RADIO
Jackson's college fantasy football waiver wire adds for Week 3 of the 2026 CFB season. His top targets and free agent pickups for CFF leagues at RB, WR, TE, QB.
Week 2 was much more eventful than Week 1, and several fantasy-relevant players at all positions are starting to emerge. That said, we'll see an uptick in power conference matchups moving forward, so data from Power 4 vs. Group of 6 games may not be sticky. But as always, we can only go off of what we know, and it's time to boost your roster with these waiver wire suggestions below.
To help you make your waiver wire bids, we will identify the top running back, wide receiver, tight end, and quarterback free agents to target ahead of Week 3. Pickups are listed in priority order by position, and their Yahoo rostered percentage is in parentheses. Note that only players under 50% rostered are considered in this column.
Below, read about key Week 3 waiver wire targets and stashes like Fame Ijeboi, Daniel Hill, Trent Mosley, Rocky Beers, Lincoln Kienholz, and Faizon Brandon.
Featured Promo: Get any College Football Premium Pass for 50% off and win more using code SUMMER. Exclusive access to our industry-leading DFS Lineup Optimizer, DFS Cheat Sheets and Premium Discord Chat rooms. Go Premium, Win More!
Week 3 Running Back CFF Waiver Wire Pickups
Fame Ijeboi, Purdue (15%)
Ijeboi enjoyed a monster workload in Purdue's first game against a Power 4 opponent, rushing 27 times for 114 yards and three touchdowns and catching six passes for 42 yards. Purdue's offense looks much improved, and the sophomore could be the top beneficiary from a fantasy perspective.
🗣️: "Do fries come with that shake?!"@BoilerFootball Fame Ijeboi with the shifty move!
Watch on FS1 pic.twitter.com/WtvoIQhKKh
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 12, 2026
The Boilermakers have tough matchups against UCLA and Notre Dame ahead, but that means Ijeboi should see plenty of usage.
J'Koby Williams, Texas Tech (45%)
This should be the last week Williams is available in over half of Yahoo leagues, so it's now or never if you need help at running back. He has scored over 20 fantasy points in his first two games and is the clear leader in the backfield ahead of Cameron Dickey.
Williams has totaled 33 carries for 187 yards, 10 receptions for 73 yards, and scored two touchdowns. It looks like Texas Tech won't steamroll teams this year, so he won't be on the sideline as the Red Raiders coast to a lead.
Daniel Hill, Alabama (16%)
Everyone is excited about true freshmen running backs EJ Crowell and Trae'shawn Brown, and for good reason. However, Daniel Hill has remained the trusted back for the Tide to start the season, and it's resulted in consistent fantasy production so far. Hill has averaged 18.65 fantasy points per game behind 151 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Despite his 235-pound frame, he has real pass-catching chops, too.
Even if this backfield becomes more of a committee when AK Dear returns, Hill will hold onto his value as a goal-line hammer and pass-catcher.
Gi'Bran Payne, Cincinnati (10%)
The Bearcats offense has been strong in plus matchups against Boston College and Western Carolina, and Payne has reaped the rewards. He has averaged 8.1 yards per carry across 26 attempts and is the unquestioned top ball carrier in Scott Satterfield's offense. He has immediate flex appeal in a matchup against Miami Ohio in Week 3.
Rodney Fields Jr., Kansas State (8%)
Many expected Joe Jackson to lead the Kansas State backfield, but Fields, an Oklahoma State transfer, has worked in the RB1 role to open the year. In Week 2 against Washington State, Fields rushed 13 times for 105 yards and a touchdown, which was nearly identical to his Week 1 production (14 carries, 101 yards, one touchdown).
Although Kansas State will have much tougher matchups ahead, his early-season flash is enough to warrant a waiver wire consideration.
Matt Fuller, South Carolina (5%)
Let's not overreact to matchups against Kent State and Towson. Fuller won't keep his 9.5-yard-per-carry pace, but he looks like the clear leader in the South Carolina offense, which got a massive upgrade at offensive coordinator this offseason with the addition of Kendall Briles.
No one between him and the end zone ❌ pic.twitter.com/g9te5v32e4
— South Carolina Football (@GamecockFB) September 13, 2026
Week 3 against Mississippi State could tell us a lot more about Fuller's real ceiling, but after rushing 21 times for 199 yards and two touchdowns to open his 2026 campaign, he's firmly on the fantasy radar.
Week 3 Wide Receiver CFF Waiver Wire Pickups
Trent Mosley, USC (36%)
Mosley left the Week 2 game against Louisiana late with a knee injury, so be sure to monitor his status. Assuming he's not out a significant amount of time, he's the clear top add at wideout. He has hauled in 13 receptions for 255 yards and four touchdowns through the first three games of his collegiate career.
Is that good? That feels pretty good. The top pass-catcher in Lincoln Riley's offense is a goldmine for production, and Mosley looks like the WR1 right away, as a banged-up Tanook Hines continues to disappoint.
Collin Dixon, Illinois (26%)
Dixon caught six passes for 70 yards and a touchdown against UAB, which put him firmly on the fantasy radar. But after posting 11 receptions for 166 yards and three scores against Duke, he's a clear must-add option. The senior has stepped up big for the Illini after they lost Alex Perry to a shoulder injury, and based on his production thus far, he's a must-start.
Collin Dixon to the house for the Illinois TD! pic.twitter.com/RbQhdShUPi
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 12, 2026
A matchup with Southern Illinois awaits. Another monster performance should be expected.
Donovan Olugbode (21%) and Cayden Lee (6%), Missouri
Ole Miss transfer quarterback Austin Simmons has been fantastic to start his Missouri career, and Olugbode and Lee have cashed in. The two wideouts had nearly identical stat lines against the Jayhawks; both caught six passes and scored a touchdown, but Olugbode had 121 yards to Lee's 120. Eli Drinkwitz has his answer at quarterback, and with Ahmad Hardy (leg) still sidelined, don't be surprised if the Tigers keep letting it rip through the air.
Missouri hosts Troy in Week 3, so you should feel comfortable putting either pass-catcher in your flex spot.
Umari Hatcher, Syracuse (33%)
Hatcher didn't quite replicate his monster Week 1 showing (31.8 fantasy points), but he was still heavily involved in the Orange passing attack, catching six passes for 77 yards in Week 2. Justus Ross-Simmons is also worth a look, but we prefer Hatcher for now after leading the team in receptions once again.
Tony Diaz, Iowa (14%)
I know what you're thinking. How can you trust the Iowa passing game? It's difficult, but Diaz might be the exception. The FCS transfer was praised all offseason by local beat writers, and he's flashed big upside in his first two games with the Hawkeyes.
WHAT A CATCH by Tony Diaz!
📺 Big Ten Football on NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/sDRpRRXjoo
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 12, 2026
Through two games, he's rushed once for 10 yards and caught 15 passes for 179 yards and one touchdown. No other Iowa wide receiver has more than five catches. This is his passing offense, and he's proven he can be a volume receiver already.
Week 3 Tight End CFF Waiver Wire Pickups
Rocky Beers, Oklahoma (15%)
Beers was John Mateer's top target in the loss to Michigan, as the Colorado State transfer led the team in receptions (six) and receiving yards (94). Mateer has struggled as a downfield passer in just about every difficult matchup, so expect him to continue to pepper the 6'5", 240-pound Beers with targets. His wide catch radius and elite red zone skills make him a QB-friendly option, and he's a must-start for fantasy teams until further notice.
Mark Bowman, USC (26%)
Yet another USC true freshman pass-catcher on this list, Bowman is breaking out right away, at a position that most young players often struggle to produce. He led the Trojans with 83 receiving yards in Week 2 and added two receiving touchdowns. Again, investing in the USC passing offense is usually smart, and its struggling defense will lead Lincoln Riley's team to be in more shootouts in 2026.
Kari Ashley, TCU (1%)
Fresh off one of the best performances we've seen from a college tight end in recent years, Ashley should be heavily rostered heading into Week 3. After a quiet three-catch, 17-yard game in Week 0, he exploded for seven catches, 119 yards, and two touchdowns in Week 2.
KARI ASHLEY TOUCHDOWN 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/5lSD4uofzl
— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) September 13, 2026
No, TCU won't be facing Grambling every week, but quarterback Jaden Craig looked a lot more comfortable, and he now has an established connection with Ashley. Projected WR1 Jordan Dwyer has yet to debut, and he'll likely have a slow start coming off a foot injury.
Jayvontay Conner, Vanderbilt (1%)
The Vanderbilt offense hasn't looked impressive in matchups against Austin Peay and Delaware, but it looks like it will continue to heavily utilize the tight end spot after featuring Eli Stowers over the last few seasons. Conner's 10 receptions rank third among all tight ends in Weeks 1 and 2. Finding a TE who gets consistent targets is nearly impossible. Conner may be that guy.
Noah Bennee, Utah (3%)
Tight end production is always hard to find in college fantasy football, so despite Bennee only having five catches this year, he's a clear top add at the position. He ranks third in total half-PPR fantasy points among tight ends this season on just five catches for 148 yards and two scores.
Kevin Roche Jr., Georgia Tech (0%)
Roche is tied with Conner for the third-most receptions among tight ends (10), and the 6'9" pass-catcher has looked like Alberto Mendoza's go-to option when in doubt. He hasn't found the end zone or made big splash plays with his targets, but that could be coming. He's a fine streaming option in a plus matchup against Mercer as the Yellow Jackets look to pick up their first win of the year.
Week 3 Quarterback CFF Waiver Wire Pickups
Lincoln Kienholz, Louisville (15%)
Kienholz leads all quarterbacks in total fantasy points (72.66), and he's available in over three-quarters of leagues. That won't be the case after waivers run this week. He's already proven he can produce in a matchup with a Power 4 team (Ole Miss in Week 1), and he's thrown for at least 300 yards and rushed for at least 40 yards in his first two games with the Cardinals. Based on his rushing skills, he's likely a matchup-proof start.
The Cardinals don't play Miami this year, so there isn't a matchup on the schedule that should scare you off of him.
Faizon Brandon, Tennessee (13%)
After a five-touchdown performance in his collegiate debut, Brandon wasn't quite as productive on the road at Georgia Tech. He completed 10 of his 21 passing attempts for 148 yards and two touchdowns, adding 22 yards as a runner. Tennessee loves to lean on its running backs, so Brandon isn't a clear must-start every week.
Faizon Brandon connects with stud WR Braylon Staley to extend their lead pic.twitter.com/LIR4t7FFXP
— T.J. Randall (@TJ_Randall12) September 13, 2026
But with the Vols hosting Kennesaw State in Week 3 ahead of a blockbuster Week 4 matchup with Texas, he's a great streaming option against the Owls.
Bear Bachmeier, BYU (22%)
The quarterback sporting No. 47 has thrown three touchdowns and run for a score in each of his first two games and draws a plus matchup against Colorado State this week. While not the most polished or flashy quarterback in the country, Bachmeier produces fantasy points. That's all that matters here.
Michael Hawkins Jr., West Virginia (5%)
Hawkins admittedly has a tough matchup with Virginia this week, but he cannot be ignored after averaging 99.5 rushing yards per game in his first two contests with the Mountaineers. Dual-threat quarterbacks keep their upside in all matchups, so if you're struggling at quarterback, he's a nice pivot play in a game where West Virginia should have to keep its foot on the gas.
