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Week 3 fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Jake Browning, Mac Jones, Cooper Kupp in 2025. Read their waiver wire outlooks for fantasy football.
Even though we are just two weeks into the NFL season, we have seen injuries impact many offensive units. For example, in Cincinnati and San Francisco, they have already turned to their second-string QB to lead their offense.
In this piece, we will look at the two most-added QBs of the past week and a wide receiver that could have been dropped in your league following a slow start and determine if they should be rostered going forward.
So, should you pick up Browning, Jones, or Kupp in your fantasy football leagues for Week 3 of 2025? Let's dive in.
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Jake Browning Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered: 10% of Leagues
Baller Move: Add in all Superflex (2QB) leagues
During their Week 2 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars, starting quarterback Joe Burrow exited the contest with a toe injury. After the game, the team announced that Burrow suffered turf toe and will undergo surgery. He is slated to miss the next three months, which will allow Jake Browning to be the QB1 for them for the majority of the season.
In relief, Browning flashed solid upside, going 21-for-32 with 241 passing yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. His longest pass came on a 42-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins. While Browning does not possess the upside Burrow does, given the elite talent around him, he could still carry high-end QB2 value for most of the season.
In 2023, Browning saw time as the starter while Burrow was sidelined. In the seven games in which he logged more than 40 offensive snaps, he averaged 23.5 PPR points per game. During this stretch, he averaged 266.5 passing yards per game but struggled with his decision-making, posting a modest 11:7 TD: INT.
While the Bengals will not be afraid to let Browning push the ball downfield, he does struggle with interceptions, which will hurt his fantasy value, especially in more difficult matchups.
Despite this, seeing that Browning attempted 32 passes last weekend and averaged 32.6 attempts per game during his time as a starter in 2023, he should be able to provide high-end QB2 value for the foreseeable future.
While he has a difficult two-game streak coming up against the Vikings and Broncos, who both sit within the top-5 in terms of PPR points allowed against opposing QBs, he could be an intriguing streaming option in standard leagues in Week 5 when he faces the Detroit Lions.
For now, he is worth adding in all superflex leagues and in deeper 14+ team one-QB leagues.
Jake Browning Capable of Effectively Leading Bengals' Offense? https://t.co/dAQIyzOmai
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 15, 2025
Mac Jones Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered: 5% of Leagues
Baller Move: Add in 12+ Team Leagues
Mac Jones took over the starting job in Week 2 as Brock Purdy (toe/shoulder) was dealing with a variety of turf toe himself. However, unlike Burrow, Purdy could return as early as Week 3.
Facing the Saints on Sunday, Jones was able to get the job done, leading the 49ers to their second straight victory. In this game, the former first-round pick went 26-for-39 with 279 passing yards and three touchdowns. Even without George Kittle (hamstring) and Brandon Aiyuk (knee), Jones was able to enjoy a strong day under center.
Given his strong play, there is a possibility the 49ers monitor Purdy's status and opt to hold him next weekend when the 49ers face the Cardinals. A recent report by Adam Schefter stated that a source is "not optimistic" he can return in Week 3, but he has "progressed a lot."
49ers are not optimistic Brock Purdy will return from his toe injury for a Week 3 matchup vs. Arizona, but it’s not out of the question and he has improved. “We’ll see for next week,” one source said about Purdy. “Next week will be tight, but he progressed a lot this week.” pic.twitter.com/jWqFuKCia5
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 14, 2025
As a result, managers looking to stream a QB in Week 3 should consider adding Jones to their roster. Jones looked quite comfortable in the Kyle Shanahan system and has a solid matchup against the Cardinals, who allowed 328 passing yards to Bryce Young last weekend.
While he does not have the longer-term upside that Browning does, given Purdy's timeline, he is still worth adding in superflex leagues and is worth a look as a streamer in deeper one-QB leagues for Week 3.
Cooper Kupp Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups
Rostered: 70% of Leagues
Baller Move: Add In All Leagues
The final player we will look at is veteran wideout Cooper Kupp. Fantasy managers, especially in shallower formats, likely cut ties with the longtime Ram following his disappointing performance in Week 1. In his first game as a Seahawk, Kupp had a quiet showing, catching just two of his three targets for a mere 15 yards.
However, in Week 2, Kupp showed that the quiet outing was simply a fluke. During their Week 2 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kupp played a key role in the passing attack, catching seven of his nine targets for 90 yards.
While top wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba will continue to lead the passing attack and see double-digit targets on a weekly basis, Kupp could still produce given that he is the clear No. 2 option in the offense. He will not carry the ceiling he once did in Los Angeles, but Kup should provide high-end WR3 value in PPR formats in most weeks.
In Week 3, the Seahawks will face the New Orleans Saints, who struggled to stop the previously mentioned Jones and the 49ers. Kupp is worth adding in all formats ahead of this matchup as he should emerge as a reliable high-floor flex option throughout the season.
Cooper Kupp a New Safety Blanket for Sam Darnold? https://t.co/yzxugMR2zv
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 15, 2025
Who Should I Pickup Tool
Trying to decide who to pick up off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here:
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Who Should I Pickup? Some common 2025 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Jake Browning, Mac Jones, and Cooper Kupp. But not to worry, we are here to help make these waiver wire decisions and build winning teams in 2025. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups in 2025. Our free Who Should I Pickup? tool will help make your fantasy football waiver wire decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to pick up... all free! Make the right decisions.
2025 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Jake Browning, Mac Jones, and Cooper Kupp. These are some common searches for 2025 fantasy football waiver wire pickups.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Pickup? button to see who the recommended waiver wire pickups are based on fantasy football rankings, projections, and more.
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How It Works. Our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football waiver wire rankings and projections based on their research, and updates them constantly throughout the week. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked.
Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2025 for Jake Browning, Mac Jones, and Cooper Kupp:
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