Top 6 Fantasy Football Waiver Pickups for Week 2

Well, that was certainly an interesting week, wasn't it?

Whether you're about to jump off the Birmingham Bridge in Pittsburgh or celebrating along the Embarcadero in San Francisco, you have to come down and realize that Week 1 is more over than Nelly's recording career. It's time to focus on Week 2, and the six must have waiver pickups for your team.

Jared Cook

He's been mentioned as a sleeper by more than a few publications and he certainly showed why in Week 1. The Rams are still very much a work in progress, but the pieces are there, not least of which is Cook, a hyper-athletic TE in the mold of Antonio Gates. Standing at 6'5"/250 with a 4.49 40, he's an impossible cover and without a ton of other fantastic options to take away targets in St. Louis - Chris Givens disappointed and Tavon Austin is talented, but still a rookie - he's a lock to put up 10-plus targets week in and week out. Pick him up.

Super early Week 2 ranking: #6 TE

Julius Thomas

It's hard to know when a player is here for the long haul or just another Kevin Ogletree; a Dallas receiver who blew up in last year's Week 1, only to be never seen or heard from again. Julius Thomas toes that line pretty closely, but between the way that Peyton Manning is playing and the way that offense throws the ball in general, there should be enough targets for Julius.

He's already shown strong chemistry with Peyton and like Jared Cook, his athleticism and speed make him a very, very difficult cover task. With Welker, Decker, and Thomas running free in the secondary, the seam is all Thomas', which should soon become yours by proxy.

Super early Week 2 ranking: #19 TE; Regression sucks, but he's worth stashing anyway.

Julian Edelman

Everyone talked up Kenbrell Thompkins, but we here at numberFire always figured that Belichick was trolling us and that it would be Edelman receiving the largesse of targets in the wake of Welker's absence. While you shouldn't expect 2 TDs week in and week out, it's fair to expect 10-plus targets from this consistent playmaker: he's been around the system, Brady clearly trusts him, and he's likely to break out even in further if Danny "Mr. Glass" Amendola continues his injurious career. Consider this: In his limited time last year, Julian Edelman had a higher NEP per target than Andre Johnson and Victor Cruz. It's not as though this came out of nowhere.

Super early Week 2 ranking: #17 WR

Brian Hartline

Any Steelers fan could have told you that Mike Wallace was likely to bust in Miami; he's a malcontent with a host of attitude and work-ethic problems, not to mention that his forte (deep catches) is the weakness of his QB, Ryan Tannehill. Still, Wallace is a dangerous threat if not marked, which means a savvy route-runner like Brian Hartline has all the room he needs underneath to do his thing.

With miserable quarterback play last season, Hartline was more efficient than receivers like Antonio Brown and Dwayne Bowe on a per target basis. Now that Tannehill isn't a rookie gunslinger, there's a chance for Hartline to see a higher volume this year. He won't be a gamebreaker for you but he'll be consistent; sometimes that's exactly what you need.

Super early Week 2 ranking: #41 WR

Joique Bell

Consider this less a recommendation of Bell in particular and more an endorsement of the system in which he plays. Clearly Bell and Reggie Bush are perfect fits for their system - quick, athletic runners who provide fantastic value in the passing game. We loved Reggie Bush in our draft rankings and we love Bell too, even as a backup. He's got huge value as a handcuff and with the amount of targets he can generate, he may be a flex play in deeper leagues as well. Unlike a Harry Douglas or Kenny Stills, Bell's legit and definitely worth a stash; we've been saying this for a while now.

Super early Week 2 ranking: #35 RB

Terrelle Pryor

Our optimal lineups for daily fantasy LOVED Terrelle Pryor; it's nice to be validated. Sure, he throws the ball as well as I do, but his ability to extend plays and make tacklers miss reminds me of a poor man's Michael Vick.

The Raiders don't have much going on, so Pryor will be given all the leeway in the world to figure it out as he goes along; he's got the talent to make that experience worth a deep bench slot, with tremendous upside and sell-high trade value if he continues his Week 1 form. If you're in the market for a QB, it's likely Pryor, Smith, or Pryor: our man TP provides the most upside.

Super early Week 2 ranking: #13 QB

Maybe Next Week: Alex Smith, Jerome Simpson, Andre Roberts, Carson Palmer, Jordan Cameron, Doug Baldwin

Better Luck Tomorrow: Martellus Bennett, Harry Douglas, Kenny Stills, Jerricho Cotchery