Fantasy Waiver Wire Week 3: LeSean McCoy, Damien Williams injuries put Darwin Thompson among free agent pickups

Matt Lutovsky

Fantasy Waiver Wire Week 3: LeSean McCoy, Damien Williams injuries put Darwin Thompson among free agent pickups image

The second week was a tough one for players at every fantasy football position. Two starting QBs (Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger), four key RBs (James Conner, Devin Singletary, LeSean McCoy, and Damien Williams), three playable WRs (DeSean Jackson, Alshon Jeffery, Michael Gallup), and a top-12 TE (David Njoku) left games early because of injuries. (And Adam Vinatieri contemplated retirement.) We already know some will be out for a while, while others just figure to be "questionable" (read: start' em, sit 'em nightmares) for this week. The good news: Opportunities in the form of Week 3 fantasy waiver wire pickups and free agent adds are created, so you can bet the periods before and after waivers clear at around 4-5 a.m. ET on Wednesday in ESPN and Yahoo leagues will be busy.

There might not be any "sure things" on our full free agent list, but there are plenty of potential difference-makers. We saw in Week 2 how Chiefs secondary receivers Demarcus Robinson and Mecole Hardman can help your team while Tyreek Hill (shoulder) is out (at least three more weeks). We also know that every starting RB has potential value, and there are several of those, including Frank GoreJaylen SamuelsCarlos HydePeyton Barber, Raheem Mostert, and Darwin Thompson. Perhaps most important for Brees and Roethlisberger owners, we have a quartet of underowned QBs who can get you by for at least one week (Matthew StaffordJosh Allen, Jimmy Garoppolo, and Jacoby Brissett). You can also find plenty of interesting WRs (including potential Eagles No. 1 Nelson Agholor), a couple TEs (seriously, Jason Witten is on there), and several D/ST streamers at the end of the list. If you need a new kicker or you're one of those people who just likes clicking links on the internet, our Week 3 kicker rankings can help you with both. 

MORE WEEK 3: Waiver wire pickups | FAAB planner | Snap counts

It's tough to say if using a top-three waiver claim is worth it this week. If we knew for sure if Conner or the Chiefs RBs were going to be out for at least a couple weeks, then the answer is yes, but if we don't know for sure, you're really just looking at bye-week fill-in RBs and WR fliers. Plenty of these guys could wind up having season-long value, but you don't want to waste that top claim position on someone who gets maybe one start. The Chiefs WRs are perhaps the most interesting players, but picking between them is tough. Robinson obviously had the bigger day and played 13 more snaps than Hardman, but the rookie speedster could easily outproduce Robinson the rest of the way. As always, it comes down to what your team needs.

WEEK 3 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

LISTEN TO THE SN FANTASY WEEK 3 PREVIEW PODCAST BELOW

Top fantasy football waiver wire pickups and free agent adds for Week 3

Unless otherwise noted, only players owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues considered.

Darwin Thompson, RB, Chiefs. Thompson could be something ... or he could be nothing. Both Damien Williams (knee) and LeSean McCoy (ankle) were injured late in Kansas City's Week 2 win, and the extent of their injuries is unknown. If even one is out, Thompson becomes an interesting FLEX flier. If both are out, he'd be a sure-fire starter playing in the NFL's best offense. The rookie from Utah State ran for 60 yards on 12 carries in the preseason and added three catches for 38 yards and a TD. A Week 3 matchup against Baltimore isn't ideal, but if he's the only game in town for Kansas City, we know what kind of upside he has. Be sure to monitor the injury reports for the latest on McCoy and Williams.

Mecole Hardman, WR, Chiefs. We highlighted Demarcus Robinson in our first waivers article of the week, but Hardman deserves love, too. He had the same number of targets (6), catching four for 61 yards and a TD. He also had a would-be 72-yard TD called back because of holding. He's still raw, but the rookie out of Georgia is more talented than Robinson and better suited to fill Tyreek Hill's role. He deserves to have a waiver claim used on him.

MORE WEEK 3: Full waiver list

Matthew Stafford, QB, Lions (Week 3 opponent: @ Eagles)
Josh Allen, QB, Bills (vs. Bengals)
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, 49ers (vs. Steelers)
Jacoby Brissett, QB, Colts (vs. Falcons)

If you lost Ben Roethlisberger or Drew Brees and don't have a backup, these are the four QBs to target. The first three are facing pass defenses this week that have allowed at least five passing touchdowns this year. Moreover, the Eagles are allowing 350 pass yards per game and the Steelers are up there at just over 320 yards per contest. If you're thinking beyond just Week 3, Stafford's next four weeks are @ Eagles, vs. Chiefs, bye, and @ Packers; Allen's next four weeks are vs. Bengals, vs. Patriots, @ Titans, and bye (@ Dolphins after that); Garoppolo's next four weeks are vs. Steelers, bye, vs. Browns, and @ Rams; Brissett's next four are vs. Falcons,vs. Raiders, @ Chiefs, and bye. All four are owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. Marcus Mariota (@ Jaguars, @ Falcons, vs. Bills, @ Broncos) might also be able to get the job done. Derek Carr (@ Vikings, @ Colts, vs. Bears, bye) has a tough upcoming schedule, but he's another potential option.

WEEK 3 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end

Raheem Mostert, RB, 49ers. Loyal listeners to our Fantasy Football Show podcast heard us call the Mostert breakout before last week's game. Kyle Shanahan loves him, and even with Matt Breida averaging 10 yards per carry, Mostert still received a ton of snaps and touches. Because of Breida's injury history, Mostert is more of a "co-No. 1" than a handcuff, and that will continue for as long as Tevin Coleman is out, which is likely another three weeks at the minimum. Week 3 brings a tough matchup against Pittsburgh, but Mostert is still worth having on your team, especially with byes right around the corner.

Check our full Week 3 waiver list for more potential adds, including several "starting" RBs, potential WR3s, and D/ST streamers.

Matt Lutovsky

Matt Lutovsky Photo

Matt Lutovsky has been a writer and editor for The Sporting News since 2007, primarily writing about fantasy sports, betting, and gaming.