Top Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 3
By Rahul Lal
Fantasy owners lose their minds when it comes to picking up the right guy. Certain players fall victim to rumors of decreased touches or are put on the waiver wire after one rough week. For example, I woke up mid-week to find Jonathan Stewart sitting on the waiver wire in a 12-team league where the next best running back is a third stringer who gets 15 snaps a game. After getting 15 carries this week, Stewart's role is safe and his new fantasy owner has a potential starter who was picked up for a bench player. The moral of the story is that it's very important to play the wire but don't get too cute, don't get too ambitious. Patience is a virtue and fantasy football is the biggest test of that patience.
Below are a few of our favorite waiver wire pickups for week 3 and they are separated by the three categories of Add Now, Worth A Look, and finally Deep League Add.
Javorius Allen (Baltimore Ravens, RB)
Confidence Level: Add Now
If Buck Allen hasn't been picked up in your fantasy league yet, it's time to do so. When Danny Woodhead went out, most predicted he would take over Woodhead's role in the offense which presents standalone fantasy value. What most didn't expect was for Allen to out-carry Terrance West and out-snap West 43 to 16. There's a clear shift coming and Allen's ability to double as both a runner and pass-catcher bodes very well for him moving forward. Allen is now a weekly flex play especially in PPR leagues where he's a good bet for three-to-five catches and 30 yards a week.
Rashard Higgins (Cleveland Browns, WR)
Confidence Level: Add Now
Corey Coleman could be dealing with a broken hand and Kenny Britt has been irrelevant thus far making Higgins Deshone Kizer's new favorite target. He was called up from the practice squad just last week and thrust into the third wide receiver spot immediately. This resulted in 11 targets, 95 yards, and seven catches. As we typically see from rookie quarterbacks, they tend to lean on one receiver heavily and Higgins' role can expand as Kizer gets more comfortable throwing the ball. With the Browns consistently playing from behind, Kizer is going to have to throw the ball quite a bit and the organization is going to look to make him a key part of their offense as he's another young weapon to develop.
Jermaine Kearse (New York Jets, WR)
Confidence Level: Worth A Look
I get it - it's hard to trust a Jets player with fantasy value but he's seemingly the number one option on a team that will be trailing a lot this season. As long as Josh McCown is throwing the ball, Kearse should get plenty of targets. Fantasy owners shouldn't fall in love with Kearse but he's absolutely worth a look as he presents as much touchdown appeal as anybody in that offense and could merit flex appeal in many weeks. In his 14 targets this season, Kearse has secured 11 catches and two touchdowns for 123 yards. The numbers aren't eye-popping but the chemistry should only grow for the former Seahawks receiver.
(Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
J.J. Nelson (Arizona Cardinals, WR)
Confidence Level: Worth A Look
I'm not high on Carson Palmer as I think his game is showing serious signs of regression. I'm part of the minority who thinks they could offer a pick to grab Alex Smith in the offseason and officially move on. That being said, John Brown is dealing with an injury and is unlikely to return to a full role any time soon. Larry Fitzgerald is still in Arizona but with David Johnson out and a group of subpar replacements, the entire offense is being affected. Nelson will have weeks like his massive week 2 but he'll likely have many weeks of fantasy irrelevance if the Cardinals' offense is completely slowed down. Palmer has only thrown two touchdowns to his four interceptions this season and, without a touchdown, it could be tough to trust Nelson enough to merit a flex start. Pick him up but don't expect consistent play out of him until we see an uptick in Palmer's numbers.
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Evan Engram (New York Giants, TE)
Confidence Level: Worth A Look
The Giants are very high in their new tight end. Investing a first round pick in a tight end isn't easy but the Giants may have found a gem in their big receiver. Engram is a superb route runner who excels in the red zone and reeled in a touchdown grab on Monday night. His seven targets paced the Giants with Odell Beckham getting five and Brandon Marshall turning his five targets into only one reception. Behind Beckham, Engram may be their best red zone target and presents very real TE1 potential this season. Rhett Ellison opened up as the starting tight end but Engram has already become a better blocker and is light years ahead of Ellison as a pass-catcher. This Giants team will be throwing a lot this year, and should rely heavily on Engram to produce inside the 20 yard line.
