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Jackson Sparks' deeper-league waiver wire sleepers for Week 3 (2024). His top free agent sleepers for 14-team fantasy football leagues or deeper.
After a long wait for NFL football, we're already onto Week 3 of the fantasy football campaign. Despite injuries already piling up, there seems to be a lack of obvious waiver wire targets in deep formats. That said, you should always be looking to improve your roster, even if it's just through depth additions. When byes begin in Week 5, you'll need to be prepared with plug-and-play options.
The top waiver wire adds are often obvious for traditional 10 and 12-team leagues, but a larger pool of players is in consideration in leagues of 14 people or more. Some of these Week 3 deeper-league waiver wire suggestions could have value right away, while others are simply bench stashes that could help your fantasy team in the future.
We won't cover chalk waiver wire pickups for shallower leagues like Rashid Shaheed, Carson Steele, and Demarcus Robinson. Without further ado, here are the top deeper league waiver wire targets for Week 3, including Samaje Perine, Braelon Allen, Tyler Johnson, Justin Fields, Wan'Dale Robinson, and Luke Schoonmaker.
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Running Back Waiver Wire Targets For Deep Leagues
Samaje Perine has been listed in this column since Week 1, and although he'll be somewhat of a popular add, many are going to rush to pick up Chiefs' undrafted rookie Carson Steele. Steele could command most of the team's early-down work, but Perine is a trusted pass-blocker and receiver out of the backfield. Fantasy managers in deep PPR leagues should look Perine's way with starter Isiah Pacheco (leg) likely to hit the IR list.
Braelon Allen was also listed as a pickup ahead of Week 2, and his showing against the Tennessee Titans moves him up the priority list. Allen rushed seven times for 33 yards and a touchdown and caught two of his four targets for 23 yards and another score in just his second career game. He figures to have standalone value next to Breece Hall.
Braelon Allen of the @nyjets is the youngest NFL player to score a scrimmage touchdown since Arnie Herber in 1930 at the exact same age (20 years, 239 days). pic.twitter.com/HuLF3G0W8H
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) September 15, 2024
Tank Bigsby suffered a shoulder injury on special teams in Week 2, causing him to miss almost the entire game against the Cleveland Browns. However, don't forget that he outrushed Travis Etienne in Week 1 despite both backs taking 12 carries. He remains a handcuff stash with value.
Tyler Allgeier is averaging 6.2 yards per carry through his first two games in Year 3. He doesn't have much standalone value behind Bijan Robinson, but he'd be a must-start option in deep leagues if Robinson has to miss any time. The Falcons offense looked much better in the Week 2 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Dameon Pierce and Cam Akers are unlikely to make an impact if Joe Mixon is healthy, but Mixon is dealing with an ankle injury early in the leadup to Week 3. If you desperately need a running back given all the injuries around the league, Pierce and Akers are candidates to at least take early-down work in a stellar offense if Mixon misses time. Mixon's injury updates will affect their values.
Bucky Irving has rushed 16 times for 84 yards and caught two passes for 14 yards through his first two NFL games. Starter Rachaad White (groin) was banged up in the Week 2 win over the Detroit Lions, but he is expected to be fine. Either way, Irving has looked like the better pure runner so far, so he could start getting more opportunities on early-downs. Tampa Bay's offense is humming, so he could have some standalone value in the near future.
Antonio Gibson probably won't be startable as long as Rhamondre Stevenson stays healthy, but the New England rushing attack has been fantastic through two weeks, and Gibson is averaging 6.3 yards per carry through his first 18 rushing attempts. The former Washington Commander could see legitimate workhorse volume if something happens to Stevenson. The RB position is fragile, so stash him sooner rather than later.
D'Onta Foreman led Cleveland with 14 rushing attempts in the win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Although he posted an unimpressive 42 yards, the Browns clearly want to get him involved. Given Deshaun Watson's struggles and the offensive line failing to protect him, don't be surprised if Kevin Stefanski continues to lean on the running game.
Will Shipley and Kenneth Gainwell won't have much value behind Saquon Barkley, but the 27-year-old ball carrier hasn't played a full season of games since his 2018 rookie campaign, so Shipley and Gainwell could become deep-league flex options at any point in 2024.
Ray Davis handled 10 touches in the big win over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football. However, his usage was mostly due to the big lead Buffalo had for most of the contest. James Cook looks to be headed for a monster season, but Davis remains a quality handcuff stash in what continues to look like a great offense despite the loss of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.
Blake Corum saw his first offensive action in the blowout loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The third-round rookie rushed eight times for 28 yards behind an atrocious offensive line. With Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp banged up, L.A.'s offense might be a disaster, but Corum could start to mix in on early downs considering Kyren Williams is averaging 2.5 yards per carry through two weeks.
Jamaal Williams didn't do much in the Week 2 beating of the Dallas Cowboys, but the Saints offense has scored 91 points through two weeks. Hopefully, nothing happens to Alvin Kamara, but you'll want Williams on your bench if it does. Given the start New Orleans is off to on offense, he'd have touchdown upside as the clear goal-line rusher.
Emanuel Wilson and MarShawn Lloyd each saw at least five touches against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Neither did much with their opportunities, but both can be considered handcuffs for Josh Jacobs, who has logged a whopping 50 touches through his first two games in the Green and Yellow. When Jordan Love gets back to action, the offense should eat up yards and score points in bunches.
UPDATE: Lloyd has been placed on Injured Reserve with an ankle injury, making Wilson a priority add.
Jaylen Wright was disappointing for fantasy managers who started him on Thursday night following Raheem Mostert being ruled out. He logged just four yards of five touches. However, Jeff Wilson Jr. is now banged up, while Mostert and Achane carry immense injury risk all season.
Stash Wright and play him when the right opportunity comes. Miami's offense might take a hit with Tua Tagovailoa out, but whether you like it or not, it sounds like he'll be back this year.
Keaton Mitchell is unlikely to be activated until midseason, but the explosive second-year man could get involved in the offense behind Derrick Henry as soon as he's back. Pick him up and stash him in your IR spot.
Note: Any direct backup running back, especially one in a good offense, should be considered a bench stash in deep leagues.
Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Targets For Deep Leagues
Gabe Davis drew seven targets in Week 2, and he surprisingly led the team with 10 targets through his first two games with the Jaguars. He's only hauled in six passes for 105 yards, but with Evan Engram (hamstring) banged up and Christian Kirk struggling mightily to begin the season, spike weeks could be on the horizon.
Mike Williams has participated in fewer than 50% of New York's offensive snaps as he eases into action following an ACL tear last season. He caught his only target for 19 yards in the win over the Tennessee Titans, and he should be expected to get more involved as soon as Week 3 on Thursday Night Football. Williams arguably has more upside than Allen Lazard when he returns to form.
Tyler Johnson and Jordan Whittington could both see enhanced roles in Sean McVay's offense if Cooper Kupp (ankle) is forced to miss time. Puka Nacua (knee) is out for at least the next three games, and he could miss even more time. Although the Rams are likely to have a limited ceiling on offense with key players missing, Matthew Stafford has proven to be an elite facilitator.
Jalen Tolbert posted career highs in targets (nine), catches (six), and receiving yards (82) in the big loss to the Saints. Could his production be explained by the blowout conditions? Possibly, but given how thin the WR position is in deep leagues, he's worth a pickup.
Jalen Nailor has four catches for 75 yards and two touchdowns to begin his 2024 campaign. While the touchdowns aren't likely to be sustainable, he's in an enhanced role while Jordan Addison (ankle) is out, and Justin Jefferson (quad) is viewed as day-to-day after getting banged up in the win over the San Fransico 49ers.
Ja'Lynn Polk hauled in his first NFL touchdown reception in Week 2. He is far from a must-add option since he's totaled just 18 receiving yards through two weeks, but as he gets more comfortable with the NFL game, he could become a factor in the middle part of the season, especially if Drake Maye takes over the starting QB job and exceeds expectations.
FIRST @NFL TOUCHDOWN JA'LYNN POLK!!!!!@jpolk_22 | @JBrissett12 pic.twitter.com/loEvUOB7H9
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 15, 2024
Josh Downs has yet to make his 2024 debut because of an ankle injury, but quarterback Anthony Richardson has been letting passes fly down the field to begin his sophomore campaign. When Downs comes back, he should step back into a starting role after a promising rookie season.
Josh Reynolds posted 93 yards in his second game with the Broncos. Denver's offense looks awful, but the team is likely to continue to be pass-happy due to necessity. The run game is even worse than its passing attack.
Wan'Dale Robinson has seen a whopping 16 targets in two games to begin the year. He's hauled in eight of them for 62 yards and a score. Although Malik Nabers is the unquestioned alpha in the passing game for the G-Men, Robinson looks to be the No. 2 read.
Dontayvion Wicks has played on just under 50% of Green Bay's offensive snaps, so it's tough to trust him in flex spots. That said, an injury to Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, or Romeo Doubs would immediately put him on the start-or-sit radar, at least when Jordan Love comes back.
Noah Brown made his season debut for the Washington Commanders in Week 2 and caught three passes for 53 yards. Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels can't seem to get things going with Terry McLaurin, but he's playing relatively well otherwise. Brown posted two games of at least 150 receiving yards last season with the Houston Texans, so he clearly has some upside.
Kalif Raymond and Tim Patrick combined for five catches on seven targets in Detroit's Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Neither are strong flex options, but keep an eye on them both. If Amon-Ra St. Brown's lower leg injury turns out to be more serious than expected, Raymond and Patrick could get targets working behind Jameson Williams.
DJ Chark is not eligible to play until at least Week 6 since he began the season on the IR list with a hip injury. However, he was expected to start in three wide receiver sets in Justin Herbert's offense before getting banged up, so he's a solid IR stash for managers needing wide receiver help.
Britain Covey trailed only DeVonta Smith among Eagles in targets on Monday Night Football. Covey caught all six of his looks for 23 yards. Jahan Dotson continues to underwhelm, so Covery could be a deep league flex consideration in deep leagues as long as A.J. Brown (hamstring) is out.
Tight End Waiver Wire Targets For Deep Leagues
Tucker Kraft was drafted after Luke Musgrave, and Musgrave appeared to be the clear starter in 2023 when both players were rookies. However, Kraft has played 120 offensive snaps to Musgrave's 48 this season. Not to be repetitive, but when Jordan Love comes back, Kraft will have weekly upside in a high-end passing offense.
Jonnu Smith had a poor Week 1 showing that probably led deep-league fantasy managers to drop him, but he bounced back in Week 2 with a six-catch, 53-yard performance. As poor as the tight end position is performing to begin the year, that kind of game is good enough for a top-12 finish for the week. He should be rostered in all deep leagues due to his spike week upside. With Tua Tagovailoa out, he might be fed with shallow receptions from Skylar Thompson.
Zach Ertz is only behind Terry McLaurin in total targets among Commanders to begin the year, and he's caught seven of his eight looks for 90 yards. Remember when prime Ertz was a PPR scoring machine? He's not going to get back to that kind of production, but Jayden Daniels trusts him, so opportunities should continue to come his way.
Receiving yards after two weeks:
Zach Ertz (90)
Terry McLaurin (39)— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) September 15, 2024
Luke Schoonmaker had a strong showing in his first NFL start in the absence of Jake Ferguson (knee). The second-year Michigan product caught all six of his targets for 43 yards. Again, that's a strong performance in PPR setups for a TE. He will carry a borderline TE1 outlook as long as Ferguson is out.
Quarterback Waiver Wire Targets For Deep Leagues/Superflex Leagues
Geno Smith diced up the New England defense for 327 yards and a touchdown and is completing just under 74% of his passes to begin the year. Wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba finally had a breakout performance in Week 2, so Smith continues to be surrounded by a strong trio of wideouts.
Deshaun Watson has not looked great in 2024, but he scored his first rushing touchdown of the season against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he's heading into a matchup with the abysmal New York Giants in Week 3. Hopefully, fantasy managers aren't having to stream low-end quarterbacks yet, but if you are, you can do worse than Watson this week.
Justin Fields has served as a game manager in his first two starts with the Steelers, but when the competition starts to get tougher, he will likely be called on to use his legs more. Even though he struggled in Chicago, his rushing upside often produced QB1 weeks for fantasy football. Assuming Russell Wilson (calf) doesn't take back the starting job, Fields should be rostered in all deep leagues.
Derek Carr is on fire in his second season with the Saints. He's completed almost 77% of his passes for 443 yards, five touchdowns (one rushing), and one interception. A matchup with the Eagles secondary awaits in Week 3, and it's unclear whether they have fixed their problems in the back end yet.
SAINTS HAVE SCORED ON EVERY POSSESSION THIS SEASON WITH DEREK CARR AT QB 🤯 pic.twitter.com/hJxTxElsMB
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 15, 2024
Sam Darnold has performed far better than anyone expected, to say the least. The former No. 2 overall pick by the New York Jets has 476 passing yards and four touchdowns and has led Minnesota to a 2-0 start. He's not at risk of getting benched anytime soon, and as long as Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison get back to health, he has upside in favorable matchups. Could he be even better when T.J. Hockenson comes back? It's certainly possible.
Andy Dalton probably has a limited ceiling given the weak group of pass-catchers in Carolina, but he did have a 361-yard passing game in relief of Bryce Young last year. Now that he's a starter, he should be picked up in all Superflex and two-QB leagues.
Skylar Thompson figures to be the short-term starter for Mike McDaniel for as long as Tua Tagovailoa is out. Most would agree that Thompson isn't a great quarterback, but he'll have Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Jonnu Smith, and De'Von Achane to throw the ball to. Not bad.
Backup Quarterbacks To Stash For Two-QB/Superflex Leagues
- Drake Maye, Patriots
- Jameis Winston, Browns
- Drew Lock, Giants
- Michael Penix Jr., Falcons
- Mason Rudolph, Titans
- Tyrod Taylor, Jets
- Joe Flacco, Colts
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