3 Waiver Wire RB Sleepers You Can Start if De'Von Achane Doesn't Play

If you're desperate for running back help already in fantasy football, there are still some good sleeper options available on the waiver wire.

Oct 22, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back Jaleel McLaughlin (38) during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

There's no bigger storyline in fantasy football for Week 2 than the injury status of Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane, who is nursing an ankle injury and will test it out in pregame warmups. Raheem Mostert has already been ruled out, and Jeff Wilson Jr. is already in play with Mostert on the shelf. If Achane sits, Wilson will be a must-start.

But what if you have Achane in your starting lineup and didn't manage to get Wilson or Jaylen Wright on the waiver wire? Hopefully you drafted some running back depth, but you're not totally out of luck if you didn't.

Here are three running back sleepers, all available in at least 50.0% of ESPN fantasy football leagues, who you can grab off the waiver wire to plug into your starting lineup if you're desperate in Week 2.

1. Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos vs. PIT (45.6% Rostered)

Jaleel McLaughlin disappointed in Week 1, scoring just 5.8 PPR fantasy points. But that doesn't tell nearly the entire story about how promising a game it was for fantasy football purposes.

While his snap share (35%) was a little worrying, he racked up 10 rush attempts plus 5 targets in the passing game. The ball went his way on a ridiculous 62.5% of his snaps. It's clear Sean Payton wants to get him the ball.

In comparison, Javonte Williams out-snapped McLaughlin 36 to 24 but only had 8 rush attempts and 2 targets.

Efficiency will continue to be an issue in the Denver Broncos offense, and a matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense doesn't help. But volume is priority number one for fantasy production at running back, and McLaughlin should see plenty of that.

2. Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys vs. NO (36.5% Rostered)

In a very different situation, the Dallas Cowboys are heavy favorites against the New Orleans Saints and project to be one of the NFL's highest-scoring teams in Week 2. That's after already putting up 33 points against a very good Cleveland Browns defense in Week 1.

There should be a ton of production to go around in Dallas this week, including enough touchdown upside to make this offense one to target with dart throws.

Dowdle was only out-snapped 32 to 28 by Ezekiel Elliott in the season opener, and the two rotated in and out all game. It wasn't a situation where Dowdle padded his numbers late in a lopsided win.

Elliott is rostered in 82.9% of leagues, but he and Dowdle have very similar (and very promising) outlooks for Week 2.

3. Miles Sanders, Carolina Panthers vs. LAC (14.3% Rostered)

Here's your long-shot deep sleeper if you're in an especially sharp league in which competitors have already snapped up McLaughlin and Dowdle.

Sanders is a risk, for sure, but anyone you're finding available in 80-plus percent of leagues always will be. There's a fair amount to like about Sanders right now though.

A lopsided blowout in Week 1 makes it hard to lean too heavily into game-long usage stats for the Carolina Panthers offense, but Sanders had 4 carries and 2 targets in the first half on Sunday. Chuba Hubbard, in comparison, had 3 carries and no targets before halftime.

I know Sanders let everyone down last year, and thriving in the Panthers' offense will not be easy, but perhaps the NFL world was too quick to give up on his talent after one down year? This is still a guy who had 1,300 yards from scrimmage in 2022.