If you drafted Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes early or managed to snag Kirk Cousins or Matthew Stafford later on in your drafts, this article probably isn’t for you. But if you’re desperately trying to find a starting quarterback for Week 2, here are some serviceable quarterback streamers with good matchups who can help your fantasy team win this week.
Week 2 Quarterback Streamers
Check out our Week 2 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | PPR |
Note: The below quarterback streamers are the “best of the rest”, meaning that they’re generally rostered in less than about 50-60 percent of major fantasy football platforms at the time of this writing even after waivers have run on Wednesday.
Matt Ryan (25% ESPN, 44% Yahoo)
Even though the Jaguars intercepted Carson Wentz twice last Sunday, they also allowed him to throw for 300 yards and four touchdowns against them in a comeback win for Washington. Jacksonville’s pass defense has been a matchup to target for opposing quarterbacks in fantasy dating back to last season, and they rank 24th in DVOA after their weak showing in Week 1. It remains a matchup to target, which makes Matt Ryan among the best quarterback streamers for Week 2.
Although Indianapolis struggled against Houston last week, Ryan was productive as a passer in the eventual tie in overtime, throwing for over 350 yards and a touchdown. He also had a second potential touchdown dropped by rookie Alec Pierce, who was wide open in the end zone. It’s worth noting that the Colts’ offensive line ranks just 24th in pass block win rate after one week, but Ryan was able to navigate the pressure and was sacked just twice by the Texans. He should have a decent fantasy floor and fair ceiling as well this week.
Marcus Mariota (7% ESPN, 10% Yahoo)
In Week 1, Marcus Mariota passed for just 215 yards, zero touchdowns, and lost a fumble. However, he still finished as the no. 10 fantasy quarterback on the week due to his 12 carries for 72 yards and a rushing touchdown. The continuing trend over the last few seasons has been that quarterbacks who can run create strong floor and ceiling scenarios in fantasy, and Mariota is proving to be yet another late-round fantasy quarterback who can provide adequate production due to his legs.
Mariota was also able to evade pressure by the Saints’ front seven with his mobility and avoided taking any sacks in Week 1. There is some risk in starting him against a Los Angeles defense that will have had 10 days of rest, but he remains a high-ceiling option among this week’s quarterback streamers. It helps, too, that the Rams’ defense didn’t look quite as menacing in Week 1 as they did in 2021 with Von Miller having departed this offseason.
Carson Wentz (41% ESPN, 44% Yahoo)
After the Colts moved on from their failed experiment with Carson Wentz this past offseason, Wentz managed to lead a fourth-quarter comeback against the Jaguars in their home opener last Sunday. Despite throwing two interceptions, Wentz ended the week as the No. 3 quarterback in fantasy with over 300 yards and four touchdowns while spreading the ball around. In addition to Terry McLaurin, Washington finally got a healthy Curtis Samuel and Logan Thomas back, and rookie Jahan Dotson contributed two scores in his NFL debut.
And while Detroit’s defense isn’t quite as bad as it looked against a strong Philadelphia team in Week 1, their secondary remains suspect despite the addition of Aiden Hutchinson to their front seven. The risk with Wentz this week is that the Lions’ run defense struggled just as much as their pass defense in their first game, which led to four rushing touchdowns by the Eagles. Washington could follow a similar blueprint and hand the ball to Antonio Gibson near the goal line, but Wentz is still a viable option among this week’s quarterback streamers.
Honorable Mentions
In deeper leagues, if none of the above-recommended quarterback streamers are available, the Lions are fielding a strong offensive line that should be able to protect Jared Goff against a Washington front seven missing Chase Young, and Goff looked adequate in his first game against a strong Eagles defensive unit. And if you’re desperate, Justin Fields had 11 rushing attempts in the Bears’ Week 1 upset over the 49ers. Even if he struggles against the Packers’ secondary, his mobility still gives him a high fantasy ceiling if you’re willing to roll the dice in primetime.
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