Somehow, two Monday Night Football games yielded zero big injuries or breakout players (unless you count Quez Watkins), so there weren’t many additions to Garrett Wilson, Raheem Mostert, Jahan Dotson, and the rest of top Week 3 fantasy waiver pickups and free agent adds. That said, some news broke Monday afternoon (Mike Evans’ one-game suspension, Tyrion Davis-Price’s ankle injury) that will have an effect on guys like Jordan Mason, Breshad Perriman, and Russell Gage, who are all worth targeting after waivers clear around 4-5 a.m. ET on Wednesday mornings in ESPN and Yahoo leagues.
Our full free agent list is still being overzealous with relatively high-opportunity players like this, even if they’re not producing huge numbers. Running backs like Mark Ingram, Tyler Allgeier, and the Cardinals’ duo of Eno Benjamin and Darrel Williams all saw a good amount of carries last week thanks to other injuries, while pass-catchers like Greg Dortch, Logan Thomas, Noah Brown, Evan Engram, Hayden Hurst, Tyler Conklin, and Sterling Shepard have been involved for their teams in Weeks 1 and 2. If your skill guys are set but you’re playing the D/ST streamer game, we have six Week 3 defense recommendations just for you. They can be found at the end of the list.
WEEK 3 WAIVERS: Full list
Should you use a high waiver claim this week? Mostert certainly seems likely a worthwhile pickup if you need an RB, and both Wilson and Dotson look like the type of exciting rookie wideouts who can contribute all year. The Cardinals’ backs could also have short-term value depending on news about Conner. Generally, we advise being stingy with early-season, top-three claims, but it really depends on your needs.
The bottom line is there are going to be more injuries and, yes, even a few more surprise breakouts, so having a high claim will definitely come in handy eventually. Of course, if you use a high claim now, you can probably climb back up in relatively short order, at least into the top five. Having one of the top two claims is very valuable, though, so be smart, know what you need, and make your decisions from there.
WEEK 3 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Top fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 3
Unless otherwise noted, only players owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo leagues considered.
Jordan Mason, RB, 49ers. Mason has received buzz since the preseason, but he was still third string even after Elijah Mitchell’s knee injury. Now, with Tyrion Davis-Price set to a miss a few weeks because of a high-ankle sprain, Mason only has Jeff Wilson Jr. in front of him. TDP received 14 carries last week as JWJ’s backup, so Mason has potential for consistent double-digit touches over the next few weeks. Even with Denver and the Rams on tap, Mason is worth stashing.
Breshad Perriman, WR, Buccaneers. Perriman did little last week until Mike Evans was ejected, but he finished with three catches, 45 yards, and a TD. Assuming Chris Godwin (hamstring) is out again, Perriman has a chance to be Tampa’s No. 1 or No. 2 receiver against the Packers. A lot is up in the air for Tampa’s receiving corps, starting with a possible Evans’ appeal and the health of Godwin and Julio Jones (knee). Ultimately, Perriman might be worthless, but he’s worth grabbing as a free agent just in case.
WEEK 3 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Russell Gage, WR, Buccaneers. Gage was more involved than Perriman early in last week’s game, finishing with five catches and 28 yards on six targets. He seems like the “Chris Godwin” replacement, so as long as Godwin is out, he could have PPR value. That includes next week against the Packers, but, like Perriman his value could be short lived, so don’t invest too much into him. The same goes for Scotty Miller, who actually led Tampa in targets (8) last week and has a similar outlook.
Quez Watkins, WR, Eagles. Watkins showed his big-play upside on Monday night, catching both of his targets for 69 yards and a TD. He had another long catch called back because of a penalty, too. Watkins is no more than the No. 4 option in the Eagles’ passing game, but he can do a lot with a little. Given the Eagles’ high-powered offense, he’s worth stashing on your bench as a boom-or-bust flex during the bye weeks or even favorable matchups like next week against Washington.
Michael Gallup, WR, Cowboys. Gallup (knee) has a good chance of returning in Week 3 against the Giants (and if not then, definitely Week 4). He’ll immediately step into a No. 2 WR role, and before you scoff at that with Cooper Rush under center, keep in mind Noah Brown shined in that role in Week 2. Gallup is a proven producer, so now’s your last chance to stash him if he’s available.
For more waiver/free agent suggestions, including top pickups Raheem Mostert, Garrett Wilson, Jahan Dotson, Mark Ingram, and more, check out our full Week 3 list.
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