Week 3 Waiver Wire Additions: Carson Steele Set to Have a Large Role After Isiah Pacheco Injury

Whew, y’all, there’s no way to sugarcoat this: Week 2 was HORRIBLE for the health of our star fantasy players. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp is expected to miss several weeks. Justin Jefferson went down with a quad injury. It was announced Monday evening that Deebo Samuel is expected to miss some time. Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco fractured his fibula and could be out for months. Then, on Monday night, the Houston Texans’ running back Joe Mixon was sidelined after an illegal hip drop tackle. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg!  With so many fantasy football studs out, the Week 3 Waiver Wire is going to feel more like a shark tank. Be prepared to drop a ton of FAAB to acquire their replacements.

If you know me, you know I can get into every possible option, especially with so many injuries. However, I’ve narrowed it down for you. In this article, I tend to look at options for deeper leagues instead of going for the players who should already be rostered in most leagues. Let’s get into some of the top players available on waivers this week.

Week 3 Waiver Wire Additions

Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints

Available in 80% of Yahoo leagues, 90% of ESPN leagues, and 79% of Sleeper leagues

Carr had a HUGE game in Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers, but that was kind of to be expected. After all, it’s the Panthers. I’m not hating; I’m just speaking the truth. However, he proved that he may be the real deal after handling the Dallas Cowboys defense in Week 2. Running back Alvin Kamara stole the show, but Carr still finished with 243 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Over the next three weeks, the Saints face the Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, and Atlanta Falcons. While you would expect the Eagles and Chiefs to be better against the pass, they actually rank 30th and 31st, respectively, in pass yards allowed per game. If you’re looking for someone to fill in for Jordan Love or Tua Tagovailoa, you cannot afford to let Carr sit on waivers.

FAAB Budget: 8-10%

Carson Steele, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Available in 95% of Yahoo leagues, 98% of ESPN leagues, and 96% of Sleeper leagues

After news broke of Isiah Pacheco’s injury and IR designation, there’s a lot of buzz around Samaje Perine and Kareem Hunt. However, we saw during Pacheco’s rookie year that the Chiefs aren’t afraid to utilize a young running back instead of veteran options. I think they go down that road again with Carson Steele. Yes, Steele was overlooked in the NFL draft, but let’s face it, most running backs are in this day and age. In college, Steele averaged 5.1 yards per carry throughout his career while also contributing in the passing game. Kansas City may choose to go with a committee approach at first, but I expect Steele to emerge as the RB1 in Pacheco’s absence. 

FAAB Budget: 25-30%

Braelon Allen, RB, New York Jets

Available in 90% of Yahoo leagues, 93% of ESPN leagues, and 79% of Sleeper leagues

The New York Jets may be laughable as an organization, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have fantasy-viable players. It just may not be the ones you expect. Rookie running back Braelon Allen had a DAY Sunday. Even if his stat line was padded by two touchdowns, it’s promising to see him flashing this early in the season. He’s still clearly a backup behind Breece Hall, but his snap share of 36% was higher than expected. There’s no guarantee he’ll continue his touchdown production, but he’s a high-level backup who should continue to be a flex option if he continues to see the dump-offs from Aaron Rodgers. 

FAAB Budget: 10-15% of total budget

Jalen Nailor, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Available in 99% of Yahoo leagues, 99% of ESPN leagues, and 96% of Sleeper leagues

Who’d have thunk it? Sam Darnold can actually buoy the Minnesota Vikings offense. One of the beneficiaries of his play in the first two weeks has been Jailen Nailor. Now, with Justin Jefferson potentially missing some time and Jordan Addison’s outlook even worse, Nailor is the next guy in line to step up. Last week, he played 50 of the team’s 54 offensive snaps, finishing with three receptions, 54 yards, and a touchdown, sealing a shocking win against the San Francisco 49ers. He has a tougher matchup against the Houston Texans secondary next week, but if Addison continues to miss time, he’ll have a role going forward.

FAAB Budget: 7-9% of total budget

Alec Pierce, WR, Indianapolis Colts

Available in 72% of Yahoo leagues, 87% of ESPN leagues, and 77% of Sleeper leagues

I can understand if you’re hesitant to roster anyone in Indianapolis with Anthony Richardson’s inconsistent and inaccurate passing. Still, if there’s been one bright spot, it’s his connection with Alec Pierce. Through the first two weeks, Pierce has accounted for 43% of the Colts’ total passing yards and 67% of their touchdowns through the air. While some could argue that his usage has been inflated due to Josh Downs’ injury, at this point, it’s hard to think that Richardson will go away from one of the only players who have been productive through the air. 

FAAB Bid: 7-9% of total budget

*Bonus Pick*

Andrei Iosivas, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Available in 93% of Yahoo leagues, 94% of ESPN leagues, and 85% of Sleeper leagues

I’m not going to follow a stat line here. There is still value to be had with Iosivas in deeper leagues. Even though he only had two catches for seven yards in Week 2, he was the end zone threat that kept the Bengals in the game until the very end. Head coach Zac Taylor said wide receiver Tee Higgins is headed in “the right direction.” We know all too well how long hamstring injuries can linger. As long as Higgins is hobbled, Iosivas could be a deep-league flex play.

FAAB Bid: 5-7% of budget

---

Be sure you’re following Britt on Twitter! Also, you can find our Week 3 rankings here and the rest of our Week 3 content here!