Week 3 Post Waiver Panic. Waivers cleared, you opened your app and…….you missed out on your guy. Between players like Kenneth Walker (Oblique), A.J Brown (OUT), Justin Herbert (High ankle sprain), George Kittle (Hamstring) and Cooper Kupp (Ankle), you’re facing some tough decisions. We cover that in detail in this article and give you some of the best last minute panic pickups for week 3 of fantasy football
The percentages given here are taken from ESPN at the time of writing
These players could provide valuable points this weekend and prevent a zero at their respective positions:
Week 3 Post Waiver Panic: Plug-and-Play (Less than 40% rostered)
- Deshaun Watson (QB, Browns – 30% Rostered): Watson hasn’t looked great so far, but he’s facing a favorable matchup against the Giants’ weak secondary, which has given up over 200 passing yards in back-to-back weeks to lesser QBs like Jayden Daniels and Sam Darnold. Watson could be a solid streaming option with bounce-back potential.
- Bucky Irving (RB, 32.5% Rostered): The must-add of the week, Irving has outperformed Rachaad White, who’s been dealing with injuries and hasn’t impressed on the ground. If Irving’s snap count increases and he starts getting red zone touches, he could quickly rise in value.
- Xavier Legette (WR, Panthers – 20.7% Rostered): With Andy Dalton taking over at QB, Legette is in line for more looks. Dalton threw for 300+ yards and two touchdowns the last time he led this offense in 2023, and Legette’s talent makes him a strong flex option this week.
- Mike Gesicki (TE, Bengals – 21.7% Rostered): Despite playing only 48% of the snaps, Gesicki was used exclusively in pass-catching situations, with Drew Sample handling the blocking duties. If Gesicki finds the end zone, he could provide solid value for TE-needy teams.
Week 3 Post Waiver Panic: Deeper Plug-and-Play (Less than 15% rostered)
- Cam Akers (RB, Texans – 13% Rostered): With Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce both potentially sidelined, Akers could step into a significant role for the Texans in Week 3, making him a viable flex option.
- Jordan Whittington (WR, LA Rams – 7.1% Rostered): With Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua both out, Whittington is a sneaky flex play for Week 3. He’s widely available and should see an increased role in the Rams’ offense.
- Michael Wilson (WR, Arizona – 12.6% Rostered): Detroit has given up the 3rd most points to fantasy wide receivers this year, and with Greg Dortch getting the questionable tag on Friday, Wilson could be cemented into the wide receiver 2 role in Arizona this weekend.
- Josh Reynolds (WR, Broncos – 4.4% Rostered): Reynolds has emerged as a key target for Denver, seeing 13 targets and 9 receptions over the last two games, totaling nearly 140 yards. If Bo Nix can keep the momentum going against Tampa Bay’s defense, Reynolds could deliver WR2 numbers in PPR formats.
- Brenton Strange (TE, Jaguars – 4.3% Rostered): With Evan Engram out for Week 3, Strange is a sneaky TE starting against a Buffalo defense that’s allowed 6 receptions to each tight end in the first two weeks. Strange played over 60% of the snaps in week 2 and will look to improve upon that this week against the Bills.
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