FAAB Waiver Wire Bidding - Fantasy Football Pickups to Target for Week 3 (2025)

September 17, 2025

Nick Mariano's fantasy football waiver wire FAAB bidding guide for Week 3 (2025) -- how many FAAB dollars (free agent acquisition budget) to spend on waivers.

And just like that, we have two full weeks of football in the stat sheets! There's much to react to, with plenty of injuries hitting the quarterback position in particular, as we continue to go mining for waiver gold. Sharpen that pickaxe with our famous waiver wire pickups list and our fantasy football waiver wire columns by position -- specially tailored for leagues using FAAB.

Remember that these FAAB prices do not indicate how much these free-agent players will go for, especially with early aggressive teams willing to overspend in the face of an 0-2 start. Even if you're not blown away by your choices, do consider that taking waiver lotto tickets early on is typically a strong strategy. Now, what has the second week of the NFL brought to our door?

As always, I cannot know your specific league outlook, so please try to leverage historical data and personal knowledge whenever possible. We're going to cut off the rostered rate at 40% on Yahoo!, but clearly, you can be aggressive if someone is dropped or lingers on the wire above that threshold. If there is an appetite for this article covering those types of players, then please let us know.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Quarterbacks

Daniel Jones (QB, IND) - 17% rostered

FAAB Bid: 5-8%
Aggressive Bid: 8-12%

Indiana Jones did it again! Facing down a talented Denver defense, Jones threw for 316 yards and a score on 23-of-34 passing, with another rush TD sprinkled on top. The Colts aren’t the Eagles, but they happily let the QB dives fly near the goal line despite Jonathan Taylor’s presence.

Frankly, any signal-caller who scores three TDs in a two-game sample to open the year is an automatic target. But one who has a history of rushing success and looks sharp through the air with a dome to call home is highlighted for us. Another couple of tough assignments (at TEN, at LAR) are next to determine whether this is a 2024 Saints situation, but handling the Broncos provides hope.

Jake Browning (QB, CIN) - 1% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-4%

Joe Burrow appears to require surgery on a severe case of turf toe, which will take him out for roughly three months. This leaves Browning to step up while the team explores a trade, and while he threw a trio of ugly interceptions against Jacksonville, he also scored three TDs (two passing, one rushing) in a 31-27 win.

You may recall that Browning posted top-10 fantasy performances in 5-of-6 weeks down the stretch in 2023 while Burrow dealt with a wrist ligament injury. It’s been two years since then, and he has road games against Minnesota and Denver on the horizon, but any QB with Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown has a high ceiling.

Spencer Rattler (QB, NO) - 2% rostered

FAAB Bid: 0-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-3%

The Saints are 0-2, but Rattler has played turnover-free football and just tossed three TDs, which nearly matches his total across seven games last year. We won’t overthrow the general body of work shown by Rattler for one strong game, but room for growth must be allowed.

Is it a fluke, or is the youngster getting comfortable at NFL speeds and finding a groove in Kellen Moore’s scheme? Those in superflex/2QB formats will want to watch his road game at Seattle closely.

After two games, the highest graded player on the Saints offense is Spencer Rattler, per @PFF.

— Jeff Duncan (@JeffDuncan_) September 15, 2025

Mac Jones (QB, SF) - 3% rostered

FAAB Bid: 0-1%
Aggressive Bid: 1-2%

Jones stood tall in relief of Brock Purdy (shoulder/toe), posting three touchdowns and 279 yards on 26 completions against the Saints in a 26-21 victory. Even without George Kittle (hamstring), being able to lean on Christian McCaffrey and having Jauan Jennings push through a shoulder issue proved enough.

He’s on streaming radars against the Cardinals in Week 3 if Purdy cannot go. Carson Wentz is another option against Cincinnati. The same goes for Marcus Mariota against the Raiders if Jayden Daniels’ knee keeps him out. I wouldn’t put Tyrod Taylor in that conversation, given the team's system.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Running Backs

*You’re throwing bills at Cam Skattebo (59% rostered) and Bhayshul Tuten (55%) if available!

Blake Corum (RB, LAR) - 8% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 2-3%
Aggressive Bid: 3-5%
Desperation Bid: 5-7%

It seems Corum is creeping into the picture after Kyren Williams failed to eclipse a 75% snap tally for just the second time since the start of the 2024 season. Corum made much of his five carries, going for a pair of 15-yard gains and another nine-yard burst that set up a one-yard TD plunge.

He overpowered a barreling linebacker who shot the gap and pushed the contact point over the goal line for six. The overall 5-44-1 line had some garbage time to it, but capitalizing on chances is how he gains momentum.

Williams has a middling 3.8 yards per carry through two games, but his preseason extension means expecting a demotion is silly. But Corum could enter that Trey Benson tier of relevance beyond a pure handcuff, with Sean McVay stating a sort of 65/35 split as a goal. One-third of the LAR work is worth a conversation.

Kenneth Gainwell (RB, PHI) - 8% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 2-3%
Aggressive Bid: 3-5%
Desperation Bid: 5-7%

Gainwell is the clear No. 2 RB in Pittsburgh, a stance seemingly made firmer following Kaleb Johnson botching a kickoff return and gifting Seattle a touchdown. Jaylen Warren looked strong, yet Gainwell saw five targets to Warren’s four.

It led to an unassuming 3-16-0 line, which pales compared to Warren’s 4-86-0 sheet, but we’re following the trends rather than box scores. Gainwell outsnapped Warren in Week 1, but that flipped in Week 2, though Kenny G still earned plenty of two-minute and red-zone work.

Few waiver options give us a true hot-hand chance at 1A RB usage, so let’s see what Week 3 at Foxboro brings.

Najee Harris (RB, LAC) - 38% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 2-3%
Aggressive Bid: 3-5%
Desperation Bid: 5-7%

Dang, those Monday night double-dips end late on the East Coast, but we soldier on. Harris didn’t run particularly well, gaining 28 yards on eight totes, but he added another 20 yards on two catches to build some steam. The Chargers appear happy to lean on Justin Herbert and the passing game, but they’re built to gain and maintain leads, which can play up for RBs.

Omarion Hampton only got 24 yards on his eight carries, with a one-yard catch on top. And much will boil down to whether Jim Harbaugh blames Hampton for the late fumble that was attributed to Herbert in the box score (but should’ve been on the blockers for letting Maxx Crosby get to the handoff). Their next game is against Denver, which is a poor matchup.

#Chargers Week 2 RB Usage

- Omarion Hampton: 62% snaps, 8 carries, 16 routes, 2 targets (25 yds, fumble)
- Najee Harris: 35% snaps, 8 carries, 6 routes, 2 targets (48 yds)

— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) September 16, 2025

Chris Rodriguez Jr. (RB, WAS) - 4% rostered
Jeremy McNichols (RB, WAS) - 0% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 2-3% / 0-1%
Aggressive Bid: 3-5% / 1-2%
Desperation Bid: 5-7% / 2-4%

With Austin Ekeler (Achilles) out for the year, the backfield is open for competition while attention flocks to Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Plus, Jayden Daniels’ knee sprain should move more plays to the rest versus the star QB just running off.

McNichols better fits the receiving mold compared to Rodriguez, who only has three career catches next to 86 carries in 22 active games. But C-Rod should be the better rusher, which comes with the precious goal-line upside.

Both backs are averaging nearly 5.0 YPC in their limited work for Washington, so let’s throw a dart here. With JCM far from a sure thing, let’s see where the party goes.

Kyle Monangai (RB, CHI) - 6% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 0-1%
Aggressive Bid: 1-2%
Desperation Bid: 2-4%

Monangai only rushed seven times for 28 yards, adding an eight-yard catch on three targets, but that’s not the story. Roschon Johnson was inactive in Week 1, yet despite being in pads for Week 2, his touch total remained zero.

The Bears and their line aren’t stunning, but a muddied situation yielding a potential No. 2 is worth noting.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Wide Receivers

Romeo Doubs (WR, GB) - 16% rostered
Dontayvion Wicks (WR, GB) - 1% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 6-8% / 4-6%
Aggressive Bid: 8-12% / 6-8%
Desperation Bid: 12-15% / 8-12%

Jayden Reed is set to miss 6-8 weeks with a broken collarbone, which has many focusing on a Matthew Golden breakout or Tucker Kraft’s greatness, but Doubs and Wicks also gain.

Doubs may have already been on flex radars, but now he’s firmly on that map as the No. 1 WR. Wicks becomes a volatile deep threat with both Reed and Christian Watson out.

Would you buy that Doubs leads the team in first-read targets, with seven, through two games? What about Wicks already being tied with Kraft at six? We realize that Green Bay’s outstanding defense and Josh Jacobs can lower the aerial shootout potential, but they still need to get the 27-30 points to put games away.

Week 3 at Cleveland may not yield a dogfight, but they appear to be selling out to stop rushers while doing nothing in the secondary. Also, Week 4 at Dallas could get cuckoo! Do note the early Week 5 bye.

Troy Franklin (WR, DEN) - 3% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 6-8%
Aggressive Bid: 8-12%
Desperation Bid: 12-15%

It’s possible that Sean Payton just trolls us all season long with WR usage beyond Courtland Sutton, but we have to react to Franklin’s strong game. The second-year wideout now leads the team in targets (15), catches (12), yards (133), air yards (179), and yards per route run (2.61).

That last figure is tied with CeeDee Lamb for ninth in the NFL among players with at least 50 routes run (before MNF). That’s not to say he’s suddenly a top-25 option, but burying your head in the sand will leave you in the dust.

Troy Franklin is a star in the making 💫 #BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/pUzs2NAnZn

— SleeperBroncos (@SleeperBroncos) September 15, 2025

Wan'Dale Robinson (WR, NYG) - 22% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 6-8%
Aggressive Bid: 8-12%
Desperation Bid: 12-15%

Robinson treated us to a traditional Wan’Dale line in Week 1 (6-55-0), but Week 2 brought that downfield work bandied about this preseason. He ate the Cowboys defense up the seam, bringing in 8-of-10 targets for a career-high 142 yards and a TD.

We know Robinson has a strong role in the passing game, and now we’ve seen that Russell Wilson still has a ceiling to tap into. You can scoff and say relying on a 77-point shootout is foolish. However, they’re about to play the Chiefs and Chargers, which could create similar storms.

Elic Ayomanor (WR, TEN) - 8% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 4-6%
Aggressive Bid: 6-8%
Desperation Bid: 8-12%

Ayomanor has a stranglehold on a starting spot in Tennessee, which led to a 4-56-1 line in Week 2 thanks to a stellar effort from Cam Ward on a scramble TD toss from nine yards out. Remember, kids, throwing crossfield across your body is great!

The horizontal distance between Cam Ward and Elic Ayomanor from pass to catch was 30.4 yards, the longest such distance on a touchdown pass on the run (8+ mph) in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016).

🔹 Ward Speed: 11.03 mph
🔹 Air Distance: 42.3 yards

Powered by @awscloud pic.twitter.com/dPzB2lLLMP

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 14, 2025

We’ve yet to see Ward and Calvin Ridley look quite on the same page, but Ayomanor’s usage is awfully close to the star WR. Through two games, they are within one on targets and receptions, with an equal number of first-read targets (11). And Ayomanor is still trending up in terms of routes run.

We’re seeing Chimere Dike, Tyler Lockett, and Van Jefferson fight for scraps, while Ridley, Ayomanor, and Chig Okonkwo look like the only reliable pass-catchers. You are gambling on Ward growing into form after this tough stretch (at DEN, LAR, IND) is up, but these signals out of the gate are promising.

Dyami Brown (WR, JAX) - 1% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 3-5%
Aggressive Bid: 5-7%
Desperation Bid: 7-10%

One can recognize that the Jaguars' offense is flashing all sorts of warning signs on the dashboard, but Brown remains involved. Amidst the disarray and some early drops, Brown looks like a steady eater on the team.

You’ve got Travis Hunter’s oscillating snap share as he integrates more defensive snaps and Brian Thomas Jr.’s poor play/wrist issue (that somehow skirted all official reporting). Between that, Brown had 58 total yards in Week 1 and 66 yards plus a TD in Week 2. The lack of a 100-yard ceiling could create a blind spot for your leaguemates.

Hunter Renfrow (WR, CAR) - 1% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 2-4%
Aggressive Bid: 4-6%
Desperation Bid: 6-10%

After a quiet Week 1 (2-11-0), Renfrow snagged a pair of TDs while catching seven passes for 48 yards. Being the “boring” possession receiver for a bad offense limits the appeal, but his long-term outlook improves with each poor performance out of Xavier Legette.

After two games, it appears more likely that Jalen Coker’s return comes at Legette’s expense, rather than Renfrow’s. Even if the 2025 Panthers are simply garbage-time merchants, us fantasy managers are happy to act like raccoons and feast on the trash.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Tight Ends

Juwan Johnson and Harold Fannin Jr. are just beyond 40% rostered, but are worth 10%+ FAAB bids.

Isaiah Likely (TE, BAL) - 12% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 2-4%
Aggressive Bid: 4-6%
Desperation Bid: 6-8%

Likely snuck in a limited practice designation last Friday and is trending toward a return, but this is more about the widening opportunity ahead of him. Mark Andrews couldn’t secure an easy touchdown, letting a ball get punched out, and has three touches for nine total yards in two games.

Per PFF, he still played 45 of their 56 total snaps, running 26 routes, which was still up there with Zay Flowers (29) and Rashod Bateman (25). However, Andrews’ lack of production, despite Baltimore's back-to-back games of hitting 40 points, is troubling. He started slow last year, yes, but the door is wide open for Likely to create a spark once he’s on the field.

Ravens TE Isaiah Likely returned to practice today, was listed a LIMITED, but has been ruled out of Sunday's game vs. CLE.

Look for Likely to make his return next week. pic.twitter.com/4tIgGSDsSQ

— AJ Gersh (@AJGershTV) September 13, 2025

Ja'Tavion Sanders (TE, CAR) - 2% rostered 

FAAB Bid: 0-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-3%
Desperation Bid: 3-5%

Those in troubled PPR waters could do worse than find a clear starting TE on a team often stuck in a negative gamescript. Sanders racked up seven catches for 54 yards on nine targets, looking like the third downfield option behind Tetairoa McMillan and Hunter Renfrow.

Xavier Legette is underwhelming, to be generous, and should get benched when Jalen Coker returns (very stashable!), which gives Sanders an avenue to more looks now.

*If you’re really in a bad spot, you can throw a buck at Tyler Higbee, A.J. Barner, or Mason Taylor. But I pray that you aren't treading water this far in the deep end!

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Defense/Special Teams

Seattle Seahawks Defense (vs. NO) - 23% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-3%
Desperation Bid: 3-4%

Seattle has allowed 17 points with a pair of interceptions in each of their first two games, generating four total sacks against San Fran and Pittsburgh. Now they’ll host a volatile New Orleans team that isn’t afraid to throw it out under Kellen Moore. While they just proved quite capable without them, getting cornerback Devon Witherspoon (knee) and safety Nick Emmanwori (ankle) back would be fantastic.

Indianapolis Colts Defense (at TEN) - 7% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-3%
Desperation Bid: 3-4%

The Colts couldn’t get to Bo Nix, but they crushed Tua Tagovailoa in Week 1 and should similarly pick on Cam Ward’s Titans. Tennessee has allowed five or more sacks in its first two games, which makes TEN an automatic target until proven otherwise.

Atlanta Falcons Defense (at CAR) - 1% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-3%
Desperation Bid: 3-4%

Bryce Young has a “stream against me” sign on his back, and Atlanta just dazzled with six sacks and four turnovers against Minnesota on Sunday Night Football. The Panthers always seem to make some moves in garbage time, but a D/ST TD or two could easily be the reason they’re in the hole.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defense (vs. NYJ) - 6% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1-2%
Aggressive Bid: 2-3%
Desperation Bid: 3-4%

As much as I like Tyrod Taylor, facing a backup on a team like the Jets will put a defense on one’s radar. But I must caution streamers to monitor Calijah Kancey’s pec injury from Monday night, as the defensive tackle led the Bucs with 7.5 sacks last year.

Jacksonville Jaguars Defense (vs. HOU) - 1% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2%
Desperation Bid: 3-4%

Jacksonville’s offense is generating several memes and raising questions, but the defense is doing its job, posting four sacks and six turnovers in two games. Some of that is facing Bryce Young and Jake Browning, but Houston’s offensive line has much to prove.

More Waiver Wire Analysis