Week 1 Fantasy football overrreactions: Early Week 2 waiver wire adds, winners, losers, more

There's nothing quite like the overreactions from Fantasy Football managers that pour in after Week 1, so let's try and parse through what actually matters.

Sep 13, 2026 at 8:26 pm ET • 4 min read

They say The Masters is a tradition unlike any other, and for golf fanatics like myself, that's true, but Week 1 of the NFL season is the equivalent for Fantasy Football managers. All the players you drafted who scored a lot of points in Week 1 made you look like the smartest manager in the room. All the players -- like Terry McLaurin for example -- who didn't score led you scrambling to your waiver wire. Or worse. You might already be looking to sell these players for pennies on the dime. 

Don't do that. We're here to accomplish two things right now. We're going to parse through the key Week 1 overreactions and tell you which ones matter and which ones don't while also taking a look at some of the early Week 2 waiver wire options. We'll break down some of the players who matter, those whose Week 1 was more of a fluke and what changes in offensive scheme, play calling and volume could define the 2026 season.

It could be a historical season for Caleb 

Is this an overreaction? Maybe. But Bears head coach Ben Johnson did tell us before the season that he's looking to break the single-season scoring record and it certainly seems like the Bears have the offensive pieces to do it. On last week's Beyond The Boxscore bold predictions and flag plants show, Caleb Williams was one of my three bold predictions. I predicted he'd finish as a top-three Fantasy scorer and he delivered in Week 1 with the most Fantasy points of any player. In part, I pointed to the fact that Williams had the two fastest GPS-timed speeds of any NFL quarterback in 2025 as a ball carrier. Williams delivered two rushing touchdowns in Week 1. The only thing that slowed down Williams from scoring more Fantasy points was Chicago's multi-score lead. With a Bears defense expected to be leaky all season, a top-five offensive line, the best play designer in the NFL, and crazy amounts of talent around him, Williams could be primed to make my bold prediction come true. There's only two quarterbacks I would trade Williams for at this time. Call it an overreaction but if we said the same thing about Drake Maye last season we would've been proven wrong.

Make sure Tate isn't on your waiver wire

If Carnell Tate is on your waiver wire because of a slow preseason, that should change now. While his boxscore wasn't pretty in Week 1 (he led the Titans in receiving yards but with just 37 total), the underlying stats were. Tate had a team-high 86% snap share, a team-high 21.4% target share and a 41% air-yardage share. These are numbers that could foreshadow more production on the way. Tate was a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and you won't find a higher-upside bench stash. If a frustrated manager moves on this week, it's time to grab him. 

Add Vele in all leagues

Devaughn Vele should be scooped up in every league that he isn't rostered in after proving in Week 1 that he is a key cog in the Saints high-paced offense with Jordan Tyson on injured reserve. Vele racked up 69 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions. He also saw nine targets. Kellen Moore runs one of the fastest-paced offenses in football and Vele should have an opportunity to provide weekly flex value in all leagues -- specifically PPR formats.

Bucky bounceback season?

Bucky Irving was one of the most polarizing Fantasy football draft picks this offseason and Week 1 certainly looked promising for the third-year running back. Irving had a 62% snap rate that included some very important specifics -- he got two touches from inside the 10 yard line and scored 20.3 PPR Fantasy points. Not only did Irving have a solid role in the red zone, he also was majorly involved in the passing game. Irving saw seven targets and caught all seven. The Buccaneers clearly believe he should be an extension of their run game as a receiver and that means he has RB1 upside in PPR formats on a weekly basis. Trade for Irving now before the price jumps.

Don't give up on Downs just yet

Josh Downs didn't light up the boxscore with just 37 yards on two receptions and four targets, but better times could be coming ahead. Downs saw an 89% snap share which is the first time he's topped 80% since his rookie season. He also finished the first half with the most snaps of any Colts wide receiver. While it certainly wasn't the statistical start we hoped for from a sleeper draft pick like Downs, the coaching staff's faith in him was made clear by his role. The targets and volume will soon follow. 

Is it finally Kincaid time?

Dalton Kincaid is finally healthy and might be ready to pay off his first-round draft capital. In his first game of his fourth NFL season, Kincaid was an unstoppable force up the seam and in the intermediate areas of the field. He had a 77% snap rate (a really good sign given his past usage) and proved why he belongs on the field almost immediately. Kincaid racked up 130 receiving yards on five catches that included a whopping 98 air yards and 38 yards after the catch.

Can Goedert be TE1 in this scheme?

Dallas Goedert got off to an excellent start in the new Eagles offensive scheme under Sean Mannion. He caught four passes for 77 yards and two receiving touchdowns as a key cog in the new scheme. As Jalen Hurts continues to get comfortable in the scheme, Goedert should continue to have a big role in the offense. He is worth firing up as a weekly TE1.