Even though Week 2 isn’t fully in the books, we are ready with our Week 3 waiver wire pickups for the 2021 season. I’m hoping that you don’t need any miracles for Monday Night Football, but there were certainly some surprises from the opening Week.
For this week, I’m moving over to ESPN for the rostered percentages (I can’t seem to get DST and Kicker information on Yahoo anymore?). All of these pickups are written in percentage, not priroity. Now, let’s get into them!
Matt Ryan (ATL) 37% rostered
The Falcons offense is built around the passing game. Which gives Ryan a good level of production to work with. That’s the good news. The bad news is that there is something that isn’t quite firing for the offense. Against a soft Giants secondary he could get his season back ontrack.
Derek Carr (LV) 17% rostered
Carr is back?? Well after the opening two weeks it certainly seems that way. The Raiders have trusted Carr to lead the offense and he hasn’t put a foot wrong. This past week against the Steelers (at Heinz Field) he threw for 382 yards and 2 TDs. Next week he faces a Dolphins defense that has struggled to repeat their performances from last season.
Teddy Bridgewater (DEN) 14% rostered
Bridgewater started out well in Week 1, and followed that up in Week 2 against Jacksonville. Yes, he may have faced some easy defenses, but you can only beat what is infront of you. Next week he faces the Jets, so another softer matchup
Others to Consider
- Kirk Cousins (MIN) 25% rostered
- Mac Jones (NE) 21% rostered
- Daniel Jones (NYG) 11% rostered (Only because he plays the Falcons)
J.D. McKissic (WAS) 42% rostered
McKissic was a PPR beast last season, and it seems this season the coaches aren’t looking to use Antonio Gibson on passing plays. In a deep PPR league, it’s worth picking him up to see what he has over the coming weeks.
Kenneth Gainwell (PHI) 28% rostered
For the second week in a row, Gainwell managed to find the endzone. Sure, this week it was on a two-point conversion rather than a TD, but it still shows what the team think of the rookie. Next up is the Dallas Cowboys, who have struggled on defense this season.
Chuba Hubbard (CAR) 12% rostered
Hubbard was put onto the field after fantasy owners everywhere paniced with Christian McCaffrey was on the sidelines. With a matchup against the Texans, we could see Hubbard more involved in the offense.
Cordarrelle Patterson (ATL) 8% rostered
Patterson is now really looking like a RB, rather than a WR, (although check your platform’s eligibility) being involved in all aspects of the offense. As a flier pick, you could do worse than picking him up.
JaMycal Hasty (SF) 4% rostered
Another week, another 49ers RB to pick up. Eli Mitchell left the field due to injury, as did Trey Sermon. Sure, Mitchell came back on the field, but depending on how the recovery goes (and extent of the injury) Hasty could be worth picking up to see how it pans out.
Others to Consider
- Tony Jones (NO) 19% rostered
- Ty Johnson (NYJ) 5% rostered
- Larry Rountree (LAC) 5% rostered
- Peyton Barber (LV) 3% rostered
Darnell Mooney (CHI) 49% rostered
Mooney had a bit of buzz around him in the offseason as the second receiver for the Bears. With Andy Dalton at the helm the offense has looked a little stale, which dampened those hopes. But, we’ve seen now that he can live up to the hype with his 6 receptions for 66 yards. With Justin Fields having made the field, there are positive signs for the offense.
Rondale Moore (ARI) 19% rostered
Moore had a game didn’t he? Last week Christian Kirk had a big game, this week it was the turn of the rookie. Alot of it came on one play, where he caught a 77-yard pass. Jacksonville next up, and Moore has a great opportunity to build on his performance.
Bryan Edwards (LV) 17% rostered
Edwards didn’t have a good box score in Week 2, but he had a TD catch that was pulled back for a penalty and another catch that was pulled back. The Raiders offense is pulling together and with a matchup against Miami next, he is a decent pickup in deeper leagues.
Zach Pascal (IND) 14% rostered
Pascal is a solid part of this offense now. Following up his brace of TDs last week with another in Week 2. As long as T.Y. Hilton is on IR Pascal will be worth picking up. Although if Carson Wentz is set to miss more time, the whole offense takes a step back.
Tim Patrick (DEN) 13% rostered
Patrick didn’t have the massive game that was hoped for, but he did have a solid enough time. The Denver offense seems to be moving effectively, albeit against weaker defenses. Patrick is worth pciking up with the Jets up next.
Others to Consider
- Amon-Ra St.Brown (DET) 8% rostered
- KJ Hamler (DEN) 4% rostered
- KJ Osborn (MIN) 1% rostered
- Quez Watkins (PHI) 1% rostered
Blake Jarwin (DAL) 7% rostered
Remember last season when Jarwin was going to be a thing? Well, he might still have a chance to do that. The Dallas offense is one of the better units in the league. Being able to pick up a free part of it? Why not see how it shakes out before he is picked up in more leagues.
Pat Freiermuth (PIT) 4% rostered
Friermuth entered the league under the radar, but only because Kyle Pitts was getting the attention during the draft. If it were a different year Freirmuth would have had more attention. As a result of his talent, he has become the starting TE. With Diontae Johnson suffering an injury right at the end of the game, we could see more targets become available.
Others to Consider
- Juwan Johnson (NO) 13% rostered
- Kyle Rudolph (NYG) 1% rostered
Arizona Cardinals 29% rostered
The Cardinals defense can certainly bring the heat, challenging QBs to make poor decisions. Next up is is the Jaguars, who have looked lost on offense. This is going to be a popular add this week.
Others to consider
- Minnesota Vikings 24% rostered
- Kansas City Chiefs 9% rostered
Matt Prater (ARI) 37% rostered
Prater was someone that I recommended last week, and he remains to be available in alot of leagues. That might change after his kick from what felt like his own goal-line. On a high-powered offense, he could be a gem for the season.
Others to consider
- Rodrigo Blankenship (IND) 21% rostered
- Daniel Carlson (LV) 18% rostered
There you have it! Any questions, or want some more specific help for your league on who to drop, just reach out. Reach out on social media, you can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or jump into our Discord server. And checkout out rankings for each Week.
Image Credit: John David Mercer – USA TODAY Sports
