Best fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 3

Best fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 3

The Week 3 waiver wire isn't littered with possible pickups like it was after last week, but there are still some guys worth going after. After a relatively tame Week 2, some new names have appeared (Brandon Coleman, Chris Carson, Samaje Perine), some old names have reappeared (Ben Watson, Chris Johnson), and injuries have made backups become a worthy waiver wire pickup (Dwayne Allen, Ed Dickson). In fact, because of the rash of TE injuries this week (Greg Olsen, Rob Gronkowski, Jordan Reed, Jimmy Graham), we've added more tight ends than usual.

Some players are making their second appearance on the list since they are still owned in fewer than 50 percent of leagues on either Yahoo or ESPN. Despite their bad QB play, players like Allen Hurns, Marqise Lee, and J.J. Nelson, among others, can still put up big numbers.

MORE: RB handcuff chart

We've rounded up all the players who had a solid Week 2 performance and/or a favorable Week 3 matchup and could be a possible waiver wire pickup or free agent addition.

1
Chris Carson, RB, Seahawks

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll talked up Carson last week, and even with Thomas Rawls active, Carson led Seattle in carries (20) and rushing yards (93). Eddie Lacy was a healthy scratch, so it's really just Rawls that Carson has to contend with. If he doesn't already, there's a good chance the rookie out of Oklahoma State has this backfield to himself at some point this year.

2
Darren Sproles, RB, Eagles

Is Sproles the Eagles' "feature back?" Probably not. He's 5-6 and 34 years old, after all. But one thing seems clear -- LeGarrette Blount is not coach Doug Pederson's preferred option as Philadelphia's primary runner. After Sunday morning reports of Blount having a "reduced role", the veteran back received zero touches. Sproles rushed 10 times for 48 yards and caught two of five targets for 30 yards. Again, it seems unlikely he's going to to be Philadelphia's RB1, but with Wendell Smallwood (three carries, four yards) barely involved and Corey Clement failing to touch the ball, Sproles is your best bet right now. Both he and Smallwood are worth pickups.

3
Brandon Coleman, WR, Saints

Early in his career, Coleman received some hype as the next Marques Colston, but he fell flat the past two seasons. In Week 2, Brees targeted him for deep plays and in the red zone, and Coleman responded by nabbing four of six targets for 82 yards and a touchdown. The 6-6 Coleman could be a major red-zone threat against the Panthers in their Week 3 matchup, making him worth a look, but it's important to note that Willie Snead returns from his suspension in Week 4, which will likely hurt his value.

4
Dwayne Allen, TE, Patriots

Allen has been a non-factor in New England's first two games, catching none of his three targets. But with Rob Gronkowski nursing a sore groin, Allen could step into a major role. Martellus Bennett was in a similar situation with New England last season, and he finished the year as the No. 7 fantasy TE despite Gronk suiting up for eight games. Bennett is likely a better player than Allen, but with how banged up the Pats receiving corps is, he won't just be an afterthought.

5
Chris Thompson, RB, Redskins

Thompson torched the Rams with two touchdowns, including a 61-yard run, and did some damage in the receiving game, as well. In the past two games, Thompson looks more and more impressive, despite getting fewer carries than both Rob Kelley and Samaje Perine. With Kelley missing the second half because of a rib injury, Thompson could see more touches going forward. He's especially valuable in PPR leagues, but Thompson could be a solid flex play in standard leagues depending on the matchup.

6
Samaje Perine, RB, Redskins

Rob Kelley (ribs) didn't return to Washington's Week 2 game against the Rams in the second half, and Perine took the bulk of the carries instead of Chris Thompson. The rookie out of Oklahoma ran 21 times for 67 yards. He would have a higher long-term ceiling than Thompson, making him equally worth a pickup.

7
Devin Funchess, WR, Panthers

After Greg Olsen left the game, Devin Funchess stepped up, catching four of his seven targets (second most on the team in both) for 68 yards. Funchess looks like a strong No. 2 WR for the Panthers, and with Olsen gone for an extended period because of a broken foot, Funches should see more targets. If nothing else, he's in play next week against the Saints.

8
J.J. Nelson, WR, Cardinals

With John Brown (quad) out, J.J. Nelson dominated, catching five passes for 120 receiving yards and the lone Cardinals touchdown. Jaron Brown had four more targets than Nelson, but Nelson has more big-play potential and has scored in each of the first two games. John Brown is expected to miss more time, and this makes Nelson look more enticing.

9
Jermaine Kearse, WR, Jets

Kearse led the Jets in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in Week 1, and he did it again in Week 2, hauling in four of five targets for 64 yards and two touchdowns. There's not much going on for the Jets offense, but Kearse is definitely worth a look.

10
Chris Johnson, RB, Cardinals

Neither Kerwynn Williams nor Andre Ellington took the reins for the starting gig after David Johnson's injury. Instead, the Cardinals turned to Chris Johnson. Johnson led the team with 11 carries for 44 yards, even adding a catch for 15 yards. This RB situation in Arizona won't be easy to figure out, but Johnson will be a part of it.

11
Ben Watson, TE, Ravens

The Ravens' TE last year, Dennis Pitta, led all TEs in receptions, and Ben Watson took over this year, picking up right where Pitta left off. Joe Flacco looked his way the most on the Ravens (eight times) in Week 2, and Watson recorded eight receptions for 91 yards. Like last year, Flacco will turn to his TE more times than not, making Watson worthy of a roster spot. He plays against the Jaguars next, who gave up 16 fantasy points to the Titans' Delanie Walker this week.

12
Rashard Higgins, WR, Browns

Higgins burst onto the scene against the Ravens in Week 2, catching seven of 11 targets for 95 yards, leading the Browns in all three categories. Corey Coleman reportedly suffered a broken hand in the game, so that means Higgins will likely continue seeing a high number of targets. He gets a favorable matchup against the Colts in Week 3, so he may make an immediate impact.

13
Allen Hurns, WR, Jaguars

With Allen Robinson out for the year, Hurns was second on the Jags in targets (seven) against the Titans, but he led the team with 82 recieving yards on six catches and pulled in the lone passing touchdown. Yes, he took advantage of garbage time for some of those stats, but he's still in play as the Jags likely No. 1 receiver.

14
Marqise Lee, WR, Jaguars

Lee is another possibility to take Allen Robinson's targets and receptions. In fact, in Week 2, he led the Jags with 12 targets and seven catches and was second with 76 receiving yards. Lee, just like Hurns, will be back and forth as the No. 1 receiver throughout the season, and if he's still available on the waiver wire, he's worth the pickup.

15
Rex Burkhead, RB, Patriots

For the second straight week, Burkhead got the start for the Pats, and he was targeted early, scoring the first touchdown of the game. As the game went on, Mimke Gillislee and James White took over again, but that doesn't mean Burkhead will continue to fall to the wayside. The Patriots obviously see value in Burkhead, which is why they keep putting him on the field, and in that Patriots high-powered offense, that means Burkhead has some value depending on the matchup. All told, he received four targets and two carries in Week 2.

16
Ed Dickson, TE, Panthers

Greg Olsen is out with a broken foot, so that means Dickson slides into his place. In about half a game against the Bills, he hauled in two of three targets for 26 yards. We can't expect Dickson to put up Olsen-type numbers, but the Panthers use the TE position frequently, which makes Dickson worth a roster spot. He also has a great matchup against the Saints in Week 3.

17
Zach Miller, TE, Bears

Miller was targeted nine times (tied for second most) for the Bears, collecting six receptions for 42 yards. The Bears offense was anemic in Week 2. Kendall Wright and Deonte Thompson, despite the stats, didn't look too impressive, dropping multiple balls. The Bears are still trying to figure their offense out, but they face the Steelers in Week 3, who give up an average of 12.2 FPPG to opposing TEs (PPR leagues), making Miller worth a look if you need to stream a TE.  

18
David Njoku, TE, Browns

Njoku hauled in three of his four targets against the Ravens, recording 27 yards and a touchdown. The loss of Corey Coleman (broken hand) gives Njoku more upside since he'll likely get an increase in targets. The Colts, his Week 3 matchup, have one of the weakest defenses in the league right now, and if the Browns are in the red zone, DeShone Kizer might turn his way again.

19
Jesse James, TE, Steelers

James didn't do nearly as well as he did in Week 1 (six receptions, 41 yards, two TDs), but he still managed the third-most targets (five) on the Steelers, catching four for 27 yards. James might be relied more on the road, and he has a solid matchup at the Bears in Week 3.

20
Phillip Dorsett, WR, Patriots

Dorsett filled in for Danny Amendola, who is recovering from a concussion, and he caught all three targets for 38 yards and nearly scored a touchdown.  He didn't overly impress, but he did do well in the time he played.  Amendola is still questionable for Week 3, and the Texans, usually a tough matchup, might not be so tough for Tom Brady at home.

21
Dolphins D/ST

Miami didn't do much in Week 2 against the Chargers, they it did limit them to 17 points. Expect a solid showing against the Jets in Week 3.

22
Cowboys D/ST

Carson Palmer and the Cardinals offense struggled to get much of anything going against the Colts, who made Jared Goff look like an All-Pro quarterback. The Cardinals are still figuring their offense out, and the Cowboys, who shut down the Giants and looked good against the Broncos, is a good streaming defense this week.

23
Packers D/ST

The Packers shut down the Seahawks offense in Week 1 at home, holding them to nine points. In two games at home, the Bengals haven't scored a touchdown. Expect big things from the Packers defense based on the matchup.

24
Colts D/ST

Feelin' lucky? The Colts snagged an interception and recorded four sacks against the Cardinals at home, and now they get the miserable Browns, who turned it over five times in Week 2, in Indy. If there's ever a week to stream the Colts and get some unexpected points, this is the week.