10 Fantasy Football Stash Candidates Ahead of Week 2

Welcome to stash candidates, a column that highlights players who may be potential league winners at some point in the future, whether that’s next week or a handful of weeks down the road.

We’re looking at all kinds of stash-worthy guys in the event the player above them on the depth chart is on shaky ground or might be nursing an injury, or possibly a matchup-based situation in the weeks ahead. Clear out those benches and make room for these up-and-comers.

Editor's Note: Check out the Week 2 Waiver Wire Watch!

Jalen McMillan, WR - Buccaneers (5% rostered)

The rookie found the end zone once with another almost score on an overthrown ball in Week 1. Jalen McMillan appears to be their outside guy opposite Mike Evans with Chris Godwin likely operating full-time in the slot. He was on the field for 83% of the snaps (53) which was the most in the WR room. We know it’s still early but McMillan could be set up for some juicy games in 2024 and may make for a nice bye-week fill-in once they kick in.

Derek Carr, QB - Saints (10% rostered)

Derek Carr coming out with a 200-yard, three-touchdown performance in Week 1 was not something we saw coming, nor is it a situation we can count on happening from week to week. However, he was highly efficient, completing 19-of-23 passes which included a beautiful 59-yard dart to Rashid Shaheed. The Panthers were abysmal on both sides of the ball and Carr will have a real test this week in Jerry World against the Cowboys, but his schedule gets a bit juicy in Weeks 3-5. He’ll face the Eagles, Steelers, and Chiefs who allowed QB11, QB16, and QB5 performances respectively in Week 1. Carr could be a nice stash if you lost Jordan Love for a bit or for those upcoming byes.

Bucky Irving, RB - Buccaneers (21% rostered)

The rookie’s usage was encouraging against the Commanders, as Bucky Irving carried the ball nine times for 62 yards and caught two of his three targets for an additional 14 yards. Not only did he see a decent chunk of the RB volume, but Irving was efficient on the ground, posting 6.9 yards per carry to starter Rachaad White’s 2.9. If that competency in rushing continues, we may see an uptick in carries for Irving as the season progresses, with White being used more for receiving work.

Alexander Mattison, RB - Raiders (4% rostered)

Now a Raider, Alexander Mattison had five rushing attempts for 19 yards with another four catches for 43 yards and a touchdown in LA. The former Viking’s nine touches to Zamir White’s 15 may hint at a more committee approach than originally anticipated for the Raiders backfield. Mattison ran 22 routes (9 for White) which is also encouraging considering Vegas may be playing from behind this season. It’s too early to tell if Week 1 was sustainable, but Mattison could be worth a bench spot for those RB-needy teams.

Adonai Mitchell, WR - Colts (32% rostered)

He was this close to being the hottest waiver wire player for Week 1, as Adonai Mitchell was open for two what could have been huge touchdowns but both balls were misthrown by Anthony Richardson. Despite the accuracy issues on those specific throws, we saw Richardson nail several other solid passes so when that chemistry kicks in, watch out. The good news is that Mitchell was second in targets and third in routes run, and his talent indicates he is capable of passing Alec Pierce in the pecking order for deep balls, making him relevant even when Josh Downs returns. Mitchell may not be playable yet, but some patience may be rewarded here.

Justice Hill, RB - Ravens (4% rostered)

While some may rush to grab Justice Hill off waivers hoping to chase his Week 1 usage, he’s still in the stash category for me with tempered expectations. The Ravens were playing catchup throughout their contest with Kansas City, going to Hill’s blitz ability and pass-catching prowess over Derrick Henry’s steady ground game. The King will return to command the backfield moving forward so we need to see where exactly Hill’s volume shakes out.

Devaughn Vele, WR - Broncos (0% rostered)

There was some buzz surrounding Devaughn Vele at the end of training camp, which got a smidge louder once they moved on from Tim Patrick. Fellow rookie QB Bo Nix didn’t have the best Week 1 outing and struggled to get the ball downfield, but Vele caught all eight of his targets for 39 yards, and despite being second in volume among WRs, led the WR room in fantasy points with 7.9 in half-PPR scoring. Vele’s involvement alone makes him stash-worthy but we need to see more from Nix and this offense to consider starting the rookie.

MarShawn Lloyd, RB - Packers (13% rostered)

MarShawn Lloyd was inactive for Week 1 but wasn't placed on the PUP list which indicates he’ll be ready for action sooner rather than later. Josh Jacobs saw 18 touches which he turned into 11.4 half-PPR points but with Jordan Love sidelined, they may need to rely more on the run game in the coming weeks. Stash Lloyd now before he’s announced as active in leagues with an IR spot, and you can pick up someone else for your bench in the meantime. If no IR spot, he’s still snaggable in leagues with deeper benches.

Jameis Winston, QB - Browns (0% rostered)

You all saw that Week 1 performance from Deshaun Watson too, right? Stashing QBs that aren’t starting is not something I normally recommend in redraft leagues, but Jameis Winston is someone who has won fantasy leagues for many in the past and he could do it again if the poor QB play continues in Cleveland. The weapons are there for success, so if you have a deeper bench, are not so confident in your current QB situation, and can swing it, grabbing Winston now could be a fruitful decision.

Jordan Akins, TE - Browns (0% rostered)

Speaking of the Browns, this is a deep pull but with TE so gross it may not be such a bad idea to pick up Jordan Akins. He caught three of four targets for 27 yards and had a 57% snap share which led all Cleveland TEs. David Njoku is currently week to week with an ankle sprain so if he misses more than one week, Akins could be a decent streamer.