The start of Week 3 is a great time for fantasy football owners to really assess their teams. If you’re 2-0, have comfortable RB and WR depth, and a reliable QB, then you should probably light on the waiver wire this week. If you’re 1-1 or 0-2, then it’s on you to identify what the problem has been. If you’ve posted the third-or-fourth-most points but have had bad matchup luck, then maybe there’s a chance to turn it around with what you have. Hopefully, you don't need free agent pickups to come save the day because you won't find many saviors to bid on in this week's waivers, which is good news for your FAAB budget but bad news if you're hurting for upgrades beyond the likes of Rondale Moore, Cordarrelle Patterson, Justin Fields, James White, Sony Michel, Tim Patrick, and Derek Carr.
As we'll do every week this season with the help of our friends at Fantasy Alarm, let's break down the top pickups and project how much of your FAAB budget you should bid on them.
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Week 3 Fantasy Football FAAB Advice: Waiver wire QB pickups
Derek Carr (LV). This is around the time of the season, after two wins against the Ravens and Steelers, everyone starts asking "Are the Raiders for real?" We don’t need a "yes" or "no" for fantasy, but Carr has over 800 passing yards through two games. The games have been competitive and the Raiders offense has looked great so far. Carr is spreading the ball around, and the Raiders draw easier defenses in the coming weeks against the Dolphins and Chargers. We all likely had bigger concerns regarding the AFC North start to Vegas’ season. The Raiders’ defense may also keep offenses in the game, which helps Carr’s fantasy prospects. Projected FAAB Bid: 10%
Justin Fields (CHI). Now, this is a scenario where you really need to assess your team. If you play in a 10-or-12-team league and you have a quarterback named Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray, Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, or maybe even Matthew Stafford, then you really don’t need Fields. Even if you think about adding him as "trade bait" in a standard, single-QB format he doesn’t have a ton of value. If you’ve been streaming QBs to start the season, then you should look to acquire him. In two-QB/superflex formats, he should be owned. It looks like we'll finally get to see Fields start in Week 3, albeit in a suboptimal matchup. Andy Dalton went down with a knee injury last week, and it looks like Fields could be taking over under center for at least a week. This is an added bump to the offense and while we shouldn’t expect the rushing numbers of Jalen Hurts, Fields can bring fantasy value with his legs. The Week 3 matchup (@ Browns) is average, at best, but like I said, hopefully you have a better option where you don’t need to rely on Fields. Proj. FAAB Bid: 6-7%
Teddy Bridgewater (DEN). Bridgewater and Fields are kind of a toss-up for me. Personally, you can probably lean on Bridgewater’s floor. He’s not going to give you 24-plus points every week, but he’s completing over 75 percent of his passes and he isn’t turning the ball over. He might not need to throw much next week against the Jets, but Teddy B is a viable option on the waiver wire. Hopefully, most of you are probably set at quarterback at this juncture. Proj. FAAB Bid: 5-6%
WEEK 3 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Week 3 Fantasy Football FAAB Advice: Waiver wire RB pickups
Zack Moss (BUF). Moss might have reclaimed his role as the Bills goal-line running back last week, though Devin Singletary was clearly the lead back early in the game when the game was in doubt. Moss scored twice against the Dolphins in the fourth quarter in Week 2 from the seven- and one-yard line. We can't write write him off just yet, and remember he saw at least a dozen carries in three straight games last December prior to the playoffs. His absence in Week 1 is still a bit of a mystery, though "health concerns" were brought up as a reason, so it's not clear how Moss will be used going forward. There's upside here but also risk. Proj. FAAB Bid: 10-12%
Sony Michel (LAR). Again, ask yourself how much you need Michel this week. Darrell Henderson scored in each of the last two weeks, but he suffered a rib cartilage injury that could potentially sideline him in Week 3. He's likely to be "questionable" against the Bucs. By now, Michel has had enough time to become acclimated to the playbook. Michel isn’t a viable option in PPR formats. In three years with New England, he had 26 total receptions, but his receiving abilities looked solid in the preseason before he was traded. Maybe he goes out there and plays well, but he's probably not a long-term solution for your team. If Henderson’s out this week, then Michel could be a way to plug a leak. Proj. FAAB Bid: 10%
James White (NE). He’s always a PPR darling if you’re brave enough to start him. With that being said, White has six catches in each of New England’s two games this season and he found the end zone against the Jets this week. He is game-script dependent, but it was refreshing to see him used consistently. If he’s getting at least 10 touches, then he’s a flex-worthy play in 12-team PPR formats. After two games, it’s easy to fall in love with the production so far, but a pair of difficult matchups are on the horizon against the Saints and Buccaneers. Proj. FAAB Bid: 10%
J.D. McKissic (WFT). McKissic was a non-factor in Week 1, but he really frustrated Antonio Gibson owners last Thursday night. He caught five-of-six targets for over 80 receiving yards, including a huge catch for 56 yards late in the game. The fact the offense rolled with McKissic late instead of Gibson should catch your attention. He’s a preferred target in PPR formats, but he's still just& a flex option, at best. Proj. FAAB Bid: 6-7%
Cordarrelle Patterson (ATL). There are more reasons to not trust Patterson at this stage than there are to actually trust him. Of course, you can’t really quantify the importance of running back depth. Patterson scored twice this past Sunday, and while he has just 21 touches through two games, seven of those have been receptions. Sunday’s production was game-script dependent, and it looks like he’ll be a thorn in Mike Davis’ side or at least his value. It seems hard to believe Patterson is having his breakout year at the age of 30 on a pretty bad team, but stranger things have happened. Proj. FAAB Bid: 3-6%
Ty Johnson (NYJ). Here’s another guy that fantasy owners seem to be lukewarm on, but he looks to be the Jets running back to own behind Michael Carter. Carter’s ownership is a little high, but if anyone drops him out of frustration, he's the priority pickup. Johnson actually led the team in RB snaps in Week 1 and carries in Week 2. He was clearly more involved this past week than Tevin Coleman, who is an easy drop at this point. You’re looking at Carter and Johnson as bench depth. Unless you have a player on bye, you aren’t adding either to start them right now. You must be incredibly desperate if that’s the case, but there’s value here in terms of depth. Proj. FAAB Bid: 2-3%
WEEK 3 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
Week 3 Fantasy Football FAAB Advice: Waiver wire WR pickups
Darnell Mooney (CHI). Mooney is likely only available in shallow leagues, as his ownership is pushing 50 percent on many sites, but he has seen seven and eight targets in each of his first two games. He’s only turned them into 11 catches for 92 yards, but better days could be ahead with Justin Fields starting for the Bears. Hell, Mooney almost caught a touchdown pass from Fields that went off his fingertips. He's preferable to any of the players listed below. The Bears offense has a tough matchup against the Browns, so he’s a borderline flex play in Week 3, but he’s a must-add off waivers at the moment. Proj. FAAB Bid: 12-14%
Elijah Moore (NYJ). If you want to swing for the fences, Moore’s ownership numbers are on the rise, and he’s on the brink of breaking out if Zach Wilson can make better decisions. Moore ran 35 routes and had eight targets last week, which were second on the team to& Braxton Berrios. The schedule gets better in the coming weeks with matchups against Tennessee and Atlanta on the horizon. The window to acquire Moore is slowly closing, though keep in mind Jamison Crowder has yet to be active. Proj. FAAB Bid: 10%
Rondale Moore (ARI). If we’re looking at just the box score, it makes sense why Moore is in the waiver column. He caught seven-of-eight targets for 114 yards and a touchdown in Week 2. However, it’s worth mentioning that Moore’s snap rate (46 percent in Week 2), route rate (57 percent), and target share (22.2 percent) were all significant increases following Week 1. The WR2 role will fluctuate through the entire season, so don’t rely on the efficiency we saw in Week 2. The increase in activity is the more telling sign that they’re working him into the offense more. Proj. FAAB Bid: 6-8%
Tim Patrick (DEN). With many mouths to feed in Denver’s passing attack, Patrick found the end zone and had three catches last week. What stands out to me is that he ran 33 routes in the absence of Jerry Jeudy (ankle), which was one more than Courtland Sutton. Both players still played well, but the Broncos will use Patrick’s massive frame in the red zone going forward. With a matchup against the Jets coming next week, it’s possible he scores once again. Proj. FAAB Bid: 6-8%
K.J. Osborn (MIN). Osborn, similar to Mooney, has 15 targets through two games after not catching a single pass in his rookie season. So far he has a dozen catches for 167 yards and a touchdown. It’s odd that the Vikings are supporting three wide receivers, and while it’s refreshing to see, it will be tough to sustain over the long run of the season. Osborn could have some flex appeal next week against the Seahawks in what could be a shootout, but that appeal likely only comes in deeper leagues. Proj. FAAB Bid: 5%
MORE WEEK 3: Top waiver pickups | Buy-low, sell-high
Week 3 Fantasy Football FAAB Advice: Waiver wire TE pickups
Jack Doyle (IND). It’s not a great week for tight ends, but at least we can (maybe?) rely on Doyle. He grabbed five-of-eight targets for 64 yards and he was on the field for 49 snaps and he ran 33 routes. Now, if you’re worried about the quarterback play in the coming weeks, no one would blame you. It’s a fair reason to not trust Doyle in the short-term, but the involvement and activity in the offense are certainly there. Proj. FAAB Bid: 3-4%
Jared Cook (LAC). Cook was in the waiver column a week ago and he almost paid off in Week 2, but his touchdown was waived off because of a penalty. He still has eight catches on 13 targets through two games and will get looks in the end zone. The good news is that the Chargers play the Chiefs next week, and they’ve historically been pretty weak against the tight end position. Proj. FAAB Bid: 2-3%
Week 3 Fantasy Football FAAB Advice: Waiver wire D/ST pickups
Carolina Panthers (@ Texans in Week 3). If you have to, you can bid a small fraction of your FAAB, but I normally don’t recommend offering up FAAB for a D/ST. However, the Panthers have been great through two weeks. They used all their 2020 draft picks on the defense and addressed that side of the ball early in the 2021 draft by taking Jaycee Horn, who grabbed his first career interception on Sunday. This week the Panthers have to travel to Houston for Thursday Night Football, and it looks like Houston will be rolling with Davis Mills at quarterback after Tyrod Taylor (hamstring) was hurt on Sunday. We could be looking at another double-digit fantasy-point performance from this defense, and Carolina likely be the most sought-after D/ST this week. Proj. FAAB Bid: <1%
Las Vegas Raiders (vs. Dolphins). Las Vegas might be the second-best streaming target this week. The Raiders stood up to the tough task of starting the season against Baltimore and Pittsburgh, and while they weren’t glamorous, they got the job done. This week is a great matchup for the Raiders against a fairly unimpressive Dolphins offense. This will be a home game, and Tua Tagovailoa is dealing with some bruised ribs at the moment, so it’s not a guarantee that he plays. The Raiders are probably foaming at the mouth at this matchup. Proj. FAAB Bid: <1%
Indianapolis Colts (@ Titans). The NFL did the Colts zero favors to start the year against the Seahawks and Rams, and now Indy is kicking off three straight road games, with the first of them being against the Titans this week. The Titans have a deadly offense, as we saw them come back from two possessions down to beat the Seahawks this past week. The Colts still have a respectable defense. The early-season schedule has been rough, and if you don’t have the luxury of streaming the Panthers this week, then you might as well stash the Colts. They possess a better defense than Seattle, and you got to like them against Miami next week, as well. Proj. FAAB Bid: <1%
MORE POTENTIAL D/ST PICKUPS: Giants (vs. Falcons), Cardinals (@ Jaguars), Saints (@ Patriots), Titans (vs. Colts)