15 Fantasy Football Free Agents You Need to Monitor After Week 2

We are now two weeks into the season. As fantasy managers, we now have a good baseline of roles that have changed from what we might have expected. However, it’s nowhere near enough to go chasing points from last week.

That’s why it is important to capture players and track them. Otherwise they will be snagged by other managers, or it will become an expensive bidding war.

Touchdowns are more fluky and not a metric to target. A busted coverage can create 60 yards that never come back. What interests me far more is a player suddenly running 80% of the routes, commanding 25% of the targets or earning high-value opportunities because the depth chart in front of him has collapsed, or because he’s more efficient.

What I mean by high value opportunities is a reception or a carry inside the 10-yard line. This is where the majority of fantasy points are earned.

These are the 15 players rostered in roughly a quarter of leagues or fewer that I am monitoring or adding after Week 2.

1. Jonah Coleman, RB, Denver Broncos – 22.2%

Recommendation: Priority add – 15-20% FAAB

Coleman is the best combination of talent and changing opportunity on this list.

J.K. Dobbins left Week 2 with a hamstring injury while RJ Harvey had already missed the game. Coleman responded with 10 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown plus three receptions for 19 yards.

More importantly, once Dobbins departed, Coleman handled eight of Denver’s final nine RB carries and played an 82% snap share over that portion of the game. He also had 100% of the high value touches.

He finished with a 42% overall rush share, 50% targets per route run (TPRR) and proved capable of functioning on all three downs.

This isn’t simply an injury handcuff cover play. Coleman has a route to taking work permanently.

2. Dalton Schultz, TE, Houston Texans – 21.6%

Recommendation: Add everywhere TE matters – 10% FAAB

Schultz is considerably more interesting than his name value suggests.

Through two games, SumerSports has him at 22 targets, a 25.3% target share, 2.13 yards per route run and 0.27 targets per route run.

Without Nico Collins in Week 2, Schultz ran 76% of Houston’s routes and his target share climbed to 28%. He produced 26 PPR points, while the deeper underlying data gave him 21.8 expected fantasy points and a team-leading 26.7% first-read target share.

The 12-catch explosion will regress.

The role doesn’t have to.

3. Oronde Gadsden II, TE, Los Angeles Chargers – 6%

Recommendation: Upside add – 2% FAAB

This is exactly the type of waiver bet I want to make before the breakout.

Gadsden has only four targets through two games, but SumerSports has him producing 2.50 yards per route run on those limited opportunities.

Now the situation has completely changed. David Njoku and Charlie Kolar have both landed on injured reserve, leaving Gadsden positioned for a massive route increase. Gadsden was the fantasy TE1 over a four-game stretch as a rookie in 2025.

Don’t wait for him to run 80% of the routes before acting. Add him today.

4. Adonai Mitchell, WR, New York Jets – 13%

Recommendation: Add – 5% FAAB

Mitchell’s Week 2 efficiency wasn’t spectacular.

His opportunity was.

He commanded a 32% target share, 28% TPRR and 12 targets, while maintaining an 81-82% route role.

Across the season, SumerSports has Mitchell at a 25.4% target share, 0.25 targets per route and 2.02 yards per route run.

The Detroit matchup should also create passing volume.

I’m not declaring Mitchell suddenly efficient after years of inconsistency. I’m betting that 12-target games matter more than our prior opinion when a player is virtually free.

5. Emanuel Wilson, RB, Seattle Seahawks – 0.5%

Recommendation: Add if Jadarian Price is limited – 8-12% FAAB

Wilson went from irrelevant to 21 carries for 92 yards when Jadarian Price injured his shoulder.

The usage wasn’t accidental. Wilson handled 53% of Seattle’s rushing attempts, operated as the primary goal-line back and produced a 25% TPRR despite running only 15% of the routes.

Wilson has 95 rushing yards this season with 64 yards after contact and a 43.5% rushing success rate according to SumerSports.

Price’s injury does not appear long term, so Wilson isn’t someone to empty the FAAB account for. But if Price sits, Wilson immediately becomes usable.

6. Rashod Bateman, WR, Baltimore Ravens – 17%

Recommendation: Add while Zay Flowers is uncertain – 3% FAAB

When Flowers missed Week 2, Bateman didn’t merely score a touchdown.

He earned a 33% target share and 25% TPRR, turning nine targets into seven catches, 88 yards and a score.

SumerSports puts his season-long target share at 18.9% with 1.40 yards per route run.

If Flowers returns, Bateman becomes much harder to trust.

If Flowers sits against Dallas, Bateman moves straight into the WR3/FLEX conversation. That makes him worth rostering before the injury report settles.

7. Terrance Ferguson, TE, Los Angeles Rams – 18.9%

Recommendation: Add – 5% FAAB

Ferguson’s Week 2 usage was borderline ridiculous for a tight end sitting on most waiver wires.

With Puka Nacua compromised, Ferguson ran 92% of the routes, commanded a 29% target share and produced a 35% TPRR.

SumerSports has him at 10 targets on only 38 routes this season – a 0.26 target-per-route rate.

Nacua returning would obviously compress the target tree again, so don’t project Week 2 forward untouched.

But 92% route participation from an athletic second-year TE deserves attention.

8. Tank Bigsby, RB, Philadelphia Eagles – 15.2%

Recommendation: Contingent add – 4% FAAB

Saquon Barkley’s health determines Bigsby’s immediate value.

After Barkley exited Week 2, Bigsby played 33% of the snaps, handled 45% of the rushing attempts and received Philadelphia’s only carry inside the five. His 29% TPRR was also encouraging.

SumerSports shows only a 29% rushing success rate through two games, so this isn’t an efficiency play.

It is an opportunity play.

If Barkley misses time, Bigsby and Will Shipley form a committee, but Bigsby appears more likely to receive the most fantasy-friendly rushing opportunities.

9. Tre Tucker, WR, Las Vegas Raiders – 24.5

Recommendation: Add in deeper leagues – 3-5% FAAB

Tucker’s 119 yards and touchdown will attract attention.

The usage deserves more attention.

He posted a 25% target share, 29% TPRR, 143 air yards and a 0.69 WOPR in Week 2.

That is legitimate downfield opportunity.

The obvious problem is Brock Bowers. Once Bowers returns, Tucker isn’t sustaining this target concentration.

But Tucker has created separation from the rest of the Raiders’ wide receivers.

10. Malik Washington, WR, Miami Dolphins – 13%

Recommendation: Deep-league add – 3-5% FAAB

Miami’s offense is the reason Washington isn’t higher.

His own profile is intriguing.

SumerSports has Washington at 13 targets, a 26% target share, 0.22 targets per route and 1.60 yards per route run through two weeks.

Caleb Douglas’ ankle injury also leaves Washington positioned as Miami’s leading wide receiver option entering Week 3.

The Chiefs matchup and Miami’s passing-game problems lower the immediate ceiling.

But a 26% target share sitting on 87% of waiver wires deserves monitoring.

11. Kaleb Johnson, RB, Green Bay Packers – 3%

Recommendation: Speculative add – 3-5% FAAB

Green Bay’s backfield is a mess. That’s precisely why Johnson is interesting.

After MarShawn Lloyd fumbled in Week 2, Johnson immediately received additional work and led the Packers with 44% of the rushing attempts, forcing three missed tackles.

SumerSports has him at eight carries for 32 yards with 28 yards after contact.

There is no safe floor here. You’re buying the possibility that Green Bay is actively searching for its best early-down runner and Johnson eventually wins the audition.

12. Antonio Williams, WR, Washington Commanders – 14.6%

Recommendation: Stash – 2% FAAB

Williams’ Week 2 box score gave fantasy managers nothing to chase. That’s a good thing for those of you reading this article.

His route participation quietly jumped from 29% to 55%.

SumerSports has Williams producing 2.59 yards per route run, catching all seven of his targets for 88 yards and a touchdown through two games.

Jayden Daniels’ elbow injury damages the short-term environment, which keeps Williams firmly in stash territory.

But ascending rookie routes plus genuine per-route efficiency are exactly what I want sitting at the bottom of my bench.

13. Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers – 13%

Recommendation: Stream/add if TE-needy – 2% FAAB

Freiermuth is less exciting than Gadsden or Ferguson, but sometimes boring volume at tight end is useful.

SumerSports has him at nine catches from 10 targets with a 90% catch rate through two games.

The concern is his routes: they fell from 72% in Week 1 to 59% in Week 2.

Friermuth has a plus Week 3 matchup against Cincinnati.

He’s a streamer, not a breakout bet.

14. Keenan Allen, WR, Indianapolis Colts – 24%

Recommendation: Monitor/add in PPR depth leagues – 1% FAAB

Allen’s efficiency has been poor. That needs saying before anyone sees the name and thinks it is 2023.

SumerSports has him at only 0.80 yards per route run, but he has still earned 11 targets and an 18.6% target share. His route share fell to 58% in Week 2, which is another concern.

But Alec Pierce landing on IR opens additional opportunity.

At 24% rostered, Allen is worth carrying in deeper PPR formats while we find out whether the Colts consolidate routes around him.

15. Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Atlanta Falcons – 23%

Recommendation: Handcuff only – 1% FAAB

Robinson isn’t a Week 3 starter. So there is no need to rush into picking him up and starting him.

He has 20 carries for 82 yards through two games, with SumerSports crediting him with 70 yards after contact.

But context matters. 10 of Robinson’s 13 Week 2 touches came after Atlanta’s game was effectively dead and its backup quarterback had entered. If Atlanta are going to be in a negative matchup, and you need some garbage time points, Robinson Jr. is your guy.

His pathway to value is simple. If Bijan Robinson misses time, Brian Robinson immediately projects for enough rushing volume to matter.

Until then, he is an insurance handcuff stash.

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If I am attacking waivers aggressively, Jonah Coleman, Dalton Schultz and Oronde Gadsden are the three players I most want to leave with.

Coleman has the clearest path to a genuine running-back role. Schultz already has the underlying volume of an every-week fantasy tight end. Gadsden is the proactive move and fantasy managers are buying the route explosion before everyone gets to see it.

After those three, I want Mitchell, Wilson, Bateman and Ferguson depending on roster construction.

The bigger lesson is not to chase Week 2 fantasy points. Instead, Chase changing opportunity.

A touchdown tells you what already happened. Routes, target share, TPRR, rushing share and high-value touches give us a much better idea of what could happen next.