We're one week into the 2020 fantasy football season and some owners are ready to blow up their teams. Thanks to some injuries and unorthodox preseason (or lack thereof), we're adjusting on the fly more than ever. This early in the season, the waiver wire is chock full of sleepers and value pickups that could help your team find success. Usually, at this point in the week, owners have already made their moves and grabbed the "must-have pickups" of the week, but ahead of the post-Week 2 waiver period, why not try beating your leaguemates to the punch on some high-upside free agents and potential Week 3 streamers?
You might not feel like you have any players that can be released at this point, but it's important to at least scope out potential moves and try to anticipate who might be the top waiver targets of next week. Yes, this is only guess work, but if you were a savvy James Conner owner that picked up Benny Snell Jr. as a handcuff before Week 1 after hearing some positive buzz about him, you're looking pretty good now.
WEEK 3 WAIVER WIRE: Top pickups
Those types of educated guesses can make a big difference for fantasy owners. It can be the difference between nabbing a contributor for nothing or having to burn a claim/spend more in FAAB and sweat out the waiver process.
This week, there are plenty of big producers from Week 1 still on the waiver wire. While it's important to express some amount of skepticism about players coming out of nowhere to put up big numbers, it can be worth taking a chance on guys in the right scenario (like Russell Gage of the Falcons). Other options on the waiver wire include veterans who should be higher owned than they are (Allen Lazard, Chris Herndon), rookies with a lot of upside (Jalen Reagor, Joshua Kelley), and some reliable veterans in situations that make them potential flex plays (Peyton Barber, Corey Davis).
Even if you don't ultimately pick any of these guys up, be sure to familiarize yourself with these names. Odds are that one of them will end up being a top pickup on the waiver wire come Tuesday, so if you find someone you like, don't be afraid to take a chance on him.
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watchlist
Reminder: This list was put together in the lead-in to Week 3, looking forward to the players that could be waiver-wire targets to scoop before the season starts to use in future weeks. If you have a roster spot to play with, these are options you could pick up early to beat the waiver buzz.
All these players are below 50-percent ownership on Yahoo unless otherwise specified.
Week 3 Waiver Wire Watchlist: Quarterback
Gardner Minshew, Jaguars (29 percent ownership)
Typically ,when a quarterback goes 19-for-20 and logs 173 yards and three TDs, he becomes a hot commodity. However, Minshew is still available in more than 70 percent of Yahoo leagues. Minshew has a good matchup coming up against the Dolphins, and even though they have a tough secondary, Minshew just doesn't make mistakes and can be trusted as a viable streamer with rushing/TD upside. He looks like a top QB2 for fantasy this year and could be a QB1 in the right matchups.
Philip Rivers, Colts (27)
Rivers was on the wrong end of a Week 1 loss to the Jaguars, but he still threw the ball a lot. He tossed 46 pass attempts and racked up 363 yards and a TD. His only issue was, per usual, interceptions (2). Rivers has a tasty Week 3 matchup with the Jets on deck and could be a decent play in Week 2 against a young Vikings secondary. Keep an eye on him if you need QB help, as the reliable veteran should put up decent fantasy numbers
Tua Tagovailoa, Dolphins (8)
Ryan Fitzpatrick threw three interceptions in the Dolphins' first game against the Patriots in Week 1. If he has a similarly poor performance in Week 2 -- which seems possible against a tough Bills defense -- Tagovailoa could get the starter call sooner rather than later. It makes sense the Dolphins would want to keep Tua out against two of the tougher defenses in the league, but the Dolphins schedule starts to soften in Week 3 (Jacksonville). It's possible Miami tries to get through Week 5 (San Francisco) with Fitzpatrick, but things really open up after that. Keep an eye on the No. 5 overall pick either way, as he will likely start at some point during his rookie season.
Mitchell Trubisky, Bears (6)
Yeah, Trubisky isn't the most exciting passer on the planet, but he did just total 242 passing yards, three TDs, and 30.28 fantasy points through the air against the Lions, and he always has some rushing upside. He gets to take on a poor Falcons secondary in Week 3, so he will be a good streaming option and, potentially, a sneaky-good DFS play.
Week 2 Waiver Wire Watch List: RB
Joshua Kelley (33)
Kelley showed in Week 1 that he is the clear-cut backup -- and possibly preferred goal-line option -- to Austin Ekeler. Ekeler logged 19 carries for 84 yards, but Kelley wasn't too far behind as he totaled 12 carries, 60 yards, and a TD on the ground. Kelley was getting looks in the red zone and out-touched Ekeler by one (four to three) in that area. Kelley should have a chance to eventually emerge as the thunder to Ekeler's lightning, much like the days when Melvin Gordon was with the team. Grab Kelley while you still can, as the rookie could end up being a great RB2/flex play down the stretch of the season.
Peyton Barber, Washington (22)
Washington's backfield was wide open coming into this season, but it looks like Barber may be the top between-the-tackles back, at least for now. Barber logged an NFL-high 10 red-zone carries in Week 1 and toted the rock 17 times overall for Washington. He generated just 29 yards, but he scored twice. That's a typical Barber stat line, as he'll frustrate with his lack of explosion but can make a fantasy owner's day with his TD opportunities. As long as he's getting that kind of volume and goal-line work, he needs to be rostered, especially with two decent matchups against the Cardinals and Browns upcoming.
Jerick McKinnon, 49ers (16)
Kyle Shanahan loves to mix up his RBs, but McKinnon appears to be the No. 2 option behind Raheem Mostert and the team's primary pass-catching RB. McKinnon tied for the 49ers lead in targets Week 1 with five and grabbed a TD during the contest. He has PPR upside in Week 2 against the Jets and could produce against the Giants as a pass-catcher too.
Frank Gore (9) | La'Mical Perine (2)
Le'Veon Bell is out because of a hamstring injury, so the Jets will need a new lead back. Frank Gore might not be flashy at 37, but he is consistent and can generate some TDs. Perine may be the more exciting long-term pickup, but he is dealing with an ankle injury that could continue to keep him sidelined. Still, Perine is worth snagging in case Bell's return takes longer than anticipated and Gore plateaus. Other options the Jets have include Kalen Ballage, who just signed as a free agent, and practice squad RB Josh Adams, who scored a rush TD late in their Week 1 game against the Bills. For now, Gore (short-term) and Perine (long-term) are the most worthwhile stashes.
Royce Freeman (2)
While Phillip Lindsay's toe injury is a bigger deal for Melvin Gordon fantasy owners, the Broncos love mixing up their RBs and may not rely on Gordon as a full-time workhorse. Freeman could see more action than you think, as he did last season alongside Lindsay. Freeman may work as more of a receiving back since he's not great as a short-yardage back (which is odd because of his size), but he should still carry some fantasy value as a top handcuff and potential PPR flex play depending on his carry split with Gordon.
Week 2 Waiver Wire Watch List: WR
Allen Lazard, Packers (46) | Marquez Valdes-Scantling (29)
Aaron Rodgers was looking for a true No. 2 receiver to emerge in 2020, and it looks like he has a couple of candidates. Lazard and Valdes-Scantling both posted four catches and a TD against the Vikings with Valdes-Scantling outgaining Lazard 96-63. Davante Adams will continue to soak up a ton of targets in Green Bay's offense, but both of these players have a lot of upside in Week 2 vs. the Lions and beyond. Grab them while you still can.
Jalen Reagor, Eagles (36)
Reagor was a first-round pick of the Eagles, and the rookie played more snaps than any other receiver against Washington (40). He still needs to prove himself, but the deep threat did catch one pass for 55 yards in the contest. If Lane Johnson returns and improves the Eagles' blocking soon, Reagor will have more chances to make deep plays and could take advantage of a good-looking Week 3 matchup with the Bengals as a result.
Preston Williams, Dolphins (38)
Williams' ownership may be depressed right now because of two tough early-season matchups with the Patriots and the Bills, but he is a top-two receiver for the Dolphins. He may even be the No. 1 depending on how DeVante Parker (hamstring) is dealing with his injury. Williams has a great Week 3 matchup with the Jaguars on a short week, so he could be a WR3 in that game if Parker can't play.
Parris Campbell, Colts (35)
Campbell looks like a legitimate threat as the Colts' No. 2 wide receiver after tying for the team lead in targets (9) and logging six catches for 71 yards (both team highs) against the Jaguars. Campbell looks like a matchup based WR3/flex play and will have a chance to put up strong numbers against the Jets in Week 3.
Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers (31)
Deebo Samuel (foot) will be out until at least Week 4, but Aiyuk (hamstring) could return as soon as Week 2. The 49ers are desperate for some help at the WR position as Jimmy Garoppolo relied mostly on his RBs and TEs as pass-catchers in the season opener. The 49ers' first-round pick will command a solid target share in Week 2 against the Jets and Week 3 against the Giants, especially if George Kittle (knee) is limited in either contest.
Scotty Miller, Buccaneers (18)
Chris Godwin is in concussion protocol, and Mike Evans is still gimpy with a hamstring injury. Evans will play, but Godwin is in doubt, so Miller could be Tom Brady's top target in a matchup with a poor Carolina defense. Miller already was building a rapport with Brady after catching five-of-six targets for 73 yards against the Saints, so grabbing him as a potential weekly PPR flex play isn't a bad move.
Corey Davis, Titans (15)
Davis was one of the biggest surprises of the Titans' opener, as he tied for the team lead in targets (8) and caught seven passes for 101 yards. It seems that Davis is emerging as the Titans' true No. 2 receiver across from A.J. Brown, and the former No. 5 overall pick will have a chance to stay hot in consecutive matchups against young secondaries (Jaguars, Vikings). If Brown (knee) misses more time, Davis could really take off.
Laviska Shenault, Jaguars (15)
Garnder Minshew likes to spread the ball around, but Shenault was second on the Jaguars in targets in his first game with four. He also was the only player besides Minshew and James Robinson to log a carry (two), and he scored through the air. Shenault could emerge as a versatile playmaking threat (think Deebo Samuel) if he can get a little more volume in the Jaguars' offense.
Russell Gage, Falcons (14)
Matt Ryan had to throw the ball a whopping 54 times against the Seahawks and as a result, he targeted three WRs exactly 12 times. Gage was one of those players, and he turned his targets into nine catches for 114 yards. Because Atlanta's defense is so weak, they will have to throw a lot and that could give Gage some volume, as teams may live with him beating their defense as opposed to Julio Jones and/or Calvin Ridley. He has a couple of solid matchups against Dallas' rocky defense and the Bears, who have a rookie playing as their No. 2 corner.
Tre'Quan Smith, Saints (4)
Michael Thomas is out with a high ankle sprain and could miss some time. Enter Smith as the new No. 2 receiver across from Emmanuel Sanders. Smith has matchups against a poor Raiders secondary and a Packers defense that just allowed Minnesota to score a ton of garbage-time points, so he could easily log some big plays if those two defenses focus on the likes of Sanders, Alvin Kamara, and Jared Cook.
Danny Amendola (2) | Quintez Cephus (1)
With Kenny Golladay out in Week 1, Amendola and Cephus were the biggest Lions beneficiaries. Amendola led the team with five catches and 81 yards while Cephus saw a team-high 10 targets but caught just three for 43 yards. If Golladay misses more time, both could be viable flex plays, as they'll have to throw to keep up with the Packers and Cardinals offenses in Weeks 2 and 3.
Week 2 Waiver Wire Watch List: TE
Chris Herndon, Jets (47)
Herndon saw the second-most targets on the Jets in the opener behind Jamison Crowder (Crowder had 13, Herndon had 7). Herndon well may be the Jets' No. 2 receiver (or No. 1 with Crowder banged up), so grabbing him as a potential streaming option at TE or top backup makes sense.
Jack Doyle, Colts (26)
Somehow, Doyle's ownership has gone down since last week. Yeah, he only had three catches for 49 yards in the season opener, but Doyle is the Colts' top TE in an offense where the position is heavily utilized. Philip Rivers will probably throw to him more in the future and after Week 2 against the Vikings, the Colts have a fairly easy stretch of games (vs. Jets, @ Bears, @ Browns, vs. Bengals). Even with a knee/ankle injury keeping him out in Week 2, Doyle is worth grabbing now as a potential TE1 who is playing 73 percent of the team's snaps at TE.
O.J. Howard, Buccaneers (25)
Of the Buccaneers' tight ends, Howard looked to be the best and showed a strong connection with Brady. He caught four passes for 36 yards and a TD in Week 1. Brady can tap into Howard's athletic upside, so maybe Howard will finally reach another peak and produce as he did in '18 (34 catches, 565 yards, five TDs in 10 games played).
Logan Thomas, Washington (13)
Thomas established a rapport with starting QB Dwayne Haskins in camp, and it showed in Week 1. He saw a team-high eight targets and caught four passes for 37 yards and a TD. Thomas is a good athlete and should be a red-zone threat, so feel free to scoop him up as he could be a top streamer or maybe even a low TE1 some weeks.
Jimmy Graham (7)
Graham isn't the player he once was, but he saw seven targets from Mitchell Trubisky in Week 1 and caught a TD. He almost had a second score, but he came up short. Graham is a decent streamer who could emerge as a safety valve for Trubisky, so at least consider picking him up.
Week 2 defense streamers and sleepers
Indianapolis Colts (44) | Week 3 opponent: vs. Jets
Los Angeles Chargers (37) | Week 3 opponent: vs. Panthers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (34) | Week 3 opponent: @ Broncos
Cleveland Browns (14) | Week 3 opponent: vs. Washington
Jacksonville Jaguars (1) | Week 3 opponent: vs. Dolphins
There are a lot of quality defensive streamers that could be available this week. The Colts should be higher-owned ahead of a Week 3 matchup with a weak Jets offense devoid of much weaponry. Meanwhile, the Chargers should take advantage of the Panthers' offensive line and use Joey Bosa nad Melvin Ingram to pressure Teddy Bridgewater and rack up some points.
The Bucs get the Broncos and another young quarterback, Drew Lock. Though Lock avoided big mistakes in Week 1, he hasn't been able to lead scoring drives enough, so the Bucs can capitalize on that.
The Browns and the Jaguars are lower-end plays since they're not great teams, but both have good matchups in Week 3. Washington only has one true pass-catching weapon in Terry McLaurin and lacks high-quality blocking on the left side of the line. The Dolphins need better blocking and have the turnover-prone Ryan Fitzpatrick available at quarterback.
