Fantasy Football Week 2: 5 waiver wire backup plans for D’Andre Swift

4. Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears

David Montgomery out-touched Herbert 20-10 in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers, while also out-snapping him 38-17. But it was the second-year back who got the goal line work, and it feels meaningful he dominated touches in a drive that gave the Bears a two-score lead. Herbert was also the more productive runner in sloppy (to put it mildly) conditions last week–nine carries for 45 yards (and a touchdown), to Montgomery’s 17 for 26.

While it’s not a fantastic matchup this week against the Green Bay Packers, if the best players are put on the field Herbert may take a more significant amount of touches from Montgomery. The prospect of even 10 carries, with a couple receptions and a coin-flip chance a touchdown, makes Herbert a plug-and-play low-end RB2/flex option for those who need a fallback for Swift.

ESPN Ownership: 28.3%
Yahoo! Ownership: 48%

3. Jeff Wilson, San Francisco 49ers

With Elijah Mitchell (knee) injured in Week 1 and expected to miss two months, Wilson became a hot waiver wire pickup this week as the 49ers’ new No. 1 running back. Of course when you’re coming from as low ownership as he was, there remains room to add Wilson even now.

The negatives around Wilson are clear. Deebo Samuel seems lined up to still operate as a “wideback” and take carries away. Kyle Shanahan inherited fantasy headache-inducing backfield shenanigans from his father, so there’s a chance Tyrion Davis-Price or Jordan Mason enter the mix more than expected. That said, Shanahan did say a “hot hand” approach only applied to Davis-Price and Mason, with Wilson as the starter against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

Wilson’s ownership rates keep him from being a notch (or multiple notches) higher on this list. It’s worth checking to see if he’s available in your league as a Swift manager, since when it’s all said and done there may not be a better fill-in option this week.

ESPN Ownership: 58.4%
Yahoo! Ownership: 72%