Waiver Wire: Week 3

19th September 202319th September 2023 Jeremy Galtman

The waiver wire article is set up to help give you the best possible players that may still be available on your league’s waivers. The following players are all rostered in under 50% based on ESPN’s leagues. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me on X (Twitter) @JGalt93.

Quarterback

If Jared Goff(51.8% Rostered) is available, I would add him over the QBs I have listed below.

Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers (20% Rostered)

Upcoming Schedule: New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders

Jordan Love has simply been amazing this year and his success has translated to fantasy. Over the last two weeks, he has not scored under 20 fantasy points, which is pretty impressive considering how poorly some top-tier QBs have been playing lately. Love finished with a stat line of 151 yards passing and 3 passing touchdowns, also including 23 yards rushing. Love’s upcoming schedule is not ideal as the Saints should be the toughest matchup that he has faced yet. He should only continue to get better as his offensive stars return from injuries as well. If you are in need of a QB, I would add Love. He is a mid-tier QB2 with upside this week and a high-end QB2 with upside going forward.

Sam Howell, QB, Washington Commanders (9.4 % Rostered)

Upcoming Schedule: Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears

Sam Howell didn’t have the type of fantasy success that we had hoped he would in week 1 but he certainly impressed in week 2 against the Broncos. Howell finished with a stat line of 299 yards passing and two passing TDs as well as adding 13 yards on the ground. Now I don’t expect Howell to be a top-tier option in fantasy but I do think that he will be a streaming/ bye week option as we continue throughout the season. The next two matchups should be the toughest that Howell and the Commanders have faced yet but there is still upside to playing him as both the Bills and Eagles have shown some weakness to the QB position throughout the first two weeks of the season. If you are in need of a QB that offers a safe floor and decent upside on a weekly basis, Howell is your guy. He is a mid-tier QB2 with upside depending on the matchup.

CJ Stroud, QB, Houston Texans (0.8% Rostered)

Upcoming Schedule: Jacksonville Jaguars, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Atlanta Falcons

Sometimes it takes rookies time to adapt to the pro level and sometimes it does not. Stroud did not have the best week in week 1 but he definitely showed up in week 2 against the Colts. He had a solid stat line of 384 yards passing, 2 passing touchdowns, and 2 yards rushing which gave him a fantasy point total of 21. Now I am not saying that he is going to score 21 points every week but I am saying that Stroud will continue to adapt and get better the more he plays. Stroud has enough talent surrounding him on the offensive side of the ball to keep him in the streaming/bye week category of fantasy QBs this season. I would avoid playing him against the Steelers in two weeks but would be willing to play him against the Jaguars and Falcons. If you are in a tight spot at QB you could do a lot worse than Stroud. He is a low-end QB2 with upside this week.

Honorable Mention(s):

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mac Jones, New England Patriots
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Running Back

If Kyren Williams (60.7% Rostered) is available, I would add him over all of the running backs listed below.

Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns (9.5 % Rostered)

Upcoming Schedule: Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, and Bye week

Unfortunately, Nick Chubb suffered a horrific season-ending leg injury last night. We all hope that Nick has a speedy recovery and is able to come back strong next season. Due to Nick Chubb being out, Jerome Ford is the next man up for the Browns. He was highly touted throughout the off-season as a solid backup with decent pass-catching ability. We saw that skill level in last night’s game when he was able to fill the lead-back role once Chubb was injured. He finished with a stat line of 16 carries for 106 yards and 3 catches for 25 yards and a touchdown. There is a chance that the Browns could make a trade or add a free agent, but until that happens I am willing to gamble on Ford. He should be the #1 add in fantasy this week and should be viewed as a low-end RB2 with upside going forward.

Zach Moss, RB, Indianapolis Colts (32.1 % Rostered)

Upcoming Schedule: Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams, and Tennessee Titans

We finally were able to see Zach Moss play for the Colts and it was glorious. He finished with a rushing stat line of 18-88-1, adding 4 catches for 19 yards in the passing game as well. Moss looked great and as long as he retains the lead job for the Colts he should continue to have success for fantasy. Moss’ upcoming schedule is not amazing but also not one that I am terribly afraid of either. The Ravens do present a difficult matchup this week but Moss is receiving enough work to be relied upon in fantasy. If you are RB needy and looking for a short-term option with long-term potential, Moss is who I would add. He is a high-end flex this week against Baltimore.

Gus Edwards, RB, Baltimore Ravens (32 % Rostered)

Upcoming Schedule: Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers

The Ravens backfield is pretty much split between Gus Edwards and Justice Hill. Both are being used considerably in the run game and Hill received all of the passing work at the RB position. The value is pretty evenly split though as Edwards looks to be the back that is more likely to be used in goal-line situations. I like Edwards as he has always shown that he can be a ground-and-pound type running back when healthy. His upcoming is decent when it comes to the running back position and he should continue to receive enough carries to warrant being put into starting lineups. Edwards is a flex option with an upside this week against the Colts.

Roschon Johnson, RB, Chicago Bears (30.5% Rostered)

Upcoming Schedule: Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, and Washington Commanders

Johnson didn’t have the type of production that we were hoping for in week 2 but it is clear that he is in the Bears game plan going forward. That is especially clear with D’Onta Foreman being a healthy scratch this week. I expect that as the season continues Johnson’s workload/usage will continue to increase. He is a great stash add to have on your bench for the time being and could turn into a league winner if/when the Bears decide to increase his workload. Johnson is a low-end flex with massive upside if he were to get the lead role for the Bears.

** Adding top-tier running backs back-ups is always a good decision if you have the space to do so.**

Honorable Mention(s):

Craig Reynolds, Detroit Lions
Matt Breida, New York Giants
Jaleel McLaughlin, Denver Broncos
Latavius Murray, Buffalo Bills
Damien Harris, Buffalo Bills
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
Kareem Hunt, FA
Leonard Fournette, FA

Wide Receiver

If Puka Nacua(73.2% Rostered) or Nico Collins (62% Rostered) are available, I would add him over all of the wide receivers listed below.

Tutu Atwell, WR, Los Angeles Rams (31.7% Rostered)

Upcoming Schedule: Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, and Philadelphia Eagles

Puka Nacua has been the fantasy darling so far this season and his breakout has overshadowed what Tutu Atwell has been doing in his third year in the league. Tutu has been nothing short of awesome acting as the WR2 for the Rams. The Rams offense has been performing a lot better than most initially thought they would be heading into the season. I really don’t see a reason why their fantasy success should stop as the Rams have some pretty juicy matchups coming up. If you need a WR/ flex option, Atwell would be at the top of my list. He has been receiving a solid target share and has as good of a chance as anyone else on this list to start scoring some touchdowns on a consistent basis. Tutu is a high-end flex with an upside going forward.

Jayden Reed, WR, Green Bay Packers (13.9%Rostered)

Upcoming Schedule: New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders

I had expected that Romeo Doubs would’ve been the Green Packers receiver to succeed in week 2 but actually, it was Jayden Reed. Reed had a decent but not eye-catching week 1 but showed what he was capable of in week 2. His stat line for the week was 4-37-2. Now at some point, Christian Watson will be returning from his injury but it is truly not clear when that is going to happen. Regardless, there is a real possibility that even when Watson is back Jordan Love could support 2-3 fantasy-relevant receiving options. Reed is worth an add in all formats as you should be able to get him for a reasonable price and at the very worst he is just depth at your wide receiver position. Reed is a mid-tier flex with upside( especially if Watson is out again) this week against the Saints.

Josh Reynolds, WR, Detroit Lions (4.7% Rostered)

Upcoming Schedule: Miami Dolphins, New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys

Last but certainly not least we need to talk about Josh Reynolds. I feel that the Lions always have a solid WR2 that produces and right now that player is Reynolds. Reynolds has had 13 targets over the last two weeks, catching 9 of them for a combined total of 146 yards and 2 touchdowns. Not too shabby for a guy that you can get off the waiver wire. Jameson Williams is out for the first 6 games, which means that Reynolds will at least have value for your roster for the next 4 weeks. Considering that you shouldn’t have to spend too much FAAB on him, Reynolds may just be the best value for your buck on the waiver wire at the WR position this week. He should continue to receive a healthy target share and has the ability to score as we have seen this past week. Reynolds is a flex play with WR2 upside this week against the Dolphins.

Honorable Mention(s):

Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints
Tank Dell, Houston Texans
Marvin Mims Jr., Denver Broncos
Brandon Johnson, Denver Broncos
Nelson Agholor, Baltimore Ravens
KJ Osborn, Minnesota Vikings
Kalif Raymond, Detroit Lions
Isaiah Hodgins, New York Giants
Robert Woods, Houston Texans
Dontayvion Wicks, Green Bay Packers

Tight Ends

Sam Laporta, TE, Detroit Lions (49.5 % Rostered)

Upcoming Schedule: Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers, and Carolina Panthers

I had a hard time deciding whether I wanted to put Laporta over Henry in the top slot for the tight end position. I ended up going with Laporta due to all of the injuries that the Detroit Lions are currently dealing with. Laporta, Gibbs, and Josh Reynolds are pretty much the only main offensive players left on the team who aren’t heading into week 3 with an injury designation. Laporta has been receiving a solid target share and enough yardage to be a starting tight-end option as is and could receive an even larger share going forward. Laporta will almost certainly not be eligible to be on this list this time next week. He is the best tight-end option on the waiver wire and should be added to all leagues. He offers as safe of a floor as you can get and has the skills needed to be a top-tier option in 2023. Laporta is a low-end TE1 with an upside going forward.

Hunter Henry, TE, New England Patriots (34.6% Rostered)

Upcoming Schedule: New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints

Heading into the season I would not have believed anyone if they had told me Hunter Henry was going to be a top 5 TE in the first two games of the season, but here we are. Henry has been nothing short of amazing and reliable throughout the first two games of the season. He has received a total of 13 targets over the last two weeks and has reeled in 11 of them, including two that were touchdowns. There is no guarantee that the touchdown production will continue but anyone other than Travis Kelce at the tight end position is a gamble anyway, so might as well play the guy that has been scoring. If Henry is still available in your league, I would make sure to add whether you are TE-needy or not. He provides the floor you want in a TE with the ceiling that you wish your weekly starter could provide. He is a low-end TE1 with upside and could even turn into a weekly flex play if you chose to do so.

Zach Ertz, TE, Arizona Cardinals (47.3% Rostered)

Upcoming Schedule: Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, and Cincinnati Bengals

The Cardinals are not a good offense by any means but that doesn’t mean that they can’t support decent production from a fantasy football standpoint. Ertz is a veteran player who is obviously still capable of producing at this stage of his career. He is no longer the top-tier TE1 that we have grown to love over his career but he is certainly capable of being your roster’s starting tight end due to his target share in the Cardinals offense. Over the last two weeks, Ertz has received a total of 18 targets which is a massive target share, especially at the tight end position. As long as he stays healthy he should continue to produce at the same level. If you are in need of a reliable tight-end option, Ertz is exactly who you would want to roster. He is a high-end TE2 with an upside going forward.

Honorable Mention(s):

Luke Musgrave, Green Bay Packers
Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
Kylen Granson, Indianapolis Colts
Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills
Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders (Currently has a concussion)

Defense Streaming Options:

Baltimore Ravens Defense Vs. Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs Vs. Chicago Bears

Seattle Seahawks Defense Vs. Carolina Panthers

Jacksonville Jaguars Defense Vs. Houston Texans