Unleash the Sleepers: Week 2 Fantasy Football Hidden Gems to Win Your Matchup

Week 1 is in the books, and if your fantasy team didn’t quite live up to expectations, don’t fret! It’s time to scour the waiver wire and identify those hidden gems that can propel your team to victory in Week 2. Just like the Seattle Seahawks’ defense, which allowed just 17 points in the season opener and registered two interceptions, these sleepers could be the difference between a win and a loss.

Quarterback Sleepers: Finding Value Under Center

Michael Penix Jr. (Atlanta Falcons): The Falcons seem to have full confidence in their second-year quarterback. Penix impressed in Week 1, throwing for 298 yards and adding a rushing touchdown. With a favorable matchup against a vulnerable Minnesota Vikings secondary, and with playmakers like Drake London and Darnell Mooney potentially active, Penix is poised to exploit their weaknesses.
Geno Smith (Las Vegas Raiders): Despite finishing as QB5 last season, Smith still isn’t getting the respect he deserves. He’s coming off a strong performance against the New England Patriots, throwing for 362 yards. Facing a struggling Chargers defense in Week 2, and with All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers potentially back in action, Smith is a great streaming option.
Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears): Despite not looking all that improved in his first game under Ben Johnson, Caleb Williams still had a great fantasy performance, putting up 24.2 points against the Minnesota Vikings. Williams’ willingness to utilize his rushing ability more often will lead to more consistent fantasy scores throughout the season. Plus, he gets a favorable matchup this Sunday against the Detroit Lions, who have allowed the 12th most fantasy points to quarterbacks over the last two seasons.
Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars): The Jaguars have enough weapons for Lawrence to return top-12 quarterback results this week, and it’s entirely possible this one devolves into something resemble a shootout or at least Jacksonville chucking the ball 45-plus times. Volume could be your friend this week, but it will come with a few mistakes.

Running Back Sleepers: Unearthing Ground Game Gold

Dylan Sampson (Cleveland Browns): Sampson is a clear sleeper for Week 2 at Baltimore. The Ravens just lost a heartbreaking game to the Bills in prime time, and they get to take their frustration out on the Browns. Expect the Ravens to score early and often, which will lead to plenty of passing volume for the Browns. Sampson not only got 50% of the carries, but he also tied for 2nd in targets and led the team in receptions.
Trey Benson (Arizona Cardinals): Benson tallied eight carries for 69 yards and one reception for 6 yards in Week 1. He gets the Panthers in Week 2, a team that let Travis Etienne look like a demi-god in Week 1. Even with James Conner getting the bulk of the touches, I have no doubt that Benson will return solid flex value (with the potential to reach low-end RB1 territory).
Bhayshul Tuten (Jacksonville Jaguars): Following the Jaguars’ trade of Tank Bigsby, Tuten is now the primary backup to Travis Etienne Jr. Tuten is a sleeper worth adding, given his potential to handle a decent workload in a favorable matchup against the Bengals.
Nick Chubb (Houston Texans): Chubb is filling into the shoes of Joe Mixon. Chubb should be able to take on this Tampa Bay Buccaneers run stop defense be able to of course deliver a solid performance. I expect them to find Nick Chub falling into the end zone.

Wide Receiver Sleepers: Discovering Receiving Threats

Kayshon Boutte (New England Patriots): Boutte was the star for New England in Week 1 with six catches for 103 yards on eight targets. He’s now scored at least 16.3 PPR points in three of his past four games going back to last season, and he might be Maye’s favorite receiver right now.
Darnell Mooney (Atlanta Falcons): Mooney is currently day-to-day, but I believe he should be back on the field this week for Atlanta. Last season, he came close to topping 1,000 receiving yards for the second time in his career and set a career high in touchdowns. With Drake London also day-to-day with a shoulder injury, Mooney could be a top-24 WR in fantasy points per game this week, with top-15 upside if London misses the game against the Vikings.
Quentin Johnston (Los Angeles Chargers): Johnston showed flashes of brilliance in Week 1 with two touchdowns against the Chiefs. His growing rapport with Justin Herbert could make him a valuable pick against the Raiders, who struggled in pass defense last week.
Calvin Austin III (Pittsburgh Steelers): Austin caught four passes for 70 yards and a TD against the Jets. For now, consider Austin when the matchup is right, yet he may eventually show more regular upside if the Steelers offense continues to flourish.
Rome Odunze (Chicago Bears): The Lions’ secondary simply may not have the ability to contain all of Chicago’s weapons. Odunze likely will draw CB D.J. Reed mostly, and while he’s no slouch, all it takes is something like 3-40-1 for a worthwhile flex play.
Tyquan Thornton (Kansas City Chiefs): Thornton showed promise in his time with the New England Patriots, and he now has an opportunity go big vs. the Eagles. Philadelphia allowed 130 yards to CeeDee Lamb last week and only 48 yards to the rest of Dallas’ receivers, but the Chiefs must creatively work in more explosive players, like Thornton, after losing Xavier Worthy (shoulder, doubtful) last week.
Ricky Pearsall (San Francisco 49ers): With not too many weapons outside of Ricky Pearsall, Kyle Shanahan to scheme up as many opportunities as possible to go in the direction of Ricky Pearsall. Last week he was number four amongst all wide receivers in terms of air yards.

Tight End Sleepers: Finding Receiving Threats

Jonnu Smith (Pittsburgh Steelers): Smith caught five passes for 15 yards and a touchdown in his Steelers debut. He led the tight end room in snaps and targets, and it’s clear that Aaron Rodgers trusts him, especially in short-area and red zone situations. The Week 2 matchup offers soft coverage against tight ends, giving Smith a chance to build on his early momentum.
Harold Fannin Jr. (Cleveland Browns): Fannin led the FBS in receptions (117) and receiving yards (1,555) at Bowling Green last season.
Brenton Strange (Jacksonville Jaguars): Strange is averaging 19.4 A dot over the course of the last three games of his career 24.7 15.9 and 12.8 fantasy points with an 8.33. target per game average.

Kicker Sleepers: The Final Piece of the Puzzle

Tyler Loop (Baltimore Ravens): Strong Week 1 usage and the Ravens offense shows no signs of slowing down. Plenty of opportunity for the young kicker to get points on the board.
Chad Ryland (Arizona Cardinals): Ryland was able to capitalize on the Cardinals’ sloppy win in New Orleans and draws San Francisco this week. Based on Week 1, Ryland could be a viable play as a stronger defense could force more field goals.
Spencer Shrader (Indianapolis Colts): Shrader finished as a top fantasy-scoring kicker in Week 1. If available in your league, he’s easily a potential starter as long as the Colts are playing well.
Cam Little (Jacksonville Jaguars): Rookie connected well in Week 1.

By strategically adding these “Unleashed Sleepers” to your roster, you can gain a competitive edge and increase your chances of winning your Week 2 matchup. Remember to stay active on the waiver wire and continuously evaluate your team’s needs to maximize your fantasy potential!