB Bid: 2%
Aggressive Bid: 3-4%
Desperation Bid: 5%

The Niners played inspired football in Australia against a stellar (on paper) Rams roster, forcing two takeaways and holding a premier offense to one touchdown. Now they’ll enjoy a three-game homestand against the Dolphins, Cardinals, and Broncos. Those first two games work for us, especially after Miami allowed five sacks with two TOs against LV.

Cincinnati Bengals Defense (at HOU) - 3% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2%
Desperation Bid: 3%

We’re not ready to say Cincy’s defense is back, but a quartet of sacks and fumble recoveries (with a TD) go a long way. They punished any mistake that Tampa Bay made in Week 1 en route to a 33-27 win, and will hope to put C.J. Stroud into the same corner.

Green Bay Packers Defense (at NYJ) - 15% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2%
Desperation Bid: 3%

The Packers imploded with a team-wide late meltdown against Minnesota in Week 1, but still mustered three sacks and an interception next to the 39 points. This is strictly about the Jets, who looked fine enough in their season opener, but the Titans are not a fair measuring stick. GB also hosts the Falcons in Week 3.

More Waiver Wire Analysis