The original NFL Week 3 fantasy football waiver wire write-up said that this week’s options were nothing more than a plate of leftovers from last week. Then the Nick Chubb knee injury happened and, after vomiting profusely for a good 10-staright minutes, I came back to re-write the introduction. Wow. Just wow. I didn’t like the Saquon Barkley injury update saying he would be out for three weeks, but watching this injury to Chubb and now expecting him to miss the duration of the season just might be more than I can emotionally handle. Anyone who has followed me in this space knows he is my favorite running back in the NFL and knows that I am heavily invested in him for my fantasy football teams. Just brutal on so many fronts. But the show must go on and we still have 15 more weeks of football. So let’s figure out which players are most worthy of your waiver priority and FAAB dollars.

 

 

Waiver Wire Quarterbacks

Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons

Rostered in: 2.3% on ESPN; 5.0% on Yahoo

We are, by no means telling you Ridder is going to be a star in the NFL, but if you lost Aaron Rodgers and find yourself streaming at the position, then Ridder facing Detroit is actually a favorable match-up for the second-year signal-caller. The Lions just gave up 328 yards and two touchdowns to Geno Smith after allowing 226 yards and two touchdowns to Patrick Mahomes and Ridder is going to have to throw at some point in a game with a 45.5 game total. He’s also capable of running on his own, so when Aiden Hutchinson is chasing him down, Ridder could add some yards of his own. FAAB 1-2%

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Rostered in: 14.5% on ESPN; 15.0% on Yahoo

It’s been a rocky start to the season for Young thus far, but if you’re already streaming a quarterback, you can at least look to the match-up against Seattle as a positive. We’ll see if the Seahawks get Jamal Adams back, but for now, we’re looking at a defense that has allowed 325 passing yards per game and has allowed opposing quarterbacks to post a 213.1 passer-rating against them. Obviously, the passer-rating numbers are a little skewed early on, but the yardage is for real. If Young can move the ball the way he did on that late drive in the fourth quarter of Monday’s loss to the Saints, he could post some respectable numbers for a very low cost. FAAB 1-2%

Waiver Wire Running Backs

Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns

Rostered in: 9.1% on ESPN; 18.0% on Yahoo

I don’t even really know what to say at this point. If you lost Chubb and didn’t handcuff him to Ford, you’re going to have to pay a king’s ransom to acquire him. We saw yesterday that the Browns are likely to use Ford as a bell-cow back and we saw some great work from him both as a runner and a pass-catcher. In addition to investing in the player, we are also investing in the Browns running game in general and that’s why you make the move. Deshaun Watson looks like he’s struggling and while I expect him to right the ship soon enough, Kevin Stefanski knows he’s going to have to run the ball heavily and let the run set up the pass. Open those wallets. FAAB 55-60% and I’m not even sure that gets it done

Pierre Strong, Cleveland Browns

Rostered in: 0.2% on ESPN; 1.0% on Yahoo

He’s your contingency pick should you lose out on the Jerome Ford Sweepstakes. Strong profiles more like a pass-catching complementary back and that’s how the Browns used him during Monday’s loss to the Steelers. It was somewhat encouraging to see him get the goal-line work after Ford’s big, explosive play, so the team isn’t afraid to send him between the tackles. Again, your primary effort is Ford, but set up Strong as a potential handcuff or contingency pick FAAB 6-8%

Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams

Rostered in: 65.0% on ESPN; 63.0% on Yahoo

I'm literally just adding him here in case you are in a shallow league and no one picked him up. WIth the obvious rift between head coach Sean McVay and Cam Akers, Williams is turning into the clear-cut No. 1 back for the Rams. They're using him in both the running and passing game, so true bell-cow back potential for touches. If he's there on your wire, he's a must-add. FAAB 25-30%

UPDATE: Only because I just got the question – the reason I have a lower bid on Williams than Ford is because, IF Williams is still available, it means your league is shallow and there isn't a strong cry for running backs. Therefore, you don't need as powerful a bid as if you were going after him in a 12-team league that starts two RB and at least one flex.

Tony Jones, New Orleans Saints

Rostered in: 0.1% on ESPN; 1.0% on Yahoo

It’s a very deep cut, but if you are looking for some backfield help and you miss out on the Browns runners, Jones seemed to slot in well after Jamaal Williams left with a hamstring issue. Now adding him is really only good for the one week as Alvin Kamara is expected to return in Week 4 and we aren’t even sure yet if Williams is going to miss significant time. Keep an eye on the injury updates for Williams and see, but also keep in mind that Kendre Miller could also be active and turn Week 3 into a full-blown committee. FAAB 1-2%

Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts

Rostered in: 32.1% on ESPN; 54.0% on Yahoo

If for some reason Moss is still available in your leagues, he definitely warrants consideration even if we are viewing him as a short-term option. The Colts are working on repairing their relationship with Jonathan Taylor and he could be back for Week 5, but for now, Moss looks like he is going to see the bulk of the work. With Anthony Richardson in concussion protocol and dealing with two-straight weeks where he got his bell rung, expect head coach Shane Steichen to try to run the ball more with his running backs than his QB. He had a strong Week 2 with 88 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, but even more encouraging was the four catches out of the backfield. He may be playing on borrowed time but for a two-week band-aid? I’ll take it. FAAB 15-17%

Matt Breida, New York Giants

Rostered in: 1.1% on ESPN; 3.0% on Yahoo

This is the perfect example as to why there are certain backfield situations we don’t handcuff. If you lost Barkley, you better be in on Jerome Ford because Breida isn’t even really much of a consolation prize. You roster him out of desperation; when all other avenues are blocked. He’s had durability issues his entire career, has never had a backfield job to himself. I expect the Giants to go committee with either Gary Brightwell or Eric Gray, but they’ll lean a little harder on the veteran, specially on the short week and against his former team, the 49ers. Revenge game? Probably not the Narrative Street we want to walk down, but if we must, we must. FAAB: 5-7%

Gus Edwards, Baltimore Ravens

Rostered in: 32.0% on ESPN; 65.0% on Yahoo

Based on rostership numbers there are many leagues where no one bit on the Ravens backfield after J.K. Dobbins went down in Week 1. I was always more partial to Edwards than Justice Hill because of the short-yardage, between-the-tackles work. They split snaps fairly equally with Hill getting a slight edge there and in actual touches. However, it was Edwards who had the better runs and the guy who found the end zone, so if you’re looking for help, he’s worth a look. FAAB: 8-10%

Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens

Rostered in: 30.1% on ESPN; 44.0% on Yahoo

Again, if you miss out on the top running back pick-ups, i.e. Ford, then you can set Hill as a contingency pick. He saw a little more than half the snaps and half the carries and was even involved in the passing game. This week, the Ravens will take on the Colts, so it might not be a great week for the Ravens backfield, but it’s a long season and he is still getting touches on a team with no clear No. 1 runner. FAAB: 6-8%

De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins

Rostered in: 19.4% on ESPN; 44.0% on Yahoo

If you didn’t get tagged with a running back injury and you aren’t desperate, then throw down a sneaky, low bid on Achane as a way to build depth and protect from injuries. Raheem Mostert has established himself as the team’s No. 1 runner, but we know about his injury history. Salvan Ahmed is nothing more than a complementary back, so if Mostert goes down, Achane will be summoned for a share of the workload and be granted the opportunity to lead this backfield. Keep it reasonable and remember, this is just a stash for the long-term. If you continuously overturn your bench, then don’t bother but if you have patience, he’s a great late-season play. FAAB: 2-4%

 

 

Waiver Wire Wide Receivers

Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions

Rostered in: 4.7% on ESPN; 13.0% on Yahoo

With Jameson Williams suspended through Week 6, the big question was where are the Lions going to go if Amon-Ra St. Brown is buried in coverage. The initial thought was Jahmyr Gibbs, but we’ve seen that Dan Campbell is not ready to take his Ferrari out of the garage. Sam LaPorta has been solid, but Reynolds has been outstanding. Through two weeks, he’s seen 13 targets which he’s now turned into nine catches for 146 yards and two touchdowns. The Lions are going to be in some shootouts once again as their pass defense is going to struggle, so that puts Reynolds on the field often enough to be the WR3 on your fantasy team. This is more than just a DFS play, but let’s give Jon Impemba and extra shout-out for his Reynolds call in DFS this week. FAAB: 10-12% 

Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys

Rostered in: 53.4% on ESPN; 24.0% on Yahoo

A little surprising his roster numbers are as high as they are, but that’s probably from all the Brandin Cooks owners thinking Gallup would be the add. He is and could be moving forward as Cooks is dealing with a sprained MCL. Don’t worry about the target-share from this past week as the Jets pass defense is one of the best. Focus on that 72-percent snap share and expect him to be utilized more if Cooks can’t take the field this week against Arizona. FAAB: 7-9%

Kadarius Toney, Kansas City Chiefs

Rostered in: 41.4% on ESPN; 48.0% on Yahoo

This is one of my favorite pickups, especially after seeing all the rage-drops from Week 1 and then seeing him ignored on the wire before Week 2. Yes, Patrick Mahomes is going to focus on Travis Kelce and from there it becomes a bit of a crapshoot as to where he’s going to look next, but Toney is the perfect Matt Nagy-type guy as he loves his pre-snap motion and like to run a number of gimmicky plays. Toney only saw a 28-percent snap-count last week, but he also saw five targets which tied for the lead among receivers. He can be a dynamic play when he’s healthy and the Chiefs are rolling, so keep tabs on him for sure. FAAB: 6-8%

Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams

Rostered in: 31.7% on ESPN; 25.0% on Yahoo

While Puka Nacua is everyone’s darling, let’s not ignore the fact that Atwell has now seen 17 targets over two games. Yes, he’s the second look and yes, expect Cooper Kupp back in a couple of weeks, but the Rams love Atwell’s speed and versatility and will keep him heavily involved in the passing attack. He’s got potential to have some explosive games and his numbers right now surpass some of the better receivers in the game right now. If the Rams are going to throw this much, pay attention. FAAB: 6-8% 

Robert Woods, Houston Texans

Rostered in: 6.4% on ESPN; 9.0% on Yahoo

He’s the Steady-Eddie for the Texans right now and he is going to continue to see a strong snap count and healthy dose of targets each week. He’s turned 19 targets into 12 catches for 131 yards and while he hasn’t found the end zone yet, his three red zone targets from Week 2 are certainly encouraging. You don’t need to go crazy with the bidding because he’s an older player and everyone just dismisses them for the shiny, new toy. But if you want a potential high-floor guy with the potential to do more every so often, give him a look. FAAB 5-7%

Tank Dell, Houston Texans

Rostered in: 3.8% on ESPN; 5.0% on Yahoo

Here’s a guy who could end up going for more FAAB than we would like at this time, but given his popularity coming out of the University of Houston and the fact that he scored a touchdown in Week 2, Dell is someone people are looking at with earnest. He saw 10 targets last week and saw an impressive 79-percent snap share, second only to Woods. He’s undersized for sure, but he tries to play like a big man and loves to fight for contested catches. The Texans are likely to be a heavy second-half passing team, especially this week against the Jaguars, so if he and CJ Stroud are buddying up, you’re going to want him. FAAB 8-10%

Waiver Wire Tight Ends

Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals

Rostered in: 47.3% on ESPN; 11.0% on Yahoo

The old man is putting in the work, once again, and we are 100-percent here for it. He’s now seen 18 targets over the first two games and while he hasn’t found the end zone yet, 12 catches for 78 yards isn’t the worst thing in the world your tight end can do for you. He’s probably still more of a streamer than someone you want to run out there every week, but this week against a tough Dallas pass-rush, we expect Joshua Dobbs to lean heavy on the short, quick passes to Ertz to help avoid sacks and to move the chains. FAAB 3-5%

Hunter Henry, New England Patriots

Rostered in: 34.6% on ESPN; 55.0% on Yahoo

With Mike Gesicki lining up more as a receiver than a tight end, it looks like Henry is the top-dog in Bill O’Brien’s offense. We know what the Patriots OC dos for tight ends, and Henry’s 90-percent snap-share and 13 targets leads the work at the position for New England. He’s averaged 54 receiving yards and one score per game through the first two weeks and will likely be honed in on again while the Patriots receivers deal with the Jets defensive backs. FAAB:6-8%

Cole Turner, Washington Commanders

Rostered in: 0.1% on ESPN; 0.0% on Yahoo

More of a speculative add as we await word regarding Logan Thomas and concussion protocol. Should Thomas be out this week, Turner is expected to slot in more as the pass-catching tight end while John Bates does more of the in-line blocking. We know that Eric Bieniemy likes to throw to his tight ends, especially inside the red zone, so keep Turner in mind if you are streaming the position and Thomas is out. FAAB 1-2%