Ouch. That’s what we say following the first week of the NFL season every year. Injuries happen. Busts happen. Bad matchups happen. And our 2024 Week 2 fantasy football streamers become more important than ever. 

Yes, we need to find breakouts to win down the stretch. But first you need to make that tournament. And starting a streamer for your fantasy football team in Week 2 and beyond might be the only way to do it.

 

 

 

I mean, before the week even started Tee Higgins was ruled out. And Christian McCaffrey was a late scratch. Then we saw guys like Puka Nacua, Rome Odunze, Jake Ferguson, David Njoku, Kenneth Walker, Jordan Addison, etc. all leave with various ailments. 

We’ll be without some of them for Week 2, so you may already need some fantasy football streamers early in the 2024 season. 

Fantasy Football Streamers For 2024 NFL Week 2

This article works in conjunction with our Waiver Wire Adds and Stashes articles. 

The waiver wire article includes the best players to pick up in general - they have both short term and long-term upside. But they might not be available, or you might get outbid. In our waiver wire stashes article, we look at longer term options. But those aren’t guys you can necessarily start this week. The Week 2 fantasy football streamers article is this one - guys that you can reasonably acquire off the wire AND potentially start this week. 

We know that folks play in varying league depths so we’ll include any players that MIGHT be available (especially for really good matchups). And we’ll throw some honorable mentions in there for the really deep leagues. So, let’s dig into the Week 2 Fantasy Football Streamers!

 

 

 

Week 2 QB Streamers

Baker Mayfield, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Yahoo: 33%| ESPN: 30% | Sleeper: 13%

Baker Mayfield was one of our top streaming options last week and he came through in a big way as the QB2 for the week. We wrote about him already in our Waiver Wire article, but he once again has pretty good upside in this matchup with the Lions. 

Justin Fields, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers, Yahoo: 33%| ESPN: 30% | Sleeper: 13%

This obviously only applies if Fields starts. If he doesn't, maybe Russell Wilson is our streamer. But the story has not changed with Justin Fields. We really don’t care how much he throws. Only that he starts. And that he runs.

And he was willing to run in Week 1, that’s for sure. His 14 carries were third only behind Jayden Daniels and Lamar Jackson at 16 a piece. And his 57 rushing yards were third behind those two guys as well. It didn’t really translate to many fantasy points this time around because he didn’t score. But they did beat the Falcons. And this week they get the lowly Broncos. 

 

 

 

Week 2 RB Streamers

Jordan Mason, RB, San Francisco 49ers, Yahoo: 26%| ESPN: 17% | Sleeper: 38%

We have to mention Jordan Mason here. If Christian McCaffrey is ruled OUT for this week’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, Mason has to be ranked as an RB1 for fantasy football. It’s as simple as that. 

Rico Dowdle - Dallas Cowboys Yahoo: 53%| ESPN: 40% | Sleeper: 61%

He’s probably rostered in most of your leagues but he could certainly be out there in some shallow leagues. We try to cover all our bases which is why we have three different articles in the first place. And Dowdle fits the bill for us in streamer land as a guy that isn’t super exciting but isn’t likely to get you a zero if you plug him in there. 

The Cowboys essentially split the work right down the middle. 32 snaps for Ezekiel Elliott, 28 for Rico Dowdle. Zeke got 10 carries, Dowdle got 8. Zeke ran 12 routes, Dowdle ran 11. When it comes to throwing someone in your lineup in a pinch, half of a job is all you can really ask for. Anyone working more than that is likely already rostered. 

Zach Charbonnett - Seattle Seahawks, Yahoo: 47%| ESPN: 60% | Sleeper: 56%

Another higher owned player so we’ll be brief here. Kenneth Walker is clearly the preferred back in all phases. But Walker got nicked up in this game, as 1,000 Sleeper notifications made sure we were aware. If he's limited in any way, that could mean more work for Charbs. So you might be able to sneak him into a lineup where you have him. Keep an eye on the status for Walker.

Ty Chandler - Minnesota Vikings, Yahoo: 33%| ESPN: 53% | Sleeper: 44%

We mentioned Ty Chandler in our waiver wire article last week as a guy who could have a meaningful role. And he did, playing 20 snaps to 30 for Aaron Jones. Chandler got 3 targets to 2 for Jones and he also got 8 carries (Jones had 14). Aaron Jones has a pretty lengthy injury history so Chandler was already a decent stash but we don’t mind sneaking him into a lineup in a pinch. 

Miles Sanders - Carolina Panthers, Yahoo: 3%| ESPN: 14% | Sleeper: 4%

This is definitely a “hold your nose” situation here. But in deep leagues, desperate times call for desperate measures. With Nick Cubb and Jonathan Brooks out, we figured Jerome Ford and Chuba Hubbard would have fairly full workloads until they got back. Ford did but Chuba actually split the work with Miles Sanders to some degree. Chuba played 32 snaps to 22 for Sanders.

Sanders got the lone target a Panthers RB garnered, and he got 5 carries to 6 for Hubbard. Usually, we’d look at this and say he's not a great player on what is not a great team but there are some DEEP formats out there. We have three more weeks minimum with no Jonathan Brooks so Chuba and Miles will be steering this ship for the time being. 

 

 

 

Week 2 WR Streamers

Brandin Cooks - Dallas Cowboys, Yahoo: 32%| ESPN: 30% | Sleeper: 40%

As we mentioned in the general waiver wire article, Brandin Cooks is a solid add in all formats. But he’s an especially good streamer if you need someone to start for you right away because Jake Ferguson also suffered a sprained MCL in the game this weekend and is expected to miss some time. 

Cooks looked good even with Ferguson out there but, without him out there, the upside is even higher. The Cowboys get the Saints this weekend so CeeDee Lamb should have his hands full with Marshawn Lattimore. We view Cooks as more than a streamer, but he needs to be mentioned here.

  • Waiver Priority: Free or low priority
  • FAAB: 10-15%*

*We had his FAAB set at 5-10% in our Waiver Wire article but, if you are streaming this week and he would go directly into your lineup, we recommend juicing that number up a bit. 

Demarcus Robinson - Los Angeles Rams, Yahoo: 15%| ESPN: 41% | Sleeper: 12%

Most of the early speculation regarding the Puka Nacua knee situation is that it doesn’t seem like something season-ending. But he is likely to either miss some time or be temporarily hampered by it. Ian Rapoport reported that it’s a sprain with Sean McVay mentioning he’s an IR candidate but there will be no surgery - just rest and rehab. That tells me he’ll be back but not this week at the very least.

That opens the door for another wide receiver to see some looks opposite Cooper Kupp and the obvious top candidate for that is Demarcus Robinson, who played 72 of 78 snaps this week. They like Robinson which is why they paid to retain him this offseason and, though not super flashy, he might be able to give you some decent production until Puka Nacua returns. A textbook fantasy football streamer, especially for deeper leagues. 

  • Waiver Priority: Free or low priority
  • FAAB: 0-5%

Andrei Iosivas - Cincinnati Bengals, Yahoo: 13%| ESPN: 7% | Sleeper: 22%

Did it look incredible this week? No. But very few teams did. What we did learn is that, when Tee Higgins is out at least, Andrei Iosivashas a serious role. In fact, he not only led the team in snaps and routes run but he played all 51 snaps and ran all 35 routes. It was 100% across the board.

Ja'Marr Chase should be over the contract flu for next week so he’s penciled in. But it really did not seem like Tee Higgins had any shot of playing after injuring his hamstring. If Higgins can’t go again this week, Iosavis is a viable streaming candidate against Kansas City. They gave up the fifth most passing yards this week at 267 and the Bengals will likely have to throw often here.

 

 

 

Week 2 TE Streamers

Zach Ertz - Washington Commanders, Yahoo: 5%| ESPN: 1.5% | Sleeper: 11%

We had Zach Ertz in this exact spot in this article last week. And guess what? He turned out to be an alright streamer. The rookie Ben Sinnott is clearly going to have to wait his turn behind the veteran, just like Trey McBride did last year. So Ertz could help keep us afloat in PPR leagues in the meantime.

Ertz ran 80% of the routes and he ran 72% of his routes from a WR spot. His 4 targets actually gave him a 16.7% target share which is actually pretty reasonable. They really do not have a clear WR2 after Terry McLaurin so, as long as he stays healthy, you could do worse than Ertz. Just make sure you go Yin & Yang TE here with someone reliable on the bench. 

Colby Parkinson - Los Angeles Chargers, Yahoo: 6%| ESPN: 3% | Sleeper: 10%

The situation for Colby Parkinson isn’t drastically different from someone like Dallas Goedert at face value. The team has two stud WRs which gives him a shot to be the third target on the team. In Colby’s case now, Puka Nacua is set to miss a couple weeks so Parkinson moves up that pecking order a little bit.

We expect both Puka Nacua and veteran Tyler Higbee to return at some point. So you really don’t want to be banking on Parkinson as your tight end the rest of the way. But, for the short term, he can certainly help plug that hole in your lineup while you look for a potential breakout. 

 

 

 

Week 2 K Streamers

Jake Bates - Detroit Lions, Yahoo: 11%| ESPN: 40% | Sleeper: 13%

If it ain't broke, don’t fix it. Jake Bates was our top kicker streamer last week given his job with a top tier offense. It was a bonus that they have a good matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. Well, they have a good matchup again this week with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Joshua Karty - Los Angeles Rams, Yahoo: 1%| ESPN: 2% | Sleeper: 3%

I’m not sure why Joshua Karty was so low rostered in the first place given that we like the Rams offense. And he was perfect in his debut so maybe he’ll be added. This week he goes down to kick in a dome against the Arizona Cardinals who bled points this week. Karty is a viable stream once again and might just become your ROS starting kicker.

Week 2 DST Streamers

Los Angeles Chargers DST, Yahoo: 12%| ESPN: 11% | Sleeper: 8%

The Panthers were easily the worst team in the league last year. And they really did not look much better in Week 1 of this season. The first pass Bryce Young threw was an interception. Until proven otherwise, we will start defenses against the Panthers whenever possible. This week is no exception. 

Denver Broncos DST, Yahoo: 12%| ESPN: 2% | Sleeper: 2%

Here’s one that should likely be available now matter how deep your league is or not. Justin Fields started, and it was business as usual - the offense did not score a touchdown. Chris Boswell kicked six field goals. Arthur Smith plus Justin Fields is nasty work.

And I’m not sure that necessarily changes if Russell Wilson is the starter. Coming off a calf issue he should be limited in mobility at the very least. This Steelers offense might just be bad though Mike Tomlin can win a team to victory regardless. 

 

 

 

Make Use Of These Week 2 Fantasy Football Streamers & Good Luck!

In a perfect scenario, your starting team is packed with all-star talent. Your bench would ideally feature a solid mix of high-potential players from our Waiver Wire Article or some deeper stash options. But let’s be real, fantasy football isn’t always perfect. 

Sometimes, you just have to grit your teeth and play the guy who gives you the most reliable performance, even if he’s not the most exciting choice. That’s where these fantasy football streamers come into play. Sure, the breakout players later in the season might be the ones that clinch the championship, but you’ve got to make it to the playoffs first to have a shot at winning it all.