Tyler Warren Matches Brock Bowers, Troy Franklin has Arrived and Underclassmen Impress

This morning hits different. You may be obsessing over the beauty of a 2-0 roster, fixated on improving a 1-1 start or sideyeing an 0-2 squad. Regardless of how you are feeling, the key to improvement is understanding what happened around NFL and college football this weekend. In this week's edition of the Rookie Big Board:

• 10 stats that tell the story of Week 2.
• 5 players to target on your dynasty waiver wire.
• 17 devy risers from college football Week 3.

I will refer to my rankings throughout this article. You can check them out and get personalized advice on your roster here.

10 Stats that Tell the Story of Week 2

Troy Franklin has arrived and Tyler Warren matches Brock Bowers

Week 2 is when trends start to emerge. We can analyze a larger sample size, compare across defensive match-ups and identify some players who took an extra week to start producing in fantasy lineups.

1. Tetairoa McMillan has the 11th most targets of any wide receiver through the first two weeks. His 19 targets are tied with Brian Thomas and Zay Flowers, and are just 1 target shy of Puka Nacua-good company. McMillan ranks as WR17 in ppr formats after the first two weeks despite not yet scoring a touchdown. He passes the eye test, too-clearly looking like the most talented target for Bryce Young, who threw the ball 55 times in Week 2. The process is working with McMillan.
2. Troy Franklin caught 36% of Bo Nix's completions. His 8 receptions was at least 4x the reception total of any other Denver wide receiver in Week 2. He ran routes on 89% of his snaps and had 2.38 yards/route run. A huge week for a Rookie Big Board favorite from the 2024 NFL Draft cycle.
3. Tyler Warren's 16 targets through two games nearly match Brock Bowers' 2024 total. Warren is currently TE4 in ppr formats, catching 11 of his 16 targets for 155 yards. Bowers had 17 targets through his first two career games in 2024, where he totaled 156 yards. At this pace, Warren will be a first round dynasty start-up pick in 2026.
4. Blake Corum had a 60% breakaway percentage rate in Week 2. He rushed for more than 15 yards twice on his 5 carries. Another of his carries was a goal line score. Only Jahmyr Gibbs had a higher breakaway percentage this week. We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves but if Corum keeps taking advantage of his touches, Sean McVay has to give him more touches...right?
5. Elic Ayomanor led Tennessee wide receivers with 4 receptions. His 56 receiving yards were just 1 shy of Calvin Ridley. His aDOT was 16.1, suggesting he presents Ward with some big play potential in an offense that has otherwise looked stagnant. The Titan's will draw easier defenses moving forward, if Ayomanor is still on your waiver wire now is the time to claim him.
6. Kenneth Walker earned a 90.9 rushing grade from PFF. That led the league by a sizeable margin in Week 2. He rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown on just 13 carries. Zach Charbonnet had 15 carries but mustered just 10 yards. The Seahawks backfield looks to be too inconsistent to bank on but too talented to bench.
7. Chuba Hubbard has a receiving touchdown in each of his first two games. Hubbard was one of, if not the most, asked about player in the #start-sit channel in the Rookie Big Board discord last week. I suggested to play him often, based on volume. He now has 26 carries through two games and 11 targets. He caught 6 balls for 32 yards and a touchdown in Week 2, bringing his season total to 8 receptions for 71 yards and two touchdowns. Bryce Young has only thrown 4 touchdowns. Keep plugging Hubbard, currently RB7, into your starting line-ups.
8. Dak Prescott had an 8.8% big time throw rate in Week 2. That ranks 2nd on the week among starting quarterbacks, with only Russell Wilson outpacing him. Prescott threw for 361 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Giants. He finished as QB6 after blanking Week 1. You can plug him back into lineups with confidence.
9. Trevor Lawrence threw for just 6.8 yards/attempt in Week 2. He finished as QB14 on the week despite throwing the ball 42 times. Through two games he is averaging just 224 passing yards/game. He has 4 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter having slow starts does not help but I am officially panicking (again) on Lawrence. If it doesn't happen this season we have to label him as a bust.
10. Tory Horton was the only Seahawks wideout to score in Week 2. Horton caught 2 of his 4 targets for 32 yards and a touchdown. Horton is clearly behind Smith-Njigba and Kupp in the pecking order but the WR3 in the Seahawks scheme is a relevant role. Horton finished as WR32 on the week.

Saving Your Squad:

5 players available in at least 66% of leagues who can improve your lineup.

Editors note: if you have played in a Rookie Big Board league over the past six seasons you know Becks. He has brought home over a half dozen championships and built a few perennial powerhouses. A key piece of that success is his ability to scour the waiver wire to find value. He will be providing weekly targets that are rostered in 40% or less of leagues on Sleeper. These are his picks and they are all RBB approved.

Last week my top recommendations were Tyquan Thornton and Kavonte Turpin. In week 2, Thornton hauled in a 49 yard bomb from Patrick Mahomes for a late score, while Turpin caught 4 passes for 47 yards and a score to go along with 2 carries. Both players finished with double-digit PPR points. And in week 1, I recommended Carson Wentz who appears in line to start this week after J.J. McCarthy injured his ankle against the Falcons. Let’s keep it going…week 3 awaits!

1. Jake Browning, QB (16% rostered) - This one is obvious, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a prudent move. With the news that Joe Burrow is likely to miss at least 3 months due to a serious toe injury, Browning steps into the role of Bengals starter. Many will knock him for his 3 interceptions in week 2, but it should be noted that when filling in for Burrow in 2023 he finished as a top-10 fantasy QB in 4 of 8 games. While he will certainly be prone to mistakes, getting a locked-in starting QB off the waiver wire is a rare occurrence. I would not fault anyone for spending big to acquire him.
2. Antonio Gibson, RB (34%) - It was a good week for the formerly-coveted fantasy asset, providing a much-needed spark to the Patriots with a kickoff return touchdown. Head coach Mike Vrabel also mixed in the veteran on offense, giving him 5 carries (rookie TreVeyon Henderson had only 3) and 1 target. Gibson finished the day with 199 all-purpose yards.
3. Hunter Renfrow, WR (32%) - Renfrow brought his lunch pail on Sunday, catching 7 passes and hauling in 2 touchdowns from Bryce Young. He locked down the full-time slot role, playing 81% of the Panthers’ offensive snaps. He has the potential to be a useful flex as bye weeks approach.
4. Darnell Washington, TE (14%) - There aren’t many situations in which I would find myself recommending a backup tight end with 1 target on the season. However, Darnell Washington is not your typical tight end and Arthur Smith is not your typical play caller. Though built like a lineman, Washington has some versatility to be used in the passing game. The Steelers lined him up at receiver for a nifty two point conversation.
5. Jameis Winston, QB (30%) - Full disclosure: this is more of a manifestation than anything else. The Giants seem committed to Russell Wilson (for now) and Jaxson Dart is clearly the next man up, leaving Winston inactive on gamedays. If a team like – oh I don’t know – the Bengals were to trade a late-round pick for him, he would immediately return to being a viable starting option.

Devy Stock Report: Week 3 Risers

Impressive underclassmen and sneaky 2026 prospects

The college football season goes by so fast. With almost a month of action in the books already, value is starting to solidify. If you want to hear about fallers, tune into the podcast feed on Wednesday. This is all about risers.

• Texas A&M WR Mario Craver continues to skyrocket up devy rankings. He caught 7 balls for 207 yards (29.6 yards/reception) and a touchdown against Notre Dame. He has 20 receptions for 443 yards and 4 touchdowns over the Aggies' first three games.

• Georgia QB Gunnar Stockton had the best game of his career on the road in a packed Neyland stadium. He completed 23/31 attempts for 304 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also rushed the ball 13 times for 38 yards and a touchdown.
• Tennessee WR Chris Brazzell had a Jalin Hyatt-like performance in Josh Heupel's offense. He caught 6 balls for 177 yards and 3 touchdowns against a tough Georgia secondary. A sneaky Day 3 prospect to watch.
• Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith is back to doing Jeremiah Smith things. He caught 9 balls for 153 yards and a touchdown against Ohio in a game that was closer than expected well into the second half.

• LSU WR Aaron Anderson caught 4 balls for 75 yards against a strong Florida defense. Anderson has led LSU in receiving against both Clemson and Florida-he is clearly Garrett Nussmeier's top target. I project him as a top 100 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
• Miami RB Mark Fletcher Jr. rushed for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns against USF. Fletcher now has 272 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns to start the season. Look for him to emerge as a borderline top 100 NFL Draft pick.

• Oklahoma RB Tory Blaylock has emerged as the RB1 in the Sooners offense. Blaylock is a true freshman and appears to have beat out high profile transfer Jayden Ott. He rushed for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns on 14 carries against Temple.
• Arkansas QB Taylen Green is officially a Day 3 NFL Draft projection. He went 22/35 for 305 yards, 1 touchdown against Ole Miss. He also rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. Green now has thrown for 866 yards and 11 touchdowns with just 2 interceptions through his first three games. He has rushed for 207 yards and 2 touchdowns.
• Arizona RB Ismail Mahdi rushed for 189 yards on 22 carries against Kansas State. Mahdi is a senior transfer from Texas State, where he rushed for 2,322 yards and 14 touchdowns over the past two seasons. He will be added to the big board in this week's rankings update.
• Auburn RB Jeremiah Cobb puts up another 100+ rushing yard game. Cobb now has 314 yards and 4 touchdowns for the Tigers over their first three games. He is 2026 eligible but as a first-year, volume based starter there is a better chance he is a featured part of the 2027 NFL Draft.
• Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy rushed for 250 yards and 3 touchdowns against Louisiana. Hardy is a transfer from Louisiana-Monroe, where he rushed for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns as a true freshman. He now has 462 yards and 5 touchdowns for the Tigers through the first three games. Fun addition to this one-ULM and Louisiana are rivals, so even after he transferred out of conference, Hardy is still dominating the Ragin' Cajuns.
• USC WR Jakobi Lane caught 3 balls for 115 yards (38.3 yards/reception) against Purdue. Lane had 9 receptions for 239 yards and a touchdown over the Trojans' first three games. He will be featured in prime time games against Michigan State, Illinois, Michigan and Notre Dame over the next month.

• Old Dominion QB Colton Joseph went 16/22 for 276 yards and 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions against Virginia Tech. He also rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown on 8 carries. Joseph is an explosive dual-threat who rushed for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns against Indiana in Week 1. The true sophomore could be a prime transfer portal target for Power 4 programs heading into the 2026 season.
• TCU QB Josh Hoover completed 78% of his passing attempts for 337 yards and 4 touchdowns against Abilene Christian. Not the toughest opponent for Hoover but the senior has looked great against both UNC and his FCS opponent. TCU plays rival SMU this week; if Hoover puts together another big game he will play his way into the Day 2 NFL Draft pick conversation.

• Cal QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele has led Cal to a 3-0 start. He completed 24/38 passing attempts for 279 yards and 3 touchdowns against Boston College. He is outperforming expectations and carrying a Golden Bears offense that everyone expected to be dismal this season.
• Arizona State RB Raleek Brown is officially back! I really liked Brown as a freshman at USC but he has been quiet since transferring. He rushed for 144 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries against Texas State. In Week 2 he rushed for 110 yards against Mississippi State.

• NC State QB CJ Bailey threw for 3 touchdowns against Wake Forest. Bailey is a mobile improviser who isn't afraid to fire the ball into a tight window. He has completed 70% of his passing attempts for 719 yards, 5 touchdowns and 1 interception so far this season. He also has 84 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.

The Show

YouTube and Podcasts that have dropped so far this week

John Laub and I identify our 9 priority targets on this week's CFF Waiver Wire.