Two weeks down, and the fantasy football injury bug has already claimed a massive name. Joe Burrow is sidelined with turf toe and expected to miss at least three months, leaving managers scrambling for answers at QB and beyond.
Add in surprise breakouts, backfield shakeups, and depth chart chaos, and the waiver wire has quickly become the most important part of your weekly roster management. Whether you’re replacing Burrow, stashing an under-the-radar rookie, or chasing upside before your league mates catch on, the Week 3 Waiver Wire is where you can gain serious ground. The good news? There’s plenty of talent out there.
Let’s break down the best fantasy football Week 3 waiver wire pickups to keep your squad alive and thriving.
NOTE: This Week 3 Waiver Wire article will be updated throughout the Week 2 slate, and it is not final until Monday Night Football is concluded.
HEADS UP: Each player featured here is rostered in roughly 50% or fewer leagues on Yahoo! at the time of publication.
FANTASY FOOTBALL WEEK 3 WAIVER WIRE
QUARTERBACKS
DANIEL JONES, COLTS (17% ROSTERED)
Daniel Jones has officially backed up his hot Week 1, showing he’s more than a one-week wonder. He uncorked three deep balls, spread the ball around effectively, and even punched in his third rushing score of the season, pissing off Jonathan Taylor managers in the process.
With quarterbacks dropping like flies across the league, Jones is quietly giving fantasy managers steady 20+ point weeks, all while keeping the Colts undefeated at 2-0 for the first time since 2009. You don’t have to be a full believer yet, but with a soft Week 3 matchup against the Titans, Jones is absolutely in play as a starting option.
JAKE BROWNING, BENGALS (0% ROSTERED)
With Joe Burrow sidelined for at least three months (and maybe the season), Jake Browning steps into the Bengals’ starting gig. He showed flashes in relief against Jacksonville, throwing for 241 yards and two touchdowns while also running in the game-winner and unlocking Ja’Marr Chase. However, his three interceptions remind us he’s still a rollercoaster play.
The good news? Cincinnati’s weapons give him weekly upside. But the schedule is somewhat daunting with the Vikings and Broncos on the horizon. Browning is firmly in the streaming conversation for QB-needy managers.
Others to target: Michael Penix Jr. (ATL, 41%), Mac Jones (SF, 3%), Cam Ward (TEN, 19%), Trevor Lawrence (JAC, 46%)
RUNNING BACKS
BHAYSHUL TUTEN, JAGUARS (55% ROSTERED)
Consider this your friendly PSA: if Bhayshul Tuten is somehow still floating on your waiver wire, go grab him immediately. With Tank Bigsby shipped off to Philly, one of our favorite pre-season sleepers slid right into the RB2 role in Jacksonville and made the most of it. He logged eight carries for 42 yards, caught both of his targets for 32 yards and a touchdown, and even chipped in a nice kick return.
More importantly, he looked like a legit change-of-pace option behind Travis Etienne, seeing just six fewer carries than the starter. Etienne is still the workhorse, but if he ever misses time, Tuten would instantly become a high-volume playmaker in one of the league’s ascending offenses. For now, he’s a priority stash with flex appeal heading into Week 3 against Houston.
BLAKE CORUM, RAMS (8% ROSTERED)
Blake Corum made the most of his limited work in Week 2, turning five carries into 44 yards and his first career touchdown. The Rams are still The Kyren Williams Show, but Corum has carved out a couple of drives per game and looks good doing it. He ran with power, showed burst, and didn’t look like a second-year player getting his feet wet.
For now, he’s more of a stash than a start, but he’s the clear No. 2 back in a good offense, which means he carries real upside if Williams ever misses time. Even if that doesn’t happen, Corum could be annoying enough to cap Williams’ ceiling while sneaking into deeper-league flex value down the line. The Michigan Man is a quality handcuff.
Others to target: Cam Skattebo (NYG, 59%), Kenneth Gainell (PIT, 8%), Chris Rodriguez (WAS, 4%), Jeremy McNichols (WAS, 1%), Kyle Monangai (CHI, 6%)
WIDE RECEIVERS
WAN’DALE ROBINSON, GIANTS (22% ROSTERED)
If Wan’Dale Robinson is still hanging out on your waiver wire, that needs to end right now. The Giants’ wideout erupted in Week 2 with eight catches for 142 yards and a touchdown, flashing legit vertical ability with Russell Wilson, which is something he hadn’t shown much of before.
He matched his career total of 20+ yard grabs in just one game, proving he’s not just a short-area PPR guy anymore. Robinson now sits top-10 among WRs in fantasy points per game and looks locked in as one of Wilson’s go-to playmaker. At worst, he’s a must-stash in all formats, but he’s quickly pushing into weekly starting territory.
TROY FRANKLIN, BRONCOS (3% ROSTERED)
The Troy Franklin hype train is officially rolling. The Broncos may have dropped a wild one in Indy, but Franklin came through with eight catches on nine targets for 89 yards and a touchdown, all career highs. He even outproduced Courtland Sutton, while clearly establishing himself as Bo Nix’s No. 2 option in the passing game.
Better yet, Franklin is being used all over the field, not just as a deep threat, which makes his target share feel much more sustainable. While we shouldn’t expect him to leapfrog Sutton just yet, Franklin is flashing legit upside and has the trust of his college quarterback. He’s no longer just a bench stash, he’s a strong flex play who could become a weekly starter if this usage sticks.
ELIC AYOMANOR, TITANS (8% ROSTERED)
Calvin Ridley is currently the Titans’ top receiving option, but Elic Ayomanor is quietly emerging as the No. 2. In Week 2, he tied for the team lead with six targets, hauling in four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown against the Rams, which was good for 13.6 fantasy points.
Tennessee may not be winning many games, but playing from behind means plenty of passing opportunities, and Ayomanor is showing strong chemistry with Cam Ward. He’s lined up as the clear second option in the offense and is seeing meaningful targets each week, which is exactly what fantasy managers want.
While he’s not a must-start in all leagues yet, Ayomanor is a very solid add in deeper formats and could sneak into flex consideration if this role continues. Keep an eye on him because his usage could climb quickly if Ridley misses any time or if the Titans fall behind early again.
Others to target: Kayshon Boutte (NE, 28%), Romeo Doubs (GB, 16%), Cedric Tillman (CLE, 39%), Isaac TeSlaa (DET, 9%), Tory Horton (SEA, 2%), Dontayvion Wicks (GB, 1%), Calvin Austin (PIT, 22%), Hunter Renfrow (CAR, 1%), Tyquan Thornton (KC, 1%), DeAndre Hopkins (BAL, 9%), Devontez Walker (BAL, 0%)
TIGHT ENDS
JUWAN JOHNSON, SAINTS (NO, 44% ROSTERED)
Juwan Johnson is quickly becoming Spencer Rattler’s favorite target. In Week 2, he hauled in 5-of-9 targets for 49 yards and a touchdown, bouncing back nicely after dropping the game-winner the week before.
With 20 targets in two games (26.7% target share) and roughly 15 fantasy points per outing, Johnson is proving he’s a reliable safety net in the Saints’ dink-and-dunk offense. He’s firmly in TE1 territory, and with Week 3’s matchup against the Seahawks, he’s a solid waiver wire add for managers in need of tight end stability, especially with George Kittle sidelined.
HAROLD FANNIN JR. (CLE, 43% ROSTERED)
This is the third straight week that I’ve highlighted Harold Fannin Jr., and he continues to prove he belongs on fantasy rosters. In Week 2, he caught all five of his targets for 48 yards in the Browns’ 41-17 loss to the Ravens, tying for the team lead in receptions and finishing just behind Jerry Jeudy in receiving yards.
The rookie H-back/TE has 14 targets and even a rush attempt through two games, showing he already has a clear role in Kevin Stefanski’s offense. If Fannin is still lingering on your waiver wire, now’s the time to grab him ahead of Week 3’s matchup against the Packers. He’s trending upward as a high-upside rookie tight end.
Others to target: Zach Ertz (WAS, 56%), Isaiah Likely (BAL, 12%), Ja’Tavion Sanders (CAR, 2%), Chig Okonkwo (TEN, 31%)
