Well, I hope you didn't spend all your FAAB on Isaiah Likely (if you did it's OK). 

We finally had some bounceback performances after Week 1 letdowns, and we also have another week of data that can help us spotlight some potential player weaknesses. 

Remember, we never give up here. So whether you're 2-0 or 0-2, we are going to keep scratching away at the waiver wire to make your roster the best that it can be. Let's go through all the injuries you need to know about and break down the top waiver wire adds for Week 3.

Don't set your waiver wire bids without using our Waiver Wire Tool first! Get our staff's priority adds, stash plays, stop gaps, and more!

INJURY ROUNDUP 

• A.J. Brown (hamstring)
• Deebo Samuel (calf)
• Tua Tagovailoa (concussion)
• Cooper Kupp (ankle)
• Justin Jefferson (bruise)
• Amon-Ra St. Brown (lower body)
• Isiah Pacheco (fibula)
• Joe Mixon (ankle)
• Tyjae Spears (ankle)
• Tank Bigsby (shoulder)
• Taysom Hill (chest)
• Bryce Young (not an injury, just benched)

Premium

FantasyHQ

A FantasyLife+ subscription gives you into the ultimate fantasy football and sports betting experience. Including full access to some of our premium tools, such as FantasyHQ.

Check It Out

Quarterback Waiver Wire Adds for Week 3

Derek Carr, Saints (19% rostered)

Ummm, yes hello? Are the Saints and Derek Carr legit? I wrote last week to add Carr, but be cautious starting him against the Cowboys. He obviously read that and needed to prove me wrong. Carr completed 11 of 16 passes for 243 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception to absolutely obliterate the Cowboys in a 44-19 win.

Shoutout to Carr and shoutout to new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak. The Saints were one of the most unimaginative offenses in the NFL last year and now we are seeing their true potential come to light. According to ESPN, New Orleans has now put up 91 points on offense through two games—the second most in franchise history and tied for sixth most among any team in NFL history. Carr has a good matchup facing the Eagles in Week 3, so keep rolling him out there.

Justin Fields, Steelers (20% rostered)

There was a report over the weekend from The Athletic that said if Justin Fields started against the Broncos and got the win on the road again, that Mike Tomlin may stick with the "hot hand" for the Steelers' home opener in Week 3. 

Well, Fields started and got the win so he is worth picking up or continuing to roster. He didn't have a huge fantasy day, but he has what we look for: rushing upside. He completed 13 of 20 passes for 117 yards and 1 touchdown and also added eight carries for 27 yards on the ground for 11.3 fantasy points. The Steelers have scored just 1 touchdown in two games, but Fields holds upside if he continues to get the starts.  

Geno Smith, Seahawks (34% rostered)

The Seattle Seahawks offense and Geno Smith are flying high after Week 2! Geno Smith went up against the Patriots and finished with 327 yards and 1 touchdown against the Patriots. The Seahawks also saw huge fantasy days from DK Metcalf (28.9 FPTS) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (23.7 FPTS). SHOUTOUT RYAN GRUBB, BABY!

Smith has solid matchups in the next couple weeks when the team takes on the Dolphins at home and then goes on the road against the Lions.  

Andy Dalton, Panthers (0% rostered)

Bryce Young has been benched by the Carolina Panthers and the team will now turn to Andy Dalton to try and revive their season. I try to see the positive side of player performances, but this was the right move for Carolina. 

The Panthers are 0-2, and Young has completed 31 of 56 passes (55%) for 245 total yards, zero touchdown passes and 3 interceptions. I believed that new head coach Dave Canales would be able to turn things around for the young quarterback, but that has not been the case. And we all know how impatient Panthers owner David Tepper is, so now a hot new bombshell enters the villa (Love Island reference, IYKYK).

If you are in deep leagues then Dalton is worth a speculative add. According to ESPN, Dalton is 83-78-2 as a starting quarterback in the NFL. He has thrown 246 touchdown passes and 144 interceptions since entering the league.

Running Back Waiver Wire Adds for Week 3

Carson Steele (4% rostered) / Samaje Perine (5% rostered), Chiefs

Unfortunately the injury gods were not relenting in Week 2—Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco is expected to land on injured reserve after suffering a fibula injury, according to Adam Schefter. He is expected to miss 6-8 weeks, but plans on returning this season.

*DEEP SIGH*

The "next men up" in Kansas City will be Samaje Perine and Carson Steele. Clyde Edwards-Helaire might be able to return to the team after his stint on IR, but he will still be out for another two games at minimum.

Samaje Perine was signed by the Chiefs before the season started and is on a one-year deal worth $1.5 million. I think he is obviously the more complete back when comparing him to rookie fullback Carson Steele. He's better at pass blocking, has that pass-catching ability, but this might be an overall situation where they go the committee route. Would we be surprised too if they brought in another running back? The Chiefs are already reportedly hosting Kareem Hunt for a visit on Tuesday. But please remember, you cannot just replace Pacheco: thinking that any of these running backs can come in and replace his usage is silly. Take a swing on Perine first, then Steele, but pull back if you have huge expectations.

Braelon Allen, Jets (10% rostered)

If I were to tell you a Jets running back scored 2 touchdowns on Sunday you would have thought, "Wow what a great day for Breece Hall," but that's where you would be wrong!

Welcome to the show, Braelon Allen. The rookie running back ran 7 times for 33 yards and a touchdown while also adding 2 catches for 23 yards and a touchdown. He has been the handcuff to Hall who we have been preaching, but it will be hard to start him on a weekly basis. Hall still has all the utilization we look for, but maybe in deeper leagues if you need a flex option then Allen could be the player you turn to. If you are a Breece Hall manager, make sure to try and handcuff Braelon Allen, because we have seen how quickly injuries can change a dynamic and you do not want to be caught in a bad situation. 

Bucky Irving, Buccaneers (34% rostered)

Rachaad White was banged up during the team's Week 2 matchups against the Lions, but only missed a few plays. Still, I like highlighting Bucky Irving here because of all the running back injuries we have seen over the last two weeks.

White is still inefficient on the ground, but he took three goal-line snaps and almost every third-down snap. Irving is an effective runner, though, and he is still chipping away at taking on a bigger role. He had 7 carries for 22 yards while White had 10 carries for 18 yards. 

D'Onta Foreman, Browns (1% rostered)

Jerome Ford is still THE running back in this offense, but unfortunately we saw a hamstring injury take out Pierre Strong Jr. and because of that we saw this turn into a two-person committee between Ford and D'Onta Foreman. 

Foreman had 14 carries and 42 yards against the Jaguars on Sunday compared to Ford's 7 carries for 64 yards. It is also important to note that Foreman was on the field for goal-line snaps as well. Hopefully we see Foreman convert some of those important carries into touchdowns — he's worth an add if you're hurting at the running back position. Remember, when Nick Chubb returns Foreman won't hold that same value, so use him while you can.

Dameon Pierce (5% rostered) / Cam Akers (1% rostered), Texans

Yes, I know. These are gross options and I also cannot believe we are here and it's only Week 3. Still, it's worth bringing up Cam Akers and Dameon Pierce because Joe Mixon suffered an ankle injury during Sunday Night Football. We have to wait for MRI results, but if Mixon is unable to go then I believe the team will utilize Pierce if he is healthy.

He did not play against the Bears due to a hamstring injury that kept him questionable all week during practice. Akers fumbled in the fourth quarter and Dare Ogunbowale closed out the game. Again, these are not the sexiest waiver wire picks, but with all the injuries heading into Week 3 we may have to set some stomach-churning lineups for the time being.

Isaac Guerendo, 49ers (6% rostered)

This is a pure handcuff move. If you are a Jordan Mason manager then please try and get Isaac Guerendo on your team, just in case. We never want injuries, but we do have to prepare for them.

Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Adds for Week 3

Demarcus Robinson (39% rostered) / Tyler Johnson (11% rostered), Rams

Oh man, Rams fans I am so sorry. This team just cannot seem to catch a break AND IT IS ONLY WEEK 3?! Puka Nacua is on IR and Cooper Kupp left Sunday's game in a walking boot after sustaining an injury against the Cardinals. It has been reported that Kupp could miss an "extended" period of time and is actually a candidate to go on IR.

I highlighted Demarcus Robinson last week due to the Nacua injury, but now he should be on everyone's radar. He finished with 1 catch and 42 yards on Sunday and should become the lead target on this offense if it turns out that Kupp needs to miss time. Tyler Johnson is another option to consider—he had two receptions for 40 yards and played at least 90% of the Rams' offensive snaps in the first half (before Kupp was hurt).

Jauan Jennings, 49ers (2% rostered)

With Deebo Samuel being sidelined for a few weeks it is now time to turn your attention to Jauan Jennings. The 49ers are already banged up with Christian McCaffrey on IR and they need both Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk to step up in their absence. 

Of course, we know that this really elevates Aiyuk and George Kittle, but getting a piece of this offense during waiver runs this week could be key. Jennings was taken off the injury report with an ankle injury before Week 1 and should be one of those high-floor, low-ceiling fantasy options in Week 3 against the Rams.

Quentin Johnston, Chargers (7% rostered)

Is Quentin Johnston … a waiver wire darling?! Who would have thought in the year 2024 that we would be saying good things about Johnston, but here we are! Heading into this game against the Panthers, Joshua Palmer was questionable with a knee injury and even though he played it was Johnston who excelled. He led the team with 6 targets and 51 yards and 2 (yeah, TWO) touchdowns. 

We always love a comeback story, and Johnston is definitely worth an add in deeper leagues. It'll be hard to give him the start on a weekly basis, especially when DJ Chark returns from IR and once we get a bit healthier version of Palmer. But this was a fun one—he's worth an add.

Jalen Nailor, Vikings (1% rostered)

Thankfully it sounds like Justin Jefferson's injury is not considered serious, so we can expect him for Week 3. Jordan Addison was out against the 49ers due to an ankle injury, but that set up Jalen Nailor for a productive day. He caught 3 passes for 54 yards and 14.4 fantasy points.

Keep an eye on what the statuses are for both Jefferson and Addison, but Nailor is worth a stash in deeper leagues.

Tight End Waiver Wire Add for Week 3

Hunter Henry, Patriots (24% rostered)

The Jacoby Brissett and Hunter Henry connection cannot be denied any longer. In a close matchup against the Seahawks, we saw Brissett look to Henry often—he finished the day leading all receivers with 8 receptions for 109 yards off of 12 targets.

The ceiling may not be particularly high with Henry, but the tight end play across the league has been rather disappointing so it is worth taking a shot on him, especially if he continues to see this volume. The Patriots take on the Jets, 49ers and Dolphins in the next three weeks. 

Stash Plays

• Jaylen Wright, Dolphins
• Ty Chandler, Vikings
• Ray Davis, Bills
• Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs