Ivan Herrera 
As Week 2 of the NFL season has come and gone, fantasy football managers are already looking to make adjustments to their rosters. Injuries, surprising performances, and emerging talents often prompt the need for some shrewd waiver wire pickups. Here, we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 Week 3 fantasy football waiver wire pickups, along with a few honorable mentions to keep an eye on.
1. Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns (Rostered%: 9.5 ESPN, 17 Sleeper, 15 Yahoo)
With Nick Chubb suffering a potential season-ending injury, Ford becomes one of the hottest waiver wire pickups in fantasy leagues. After Chubb left the game early in the second quarter, Ford became the Browns main back and had 18 touches after the injury. He will clearly be Cleveland’s RB1 the rest of the season, as long as he is healthy. Ford should be your #1 waiver wire pick this week, no matter what your RB situation is.
2. Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams (Rostered%: 60.8 ESPN, 64 Sleeper, 63 Yahoo)
Williams has become the Rams RB1 with the news that LA is looking to trade Cam Akers. In Week Two against the SF 49ers, Williams played 95% of the snaps while finishing with 20 touches. He’s a RB that helps out the passing game coming out of the backfield, which is beneficial to the Rams as Kupp is still currently out and rookie Nacua is struggling with an oblique injury. If fantasy managers can’t add Ford, then Williams is the next best option.
3. Robert Woods, WR, Houston Texans (Rostered%: 6.4 ESPN, 16 Sleeper, 9 Yahoo)
Robert Woods has had an impressive start to his career in Houston. He displayed great chemistry with his rookie quarterback and could be a reliable target in the passing game. In his first two games, he has 12 receptions on 19 targets. He has 21% of Houston’s total targets, which is only 1% behind their WR1, Nico Collins. Fantasy managers should consider adding him to bolster their wide receiver depth.
4. Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions (Rostered %: 51.8 ESPN, 70 Sleeper, 76 Yahoo)
He may be harder to find in the FA pool for most leagues, but in those where he is available, fantasy managers should pick him up. Goff has thrown for 576 yards and four touchdowns in his two starts this season. Goff is currently QB10/11, depending on league scoring, which puts him in the fantasy starting QB or top backup range. He will play five divisional games in what is left of the fantasy season, which will make him a great plug-in as all three divisional opponents rank in the bottom half of fantasy points given up to QBs.
5. Zack Moss, RB, Indianapolis Colts (Rostered %: 32.3 ESPN, 56 Sleeper, 54 Yahoo)
Moss came back from injury strong. He played 98% of the Colts offensive snaps in his first game back. He was heavily involved in the game, having 22 touches for 107 yards and a score. His touches should see an uptick, especially near the goal line, as rookie QB Richardson is dealing with a concussion. He is sure to be the RB1 for the Colts as long as Taylor is not with the team.
6. Zach Ertz, TE, Arizona Cardinals (Rostered %: 47.2 ESPN, 17 Sleeper, 11 Yahoo)
Ertz currently leads all TEs in targets (18) and is TE7 in fantasy points. With the Cardinals not having too many weapons in the passing game, Ertz is their main target, accounting for 29.5% of his team’s total targets. These numbers are all with backup Joshua Dobbs at QB, with reports saying Murray could make his return in about a month and Ertz could see better numbers.
7. Gus Edwards, RB, Baltimore Ravens (Rostered%: 32 ESPN, 63 Sleeper, 65 Yahoo)
Gus Edwards was the more efficient RB for Baltimore Week Two, as he ran for 62 yards on only 10 carries and added a one-yard touchdown run. Most people will look at the box score and see Justice Hill outtouch Edwards 14 to 10 and flock to Hill, but Edwards should slowly gain more of the rushing plays while Hill will be the pass-catching back.
8. Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (Rostered%: 40 ESPN, 47 Sleeper, 41 Yahoo)
Warren over the first two weeks of the season has more total yards than starter Najee Harris, 104 to 76. The backfield is basically a 50/50 split, with Warren having only one less touch than Harris. Warren’s touches should continue to match Harris’s, as HC Mike Tomlin has said they’ll split the workload based on who gives the team the best chance to win, and so far that has been Warren.
9. Jayden Reed, WR, Green Bay Packers (Rostered%: 14 ESPN, 20 Sleeper, 10 Yahoo)
Reed has had a strong start to his season. He has caught six balls on 13 targets for a total of 85 yards and two touchdowns. Over the first two games, he has seen 25% of GB’s total targets while leading the team in targets both weeks. He looked to have played himself into the WR2 role once Watson returns.
10. Tutu Atwell, WR, Los Angeles Rams (Rostered%: 31.7 ESPN, 32 Sleeper, 26 Yahoo)
Atwell’s season has been overshadowed by what his rookie teammate, Nacua, has done. But Atwell leads the league in routes run over the first two weeks. Through the first two weeks, Atwell has 13 receptions on 17 targets for 196 yards. He is clearly the WR2 for the Rams, and with Kupp still out and Nacua not being 100%, he should continue to see a sizable workload.
Honorable Mentions:
- Matt Breida, RB, New York Giants: Breida is a good waiver wire pickup, but he is only an honorable mention because the Giants have not ruled out Barkley. If he gets ruled out, then fire up Breida as a top waiver pickup.
- Josh Reynolds, WR, Detroit Lions: Reynolds has 13 targets so far this season and with an injured Amon-Ra St.Brown he can see an uptick in targets. Reynolds should also see an uptick in targets with Montgomery possibly missing some time as Lions will lose a large portion of their run game.
- Rashid Shaheed, WR, New Orleans Saints: Keep an eye on Shaheed, as he could emerge as a deep threat for the Saints. He looks to be the WR2 for an improved Saints passing game with Carr at QB. He has managed over 60 yards in five of his last seven.
- Craig Reynolds, RB, Detroit Lions: He is a good waiver wire pickup in deeper leagues, with Montgomery picking up an injury. He will be RB2 behind rookie Gibbs, but he should still see some touches as Gibbs hasn’t been asked to be the main back.
In the world of fantasy football, being proactive on the waiver wire can often be the difference between success and failure. These Week 3 waiver wire pickups, along with the honorable mentions, should help you strengthen your roster as the season progresses. Make sure to prioritize your team’s specific needs and potential long-term upside when making your choices.
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