Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice: Players to Add, Stash & Drop (Week 3)

It’s rare for a fantasy football waiver wire week to get an “A” grade in this article. Far more often, we lament the lack of quality waiver options.

Week 3 gets an A-minus, but hey … it’s still an A.

This is indeed a good week for waivers. There are a couple of widely available gems who’ll spark vigorous FAAB bidding. There are appealing options at the always-in-demand running back position. There are a number of worthwhile additions at wide receiver. There are some decent streaming options at the other positions.

Alas, it often takes injuries to create a bounty of attractive waiver options. Productive, heavily rostered fantasy assets get hurt, and fantasy free agents are tasked with filling the void, so they become productive assets themselves.

Unfortunately, there were quite a few injuries in Week 2, which means it’s going to be a busy week of waivers.

Before we dive in, a hat tip to Nathan Jahnke of PFF for the Week 2 snap and route data included in this article.

Now, let’s get started.

More Waiver Wire Pickups

Weekly Fantasy Football Expert Rankings

Fantasy Football Start/Sit Advice

Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice: Week 3

Week 3 Waiver Grade: A-

(Rostership percentages are based on Yahoo leagues; Recommended FAAB bids are based on a $100 budget.)

Running Backs

Jonah Coleman (RB – DEN): 26% Rostered

Next Opponents: LAR, @SF, @LAC

True Value: $16

Desperate Need: $29

Budget-Minded: $8

Analysis: What a difference a week can make.

At this time last week, Jonah Coleman enthusiasts were glum that he got only three offensive snaps in Denver’s Week 1 loss to Kansas City. But RJ Harvey popped up on last week’s injury report with a hamstring issue, and then JK Dobbins injured his hamstring during the Broncos’ Week 2 win over the Jaguars.

Coleman pounced on his opportunity, finishing with 10-39-1 on his rushes and 3-19-0 on three targets. He played 25 snaps and shared work with Tyler Badie after Dobbins’ injury, although Coleman played nine more snaps than Badie on Sunday.

The little things matter, and Coleman did them to impress in Week 2. Late in the game, with the Broncos trying to sit on their seven-point lead, Coleman slid down inbounds after running for a first down to help kill the clock. Immediately after scoring on a 3-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter, Coleman gave the Denver crowd the Mile-High Salute, paying tribute to Broncos great Terrell Davis. Broncos fans had to love that.

We’ll have to pay attention to the status of Dobbins and Harvey this week, but it’s very possible Coleman will be Denver’s lead back when the Broncos host the Rams in Week 3. It’s also very possible Coleman will continue to have a fantasy-relevant role once the other two backs return, and it’s not inconceivable that Coleman could pass one or both of them on the depth chart.

Expect robust bidding on Coleman this week.

Emanuel Wilson (RB – SEA): 1% Rostered

Next Opponents: @WSH, LAC, SF

True Value: $4

Desperate Need: $8

Budget-Minded: $2

Analysis: Seahawks rookie Jadarian Price left Sunday’s game with a chest injury. X-rays were negative, and it’s believed Price avoided serious injury, but he could miss time.

When Price left on Sunday, the Seahawks turned to Emanuel Wilson, whom they signed in free agency earlier this year before drafting Price. Wilson had 21-92-0 rushing and failed to catch his one target in Seattle’s 31-7 Week 2 win over the Cardinals.

The lopsided score let the Seahawks salt away the game with a run-heavy approach, fueling Wilson’s big carry total. But the Seahawks are a solid Week 4 favorite against the Commanders, who just lost Jayden Daniels to an elbow injury. The game script could be run-friendly again.

Price might not be out long, and Zach Charbonnet will return from a knee injury at some point. George Holani has been the Seahawks’ primary passing-down back this season, so Wilson will be limited to mostly early-down work.

But in the short term, Wilson could be a startable running back for one of the run-heaviest teams in the league. The Seahawks’ lights-out defense puts them in position to run the ball early and often.

Wilson is worth a look for anyone in need of immediate help at running back.

Tank Bigsby (RB – PHI): 29% Rostered

Next Opponents: @CHI, LAR, @JAX

True Value: $4

Desperate Need: $8

Budget-Minded: $2

Analysis: Saquon Barkley sustained a stinger in the first half of the Eagles’ Week 2 win over the Titans. He returned to the game in the second half, but Barkley will reportedly undergo an MRI, and he could miss Week 3.

Will Shipley actually out-snapped Bigsby 23-19 in the first half after Barkley left, but Bigsby had carries or targets on 57.7% of his snaps and out-touched Shipley 15-9. Bigsby finished with 13-33-1 rushing and 2-5-0 on two targets, and he would be the far more desirable option if Barkley missed the Eagles’ Week 3 matchup against the Bears and their punching-bag defense.

Deciding what to bid on Bigsby will be challenging if we don’t have more information about Barkley’s status before FAAB bids are due. Barkley stakeholders should probably be more aggressive than mere speculators. If there is an update on Barkley’s status by Tuesday night, we’ll elaborate on it here and adjust the recommended bids accordingly.

Kaleb Johnson (RB – GB): 4% Rostered

Next Opponents: ATL, @TB, CHI

True Value: $2

Desperate Need: $5

Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Acquired in a trade with the Steelers late last month, former third-round draft pick Kaleb Johnson played his first offensive snaps for the Packers in Week 2 and led the team with 30 rushing yards on eight carries.

Johnson played only 16 offensive snaps, but that was the same number of snaps MarShawn Lloyd played. Lloyd had been regarded by the fantasy community as the direct backup to Josh Jacobs, who’s currently on the commissioner’s exempt list and ineligible to play. Also in the mix: Chris Brooks, who led the Green Bay running backs with 27 snaps in Week 2.

Lloyd was ineffective in a Week 1 loss to the Vikings. In Week 2, he fumbled in his own territory in the second half. Brooks, the most trusted pass blocker of the Packers’ running backs, had 4-11-0 rushing and 1-15-0 on two targets against the Jets.

Brooks is a passing-down back. The Packers are still sorting out early-down work while Jacobs is out, and Johnson is threatening to leapfrog Lloyd on the Packers’ running back depth chart, if he hasn’t already.

It remains unclear how long Jacobs will be out. He pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of battery and criminal damage to property stemming from a domestic incident, but the NFL has not yet handed down a suspension.

Johnson is a worthwhile speculative addition, but he’d be a risky Week 3 start even in a seemingly favorable home matchup against the Falcons.

Mike Washington Jr. (RB – LV): 44% Rostered

Next Opponents: @NO, KC, @NE

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $3

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Ashton Jeanty‘s backup in Las Vegas, Mike Washington Jr., has no standalone value as long as Jeanty is healthy. Jeanty tweaked his ankle on Sunday — the same one he injured during an August practice. Jeanty is believed to be OK, but the injury threw a scare into his investors.

Washington is unrostered in 56% of Yahoo leagues despite his fine preseason showing. Jeanty stakeholders might want to consider slapping on the cuffs.

Tyjae Spears (RB – TEN): 33% Rostered

Next Opponents: @NYG, @BAL, HOU

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $2

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: A viable waiver target only in deep leagues, Tyjae Spears could have low-end standalone value if you’re in a 14- or 16-team league or have multiple flex spots to fill each week.

Spears has played 42.7% of the Titans’ offensive snaps through the first two weeks, with 11 fewer snaps than starting running back Tony Pollard. Spears had 70 yards from scrimmage against the Eagles in Week 2, with 7-41-0 rushing and 2-29-0 receiving on two targets.

Alvin Kamara (RB – NO): 29% Rostered

Next Opponents: LV, ATL, MIN

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $2

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Let’s start with a disclaimer: 31-year-old Alvin Kamara might be toast.

In 2025, Kamara played 11 games and averaged 3.6 yards per carry and 5.6 yards per catch — both career lows. Kamara missed Week 1 with an MCL injury but played in Week 2, recording 9-15-0 rushing and 5-7-0 on six targets, averaging 1.6 yards per touch.

But Kamara’s role in Week 2 was shockingly substantial. Although he was out-snapped by starting running back Travis Etienne Jr. 37-20, Kamara got either a carry or a target on 75% of his snaps.

Obviously, Kamara won’t continue to get this sort of touch volume if he can’t do anything with his touches. The wisdom of wagering on Kamara in his twilight years is debatable, but the Saints’ offense is looking like a pretty good bet.

With 611 career catches under his belt, Kamara has more appeal in PPR leagues than in standard formats.

Running Back Stash Candidates

Emmett Johnson (RB – KC)

Keaton Mitchell (RB – LAC)

Brian Robinson Jr. (RB – ATL)

Emmett Johnson has no standalone value as the backup to Kenneth Walker III, but Johnson has looked terrific in relief stints this season, with 10-39-0 rushing and an impressive 4-64-0 on four targets. The rookie from Nebraska has quickly become one of the league’s most valuable handcuffs.

Keaton Mitchell doesn’t appear to have any standalone value, but he’s clearly the top backup to Omarion Hampton. Mitchell out-snapped Kimani Vidal 17-7 in Week 2 and had 5-24-0 rushing and 1-15-0 on one target, while Vidal had no carries or targets.

“Clean” handcuffs always have appeal, and Brian Robinson Jr. is the clear backup to Bijan Robinson in Atlanta.

Wide Receivers

Denzel Boston (WR – CLE): 31% Rostered

Next Opponents: CAR, PIT, @NYJ

True Value: $10

Desperate Need: $20

Budget-Minded: $5

Analysis: Denzel Boston‘s performance in training camp drew rave reviews from Browns beat writers, and we’re now seeing why.

Boston has been a revelation through the first two weeks of the season. In Week 1, Boston scored the Browns’ only touchdown in a 34-10 loss to the Jaguars, making a diving catch for a 46-yard score. In Week 2, he had 5-95-1 on a team-high seven targets. He broke multiple tackles on a 55-yard catch-and-run touchdown that keyed the Browns’ 23-19 upset of the Buccaneers. He nearly had another touchdown catch but juggled a throw from Deshaun Watson.

Perhaps most impressively, Boston has managed to make Watson look good.

Boston appears to be a star in the making. The Browns’ messy quarterback situation could cap Boston’s rookie-year ceiling, but this is a playmaker worth your FAAB money.

Adonai Mitchell (WR – NYJ): 16% Rostered

Next Opponents: @DET, @CHI, CLE

True Value: $3

Desperate Need: $6

Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: A pair of juicy matchups over the next two weeks make Adonai Mitchell a sneaky-good waiver target.

The Jets’ clear No. 2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson, Mitchell had 3-60-0 on three targets against the Titans in Week 1, then had 6-63-0 on a team-high 12 targets against the Packers in Week 2. In addition to his six catches on Sunday, Mitchell drew a long pass interference penalty early in the game.

In Week 3, Mitchell will face the Lions, whose leaky pass defense has allowed 658 passing yards and six touchdown passes over the first two weeks of the season. Mitchell then has a Week 4 matchup against the Bears, who have major issues with both their pass rush and their back-end coverage.

Fantasy managers dealing with short-term injury problems at wide receiver should put in a claim on Mitchell this week.

Khalil Shakir (WR – BUF): 47% Rostered

Next Opponents: LAC, NE, @LAR

True Value: $3

Desperate Need: $6

Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: A high-floor, limited-ceiling possession receiver, Khalil Shair could have an enhanced Week 3 target outlook if teammate DJ Moore isn’t able to play due a shoulder injury he sustained while trying to make a diving end-zone catch in Week 2.

Shakir has opened the season with modest stat lines of 3-38-0 and 4-50-0 over his first two games. He drew six targets in each of those games.

Even if Moore is out this week, Shakir is probably no better than the No. 2 target in the Buffalo passing attack behind surging tight end Dalton Kincaid. Still, Shakir can offer a sturdy floor in PPR leagues. In 2024 and 2025, Shakir had five or more receptions in 18 of his 31 games. Playing with Josh Allen is never a bad thing.

Shakir’s smash games, however, are few and far between. In 61 career regular-season games, Shakir has scored only 11 touchdowns and has reached 100 yards five times.

There’s little incentive to acquire Shakir if you have a solid, healthy wide receiver corps. But if injuries are putting you in a bind, Shakir could be a worthwhile addition.

Dontayvion Wicks (WR – PHI): 28% Rostered

Next Opponents: @CHI, LAR, @JAX

True Value: $2

Desperate Need: $4

Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Dontayvion Wicks has topped 70 receiving yards in each of his first two games with the Eagles, with 2-73-1 on four targets against the Commanders in Week 1 and 5-74-0 on six targets against the Titans in Week 2.

Wicks played 90.9% of the Eagles’ offensive snaps in Week 1. He had a 70.1% snap share in Week 2, playing one fewer snap than rookie Makai Lemon. Darius Cooper also seemed to cut into Wicks’ snap share in Week 2.

The Bears are an appealing Week 3 matchup for Wicks, although Chicago’s outside cornerbacks, Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson, are two of the team’s better defenders.

An adept route runner who’s gradually gotten better at the catch point, Wicks will have WR3/flex appeal this week. His snap reduction in Week 2 makes it less clear whether he’ll have longer-term bench value.

Rashod Bateman (WR – BAL): 17% Rostered

Next Opponents: @DAL, TEN, @ATL

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $2

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: With Zay Flowers out with a hamstring injury, Rashod Bateman was the Ravens’ lead receiver in Week 2, finishing with 7-88-1 on a team-high nine targets.

If Flowers misses Week 3, Bateman will be a viable WR3/flex option against the Cowboys in Dallas. If Flowers returns, Bateman will likely revert to the same wildly inconsistent, desperation-flex play he’s been since entering the league in 2021.

Malik Washington (WR – MIA): 13% Rostered

Next Opponents: KC, @MIN, CIN

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $2

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: The diminutive Malik Washington had 3-53-0 on eight targets in Week 1, then had 4-43-0 on five targets in Week 2, along with one rushing attempt for four yards.

With Caleb Douglas in a walking boot after the Dolphins’ Week 2 loss to the 49ers due to an ankle injury, Washington is expected to be Miami’s No. 1 receiver in Week 3. But the Dolphins have one of the league’s more punchless passing games, and Miami has a tough Week 3 matchup against a strong Kansas City pass defense.

Washington should be considered only in deep leagues.

Tre Tucker (WR – LV): 29% Rostered

Next Opponents: @NO, KC, @NE

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $1

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Tre Tucker erupted for 5-119-1 on seven targets Sunday against the Chargers and has to be considered the Raiders’ No. 1 receiver. But that title might not equate to worthwhile fantasy value over the long haul.

Tucker played 58.7% of the Raiders’ offensive snaps on Sunday, rotating with Jalen Nailor and Jack Bech. Las Vegas also used wideouts Dareke Young, Malik Benson and Cody White at times.

Tight end Brock Bowers could return from his knee injury in Week 3. If Bowers is healthy, he’s the unquestioned alpha pass-catcher for Las Vegas.

Don’t get too enchanted by Tucker’s Week 2 stat line. He’s worth adding only in deeper leagues.

Quarterbacks

Tyler Shough (QB – NO): 48% Rostered

Next Opponents: LV, ATL, MIN

True Value: $3

Desperate Need: $6

Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Rostered in 48% of Yahoo leagues, Tyler Shough might only be available in 10-teamers or other shallow leagues, but he is a compelling addition in leagues where he remains a free agent.

After dropping 410 passing yards and three touchdown passes on the Lions in Week 1, Shough completed 27-of-34 passes for 252 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions, on Sunday in the Saints’ 24-17 road upset of the Ravens. Shough also had 23 rushing yards and a TD run.

It appears that Shough’s success as a starter over the second half of his rookie season was no fluke. He’s in command of the New Orleans offense, and he seems to be in perfect sync with his muse, Saints head coach and play-caller Kellen Moore. It doesn’t hurt that Moore likes to run his offense at a breakneck pace, which means more plays for Shough and more opportunities to score fantasy points.

Shough will be at home the next three weeks, and his matchups against the Raiders and Falcons in Weeks 3-4 are certainly playable.

Bryce Young (QB – CAR): 32% Rostered

Next Opponents: @CLE, DET, BYE

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $2

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Has Bryce Young turned a corner in his career? Over two weeks, the oft-maligned quarterback has thrown for 648 yards, six touchdown passes and one interception. Young is averaging 8.9 yards per pass attempt, and he’s posted passer ratings of 110.3 and 116.3 over the last two weeks.

After dicing up the Panthers for 287 yards and three touchdowns in Week 2, Young will have a tricky Week 3 matchup against the Browns in Cleveland. The Browns’ pass defense gave Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers trouble in Week 2. The weather in Cleveland is often a factor, and the winds off Lake Erie can pose problems for quarterbacks — particularly quarterbacks with ordinary arm strength, like Young.

The greater appeal here is Young’s Week 4 matchup against the Lions in Charlotte. With safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph out with injuries, the Lions have allowed 658 passing yards and six touchdown passes over their first two games. Neither Branch nor Joseph is expected back by Week 4.

If you’re streaming quarterbacks, it might make sense to get out ahead of Young’s desirable Week 4 matchup.

Malik Willis (QB – MIA): 36% Rostered

Next Opponents: KC, @MIN, CIN

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $2

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Malik Willis might be a hard sell to waiver shoppers after a Week 2 performance against the 49ers in which he threw for fewer than 200 yards and ran for only six yards.

But Willis’ rushing ability makes him a viable fantasy starter. In eight career starts, he has 314 rushing yards and five TD runs.

Willis has a tough Week 3 passing matchup against a Chiefs defense that has put the clamps on the Broncos’ Bo Nix and the Colts’ Daniel Jones over the first two weeks. But again, it’s the rushing numbers that draw us to Willis.

Marcus Mariota (QB – WSH): 3% Rostered

Next Opponents: SEA, IND, NYG

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $2

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: With Jayden Daniels dislocating his left elbow on Sunday, Marcus Mariota will quarterback the Commanders indefinitely.

Mariota has never lived up to his draft status after being selected No. 2 overall by the Titans in 2015, but he’s become one of the NFL’s most capable backup quarterbacks. He’s a competent passer and is still an effective runner even though he turns 33 next month.

In his first seven starts in place of Daniels last season, Mariota averaged 17.8 fantasy points per game. In his eighth and final start of the year, Mariota sustained a hand injury and was replaced by Josh Johnson.

Mariota’s Week 3 matchup with Seattle is unappealing, but he’ll be more playable in subsequent weeks.

Quarterback Stash Candidates

Michael Penix Jr. (QB – ATL)

Michael Penix Jr. is the best quarterback option the Falcons have, and as soon as he’s ready to return from the ACL injury that ended his 2025 season, he’ll start for Atlanta. That could be as early as this week against the Packers in Green Bay, but the Packers’ pass defense has not been a pushover the last two weeks. The Falcons’ passing game has a difficult Week 4 matchup against the Saints, who might have the most underrated pass defense in the NFL. Penix might be worth a stash in deeper 1-QB leagues, but he won’t have an appealing matchup until he faces the Bears in Week 6.

Tight Ends

Oronde Gadsden II (TE – LAC): 6% Rostered

Next Opponents: @BUF, @SEA, DEN

True Value: $3

Desperate Need: $5

Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: David Njoku was carted off the field with a knee injury on Sunday. The Chargers’ three-man tight end rotation was unwieldy for fantasy. With Njoku out, the Chargers’ tight end rotation will be more of a twosome. Oronde Gadsden II will get more snaps. Chargers tight end Charlie Kolar has been getting heavy snaps, but he’s a better blocker than pass catcher.

Gadsden was the fantasy TE1 over a four-week midseason stretch in 2025, with 24 catches for 377 yards and two touchdowns. The 23-year-old Gadsden is clearly talented, but his messy situation made him an unappealing option in this year’s fantasy drafts.

The Njoku injury makes Gadsden’s situation a lot less messy.

Pat Freiermuth (TE – PIT): 13% Rostered

Next Opponents: CIN, @CLE, IND

True Value: $2

Desperate Need: $4

Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: Pat Freiermuth is probably the top streaming tight end option for Week 3.

Freiermuth gets an attractive home matchup against the Bengals, who allowed the most catches, receiving yards and touchdowns to tight ends in 2025. Al Golden was Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator last season and remains in that role. His defense gave up 12 catches and 140 yards to Texans tight end Dalton Schultz in Week 2.

In Week 7 of 2025, Freiermuth smoked the Bengals for 5-111-2 on six targets. He was less productive in a Week 11 matchup against the Bengals, with 1-19-0 on one target.

Freiermuth had 5-46-1 on five targets against the Falcons in Week 1 and 4-32-0 on five targets against the Patriots in Week 2.

Terrance Ferguson (TE – LAR): 18% Rostered

Next Opponents: NYG, @DEN, @PHI

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $2

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Fantasy hipsters were buzzing about Terrance Ferguson in the offseason after reports that the second-year tight end could effectively serve as the Rams’ third wide receiver.

Ferguson is big (6-foot-5, 252), fast (4.63 forty-yard dash) and athletic (39-inch vertical jump). Although he had only 11 catches last season, he averaged 21 yards per catch and 9.2 yards per target.

Rams head coach Sean McVay is at the vanguard of the NFL’s trend toward multiple tight end sets, and Ferguson is expected to play far more in 2026 than he did in 2025, when he was fourth in snaps among the Rams’ tight ends.

Interest in Ferguson waned after he had zero catches in Week 1. But if Ferguson pops in tonight’s nationally televised game against the Giants, you’ll need to spend more than a buck or two if you want him.

T.J. Hockenson (TE – MIN): 30% Rostered

Next Opponents: @TB, MIA, @NO

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $2

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: After two games, T.J. Hockenson has 7-65-1 on nine targets. He had a modest 3-29-0 versus the Bears in Week 2, but rainy, windy conditions in Chicago made passing difficult.

Slowed by injuries in recent years, Hockenson looked spry in the Vikings’ Week 1 win over the Packers, with 4-36-1 on five targets.

Hockenson is a reasonable Week 3 streamer against a Buccaneers defense that gave up 5-78-1 to the Bengals’ Mike Gesicki in Week 1, even though Gesicki played only 21 snaps.

Darren Waller (TE – CAR): 2% Rostered

Next Opponents: @CLE, DET, BYE

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $1

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Yes, Darren Waller is touchdown-dependent, but he scores touchdowns rather dependably.

Since coming out of his brief retirement, Waller has scored eight touchdowns in 11 games, including three two-touchdown games. Waller has drawn five targets in his first two games with the Panthers and has caught all of them for 55 yards. He had three catches for 33 yards and two touchdowns last week against the Falcons.

Waller will be a low-end TE2 this week in a tricky matchup with the Browns in Cleveland, but he’ll be an appealing streaming tight end option in Week 4 against the Lions, who are without injured safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph for the early part of the season.

Defenses

Carolina Panthers: 5% Rostered

Next Opponents: @CLE, DET, BYE

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $2

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Is it possible the Browns aren’t the great matchup for fantasy defenses we thought they were?

In Week 1, the Jaguars sacked Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, intercepted him once and held Cleveland to 10 points. But in Week 2, Watson took only two sacks, and the Browns didn’t commit a turnover in their 23-19 road win over the Buccaneers.

But the Panthers’ defense is tough to peg, too. After being lit up for 59 points by the Bears in Week 1, the Panthers held the Falcons to three points in Week 2. Carolina forced Atlanta into five turnovers and recorded three sacks.

Are you willing to bet on Deshaun Watson? Didn’t think so. The Panthers’ defense is a fine Week 3 streaming option.

New Orleans Saints: 1% Rostered

Next Opponents: LV, ATL, MIN

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $2

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: The Ravens’ offense looked incredible against the Colts in Week 1, rolling up 41 points and 506 total yards. Then the Ravens ran into the Saints in Week 2 and got stuck in quicksand. New Orleans held the Baltimore offense to 17 points (just three in the second half) and 312 total yards, sacking the hard-to-sack Lamar Jackson three times.

This Saints defense is legit, and it gets favorable home matchups against the Raiders and Falcons over the next two weeks.

Kansas City Chiefs: 31% Rostered

Next Opponents: @MIA, @LV, BYE

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $2

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: After smothering the Broncos’ offense in Week 1, the Chiefs’ defense was less effective against the Colts in Week 2, allowing 30 points and failing to record a sack.

But Kansas City gets an appealing Week 2 matchup against Miami, which has produced 13 points in each of its first two games. Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis has been sacked nine times and has thrown one interception.

The Chiefs are also usable in Week 3, when they face the Raiders and quarterback Kirk Cousins.

New York Giants: 3% Rostered

Next Opponents: TEN, ARI, @WSH

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $2

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: The Giants’ defense was sharp in a season-opening win, holding the potent Cowboys offense to 244 total yards.

After a Monday Night Football matchup against the Rams, the Giants’ defense finally gets an easy matchup in Week 3 with a home game against the Titans. Tennessee has scored 30 points in its first two games, averaging 243 yards of offense per game.

Green Bay Packers: 22% Rostered

Next Opponents: ATL, @TB, CHI

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $2

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: The Falcons’ offense has been a train wreck over the first two weeks with Cooper Rush at quarterback. The Falcons have scored 16 points, committing seven turnovers and taking seven sacks.

The Packers’ defense has performed respectably, holding each of its first two opponents, the Vikings and Jets, under 300 yards of total offense.

It’s not clear who’ll be quarterbacking Atlanta when the Falcons visit Green Bay this week. Tua Tagovailoa has been sidelined by an oblique injury, and Michael Penix Jr. is working his way back from a knee injury. Green Bay will be a very attractive streaming option if Rush gets the start for Atlanta this week, a solid option if Tagovailoa gets the start, but a less appealing option if the hard-to-sack Penix draws the start.

Kickers

Tyler Bass (K – BUF): 18% Rostered

Next Opponents: LAC, NE, @LAR

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $1

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Competence and a healthy offensive environment are the first things we look for in our kickers, and Tyler Bass ticks both boxes.

Healthy again after missing the entire 2025 season with a sports hernia, Bass has converted 3-of-3 field goals and 8-of-9 extra points for the high-flying Bills, whose offense is humming. Buffalo has put up 77 points in its first two games.

Bass ranked ninth in fantasy scoring among kickers in 2024.

Harrison Butker (K – KC): 28% Rostered

Next Opponents: @MIA, @LV, BYE

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $1

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Harrison Butker converted 4-of-5 field goals and 3-of-3 extra points Sunday in the Chiefs’ 33-30 overtime victory over the Colts, with his only miss coming from 51 yards. For the season, Butker is 5-of-6 on field goals and 7-of-7 on extra points.

The Chiefs’ offense looks formidable once again, and Kansas City should have ample scoring opportunities over the next two weeks with road games in Miami and Las Vegas.

Daniel Carlson (K – NO): 1% Rostered

Next Opponents: LV, ATL, MIN

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $1

Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: The Saints’ offense looks legit, and kicker Daniel Carlson is poised to take advantage. Carlson has made 4-of-5 field goals and 4-of-4 extra points in his first two games with the Saints.

The Saints have home games the next three weeks, so Carlson will get cozy dome conditions. Matchups against the Raiders and Falcons the next two weeks look promising.

Chase McLaughlin (K – TB): 18% Rostered

Next Opponents: MIN, GB, @DAL

True Value: $1

Desperate Need: $1

Budget-Minded: $1

Analysis: The Tampa Bay offense has produced mixed results over its first two games of the season, but Chase McLaughlin has come through in the kicking game, hitting 6-of-6 field goals and 4-of-4 extra points. Two of McLaughlin’s field goals have come from beyond 50 yards, including a 59-yarder in Week 2.

McLaughlin gets home games the next two weeks.

Fool’s Gold

Keon Coleman (WR – BUF)

Cody White (WR – LV)

Keon Coleman, whom the Bills drafted 33rd overall in 2024, has been a disappointment thus far in his career. He surfaced in Week 2 with 6-63-0 on six targets in the Bills’ 41-31 win over the Lions. That stat line coupled with a DJ Moore shoulder injury that could keep the Bills’ top receiver out of action in Week 3 might tempt some fantasy managers to kick the tires on Coleman. We can’t rule out a third-year breakout for a player talented enough to be the first pick of Day 2 a few years ago. However, Coleman’s productive Week 2 was aided by a Detroit secondary that’s in dire shape without safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, and Coleman’s Week 3 target outlook will be murky even if Moore can’t go.

Raiders wide receiver Cody White caught two touchdown passes on Sunday against the Chargers, but those were his only two targets of the game, and he played just seven snaps.

Drop Recommendations

Droppable

Michael Mayer (TE – LV)

Baker Mayfield (QB – TB)

Jayden Reed (WR – GB)

Wan’Dale Robinson (WR – TEN)

Raiders tight end Michael Mayer has put up unspectacular numbers in the absence of Brock Bowers, with 9-55-0 on 11 targets over the first two weeks. Bowers is expected back soon, and even if he isn’t able to return this week, Mayer wouldn’t be a great streaming option against a tough Saints pass defense.

Baker Mayfield has played sloppy football in two disappointing Tampa Bay losses. If you can’t count on Mayfield to play well in a revenge game against the Browns, you certainly can’t count on him to solve Brian Flores’ blitz-happy Minnesota defense in Week 3.

Jayden Reed was carted off the field on Sunday after sustaining a frightening head/neck injury on the Packers’ first play from scrimmage against the Jets. Reed is expected to be out for quite some time.

With a career average of 9.2 yards per catch, Wan’Dale Robinson needs target and catch volume to be a useful fantasy asset. He’s not getting sufficient volume with the Titans. Robinson has a line of 6-47-0 on seven targets over the first two weeks of the season. He was targeted on just one of Cam Ward‘s 20 pass attempts in the Titans’ 24-20 loss to the Eagles in Week 2. You can probably find a better use for a roster spot.

Droppable With a Chance of Regret

Rico Dowdle (RB – PIT)

Marvin Harrison Jr. (WR – ARI)

Makai Lemon (WR – PHI)

Chris Rodriguez Jr. (RB – JAX)

Rico Dowdle might be droppable in shallow leagues. In Week 1, Dowdle played 14 more snaps and ran eight more routes than teammate Jaylen Warren, but Warren produced 73 yards from scrimmage, while Dowdle had just 8-15-0 rushing and 2-6-0 receiving. In Week 2, Warren out-snapped Dowdle 50-18 and ran 25 routes to Dowdle’s six. Warren is a better pass-catcher and pass-blocker than Dowdle and thus a better fit for a late-career Aaron Rodgers, who has become immobile and doesn’t like to take hits.

Marvin Harrison Jr. ran 28 routes on Sunday, drew only one target and was held without a catch. In Week 1, Harrison had 1-33-0 on three targets. Harrison investors had hoped for a third-year breakout in 2026, but those hopes are quickly dissipating. The only reason Harrison lands in this category rather than the “droppable” section is that the Cardinals have had challenging matchups against the Chargers and Seahawks. But if you want to cut ties with Harrison, we won’t try to talk you out of it.

Rostered in 60% of Yahoo leagues, Makai Lemon is off to a slow start, with 4-9-0 on six targets over the Eagles’ first two games. Lemon has played 63.4% of Philly’s offensive snaps, but he has primarily seen short-area targets that offer a limited payoff. The Eagles traded up to take Lemon in the first round of this year’s draft, but it might take a while for him to become a bigger part of the team’s offensive plans.

Chris Rodriguez Jr. was out-snapped 30-13 by Bhayshul Tuten in the Jaguars’ 20-13 Week 2 loss to the Broncos. Rodriguez had a healthier 40.4% snap share in Week 1, but Tuten has shown far more juice and offers utility as a pass-catcher, whereas Rodriguez does not. Rodriguez, who had 6-13-0 rushing against the Broncos, could get some goal-line work, but he offers little more than short-range touchdown potential.

Don’t Drop Yet

Chicago Bears Pass Catchers

Quentin Johnston (WR – LAC)

Kyle Pitts (TE – ATL)

Colston Loveland, Luther Burden III and Rome Odunze have all gotten off to rough starts, and now Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is expected to miss time with a hamstring injury. If we get relatively good news on Williams and he’s expected to return by Halloween, bench the Bears pass catchers for now, but don’t drop them. If we find out Williams’ hamstring is ruptured, that advice will change.

Quentin Johnston has been woefully inefficient over his first two games. With 3-24-0 on 11 targets, Johnston is averaging 2.2 yards per target. The Chargers’ offense has been in a funk, but perhaps things will click soon under new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel. When McDaniel was in Miami, he did an admirable job of creating catch-and-run opportunities for his wide receivers. That sort of thing should be right up Johnston’s alley, but we haven’t seen it yet. Give it another week or two.

Kyle Pitts has just one 15-yard catch on four targets over the first two weeks, but the Falcons’ passing game has been nonexistent with Cooper Rush at quarterback. Michael Penix Jr. could return from his knee injury and take over as the Falcons’ quarterback as early as this week against the Packers. Pick up another tight end to staunch the bleeding if you must, but don’t release Pitts yet unless you have only a small handful of bench spots.

Click here to read article