NFL Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups

The NFL season is only two weeks old, but for many of us, it feels like we’ve witnessed two full months of injuries to our fantasy teams. Fortunately, we can once again revive our hopes via the waiver wire.

You’ll find several top waiver options in this weekly feature – along with suggested FAAB bids – followed by a few players to monitor in deeper formats. Generally, players listed here will be available in at least 50% of Sleeper leagues.

Top Waiver Wire Additions After Week 2

RB Samaje Perine, Kansas City Chiefs

RB Carson Steele, Kansas City Chiefs

Isiah Pacheco is expected to miss 6-8 weeks with a fractured fibula, and his workload (it was 19 carries and five receptions in Week 2) will now be allocated elsewhere. Perine should handle 5-10 carries per game, along with most of the passing-down work. He quietly caught 50 passes last year in Denver. Steele is an undrafted free agent with size who most likely handles the early-down and goal-line work. 

In half-PPR and PPR formats, Perine is the preferred target, as he could play the Jerick McKinnon role in KC – think fantasy RB2/RB3 production. Steele is a TD-dependent option for standard scoring leagues.

Perine (8% rostered) and Steele (4% rostered) are widely available in Sleeper leagues, and both garner 20-25% of your FAAB. For desperate managers in PPR formats, No. 1 waiver priority can be justified for Perine. Stay alert, though: there is a real chance the Chiefs add to their RB room, with veteran Kareem Hunt already scheduled for a visit.

WR Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers

It’s tough to put up a more disappointing rookie season than Johnston did in 2023, as his lack of production was a punchline in the fantasy football community. This backstory makes his ‘24 emergence all the more surprising, as he caught five of six targets for 51 yards and two scores in Week 2. One of those touchdowns even came against Panthers star cornerback Jaycee Horn. 

The former first-round pick currently leads the Chargers in all major receiving categories, and he’s still owned in only 16% of Sleeper leagues. This could be a two-game blip on the radar, but Johnston’s draft pedigree paired with Justin Herbert’s arm give him fantasy WR3 upside for the rest of the season. He’s worth 10-15% of your FAAB budget.

QB Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks

Through two games, Smith is the QB8 in fantasy football with just over 18 fantasy points per game. In Week 1, Smith showed off his legs with four carries for 30 rushing yards and a score. Week 2 saw Smith complete 75% of his pass attempts for 327 yards and a TD. 

With a solid trio of receivers to target and above-average mobility for the position, Smith is a nice pivot for fantasy managers that planned to rely on Jordan Love, Tua Tagovailoa, Brock Purdy, Dak Prescott or Jared Goff.

He is currently rostered in just 29% of Sleeper leagues and worth 5-10% of your FAAB budget. 

RB Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys

Dowdle is available in exactly 50% of Sleeper leagues, so he barely makes the cut here. After Ezekiel Elliott led the way in Week 1, the Cowboys featured a full-blown RB committee in Week 2. Dowdle handled the most carries (seven) and the most targets (five), though. Complicating matters, Elliott ran more routes in the passing game last week, and Deuce Vaughn saw game action, too.

It’s a fluid situation in Dallas, but Dowdle could have weekly flex appeal in this offense if he’s the lead back in this fairly gross three-headed monster. Consider 5-10% of your FAAB on Dowdle if RB injuries hit your team hard.

RB Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rachaad White tweaked his groin in Week 2, and while he’s unlikely to miss time, the rookie Irving has been more efficient on the ground in back-to-back weeks. It’s not implausible to think the inefficient White gets supplanted as the team’s early-down runner. Rostered in 42% of leagues, Irving could be worth 5-10% of your FAAB.

RB Dameon Pierce, Houston Texans

RB Cam Akers, Houston Texans

Joe Mixon was yet another victim of the “banned” hip-drop tackle this past Sunday, and it’s unclear how much time, if any, he’ll miss with an ankle injury. Texans running backs should carry solid value each week, and Pierce (13% rostered) looks to be ahead of Akers (2% rostered) on the depth chart. Pierce missed Week 2 due to injury, but when he was healthy in Week 1, Akers didn’t see a single touch.

Fantasy managers can consider a 5% bid on Pierce or Akers, knowing there’s some chance they have a fantasy RB2 on their hands for Week 3.

TE Hunter Henry, New England Patriots

Henry (22% rostered) exploded for eight catches and 109 yards in Week 2, and he was targeted on 44%(!) of Jacoby Brissett’s pass attempts. This is not a passing offense to heavily invest in, but with the current state of the TE position, Henry looks like a top-12 option most weeks based on volume. If you need TE help, 5-10% of your FAAB can be allocated.

D/ST Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders’ defense is anchored by star defensive end Maxx Crosby, and Vegas faces Andy Dalton’s Panthers, Deshaun Watson’s Browns and Bo Nix’s Broncos in Weeks 3-5. This is the rare D/ST streamer where 5% of your FAAB can be dropped.

Sneak Peek: Deeper and Potential Future Additions

RB Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings

Sam Darnold’s Vikings have a more competent offense than expected, and Chandler, who had 10 carries for 82 yards against the 49ers, is the direct backup to the 29-year-old Aaron Jones.

RB Braelon Allen, New York Jets

Allen is the direct backup to Breece Hall, so fantasy managers shouldn’t expect his Week 2 two-TD performance again. Still, the 20-year-old is talented, with injury-contingent upside.

RB Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons

After a limited role in Week 1, Allgeier handled nine carries to Bijan Robinson’s 14 on Monday night, with several of those touches coming in the red zone. Allgeier has fantasy RB1 potential if anything happens to Robinson.

RB Antonio Gibson, New England Patriots

Think of him like Chandler, just in a worse offensive situation.

WR Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts

Through two games, he’s surprisingly leading the Colts in all major receiving categories; however, it’s a low pass-volume offense and Josh Downs will return soon from an ankle injury.

WR Tyler Johnson, Los Angeles Rams

Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp both have multi-week injuries, so Johnson should start in two-receiver sets in the meantime.

RB D’Onta Foreman, Cleveland Browns

He’s a touchdown-dependent option, but one who out-carried Jerome Ford (14-7) on Sunday.

D/ST Tennessee Titans

For those that miss out on the Raiders, the Titans face Malik Willis’ Packers and Skylar Thompson’s Dolphins the next two weeks. 

Line Up Your Targets

Make sure to act quickly to secure your waiver wire targets, with most leagues running waivers on Tuesday nights. For more in-depth stats and to view all the trending players in real time, check out the Sleeper app.

Working the waiver wire to your favor is a critical part of fantasy football success, and we’ll be with you every week to help you chase down those playoff berths and fantasy championships.

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