All-22 Waiver Wire: Week 2
How was your first week of All-22? Everything go as planned? Of course it didn’t. One of my favorite parts about All-22 is that you’re never completely out of it - there’s always talent available to help you win now. At this moment, everyone in traditional formats is rushing to the waiver wire to grab Puka Nacua and Tyler Allgeier. 10 or 12 teams fighting over the same table scraps. You’re here now and there’s plenty of food on the table, let’s eat.
Offense
Dawand Jones, T (CLE)
Dawand Jones’ 49.7 PFF grade in week 1 won’t blow anyone away but let’s take a look beneath the surface. The 22-year-old Tackle was extremely impressive in pass protection. On 20 passing plays, Jones posted a 77.8 PFF pass-blocking grade and didn’t allow as much as a pressure against a formidable Cincinnati pass rush. There’s no doubt that the 4th-round rookie’s 38.4 run-blocking grade tanked his overall grade but that’s not to say he didn’t show promise in the run game. If you need to see it to believe it, be sure to check out Brian Baldinger’s breakdown below. If you’re a team that missed out on Paris Johnson, Darnell Wright or Anton Harrison this year, then you may want to consider stashing Dawand Jones as a developmental piece - maybe just don’t start him against TJ Watt in week 2.
Quinn Meinerz, G (DEN)
Meinerz really shouldn’t be available but, if he is, don’t give it much thought - add him. The 3rd-year, 24-year-old Guard has done nothing but improve since entering the league in 2021. On Sunday, Meinerz showed no signs of letting up against the Raiders. His 87.8 PFF grade from week 1 ranks 3rd among all qualifying Guards. The former Warhawk (yes, I had to look that up) didn’t allow a single pressure in 42 passing snaps, good for an 88.3 PFF pass-blocking grade. He even moved some bodies in the run game, good for an 82.7 PFF run-blocking grade. Quinn Meinerz could be an every-week starter for the foreseeable future.
John Simpson, G (BAL)
Maybe a scenery change was just what the doctor ordered for John Simpson. From 2020-2022, Simpson posted season-long PFF grades of 45.8, 52.6 and 59.5 respectively. Only twice in Simpson’s career has he earned a single-game PFF grade over 70. On Sunday, the 26-year-old Guard looked like an entirely different player. On 64 total snaps, Simpson posted an impressive 87.8 PFF grade - a direct result of a dominant performance in the running game. Look for the former 4th-round pick to continue to flourish in Baltimore’s run-heavy offense.
Rashid Shaheed, WR (NOS)
Towards the end of his rookie season, it became apparent that Rashid Shaheed had earned some trust in Pete Carmichael’s offense. Entering his second season, the UDFA out of Weber State appears to have picked up right where he left off. On Sunday, Derek Carr had a perfect passer rating (158.3) when targeting Shaheed on 6 passes. Small sample size? Sure. Instead, let’s look at the entire 2022 season for reference. Even Shaheed’s mixed bag of Quarterbacks posted passer ratings of 138.4 when targeting the 25-year-old wideout over the course of the 2022 season. With [slightly] improved QB play and Michael Thomas back in the fold, All-22 GMs can expect Shaheed to post more performances like the one that earned him an 81.6 PFF grade in the season-opener.
Defense
Drake Jackson, ED (SF)
After a rough rookie season, I’d imagine many All-22 GMs lost their patience with the former 2nd-round pick. If Jackson’s monster game in week 1 was a sign of things to come for the 22-year-old in his sophomore season, he’ll be well worth a few blind bid dollars. Jackson terrorized Pittsburgh’s offensive line for 3 sacks, 5 pressures, and 2 hurries. An 82.3 PFF grade is a great start to Jackson’s season. Let’s see if he can keep it going against a Rams offensive line that seems to have drastically improved in pass protection.
ARDen KEY, ED (TEN)
Trevor Penning isn’t exactly a Trent Williams-caliber Tackle and Arden Key made sure to expose him on Sunday. Key logged some ridiculous numbers in week 1; 8 pressures, 2 sacks, and 6 hurries. His 69.6 PFF grade may fly under the radar in your league since the 6-year vet underperformed against the run this week. Key is coming off of his best season as a run defender, so there is reason to be optimistic that he can improve in this regard. The journeyman edge rusher certainly looks like he’s getting comfortable in Tennessee rather quickly. It might be best to grab him before too many GMs start to notice.
Zaire Franklin, LB (IND)
After a down year in 2022, Zaire Franklin came out scorching hot to open the 2023 season. Franklin played every defensive snap for the Colts on Sunday and his 92.2 PFF grade ranks 6th among all qualifying defenders. The 27-year-old Linebacker was all over the field, accounting for 15 tackles, 7 stops, and a forced fumble. Linebacker grades are extremely difficult to predict in All-22 but it’s great to see Zaire Franklin post 90+ PFF grades as a run defender and in coverage. Franklin earned our attention this week and a spot on your roster.
