2018 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 3: Start, Stash and Stream

Welcome back to Start, Stash and Stream where we provide an in depth look into the waiver wire landscape for Week 3. And trust me ladies and gentlemen, it looks preeetayyyyyyy, preeetayyyyyyy, preeetayyyyyyy good. I do not know if you fantasy players out there have woken up yet, but we are already two weeks into the season, and a few handfuls of players have NO right being left unattended to on the waiver wire. If you see any of the “Start” players below, you should probably turn yourself in to local authorities because that is just flat out highway robbery. So lets peruse the field and see where we can start gaining ground on our opponents.

Start

1. Giovani Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals (27% Yahoo ownership); (30-35% FAAB)
2. Keelan Cole, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (49% Yahoo ownership); (7-10% FAAB)
3. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers (44% Yahoo ownership); (7-10% FAAB)
4. Antonio Callaway, WR, Cleveland Browns (6% Yahoo ownership); (6-8% FAAB)
5. Geronimo Allison, WR, Green Bay Packers (31% Yahoo ownership); (4-6% FAAB)
6. DeSean Jackson, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (49% Yahoo ownership); (3-5% FAAB)
7. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (35% Yahoo ownership); (3-5% FAAB)
8. John Brown, WR, Baltimore Ravens (25% Yahoo ownership); (3-5% FAAB)
9. Ted Ginn Jr., WR, New Orleans Saints (41% Yahoo ownership); (3-5% FAAB)
10. Theo Riddick, RB, Detroit Lions (24% Yahoo ownership); (1-3% FAAB)
11. Brandon Marshall, WR, Seattle Seahawks (48% Yahoo ownership); (1-2% FAAB)
12. Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (22% Yahoo ownership)

Unquestionably the top waiver wire add for Week 3, Giovani Bernard will take over lead back duties in Cincinnati for the next 2-4 weeks after Joe Mixon undergoes cleanup knee surgery this week. Doctors say cleanup and short recovery timetable. But all I see is knee surgery and a problem that could linger all season long…Guys, we keep telling you to pickup Keelan Cole, and you are not listening. He somehow dropped from 55% to 49% ownership after appearing on last week’s edition of Start, Stream, Stash. And he just went for 7-116-1 against the Pats. Don’t make me yell at you all again next week, I do not like yelling…Austin Ekeler is no longer just a stash play and insurance for Melvin Gordon. Through two weeks, Eekeler has amassed 224 yards on 24 touches and one touchdown…The Browns finally relieved themselves of the ever-persistent headache that was Josh Gordon (read more about his massive potential with the Patriots here). Antonio Callaway is the leader in the clubhouse for the Browns WR2 after playing four more total snaps than Rashard Higgins…With Ryan FitzMagic playing out of his skull, both DeSean Jackson and Chris Godwin continue to hold big value in a pass heavy Bucs offense (especially this week against the Steelers porous defense).

Stash

1. Javorius Allen, RB, Baltimore Ravens (8% Yahoo ownership); (3-5% FAAB)
2. Ronald Jones II, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (25% Yahoo ownership); (1-2% FAAB)
3. Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons (22% Yahoo ownership); (1-2% FAAB)
4. Chris Ivory, RB, Buffalo Bills (5% Yahoo ownership); (1-2% FAAB)
5. Marcus Murphy, RB, Buffalo Bills (1% Yahoo ownership); (1-2% FAAB)
6. Doug Martin, RB, Oakland Raiders (7% Yahoo ownership)
7. Malcolm Brown, RB, Los Angeles Rams (1% Yahoo ownership)
8. Ty Montgomery, RB, Green Bay Packers (22% Yahoo ownership)
9. Jordan Wilkins, RB, Indianapolis Colts (31% Yahoo ownership)
10. Marlon Mack, RB, Indianapolis Colts (47% Yahoo ownership)
11. Nyheim Hines, RB, Indianapolis Colts (8% Yahoo ownership)
12. Latavius Murray, RB, Minnesota Vikings (43% Yahoo ownership)
13. C.J. Anderson, RB, Carolina Panthers (39% Yahoo ownership)
14. Jalen Richard, RB, Oakland Raiders (6% Yahoo ownership)
15. Cole Beasley, WR, Dallas Cowboys (19% Yahoo ownership) 
16. Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (2% Yahoo ownership) 
17. Tyrell Williams, WR, Los Angeles Chargers (15% Yahoo ownership) 
18. Rashard Higgins, WR, Cleveland Browns (1% Yahoo ownership)
19. Dez Bryant, WR, Free Agent (26% Yahoo ownership)
20. Ryan Grant, WR, Indianapolis Colts (7% Yahoo ownership)
21. Willie Snead IV, WR, Baltimore Ravens (3% Yahoo ownership)
22. Paul Richardson, WR, Washington Redskins (8% Yahoo ownership)
23. Josh Doctson, WR, Washington Redskins (27% Yahoo ownership) 

He just seems to do it each and every year. Like a cold or flu that just does not go away. Javorius ‘Buck’ Allen again seems to have standalone value in 2018 in the Ravens backfield. Alex Collins only has 16 carries on the season and 20 total touches, while Buck Allen has 10 rushes and receptions, and seems to have earned himself the goal line work…Are you telling me a guy listed as fourth on a depth chart and (healthy) scratched back to back games deserves FABB money?!?! Are you crazy!?! Yes, I am. But starter Peyton Barber can’t run his way out of a paper bag right now, averaging a measly 2.6 yards per carry on a whopping 35 rushing attempts. It might be time to give the rookie a shot…LeSean McCoy is dealing with a potentially severe rib injury (reports keep changing). Severe or not, rib injuries can linger and are not great for running backs (or anyone, for that matter), so Chris Ivory should be the first in line to take over lead duties, followed by Marcus Murphy…Rookie wideout Calvin Ridley ranks first on the Falcons in touchdown receptions, second in targets, and third in yards. He impressed Week 2, reeling in 4 of 5 targets for 64 yards and a touchdown, and could slowly be taking over the WR2 role in Atlanta…Can you figure out the Colts running back depth chart? Jordan Wilkins has logged the most snaps through two games (7 more than Nyheim Hines), although that is partly due to Marlon Mack‘s Week 1 absence. Wilkins impressed on the ground last week, carrying the ball 10 times for 61 yards, and looks to be the front runner for carries. However, a true three-way timeshare is in the making until one clearly separates himself from the other two.

Stream

1. Corey Clement, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (22% Yahoo ownership)
2. Austin Hooper, TE, Atlanta Falcons (17% Yahoo ownership)
3. Jesse James, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers (10% Yahoo ownership)
4. Derek Carr, QB, Oakland Raiders (42% Yahoo ownership)
5. Dede Westbrook, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (17% Yahoo ownership)
6. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars (32% Yahoo ownership)
7. Cleveland Browns DST (7% Yahoo ownership)
8. New York Jets DST (34% Yahoo ownership)

The Colts allowed 16 receptions to Washington Redskins running backs last week. Corey Clement caught 5 balls last week and added 30 yards on the ground with a touchdown…Austin Hooper is coming off an impressive 5-59-1 touchdown line last week and now gets the horrendous Saints defense Week 3…Derek Carr showed us all that he can still be fantasy relevant by completing 29 of 32 passes for 288 yards and one touchdown last week in Denver.

Others, for those of you in leagues with your grandmothers and pets (50-60% Yahoo ownership)

1. Mike Williams, WR, Los Angeles Chargers (60% Yahoo ownership) (3-5% FAAB)
2. Bilal Powell, RB, New York Jets (57% Yahoo ownership) (2-4% FAAB)
3. Ben Watson, TE, New Orleans Saints (52% Yahoo ownership)
4. Eric Ebron, TE, Indianapolis Colts (55% Yahoo ownership)

Mike Williams has 80 yards or a touchdown in each of his first two games so far…Bilal Powell has totaled more yards on less touches than Isaiah Crowell through two weeks…Eric Ebron may have finally found his ever-elusive fantasy relevance after scoring in each of his first two games with Andrew Luck at the helm.

Week 3 Waiver Wire Rankings

1. Giovani Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals 
2. Keelan Cole, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
3. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers 
4. Antonio Callaway, WR, Cleveland Browns 
5. Geronimo Allison, WR, Green Bay Packers 
6. DeSean Jackson, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
7. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
8. John Brown, WR, Baltimore Ravens 
9. Mike Williams, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
10. Javorius Allen, RB, Baltimore Ravens
11. Ted Ginn Jr., WR, New Orleans Saints 
12. Bilal Powell, RB, New York Jets
13. Theo Riddick, RB, Detroit Lions
14. Ronald Jones II, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15. Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons
16. Brandon Marshall, WR, Seattle Seahawks 
17. Chris Ivory, RB, Buffalo Bills 
18. Marcus Murphy, RB, Buffalo Bills 
19. Corey Clement, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
20. Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Good luck finding these diamonds in the rough. Remember, some stashes can immediately become starts, so always stay updated with RSJ, as we will always provide the latest and greatest info.

To contact me with any questions or general fantasy football discussion, please email me at redsocker45@gmail.com or tweet me ‪@AJGamballer‪.