It’s Tuesday, so it’s time to hit the waiver wire!
As we head into Week 3, the injuries are beginning to pile up. QB Trey Lance is out for the season after fracturing his fibula on Sunday. WR Jerry Jeudy left Sunday’s game with what was originally reported as a shoulder injury but may be a rib injury. RB James Conner stood on the sidelines after leaving the game with an ankle injury, and TE Dalton Schultz has a PCL injury. Keep your eye on the news at SI Fantasy for updates as to who will be able to play this weekend.
In a long season, bench depth is key, and luckily there are some good options on the wire this week.
In addition, a few players could be difference-makers worth putting some FAAB on. Let’s dive in!
QUARTERBACKS
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Tua had the best game of his career on Sunday, passing for 469 yards and six touchdowns in an upset win vs. the Baltimore Ravens, rewarding fantasy coaches with a 40+ point game. Tua has no shortage of weapons, with Jalen Waddle and Tyreek Hill each putting up 171-plus yards and two touchdowns in this contest. Maybe Mike McDaniel wasn’t exaggerating about his talent. This week the Dolphins face off with the Bills in a game with the second-highest implied points total on SISB. Temper expectations vs. a tough Bills defense, but Tua has too much potential to leave on the wire. Tua is available in 38% of fantasy leagues. FAAB up to 11%
Carson Wentz, Washington Commanders
Rinse and repeat. What I said last week was true again this week. Wentz put up a second game of 28 or more fantasy points, passing for 337 yards and three TDs in Week 2 vs. the Lions. Mclaurin, Dotson, Samuel, and Thomas make for a deep receiving corps on this team that could be one of the best waiver wire surprises for fantasy football managers this season. Through two games, Wentz has scored the fourth most fantasy points at quarterback. Wentz is tied with Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Tua Tagovailoa with seven passing touchdowns (league-best) and has the second-most passing yards (650). This week he faces off with the division rival Eagles in the game with the third-highest implied points total of the week on SISB. Wentz is still available in 48% of leagues. FAAB up to 8%
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Continuing our trend of the unexpected, Goff is now tied with Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson with the second-most passing touchdowns through two games heading into Monday Night Football. Amon-Ra St. Brown has been a revelation, and he’s elevating Goff’s value. If you’re looking to stream while you wait for Dak to come back, I like Goff’s chances for a solid fantasy day vs. the Vikings on Sunday. The Eagles beat them easily on Monday night. SISB has this game total set up at 52.5—the highest of the week. Dan Campbell’s team is ready to bite more knee caps. Goff is available in 78% of leagues. FAAB up to 5%
Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers
If you’re looking for a Trey Lance replacement, you may need to look no further than his real-life replacement with Jimmy G. Look, you know what you are getting with Jimmy G. He’s unlikely to pop off for any big games, but he won’t hurt you either. He should log you between 15-20 points weekly, and if the rest of your pieces have steady games, that should be enough to get you through your weekly matchups. If the above players are available, they are the priority, but you could do much worse than Garoppolo. He’s available in 96% of leagues. FAAB up to 3%
Others: Marcus Mariota, Trevor Lawrence
RUNNING BACKS
Raheem Mostert, Miami Dolphins
Mostert out-touched Chase Edmonds on Sunday 14 to 6, and he also caught three of his three targets to total 79 yards from scrimmage. It wasn’t a huge day, but the game script dictated much of the play as the Dolphins were playing from behind. It looks like this Miami backfield could be a headache, just like the Niners backfield, but we know how talented Raheem Mostert is. He can break off a big run at any moment, and though he’s an injury risk, if he’s operating as the lead back, he’s worth an add. Mostert is available in 57% of leagues. FAAB up to 7%
Darrel Williams, Arizona Cardinals
After James Conner left with an ankle injury, Williams rushed for 59 yards on eight attempts while securing two of his three targets for three yards and scoring a TD in the Cardinals’ come-from-behind win vs. the Raiders on Sunday. Should Conner miss time, it looks like Darrel Williams will carry the early down role for the Cardinals. He also looks to get the goal-line carries, which is an important role in this offense. This week, however, the Cardinals face a tough Rams run defense, so he is a flex play at best. Williams is available in 96% of leagues. FAAB up to 6%
Eno Benjamin, Arizona Cardinals
If Conner misses time, Benjamin should see the third down role and could be an option in deeper PPR leagues – especially if the Cardinals are playing from behind. Benjamin had eight rushing attempts for 31 yards and caught three of his four targets for another 20 in the air. Benjamin is available in 90% of leagues. FAAB 3%
J.D. McKissic, Washington Commanders
Are you tired of me telling you to pick up the Commanders yet? Here’s the thing: If the Commanders keep getting caught in shoot-outs, J.D. McKissic will be a potential option in PPR leagues, and he’s just the kind of option that can get you through a future bye week. Washington goes exclusively to McKissic in the two-minute drill, as we saw on Sunday when he caught seven of his seven targets for 54 yards and put up a solid 13.3-point day in PPR leagues. McKissic is available in 76% of leagues. FAAB 3%
Tyrion Davis-Price, San Francisco 49ers
This is a stash I like if you have room. Now that Lance is out for the season and Jimmy G is in, the running back room in San Francisco gets a bump in a run-first offense. The running back room for the Niners has always been hard to predict, except for one thing- injury. It seems inevitable that Wilson, last week’s top waiver wire claim, will miss time, and rookie Davis-Price should be the next man up. The rookie topped 1,000 yards in his last year at LSU, and he broke off a big 20 yard-run on Sunday. Davis-Price had 14 touches and two red-zone looks vs. the Seahawks. He’s out for the next few weeks with a high ankle sprain, so put in a zero bid if you have room. He’s 99% available. FAAB 0% bid
Others: Jamaal Williams (DET), Khalil Herbert (CHI)
WIDE RECEIVERS
Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
Wilson saw a whopping 14 targets for 8 catches, 102 yards, and two touchdowns in the Jets’ upset win vs. the Browns on Sunday. He commanded 44.2% of the team’s air yards and a 32.6% target share. He has been the most-targeted Jets receiver (22) across the past two contests. With the Jets likely often playing from behind and Wilson’s physical abilities, Wilson looks like the alpha in Mike LaFleur’s offense. Wilson is available in 76% of fantasy leagues and should be a top priority. FAAB up to 16%
Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders
Dotson makes this list for the second week because he is still 57% available in fantasy football leagues. That will change after this weekend. Dotson now has three TDs and a two-point conversion across his first two contests. The talented receiver lines up both in the slot and out wide, and he played the most snaps among Commanders WR in Week 2 (71). His goal-line chemistry with Wentz should not be ignored. FAAB up to 13%
Jakobi Meyers, New England Patriots
Through two contests, Jakobi Meyers has seen a 29.7% target share and has thirteen catches for 150 yards. He led the New England WR room with 55 snaps on Sunday. The TDs still seem to elude him, but with a 33% air yards share, he should be able to provide you with a solid weekly floor, with the possibility of a big game now and then. Meyers is available in 65% of leagues. FAAB up to 6%
Sterling Shepard, New York Giants
Shepard saw ten targets on Sunday and has eight catches for 105 yards and a TD on the season. He leads Giants WRs with 14 targets on the season, commanding a 26.4% team target share and 36.6% of the team’s air yards. For reference, that’s higher than Cee Dee Lamb, Gabe Davis, Brandin Cooks, Marquise Brown, and Jaylen Waddle. If Shepard can stay healthy, he could be a safe floor player weekly. Shepard is on the wire in 89% of leagues. FAAB up to 6%
Noah Brown, Dallas Cowboys
For those in deeper leagues, Noah Brown should raise some eyebrows. On Sunday, with Cooper Rush under center, Brown caught five of his five targets for 91 yards and a TD. CeeDee is still the top dog in this offense, with a 31% target share, but with Schultz potentially dealing with an injury, Brown could be at least streamable in the short term. Brown is available in 98% of leagues. FAAB 1-2%
Others: Treylon Burks (TEN), Nelson Agholor (NE), Sammy Watkins (GB), Nico Collins (HOU), Corey Davis (NYJ), Greg Dortch (AZ), Ashton Dulin (IND)
TIGHT ENDS
Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Chargers
We touted Gerald Everett in this article last week, and he delivered with a solid six-catch, 71-yard game on Thursday. He tied both Mike Williams and Austin Ekeler for targets (10). His usage may have gone up due to no Keenan Allen, but this is a high-powered offense with plenty of targets to go around. He’s currently the TE4 on the season, has run the second most routes- second only to Travis Kelce- and has the fourth-most passing yards. Will it last? Maybe not. But at a thin position, he’s worth an add if you’re in need, and he’s 43% available. FAAB up to 6%
Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars
Evan Engram ran routes on 82% of his snaps while blocking only 2.3% of the time in Week 1. In Week 2, Engram saw eight targets for a nearly 27% target share, making him the most targeted receiver in the Jacksonville offense on Sunday. This week the Jags matchup with the Chargers and will likely be playing from behind. Engram will pop off soon; this weekend feels like a good time. Engram is available in 79% of leagues. FAAB up to 3%
Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
Johnson has seen 12 targets and a 16.7% target share across the first two weeks of play. It’s clear Adam Trautman is the blocking TE, and Johnson is the one to target for your fantasy squad if you’re looking for depth at the position. Johnson is available in 99% of leagues. FAAB 1%
Others: Logan Thomas (WSH), Isaiah Likely (BAL)
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