X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Running Backs Waiver Wire: Week 2 Pickups & Adds

Week 1 didn't see any huge breakout performances from rookies or unknown running backs, but there still could be some hints as to who will emerge from crowded backfields. Keep in mind, some of the names on this running back waiver wire list are already widely known by fantasy owners but still have low ownership levels. Pay attention to the tiers in which they are listed and the corresponding notes.

Each week, this article will aim to highlight running backs that you should consider targeting on your league's waiver wire. Players will be split up into three tiers from most desirable to most desperate. I will also include players at the bottom of this list that you might consider cutting in order to make room for your new additions. All players listed have 50% or less ownership levels across Fleaflicker leagues.

Editor's Note: Purchase a full season NFL Premium Pass (including DFS Premium), and also get MLB Premium + DFS for free through the playoffs. Premium DFS research, lineup picks, expert lineups, tools and more. You can see screenshots of our NFL Premium and MLB Premium and DFS tools. What are you waiting for?

 

Frontrunners for Week 2 - Running Backs Waiver Wire

This group consists of running backs that I would unconditionally recommend adding if they are available on your waiver wire. These players have either earned a greater workload due to injury or performance issues or shown that they can be weekly contributors to their NFL teams.

Tevin Coleman (RB, ATL) - 42% owned

Devonta Freeman owners are cursing the name of Tevin Coleman, but I tried to warn you months ago. The Falcons coaching staff was true to their word and gave Coleman nearly equal time with Freeman. Coleman finished with a paltry eight carries for 22 yards, while Freeman was even worse with 11 carries for 20 yards. His main contribution was in the passing game as he turned five catches into 95 yards. Coleman is now firmly in the flex discussion for PPR leagues.

Theo Riddick (RB, DET) - 34% owned

At one point, it looked like the running backs in Detroit might match the wide receivers in terms of receiving production. Ameer Abdullah delivered the type of performance fantasy owners were waiting for, but the funny thing is that Riddick still provided solid value as well. Riddick scored twice and went for 108 total yards. Granted, the Colts defense didn't put up much of a fight with their decimated secondary, but if there were any fears of Riddick's role being reduced this year, it didn't seem that way in Week 1. Riddick's stock saw arguably the biggest climb of all running backs on this list.

James White (RB, NE) - 47% owned

White was invisible in the running game, but that's not why you own him anyway. Facing the Cardinals in the desert is one of the toughest matchups New England will face, so give White the benefit of the doubt. I know it's hard to trust any Patriots RB, but White will produce a huge game here and there and you'll want him in your lineup when it happens. He remains a PPR flex option and should see more space against the Dolphins in Week 2.

 

In The Running - Week 2 Running Backs Waiver Wire

This group consists of running backs widely available on the waiver wire who aren't must-adds, but could be worth stashing or streaming if the above options are already taken.

Jalen Richard (RB, OAK) - 3% owned

DeAndre Washington was not the Oakland running back to serve as the lightning to Latavius Murray's thunder on Sunday. The rookie out of Southern Miss was an afterthought entering the season, as DeAndre Washington was getting all the attention. He saw just 10 carries for 45 yards all preseason and wasn't even a lock to make the roster. Yet Richard caught everyone's attention by turning in one explosive play with a 75 yard TD run against New Orleans. He isn't guaranteed to see steady playing time, but now that he has shown what he is capable of, he could make himself a factor down the line.

Charcandrick West (RB, KC) - 16% owned

It sounds as if Jamaal Charles will be sitting again in Week 2, so there will be another big dose of Spencer Ware. Don't forget about West though, as he caught six passes in the Chiefs big comeback victory. Ware did enough to hold onto the job, but West looms as a change-of-pace and may get more carries if the Chiefs don't fall behind early again. The matchup against Houston's D is not ideal, so temper expectations.

Chris Thompson (RB, WAS) - 2% owned

Thompson wasn't certain to play in Week 1 with a bum shoulder, but finally came off the injury report on Thursday. He played the third-down back role and even found the end zone. Rob Kelley didn't see the field despite a solid preseason, but Jay Gruden may be choosing experience over potential early on. He has a total of 251 rushing yards and 283 receiving yards entering his fourth NFL season. Thompson is limited to deep PPR league value, but is next up if Matt Jones gets injured.

Honorable Mentions: DeAndre Washington (RB, OAK) - 25% owned, James Starks (RB, GB) - 27% owned, Bilal Powell (RB, NYJ) - 38% owned, Shane Vereen (RB, NYG) - 14% owned, Shaun Draughn (RB, SF) - 3% owned

 

Dark Horses - Week 2 Running Backs Waiver Wire

This group consists of running backs who are strictly desperation plays. They could serve as a bye week fill-in, short-term injury replacement or weekly lottery ticket.

Devontae Booker (RB, DEN) - 17% owned

Nothing much has changed with Booker's outlook although it didn't seem too promising in week 1. Booker got to see action early in the game and promptly fumbled his first NFL carry. C.J. Anderson proceeded to dominate the field, putting up 139 total yards and two TD. Booker was not going to make an immediate impact anyway, but he could still be in the mix by mid-season. He is a stash for deep league owners and a necessary handcuff for Anderson.

Jordan Howard (RB, CHI) - 10% owned

Howard didn't see the field, which was a disappointment for those wanting to see the rookie get his chance. Jeremy Langford was clearly the lead back as expected, but only managed 3.3 Y/A on 17 carries. Howard will have to wait for his chance, but keep him on your radar for now.

Tyler Ervin (RB, HOU) - 2% owned

Lamar Miller showed us what he is capable of in an offense that actually wants him to carry the ball. Alfred Blue remains the primary backup after filling in all last year as the starter. But Tyler Ervin did see the field for one carry and two targets. Blue failed to seize his chance to be Houston's RB with a mediocre performance last year, making Ervin the backup with more upside. He is a deep-league handcuff only at the moment, but could have value in leagues that reward kick return stats.

Damien Williams (RB, MIA) - 0% owned

If Jay Ajayi is still in the doghouse, Damien Williams officially remains the #2 RB in Miami. That means he is an Arian Foster injury away (*knocks furiously on wooden desk) from becoming a starter. He has little value unless that happens, but he will see run before Kenyan Drake.

Travaris Cadet (RB, NO) - 0% owned

C.J. Spiller's unexpected release after Week 1 makes Cadet the pass-catching back of choice in New Orleans. He isn't nearly as talented as combine beast Daniel Lasco, but he will be the one on the field the next several Sundays. He scored a touchdown after managing three catches for 14 yards against Oakland.

Honorable Mentions: Mike Gillislee (RB, BUF) - 1% owned, Kenjon Barner (RB, PHI) -  1% owned, Rob Kelley (RB, WAS) - 7% owned, Daniel Lasco (RB, NO) - 0% owned

 

Also-Rans

Javorius Allen (RB, BAL) - 7% owned

He wasn't listed on the injury report and was expected to play a role in the passing game on Sunday. Instead, the Ravens declared him inactive at the last minute and rolled with Terrance West/Justin Forsett exclusively. Even if Allen does come back, he doesn't figure to play much of a role outside of occasional passing downs now that Forsett is back in the mix.

Chris Johnson (RB, ARI) - 13% owned

If there was any doubt about David Johnson being a feature back, those were officially squashed on Sunday night. The idea of Johnson sharing carries to any extent was deflated by his absence against New England. Johnson saw just two snaps and is nothing but a bench warmer as long as DJ is rolling.

Marshawn Lynch (RB, SEA) - 13% owned

Sorry, but as long as I see him on my TV screen slaughtering wild boars with Bear Grylls, I'm not buying the comeback thing. You know he's doing this just to mess with you, right?

 


Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Luke Raley10 mins ago

Heads To The Bench
Jorge Polanco15 mins ago

Resting On Saturday
Nick Fortes1 hour ago

Scratched Saturday Against The Braves
Wilyer Abreu2 hours ago

Scratched Saturday
Taylor Walls2 hours ago

Not In Saturday's Lineup
Junior Caminero2 hours ago

Out Of The Lineup On Saturday
Spencer Steer2 hours ago

Is Not In Saturday's Lineup
Matt McLain2 hours ago

Returns To The Lineup Saturday
Shohei Ohtani4 hours ago

Threw "Light" Bullpen On Thursday, Will Throw Again On Saturday
Alec Marsh4 hours ago

Shut Down For At Least Seven Days
Ryan O'Hearn4 hours ago

Adley Rutschman, Ryan O'Hearn Sitting On Saturday
Pavin Smith4 hours ago

Sitting Against Southpaw
Geraldo Perdomo5 hours ago

Batting First On Saturday
Oswaldo Cabrera5 hours ago

Not In Saturday's Lineup
Cody Bellinger5 hours ago

Remains Sidelined On Saturday
Jason Heyward5 hours ago

Gavin Sheets, Jason Heyward Sitting Against Lefty On Saturday
Miguel Amaya5 hours ago

Sitting On Saturday
Brooks Lee5 hours ago

Making Progress In Recovery
Tim Tawa5 hours ago

Promoted To Major Leagues
Ketel Marte5 hours ago

Placed On 10-Day Injured List
Iván Herrera6 hours ago

Ivan Herrera Out Of Lineup On Saturday
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP
10
10
11
11
12
19
13
22
14
24
15
25
16
29
17
39
18
40
19
41

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
1
1
2
3
3
7
4
11
6
14
7
15
8
18
9
19
10
20

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

Top 10 Fantasy Football Busts Of All Time - Le'Veon Bell, Peyton Hillis, LeSean McCoy, and more

Fantasy football managers have the fear of picking busts fresh in their minds every season because every year, players who are thought to be headed for productive seasons, whether due to injury, not reaching overly high expectations, or other reasons, bust hard. Those who drafted San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey are well aware […]


Mark Andrews - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Every AFC Team's Most Overvalued Dynasty Fantasy Football Player

The 16 teams that comprise the AFC all have players that I don't think are worth, on their own, what you could get for them in trades as compensation. Not all of them are bad players, though. In fact, some of them are quite good. "Most overvalued" is a relative thing. And since there's not […]


Jayden Daniels - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Free Agency Check - Fantasy Football Quarterback ADP Risers and Fallers

This NFL offseason has been incredible. With big-name free agents shuffling around the league, 2025 looks like an exciting season, and we haven’t even had the draft yet! Over the last few offseasons, we have seen a massive increase in quarterbacks switching teams. This season, the list includes Russell Wilson, Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, Justin […]


Kenneth Walker III - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Running Back Next Gen Stats Review - Fantasy Football Outlooks For 2025

After the 2023 season, we covered Next Gen Stats for the running back position. We highlighted rush yards over expected per attempt and the percentage of carries with eight defenders in the box. Now, it's time to examine the Next Gen Stats for running backs again, but we'll mix in other advanced metrics. Unsurprisingly, rush […]


Cooper Kupp - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Dynasty Fantasy Football Buy or Sell: DK Metcalf, Cooper Kupp, Davante Adams

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp, and Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams all landed in new teams ahead of the 2025 season. Formerly of the Seahawks, Rams, and New York Jets, all three of these wideouts' fantasy football values have undergone marked shifts after landing at their […]


UFL DFS PICKS, FANTASY FOOTBALL, DRAFTKINGS, FANDUEL

UFL DFS Lineup Picks: DraftKings Daily Fantasy Fantasy Advice for Week 2

Welcome to Week 2 of the inaugural UFL season, RotoBallers! We already have one week in the books, with the XFL teams off to a hot start at 3-1 while the USFL conference went 1-3. We have Houston squaring off against Arlington in the early game and San Antonio versus St. Louis in the later […]


Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: NFL Draft QB Scouting Report!

Michael F. Florio gives his scouting report for the 2025 NFL Draft QB class. Do Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders live up the hype? Should you be excited about Jaxson Dart and Jalen Milroe? Plus, he goes over the deeper options in this class! Be sure to also tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (SiriusXM channel […]


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Best Bets: Week 2 Picks

Well, the opening week is always full of curveballs, and 2025 was no exception. We actually saw the Birmingham Stallions lose a game, looking bad in the process. Overall, I went 3-3-1 on spreads and over/unders last week, so a bit inconvenient that neither parlay worked out. It is a short season, so the pressure […]


Isaiah Bond - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Sleepers: 5 Undervalued Draft Targets

We all know at this point who the top names are heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. Ashton Jeanty will be the dynasty rookie RB1. Tetairoa McMillan will be the rookie WR1. But fantasy leagues aren't won just by getting a top-2 or three rookie pick and grabbing the best guys. Rookie drafts are also […]


Ja'Marr Chase fantasy football rankings NFL DFS lineup picks

Two-Round Start-Up Dynasty Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 12-Team, Single Quarterback

The players you select in the early rounds of dynasty fantasy football start-up drafts have a massive impact on the chances of your team winning for many seasons after the first one. So it's crucial to nail these picks, and there are a few ways you can do that. Obviously, no one's being selected in […]


Tetairoa McMillan - College Football DFS Lineup Picks, NCAA CFB, NFL Draft Prospect

2025 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Mock Draft: 12-Team, Single-QB

Thankfully, fans and fantasy football players only have to wait a few more weeks for the 2025 NFL Draft. That means dynasty fantasy rookie mock drafts are right around the corner. While dynasty fantasy outlooks for the NFL Draft prospects will change between today and the end of April, it’s time for another dynasty rookie […]


Davante Adams - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Fantasy Football Outlooks For Wide Receivers On New Teams: Davante Adams, DK Metcalf, Stefon Diggs, Cooper Kupp, Christian Kirk, and more

The 2025 NFL offseason has been full of breaking news alerts. Last year, all the action was at the running back position, with Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs changing teams. However, all the action has been at the wide receiver position this offseason. Some big-name wide receivers remained with their current teams. Tee […]


Bijan Robinson - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Fantasy Football Running Back Preview: Targets & Sleepers For 2025 Drafts

While the NFL is in the middle of its offseason, the fantasy football world never takes a break. Much in the fantasy world will change between now and the start of the regular season. Yet, let’s take an early look at the running back position for 2025 fantasy football drafts. Below are three early-round studs, […]