The carnage! Congrats if you’ve survived with a mostly healthy roster. Week 3 waivers might be the most important fantasy football waiver wire of all time. Christian McCaffrey, Isiah Pacheco, AJ Brown, Deebo Samuel, Puka Nacua, Joe Mixon, Cooper Kupp, Tua Tagovailoa, Jordan Love, Keenan Allen … at least Tee Higgins might return? Where’s the reset button?
HEADS UP
- Players must be under 60% rostered on Yahoo
- Listed in order of preference — I’ll regularly prioritize potential upside over immediate replacement production
- RB backups have a separate secondary list based on only if the lead option got hurt
- No FAB suggestions: It varies wildly by league tendencies and always relative (ex: if you lost your RB1 to injury and there is a clear backup, you’re going to be more aggressive)
- Streaming QB and TE are grouped together — weekly ranking can change once projections/ranks run — DST could shift a bit too
WORRY REPORT
(Scale 1-5: more ducks = more worry)
- Matthew Stafford, QB, LAR — ♾🦆 — It’s Week 3 and Infinity Duck is already here. This is as bad as it gets. Stafford is down multiple offensive linemen and now Cooper Kupp, and after Puka Nacua was already placed on IR. I’ll touch on all Rams wideouts below, but none is a Kupp or Nacua, and again, that offensive line.
- Rachaad White, RB, TB — 🦆🦆🦆 — One of the reasons I had Bucky Irving as a top backup stash all preseason was concerns of Irving eating into White’s passing game work. Well, Irving is eating into White’s lead work, even before White’s injury. If the inefficiency for White doesn’t improve, Irving could push for the lead before long.
- D.J. Moore, WR, CHI — 🦆🦆 — Caleb Williams was here last week, and he’s struggling mightily, which is hampering the offense. Moore still has a 28.6 TmTGT%, but that’s without Keenan Allen in Week 2 and with Rome Odunze ailing. Moore is worth a buy-low as Williams acclimates to the NFL, but Moore is also no more than a WR3 until then.
- Michael Pittman Jr., WR, IND — 🦆 or 🦆🦆🦆🦆 — It depends on which way you’re coming from with Pittman. If you shared my preseason concern and saw Pittman as a mid-WR3, then you’re not that concerned… albeit, still a bit. If you thought Pittman would repeat as a Top 20 wideout, you’re panicking, and the target volume with an Anthony Richardson offense and more weapons than last year was always going to hurt Pittman’s upside.
POWER UP PLAYERS
(Scale 1-5: more mushrooms = more excitement)
- Derek Carr, QB, NO — 🍄🍄🍄🍄 — Did you read my preseason piece about pre-snap motion? Praise be Klint Kubiak, and while Carr is not going to continue his 12.8 TD/ATT%, the offense is humming with a breakout No. 2 wide receiver, who we’ll talk about shortly. Carr looks to be this year’s 2023 Baker Mayfield (who’s doing just fine himself).
- Braelon Allen, RB, NYJ — 🍄🍄🍄 — Allen isn’t a threat to Breece Hall, so no ducks for Hall. However, as someone who had Allen in his Tier 1 of 2024 NFL Draft running backs, I can tell you Allen could sprinkle in weekly, and he’d be an RB1 if Hall were to miss time. The only concern was how much Isaiah Davis might be involved, but that concern is gone.
- Rashid Shaheed, WR, NO — 💪🏼🍄 — That’s a super shroom! As I mentioned on the Week 2 wrap-up podcast, Shaheed is for real and had identical 33.3 TmTGT% and 30.0% target share on first and second down as Chris Olave (through the first three quarters). He’ll regress a bit, but Shaheed looks to be a Top 30 wideout for 2024.
- Brock Bowers, TE, LV — 💪🏼🍄 — List of tight ends with more targets than Bowers: none. Gardner Minshew has turned Jakobi Meyers into the third option with Bowers being everything his draft profile suggested. He too gets a super shroom.
STREAMING QUARTERBACKS
- Derek Carr, NO (vs PHI)
- Geno Smith, SEA (vs MIA)
- Sam Darnold, MIN (vs HOU)
- Deshaun Watson, CLE (vs NYG)
- Justin Fields, PIT (vs LAC)
- Andy Dalton, CAR (at LV)
WAIVER WIRE RUNNING BACK RANKS
- Carson Steele, KC — Lead work ahead for an offense with plenty of scoring opportunities — this is one of the times I’ll lean towards the lead instead of pass-catching option.
- Samaje Perine, KC — Perine could have more value than Steele if they push him into the lead, which isn’t out of the question, but through the first two weeks, Perine looks to be holding the old Jerick McKinnon role.
- Bucky Irving, TB — See: Worry Report.
- Ty Chandler, MIN — RB3/Flex with Top 20 potential if Aaron Jones were to miss time.
- D’Onta Foreman, CLE — I honestly don’t want to start, or trust, either Browns running back (Pierre Strong hurt), but they face the Giants this week, and if I was forced, I’d start Foreman over Jerome Ford… barely.
- Chuba Hubbard, CAR — Maybe Andy Dalton sparks the offense and gets a few more targets for Hubbard.
- Rico Dowdle, DAL — I don’t want any, but Dowdle would be the one.
- Tyler Allgeier, ATL — Gets work and huge upside as a backup.
- Justice Hill, BAL — RB3/Flex.
- Braelon Allen, NYJ — See Power Up Players.
- Jaylen Wright, MIA — Jeff Wilson Jr. wasn’t a factor even with Wright replicating much of De’Von Achane’s game. Wright would be a nice RB2/3 if Achane were to get hurt and Raheem Mostert was playing.
- Blake Corum, LAR — 32% of the RB touches and 40% of the rushes compared to Ronnie Rivers’ 4.0% and 0.0%, respectively.
- Jaleel McLaughlin, DEN — Can’t use Broncos players, but if Javonte Williams missed time, yay for McLaughlin… maybe.
- Antonio Gibson, NE — Would be in the “MEH” section if I did it for running backs. Matchup based, as the Seahawks look like a defense to attack with pass-catching running backs.
- Alexander Mattison, LV — Like Dowdle, I don’t want any on this team, but Mattison is fine to stash if waivers are thin and Zamir White happens to get hurt.
- Khalil Herbert, CHI — Can’t use without a D’Andre Swift injury, and even then…
- Emanuel Wilson, GB — MarShawn Lloyd is dinged up again, so if Josh Jacobs were to get hurt…
DUMPSVILLE
(order I’d drop)
- Jeff Wilson Jr., MIA — Barely used with Mostert out. Wright was the No. 2 even in this scenario.
- Ezekiel Elliott, DAL — See: Dowdle.
- Chase Brown, CIN — It’s Zack Moss’ backfield with bell-cow work. Brown would be a must-grab if Moss missed time though. So don’t drop for anyone after Irving unless you need to chase current lineup help.
PURELY NEXT MAN UP RANKS
(if an injury ahead of them)
- Tyler Allgeier, ATL
- Bucky Irving, TB
- Braelon Allen, NYJ
- Blake Corum, LAR
- Jaylen Wright, MIA
- Tank Bigsby, JAX (nursing injury)
- Ty Chandler, MIN
- Chase Brown, CIN
- Trey Benson, ARI
- Antonio Gibson, NE
- Ray Davis, BUF
- Khalil Herbert, CHI
- Jamaal Williams, NO
- Tyrone Tracy Jr., NYG
- MarShawn Lloyd, GB
- Trey Sermon, IND
WAIVER WIRE WIDE RECEIVER RANKS
- Khalil Shakir, BUF — Not sure how he dipped under 60%
- Quentin Johnston, LAC — Talked about him a few times this preseason. His rookie season was as expected (raw, needed a year), yet people complained. He had a lower Drop% than Keenan Allen; still had a high ceiling — but even so, injuries had to open the door for Johnston. Well, DJ Chark hasn’t stepped on the field and Joshua Palmer has been ailing the first two weeks. Johnston is making the most of it, and he’s now part of the top two options for Justin Herbert, along with Ladd McConkey. It’ll be up-and-down, but Johnston has WR3/4 upside.
- Demarcus Robinson, LAR — As mentioned with Stafford, the Rams are down Nacua and Kupp. Robinson is the de facto No. 1, but I wouldn’t expect more than inconsistent WR3/4 value similar to DeSean Jackson’s later years.
- Jordan Whittington, LAR — Johnson was the No. 2 before Kupp left, but Whittington filled the Kupp role with 12 routes — tied with Robinson, and five more than Tyler Johnson. Additionally, it’s that role and 72.0 Snap% in the slot that make Whittington a higher ceiling option than Johnson.
- Tyler Johnson, LAR — See: Whittington. Johnson is the “safer” waiver grab, but I’m shooting for upside, and it’s why Whittington ranks higher.
- Romeo Doubs, GB — Still the No. 1. Still overlooked. Still… a stash until Jordan Love gets back. But if Love was playing, I’d have Doubs No. 2/3 on the list.
- Mike Williams, NYJ — Snap count increasing, which means his chance of being a Top 25-30 wideout is as well.
- Josh Downs, IND — I mentioned that there was a chance Downs could get Wally Pipped by Adonai Mitchell last week. Well, Alec Pierce ran as the clear No. 2, which points to Mitchell potentially losing the job if Downs is back. In fact, Downs could be the No. 2 if he hasn’t missed a beat during his time away. Still, the Colts passing offense is one of the more limited, meaning Downs is likely a WR4 even if he’s the second option after Pittman.
- Adam Thielen, CAR — Thielen is in play as a WR4, particularly now with Andy Dalton under center.
- Brandin Cooks, DAL — Still the No. 2, as Week 2 was about the blowout.
- Alec Pierce, IND — As mentioned, worried about the Downs return, and Pierce was already a big-play, boom/bust option.
- Jerry Jeudy, CLE — Only four fewer routes than Elijah Moore but more productive than any Browns option.
- Darnell Mooney, ATL — Kirk Cousins doesn’t look 100% but did look better than Week 1. If Cousins can get back to form — or if they have to turn to Michael Penix — Mooney would be a weekly boom/bust WR4 and even more in the right matchup.
- Jalen Nailor, MIN — Only here if one of Justin Jefferson or Jordan Addison is out. I wouldn’t trust Nailor as the No. 1, and I wouldn’t want to use him as the No. 3.
- Noah Brown, WSH — As mentioned since the Commanders picked him up, Brown would have been the No. 2 if here all preseason. In limited action, Brown led Commanders receivers in yards and has WR4 potential if Kliff Kingsbury opens the offense up a bit more.
- Josh Reynolds, DEN — The only Broncos player with a fantasy pulse.
- Jauan Jennings, SF — With Deebo Samuel out, Jennings is the next man up.
- Gabe Davis, JAX — Appears to be ahead of Christian Kirk in the pecking order.
- Jalen McMillan, TB — A high-end stash if Mike Evans or Chris Godwin got hurt.
- Ja’Lynn Polk, NE — Fourth in routes — including Hunter Henry — but has the highest ceiling of all Patriots wideouts.
- Greg Dortch, ARI — Week 2 shows why I wasn’t sweating whoever the No. 2 wideout was between Dortch and Michael Wilson.
- Jakobi Meyers, LV — Behind Bowers as the No. 3.
- Jahan Dotson, PHI — With A.J. Brown out “multiple weeks,” Dotson is running as the No. 2, but he’s still no more than a WR4, if that, with the focus just being more Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith… and even then, Dallas Goedert would be in a fight for Dotson.
- Adonai Mitchell, IND — There is No. 3 upside with Mitchell if 1.) he can grab the No. 2 role or 2.) if he was on half the other NFL teams.
- Wan’Dale Robinson, NYG — Needs volume, and not sure it comes if Malik Nabers is going to get — checks notes — anywhere near 66.7 TmTGT%.
- Roman Wilson, PIT — Should be the No. 2 receiver in time.
DUMPSVILLE
(order I’d drop)
- Curtis Samuel, BUF — Half the routes of Mack Hollins.
- Joshua Palmer, LAC — As mentioned with Johnston, injuries derailed Palmer’s role as the No. 1.
- Christian Watson, GB — Even if Love was playing, Watson is third behind Doubs and Jayden Reed.
- DeAndre Hopkins, TEN — It doesn’t seem like Hopkins is 100%, and given the injury, I’m not sure he gets there while playing.
MEH, I’LL PASS
- Jalen Tolbert, DAL — Blowout opportunity. Tolbert could eventually become the No. 2 wideout, but it’s not likely while Cooks is healthy.
- Andrei Iosivas, CIN — Iosivas is miscast as the No. 2 and as a fantasy starter given his two touchdowns on two receptions and… seven yards.
STREAMING TIGHT ENDS
- Taysom Hill, NO
- Hunter Henry, NE
- Zach Ertz, WSH
- Chigoziem Okonkwo, TEN
- Juwan Johnson, NO
- Colby Parkinson, LAR
STREAMING DST
Week 3
- CHI at IND
- GB at TEN
- LV vs CAR
- TB vs DEN
- TEN vs GB
- IND vs CHI
- CIN vs WSH
Week 4
- CIN at CAR
- LV vs CLE
- GB vs MIN
- NO at ATL
- IND vs PIT
- ARI vs WSH
(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
