Need a last-minute pickup to round out your Week 2 roster? We're going to identify fantasy football pickups specifically for those of you seeking streaming options in deeper leagues. These are players that were available in a majority of ESPN Fantasy leagues (ahead of the standard waiver window on Tuesday night) and who could still be as of Friday morning, and who have enticing Week 2 matchups that make them worthy of consideration for your lineups.
While you might notice some overlap with Eric Moody's pickup column that publishes on Mondays, an important distinction is that the options mentioned in this column are focused solely on this week's matchup and not the players' values for the remainder of the season.
Heading into Week 2, we have some quality players to work with here. We'll start with two veteran quarterbacks who can be streamed as starters this week. This duo offer more upside than Cooper Rush for managers looking to replace injured Dallas Cowboys signal-caller Dak Prescott, who will miss six to eight weeks with a fractured thumb. Roster percentages are updated as of Friday morning.
Quarterbacks
Carson Wentz, Washington Commanders (at Lions; 48.7% rostered)
You will get some roller-coaster moments in any game involving Wentz, who threw two interceptions in Week 1, as his physical tools can play to his detriment at times. However, Wentz also dropped four touchdown passes on the Jags' defense on Sunday, finishing with 313 yards passing and 27.72 fantasy points. Getting a healthy Curtis Samuel back in the mix for Washington is a boost, and I believe we will see more targets for rookie Jahan Dotson. Plus, we have to look at the Commanders' scheme and how it caters to Wentz's traits as a passer: defined play-action concepts, along with third-level, vertical throws. With a Week 2 matchup versus the Lions, I'll be first in line to stream Wentz as my starter in my home league, as I look to replace Prescott.