We’re back for the 2019 Fantasy Waiver Wire Week 3 Start, Stash and Stream, where we break down the Free Agent landscape and give you the best picks for the short and long haul. RedSocker is still MIA at the moment, so I’ll keep building on our Week 2 Waiver Wire momentum.
Per usual, think of this Waiver Wire set-up kind of like dating. In the first category, you’ve met “the one,” the love of your life, and you want to keep him/her forever. Those are your “Starts.”
Next, you have the person you’ve known for a while, but you find yourself asking: what are we? One week in, one week out, holding on for comfort and little else… they’re the “Stashes.” You just can’t quit them.
And then you have that Tinder date that serves a one-time purpose, most often leaving you feeling dirty and hopeless, but occasionally a solo home run. These are your “Streams.”
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With all that went down Week 2, here’s what we can use going forward.
Note – Ownership % based on Yahoo
Start
- DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks (49%)
- Carlos Hyde, RB, Houston Texans (43%)
- Demarcus Robinson, WR, Kansas City Chiefs (7%)
- Peyton Barber, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (47%)
- Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills (40%)
- Mecole Hardman, WR, Kansas City Chiefs (40%)
- Joey Slye, K, Carolina Panthers (13%)
- DJ Chark Jr, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (13%)
- Jason Witten, TE, Dallas Cowboys (15%)
Similar to Crowder last week, DK Metcalf feels like cheating here but he still falls under the 50% threshold. Another high-target game (7) facilitated his first NFL TD. Metcalf’s fit in nicely as Seattle’s #2 receiver and can be a consistent WR3, especially with the ‘Hawks D looking shaky.
Just because the rest of the NFL doesn’t want Carlos Hyde doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. He just was bathed in 20 carries within a Texans offense we expect to rank Top-10 this season. Hyde racked up 90 yards against a tough Jacksonville front, and will offer solid TD upside each week as the clear “big back” here.
Demarcus Robinson came out of nowhere to have himself a massive day, blasting Oakland’s depleted secondary for 6 catches 172 yards and 2 scores. Tyreek Hill‘s expected to miss at least 4-5 more weeks, and Robinson has sneakily been the WR2 for Mahomes in that electric offense alongside Sammy Watkins. Meanwhile, Mecole Hardman (#4 on the list) is still catching up to speed as a rookie. Still, anyone with 4.3 speed alongside the Cannon-Armed God offers upside, and his solid 63 yards and a score where a penalty away from an additional 72 yards. Of the two, Robinson seems to have a more refined rapport with Mahomes.
Last week we featured CJay’s boy Ronald Jones. He was nonexistent in Week 2 while Peyton Barber handled 40 snaps compared to RoJo’s 7. The work distribution was similarly lopsided, as Barber outcarried RoJo 23-7, racking up 82 yards and a TD in his work. With such little RB depth, Barber can be a nice flex play or emergency RB2. Especially against the terrible Giants in Week 3.
Josh Allen, who returned in Week 11 only to finish as the QB2 in fantasy, continues to impress in 2019. He’s (slightly) improved as a passer, still has his running prowess, and is fresh off 22 FPs. He should do well at home against a Bengals team that just surrendered 297 yards and 3 scores to Jimmy Garoppolo. Allen would be the first place I’d turn if I just lost Ben, Brees, or my QB was sucking.
You don’t normally see a kicker this high up on the list, but you don’t normally see guys quite like Joey Slye. This sexy son of a bitch is a kicking machine, for a team with a shit QB who can’t score in the red zone. He’s been given plenty of FG opportunities and he nails it right down the middle every time. After scoring 12 and 16 FPs to begin the year, Slye can actually join the Zeurlins and Tuckers as a difference making kicker this year.
DJ Chark has back to back games with a touchdown from Gardner Minshew and seems to have some serious chemistry with the rookie. His targets increased from Week 1 to Week 2 and he’s been the most consistent receiver for the team thus far.
Former MNF broadcaster Jason Witten has turned into a red zone machine for a rebranded Dallas Cowboys passing offense that might just live inside their opponent’s 20. Touchdowns in back to back games and now Witten gets to play the Charmin soft Miami Dolphins defense.
Stash
- Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers (14%)
- Nelson Agholor, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (15%)
- Jaylen Samuels, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (35%)
- James Washington, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers (29%)
- Raheem Mostert, RB, San Francisco 49ers (17%)
- Will Dissly, TE, Seattle Seahawks (3%)
The 49ers seem to have a new WR1 in Deebo Samuel who is rising the ranks. Despite starting over Dante Pettis, Samuels snaps concerningly dropped; after a team-high 59 in Week 1, he saw the field for just 27 in Week 2. Yet, Samuels usage also flipped, but positively, as hauled in 5 balls on 7 looks for 87 yards and a TD. Meanwhile, Pettis was held catchless, and the rookie is making dangerous plays after the catch.
Nelson Agholor was a slot slut for Wentz and the Eagles after all the injuries they sustained. He racked up 11 targets for 8 catches 107 yards and a score (plus a costly drop in the 4th quarter that should’ve been another 60+ yard bomb). Should the injury bug linger, Agholor’s value could rise in a pass happy offense. He’s essentially a WR handcuff for both the oft-injured DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery owners.
Jaylen Samuels is someone to snatch and stash on your roster if possible. Despite a knee injury, James Conner expects to suit up after an MRI revealed its “not serious.” Samuels played 21-of-23 snaps once Conner left, similar in line to his workhorse usage in spot starts last year (~17 touch, 110 yard average). Still, don’t blow the load: Conner appears to be fine moving forward, and the team lost Ben Roethlisberger which just decreased the team’s overall offensive values going forward.
James Washington didn’t crack this list due to last week’s performance. Rather, it’s due to his rapport with new QB Mason Rudolph and the disgusting performances by Donte Moncrief. Washington and Rudolph dominated at Oklahoma State and have lit up the preseason (4-84-1 TD; 4-78; 1-41-1 in roughly 4 quarters), so stash Washington and let him win the Steelers WR2 job from Moncrief. Shouldn’t be too hard after a 1 target, 1 drop performance for Moncrief (sorry about that one).
Raheem Mostert is filling into the 49ers’ backfield quite nicely, both as a zone-runner and pass-catcher. He ripped 83 yards with routine chunks on his 13 carries (6.38 YPC), all while hauling in a 39 yard TD. Mostert was elusive in the open field, and most likely earned himself some more playing time after that last performance. Tevin Coleman is still out, so Mostert should take advantage of whatever chance he can get.
TE Will Dissly had a memorable Week 2 catching two touchdowns from Russell Wilson against the Steelers. Lockett and Metcalf have been the consistent pass catchers, but Dissly has always seemed to be a red zone weapon that Wilson looks for when active. This could be especially true with blanket Doug Baldwin gone.
Stream
- Frank Gore, RB, Buffalo Bills (8%)
- Green Bay Packers D/ST (17%)
- San Francisco 49ers D/ST (18%)
- Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions (35%)
- Devin Smith, WR, Dallas Cowboys (0%)
Old man Frank Gore got 19 carries for the Bills with their game in hand facing the Giants. He churned out an ugly 68 yards but also a score, and remains a reliable runner. Plus, Devin Singletary is day-to-day after suffering a hamstring scare, so Gore could see similarly high work levels against a Bengals defense that the 49ers bled for 3 rushing TDs.
With these defenses you have decent matchups against the inept Joe Flacco/Broncos offense and the Steelers sans Ben Roethlisberger respectively. Both play at home which is a nice advantage. Matthew Stafford had a rather pedestrian game in Week 2 but now on the road in Philly could mean more points thanks to a poor secondary and a game script likely having the Lions playing from behind.
Cowboys receiver Michael Gallup figures to a few weeks after undergoing a knee procedure, which should slide Devin Smith into a more prominent role alongside Amari Cooper. According to Jason Garrett, Smith will “obviously play more” after he hauled in a beautifuly 51 yard TD bomb and totaled 74 yards on the day. He was a great ball-tracker at Ohio State, and could again strike against Miami next week.
What do you think of JimboSlice’s Waiver Picks? Let him hear it. Plus, catch The Wolf’s thoughts on where these guys all slide in, and get any Waiver Wire questions answered LIVE during his Week 3 Rankings Rundown tonight @ 7pm.
