The Wire – Week 2 Pick-ups: Austin Collie the new Pierre Garcon?

With week one of the fantasy football season almost in the books, it’s already time to start looking ahead to week two (especially in leagues where there is no waiver system for free agents.) Here are the players to consider on the waiver wire for week two. I’ll try to elaborate on this list after tonight’s games, but this should get you started…

Wide Receivers

  • Austin Collie (IND): 10 catches, 131 yards, 1 TD. While a lot of the stats came on a single, 73-yard touchdown bomb late in the fourth quarter, the fact that he had 10 receptions means he was being looked at a lot over the course of the game. His primary competition for WR2 on the team, Pierre Garcon, finished with four catches for 75 yards. It’s still early, but it looks like it might be a crapshoot each week to figure out which guy does better.
  • Mark Clayton (STL): Was NOT expecting this one! Ten catches for 119 yards by a guy who was traded to the team just a week before and FROM a rookie quarterback. Looks like he’s the legit #1 in this passing game and while he may not rack up the touchdowns, he’ll definitely get a lot of looks.
  • Mike Thomas (JAX): It could end up being Thomas, not Mike Sims-Walker, who is the top receiver in the Jaguars offense this season. We’ll have to wait and see. He was one of my top sleeper picks this year though (got him on almost all of my teams!)
  • Legedu Naanee (SD): Looks like it could end up being Naanee, not Malcom Floyd, that benefits the most from Vincent Jackson’s absence. He finished Monday night’s game with 110 yards and a score, while Floyd only had 48 yards. Either way, Antonio Gates could end up having the best numbers of any pass catcher on the team, but Naanee could make a solid WR3 play most weeks if he keeps this up.
  • Mike Williams (TB & SEA): Both guys seem to have the top wide receiver spot locked up in their respective offenses. They should make decent WR3 plays for your fantasy team moving forward.
  • Others: Nate Washington (TEN), Brandon Lloyd (DEN), Mario Manningham (NYG), Brandon Tate (NE)

Quarterbacks

  • Michael Vick (PHI): Don’t pick him up quite yet (unless you have a free roster spot for some reason) but keep an eye on the situation in Philly. Kolb didn’t look great before going out with a concussion and as long as the doctor’s clear him, I’m sure he’ll start again next weekend. However, the leash will slowly get shorter if he continues to under-perform. (Not to toot my own horn, but Kevin Kolb was selected as my top over-rated/bust player of the year.)
  • Matt Hasselbeck (SEA): Not going to dazzle with stats, but two passing scores and one rushing were enough to make him one of the better quarterbacks of the week. He should be a serviceable bye/injury fill-in this year.
  • Others: David Garrard (JAX), Josh Freeman (TB), Derek Anderson (ARI), Kyle Orton (DEN) and Vince Young (TEN).

Running Backs

  • Brandon Jackson (GB): Ryan Grant is out for the season with leg injuries. Queue up Jackson as your top waiver priority if you need any help at all at the running back position!
  • Peyton Hillis (CLE): Two fumbles aren’t going to help his cause, but he scored the team’s only rushing touchdown and is used in the passing game.
  • Fred Taylor (NE): It appears that Taylor will be the main man on the vaunted (note: same Patriots joke as before) New England rushing attack. Maybe he gets 60-70 yards a game and possibly a touchdown every four weeks?

Tight Ends

  • Marcedes Lewis (JAX): Two catches for two touchdowns. Obviously he’s one of Garrard’s favorite red-zone targets, but will he be used enough in the passing game to make up for weeks when he doesn’t score? Probably not.
  • Jermaine Gresham (CIN): The rookie hauled in six passes and a score against the vaunted (note: sarcasm) defense of the Patriots. He’s the real deal and should be a key target for Carson Palmer when Batman and Robin are covered downfield.