We cover the basics in our Weekly Waiver Wire Article. But Fantasy Alarm members are a different breed. Real sick individuals, like myself. We play in incredibly deep leagues and crazy formats, like the Scott Fish Bowl. We can’t help it. So we need to go DEEPER than just the basics. And that’s where the waiver wire streamers and stashes article comes in.

Here we get to the next layer of the waiver wire. We hit those “break glass in case of emergency” streamers for a desperate lineup decision. And we cover those deep sleeper stashes to hold with only a hope and a prayer. As deep as you want to go, we will go. 

Best Fantasy Football Streamers and Stashes For Week 2

What is a Streamer?

A streamer is a player that you can actually start in your lineup currently. They might not be the flashiest players, but they won’t get you a zero. In deeper leagues with a lot of starting spots, you may need to call on them from time to time - especially when bye weeks and injuries come around.

What is a Stash?

The stashes are players that have appealing upside for one reason or another but aren’t reliable guys you can start now. Maybe they are injured, and you can put them in an IR spot. Maybe they are handcuffs that could have big upside if the starter gets hurt. Maybe they are rookies that need time to develop and carve out a role. Whatever it is, we want to keep an eye on them. And stash them on deep benches. 

NFL Week 2 Quarterback Streamers

C.J. Stroud - Houston Texans Yahoo: 29% | ESPN: 26% | Sleeper: 28% 

The Texans are often viewed as a slow and steady squad here. A lot of defense, not a lot of offense. But as they showed this week against the Bills, they can punch back when pushed by a good team. And, in doing so, C.J. Stroud threw for 274 yards and 2 TDs. In Week 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals, they could be pushed into another shootout situation. 

Tyler Shough - New Orleans Saints, Yahoo: 41% | ESPN: 47% | Sleeper: 42% 

The Saints could find themselves in a lot of shootout games this year as well. They certainly did Week One against the Lions. Their opponent this week, the Baltimore Ravens, also had no problem whatsoever putting points on the board. So the Saints are likely going to have to throw the ball again this week, though it will be hard to match the 67 dropbacks last week. 

NFL Week 2 Quarterback Stashes

Malik Willis - Miami Dolphins, Yahoo: 40% | ESPN: 21% | Sleeper: 30% 

Same thought process here - let’s see if this guy can continue running and gain some chemistry with his pass-catchers. If you have a “safe but boring” starter, this is the stash. 

Fernando Mendoza - Las Vegas Raiders, Yahoo: 10% | ESPN: 8% | Sleeper: 23%   

This name will very likely remain in this section until we get a chance to see the number one overall pick play. Unknown upside is the name of the game. 

Superflex Special: Taylen Green, Cleveland Browns

Taylen Green has been our super deep hold, and Deshaun Watson’s play this week didn’t do much to change that. This guy is an absolute freak athlete and, if he ever does get in there, will have interesting upside based on running alone. 

IR Spot Special: Michael Penix, Atlanta Falcons

Tua Tagovailoa is out. Cooper Rush played and looked terrible. Jack Strand is a name to know for sure, but I’m not sure he is worth an actual roster spot after they chose Rush over him. With Penix, being able to put him in an IR spot is clutch. 

 

 

 

NFL Week 2 Running Back Streamers

Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans, Yahoo: 39% | ESPN: 55% | Sleeper: 46%

As we mentioned in the main article, Tyjae Spears plays quite a bit when the Titans are playing from behind. If the Titans can find themselves in a negative game script against the Jets, they probably will do so again this week against the Eagles. 

Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints Yahoo: 1% | ESPN: 1% | Sleeper: 4%

Watching the Saints game this week, you kind of get the feeling they were serious about splitting the work between Travis Etienne and Alvin Kamara. With Kamara out, they decided to split it between Travis Etienne and Kendre Miller instead. We can roll the dice on that potentially holding for the time being until Kamara gets back in those deeper leagues. 

Chris Brooks, Green Bay Packers, Yahoo: 2% | ESPN: 12% | Sleeper: 7%

Chris Brooks is clearly the more trustworthy pass blocker for the Packers. He was actually asked to pass block on 20 snaps compared to 9 for MarShawn Lloyd. That saw Brooks playing 38 snaps compared to only 30 for Lloyd this week, meaning Brooks led the Packers backfield in snaps. You get yourself on the field a bunch, especially for pass downs, and you can offer something to us in fantasy. And Brooks is rostered in very few leagues as of now. 

NFL Week 2 Running Back Stashes

Kaelon Black, San Francisco 49ers, Yahoo: 49% | ESPN: 15% | Sleeper: 35%

Not only did Black play well, but he played a decent amount. He’s also a handcuff for one of the older backs in this league in a great offense. So he’s a good stash and might even be startable in a pinch if need be. 

Woody Marks, Houston Texans, Yahoo: 3% | ESPN: 58% | Sleeper: 58%


Again, there are plenty of “pure handcuffs” that have very little standalone value but upside if the starter gets hurt. Rostering Tank Bigsby vs. Brian Robinson is less about the player and more about the guessing game of who gets hurt or not. With Woody Marks, he actually has a role. He quietly played 40 snaps to 39 for Monty, simply spelling David Montgomery and mixing in on pass downs. So Marks is in that handcuff-plus territory and, given how good Monty looked, there is upside there if something happens to the starter. 

Emari Demercado, Dallas Cowboys Yahoo: 3% | ESPN: 2% | Sleeper: 5%

With Malik Davis on IR, the Cowboys are THIN at running back. That saw Javonte Williams play a massive workload (where he was robbed of a goal-line TD, which prevented a MASSIVE day). The thing about one guy playing all the snaps leaves the door open for the next man up to play a lot of snaps. Demercado looked explosive in Arizona last year until a boneheaded mistake saw him get benched, so it would be interesting if Javonte went down and Demercado got a chance. 

NFL Week 2 Wide Receiver Streamers

Devaughn Vele - New Orleans Saints, Yahoo 8% | ESPN: 13% | Sleeper: 23%

We mentioned this one in the main article, but Devaughn Vele was involved in a big way in the first week here. That could change when Jordyn Tyson gets back, but we have no idea when that will be or how the rookie will look, so for now, Vele is squarely on the streaming radar. 

Tre Tucker - Las Vegas Raiders Yahoo 35% | ESPN: 33% | Sleeper: 38%

We mentioned Tre Tucker in the main article last week as a guy who could be the top WR for his team. Well, this week he came out and was the top WR for his team, running 28 routes to 20 for Jalen Nailor. When Brock Bowers is back, he might go back into the bottle, but for now, he’s on the streaming radar. 

Rashod Bateman - Baltimore Ravens, Yahoo: 3% | ESPN: 9% | Sleeper: 7%

We want to make sure folks are covered for the deepest leagues, and this is a deep league play. Zay Flowers came up with the hamstring injury but, more importantly, Ja’Kobi Lane suffered a broken arm. Fractures don’t keep you out the entire year typically, but the role for Bateman should be pretty decent for at least a few weeks. 

NFL Week 2 Wide Receiver Stashes

Malachi Fields - New York Giants, Yahoo: 3% | ESPN: % | Sleeper: 9%

Fields cleared the first hurdle when Darius Slayton was cut. He cleared the second one this week by playing more snaps than veteran Darnell Mooney. He’s never going to clear Malik Nabers, obviously, but this is looking like a fun offense, so a full-time role for the rookie is pretty interesting. He led the team in routes run this week. 

Tre Harris - Los Angeles Chargers, Yahoo: 4% | ESPN: 4% | Sleeper: 9%

When Ladd McConkey left the game this week, Tre Harris moved right into a full-time role. In fact, he led the team in routes run with 31 to 30 for Quentin Johnston. This proves a theory we had and makes Harris a fun stash for fantasy, especially if Ladd McConkey is going to miss time with this chest issue. 

Malik Washington - Miami Dolphins, Yahoo: 14% | ESPN: 8% | Sleeper: 34%

Caleb Douglas looked better this past week, so he’s the more interesting play (as we mentioned in the main article). But Malik Washington was right there with Caleb Douglas as full time players and maybe Washington can pop this week - a one-game sample size doesn’t determine who “the guy” is. 

IR Spot Special: Ja’Kobi Lane - Baltimore Ravens, Yahoo: 19% | ESPN: 18% | Sleeper: 52%

The usage for Lane was good before he got hurt, which makes it so sad that he suffered an arm fracture. If you can keep him in an IR spot for free, that is worth the stash, but you might have to drop him if you have no IR spot. 

 

 

 

NFL Week 1 Tight End Streamers

Dalton Schultz - Houston Texans Yahoo: 48% | ESPN: 20% | Sleeper: 35%

Dalton Schultz was our top streamer last week and remains our top streamer this week after getting good deployment. He was essentially the second target on the team behind Nico Collins with both Jayden Higgins and Tank Dell out. We like that. 

Pat Freiermuth - Pittsburgh Steelers, Yahoo: 6% | ESPN: 15% | Sleeper: 10%

Another one we mentioned in the main article who isn’t necessarily the sexiest play but got great deployment in the first week. There are very few guys on the wire who had a route participation over 70% last year.  

NFL Week 1 Tight End Stashes

Greg Dulcich - Miami Dolphins Yahoo: 37% | ESPN: 20% | Sleeper: 38%

After getting a 60% route participation this past week, I’m still going to hold Dulcich to just one more game to see if he can make more of it. But if you need the bench spot, he’s not a must-hold guy anymore. 

Terrance Ferguson - Los Angeles Rams, Yahoo: 24% | ESPN: 2.2% | Sleeper: 17%

Ferguson got a big snap share in the first half, which dwindled in the second half. He’s still worth a hold in deep leagues as a handcuff for Davante Adams and/or Puka Nacua, but I warned folks that he might not have much standalone value without an injury

Kenyon Sadiq - New York Jets, Yahoo: 15% | ESPN: 41% | Sleeper: 38%

 

He’s a freak athlete, and he showed it scoring on the end around this past week. But he’s still operating behind Mason Taylor in terms of snaps, so we need him to ramp up. Taylor could end up the inline guy, with Sadiq as the big slot guy down the stretch, which is how the ramp-up went for Colston Loveland alongside Cole Kmet.