Well…that sucked. Injuries have played far too big a role in 2023. I know the writers are on strike, but this script is ridiculous. Nick Chubb is gone, and one team in your league is in tears. The only good news is that there are still quality RBs on the Week 3 Waiver Wire. Let’s dig in.
Quick Note: All players listed are available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues. While not everyone plays on ESPN, studies show most do. So, if they’re available there, they’re likely available on your Week 3 Waiver Wire. Pick ‘Em Up!
Week 3 Waiver Wire
Quarterbacks
Normally, I don’t advocate blowing FAAB on QBs. There is always plenty to choose from in free agency after waivers, and you should just stream the position. This list will usually be small, but if you’re desperate, this is who I would prioritize this week.
Jordan Love (60% Available)
Love was an unknown commodity coming into this season. Through two games, he has thrown six touchdowns in two games without his best WR. He’s already the QB2 in fantasy, and we might not have seen his best days yet!
Jared Goff (50% Available)
Goff was a matchup-based play last year, but looks far better in 2023. He’s the QB8, completing 70% of his passes for almost 600 yards and four touchdowns in two games. He’s home against ATL this week, so even if it’s a matchup thing, he will be a top-10 QB again in Week 3.
Running Backs
Jerome Ford (90% Available)
When Nick Chubb fell, the fantasy world wept. That might be too poetic for this article, but it is a tough loss. Ford took the ball and ran for 106 yards. Plus, he added a receiving TD. He is worth every dime of FAAB you have left. League. Winner.
Zack Moss (67% Available)
Moss might be a two-week rental, but if Jonathan Taylor does not return on schedule, Moss is the back to roster in Indy. He took all the work and rushed for 88 yards and a TD in his first game back this season.
Gus Edwards / Justice Hill (at least 68% Available)
Surprised these two are still out there in so many leagues. Edwards took over the lead role this week and found the endzone, while Hill remained active in the passing game and led the team in touches. All that against a stout Cincinnati run defense. There are better days ahead.
Tyjae Spears (87% Available)
Tyjae Spears might finally be the complementary back to Derrick Henry that we’ve all been dreading waiting for. He’s played a ton of snaps and has 14 touches through two games. If Henry were to go down, he has top-10 upside.
Roschon Johnson (69% Available)
Most figured it would take some time for Johnson to take over this backfield. It took two weeks. While he has seven fewer carries than Khalil Herbert, he has been far more efficient and scored the team’s only rushing TD at running back. Plus, he’s at nine targets through two games.
Matt Breida / Eric Gray (99% Available)
Saquon Barkley will likely miss three weeks, and you don’t leave starting RBs on waivers. Breida is far from inspiring but should see decent enough volume for the next month. Keep an eye on the rookie Gray to steal his spot, though.
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Wide Receivers
Josh Reynolds (95% Available)
Through two games, Reynolds has five more fantasy points than Amon-Ra St. Brown on three fewer targets. He has a connection with Jared Goff going back to their days together with the Rams. Reynolds’ role is safe for at least the next four weeks while the Lions wait on Jameson Williams.
Tutu Atwell (68% Available)
Another player whose role is safe while we wait for a better player to return. Once Cooper Kupp is back, he will take over the WR2 role behind Puka Nacua (joking…sort of), and Atwell will be the odd man out. He’ll still have a place in the pecking order but far behind Kupp and Nacua. Expect five targets per game instead of ten.
Tank Dell / Robert Woods (at least 93% Available)
It turns out the Texans will throw the ball 40 times per game every week. While Nico Collins is the WR1, there is still plenty left for Dell and Woods. Dell is interesting because the preseason reports were that he was the WR that C.J. Stroud asked for in the draft. He could lead this team in targets later in the season.
Romeo Doubs / Jayden Reed (at least 65% Available)
Both of these guys played well while Christian Watson has missed time, and both will remain a part of the offense when he returns. Jordan Love is red hot, and you want a piece of his offense.
K.J. Osborn (72% Available)
Kirk Cousins is averaging 44 pass attempts per game, so even being fourth in the pecking order means 6-8 targets per week. Osborn might not set the world on fire, but he is a flex option who is one injury away from being a weekly WR2.
Tight Ends
Much like QB, I don’t usually recommend blowing any waiver priority or FAAB on a tight end, either. You can generally wait until Wednesday and play the streaming game. However, early in the season, there are sometimes players that should be rostered, and leagues are missing out. These are those players.
Hunter Henry (65% Available)
Henry is the TE1 overall in fantasy right now, with TDs in each of his first two games. He is also the best WR that New England has on the team. This is likely your last chance to add him.
Sam LaPorta (50% Available)
LaPorta is coming into his own early, with 11 targets in two games. He is already a top-10 fantasy option and hasn’t even had a great game yet. Add him now before he pops off.
Jake Ferguson (87% Available)
Ferguson is also at 11 targets through two games, but a rough Week 1 makes his efficiency look bad. He improved in Week 2, catching three of four balls and scoring a TD. He also just missed a 2nd TD. He is more of a streaming option compared to LaPorta and Henry, but he is worth an add in deep leagues.
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