FAAB Waiver Wire Bidding - Fantasy Football Pickups to Target for Week 3 (2026)

September 22, 2026

Nick Mariano's fantasy football waiver wire FAAB bidding guide for Week 3 (2026) -- how many FAAB dollars (free agent acquisition budget) to spend on waivers.

And just like that, 12% of the fantasy football season is in the books (14% if you count our "regular season" through Week 14). Many of you just experienced low-scoring whiplash after an electric Week 1, so now you're going to act rationally, yes? We join you to take a deep breath and get those bids ready 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 due to the injury vacuums created by Week 2's damage, but are ranges to use for setting your bearings. The opening weeks will see desperate owners empty much of their wallet to avoid starting 0-3, so decide how much this means to you. We've presented multiple bidding ranges, just in case.

Try to leverage historical data and personal knowledge whenever possible, while respecting your team's construction. We will cap the rostered rate at 40% on Yahoo!, but you must adjust if someone is dropped or remains on the wire above that threshold. In the end, I would say it is better to be aggressive and end the year with $0 on the earlier side, rather than being the team who just misses the playoffs but has an extra $20 FAAB in the chamber.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Quarterbacks

Bryce Young (QB, CAR) - 32% rostered

FAAB Bid: 3-5%
Aggressive Bid: 5-8%
Superflex Bid: 70-75%

Young has opened the season with his first instance of tossing three touchdowns in back-to-back NFL tilts. It was encouraging to see Dave Canales keep the gas pedal down against a Falcons squad that couldn’t put up a fight.

Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker combined for 167 yards, but it was Darren Waller (x2) and Chuba Hubbard who brought in the TD passes. When healthy, the 6-foot-6 Waller is a clear red-zone asset, which fills out Young’s quietly potent pass-catching corps. And sorry, but if he's even able to utilize Xavier Legette, then we have to perk up.

Bryce Young drops it in the 🪣 to Xavier Legette!

CARvsATL on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/Ia62dGy6wX

— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2026

Will they run up the score on Cleveland in Week 3 if given the chance? Week 4’s Detroit matchup is dreamy! If you've waited to make the add, I fear the price has gone up. But at the same time, if we lingered on waivers after Week 1, then perhaps QB demand isn't that strong in your league. Play it smart, know thine league!

Deshaun Watson (QB, CLE) - 2% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2-3%
Superflex Bid: 10-15%

Well, here we are. Watson just tossed a pair of TDs on 24-of-30 passing (238 yards) in an upset over the Bucs. And while 22 rush yards aren’t substantial, adding another seven rushes to the 6-38-0 rush line from Week 1 can’t be ignored.

It’s early, but that’s a rough 500-yard pace on the ground. He’ll hope to stay hot in Cleveland’s home opener against Carolina.

Tyson Bagent (QB, CHI) - 1% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1%
Aggressive Bid: 2%
Superflex Bid: 5-8%

Caleb Williams suffered a Grade 1 hamstring strain in the rainy loss to Minnesota and may be forced to miss time. Bagent hasn’t made a start since his rookie 2023 campaign, which went horribly (3:6 TD:INT), but that was the old Bears.

Ben Johnson is surely mad after another frustrating day against Brian Flores, and Bagent is surrounded by playmakers and a creative mind. That’s enough to put him on Superflex radars, even against the Eagles.

Other Superflex Bids:
-Marcus Mariota (QB, WAS) - 0% rostered - 60% w/ Jayden Daniels’ lengthy recovery and Mariota’s legs, but SEA matchup tough to stomach.
-Michael Penix Jr. (QB, ATL) - 3% rostered - 35% w/ durability questions, middling past performance.
-Jameis Winston (QB, NYG) - 0% rostered - 20% w/ Jaxson Dart’s MCL sprain, but Winston looked awful. LAR front playing with a lead is tough sledding, though.
-Drew Lock (QB, SEA) - 3% rostered - 10% range w/ Sam Darnold working back soon.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Running Backs

Jonah Coleman (RB, DEN) - 26% rostered

FAAB Bid: 20-25%
Aggressive Bid: 25-30%
Desperation Bid: 30-45%

Coleman had been playing in RJ Harvey’s role due to the latter’s hamstring injury, but then the rookie stepped up after J.K. Dobbins also hurt his hammy. This led to Coleman scoring the game-winning touchdown, totaling 39 yards on 10 carries, adding three catches for another 19 yards.

He ran as a clear preferred option over Tyler Badie, who elevated into the change-of-pace role as injuries mounted. While Dobbins’ hamstring is reportedly “good” and its a minor problem, nothing feels minor with him by now. Coleman did limp off and rest earlier in the game, but finishing strong puts that out of mind.

Even if Dobbins is okay, the door is now cracked, and we can see the potential behind this bulldozer offensive line. Coleman and one of Dobbins/Harvey should be able to coexist and be fantasy options, but he may still be on the outs if all three are active. Balance that with Dobbins’ durability concerns and bid accordingly to your risk.

Emanuel Wilson (RB, SEA) - 1% rostered

FAAB Bid: 4-6%
Aggressive Bid: 6-9%
Desperation Bid: 9-12%

Jadarian Price suffered a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter and didn’t return, which saw Wilson become the guy, rather than form a committee with George Holani. And he notably did not relinquish the precious goal-line reps to Holani either, though we didn’t get a TD plunge. We appreciate the downhill usage here.

Overall, Wilson’s 21 carries led to 92 yards (he didn’t catch his only target), while Holani gained 15 yards on five touches. Any RB who sees over 20 touches becomes an automatic name of interest, even though Price’s X-rays came back negative.

It’s tough to throw FAAB at a journeyman rusher next to an exciting rookie RB who seems to have avoided any serious injury, but Seattle’s in a great spot at Washington in Week 3. That team should control the game against a backup QB and keep pounding the rock with a positive gamescript.

Tank Bigsby (RB, PHI) - 29% rostered

FAAB Bid: 4-6%
Aggressive Bid: 6-9%
Desperation Bid: 9-12%

Bigsby took over as Saquon Barkley dealt with a stinger, which limited the star to only five touches. While Bigsby only got 38 total yards on his 15 touches, he did score a rush TD and would get Chicago’s vulnerable defense in Week 3 if Barkley is out or limited.

We saw Bigsby average 5.9 yards per carry on 58 totes following the trade to Philly last year, but then he only had one touch in Week 1. We entered the year with some notion that he could see 6-10 opportunities per game due to the 2025 success, but his being a handcuff is what’s of interest now. Let’s see how they handle Barkley.

Emmett Johnson (RB, KC) - 26% rostered

FAAB Bid: 3-5%
Aggressive Bid: 5-8%
Desperation Bid: 8-10%

Johnson has pushed up into “must handcuff” status with another handful of hard runs on Sunday night, amounting to 35 total yards on four chances. Kenneth Walker III has deservedly hogged the spotlight, with a league-leading rate of 0.53 missed tackles forced per attempt as one of many feathers in the cap.

Well, Johnson is second at 0.40 among those with at least 10 carries. (Yes, it’s a fun cherry-pick since he has exactly 10 carries, sue me.) They torment defenses, and Johnson’s early success when given a chance led to Andy Reid saying that we could get “a nice balance” between them.

If KC wants to regularly score more than 30 points, then there’s room for both to thrive. And Week 3 at Miami could bring a true onslaught script where the starters and backups all feast.

Kaleb Johnson (RB, GB) - 4% rostered

FAAB Bid: 3-5%
Aggressive Bid: 5-8%
Desperation Bid: 8-10%

With MarShawn Lloyd once again unable to get rolling on the ground (6-20-0, fumble lost), Johnson stepped into eight carries for 32 yards. Averaging four yards a pop isn’t dazzling, but Lloyd has a gnarly 3.0 YPC through two games. And that fumble may have done enough to start turning the backfield over, as that was his final touch of the day.

Johnson was the one who got the first carry in overtime, and he took it 11 yards off the left side. He then tallied a three-yard rush before Chris Brooks had a nice catch and drew a penalty to bring them into game-winning field goal range.

After the game, Matt LaFleur said Kaleb Johnson has earned more opportunities. Who got the first play of OT?

Kaleb Johnson. And he hit an explosive. pic.twitter.com/nQGp72HQAo

— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) September 21, 2026

The Packers have a short week before facing Atlanta’s fragile defense on Thursday. Of course, the likelihood that Josh Jacobs will return at some point this season (as soon as Week 5? Week 7?) will dampen enthusiasm around this backfield.

Dollar Bin:

*Kyle Juszczyk - Could get sneaky run as a receiver if Mike Evans (hip) is limited after Demarcus Robinson's ankle injury.
*Sione Vaki - You want the "one injury away" guy on Detroit, even though it's likely they'd sign Kareem Hunt.
*Seth McGowan - More talented than Vaki, and seems more likely to own the role if Jonathan Taylor got hurt. Lesser offense, but still a good line.
*Demond Claiborne - Maybe they work him in more in the coming weeks.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Wide Receivers

Denzel Boston (WR, CLE) - 31% rostered

FAAB Bid: 20-25%
Aggressive Bid: 25-30%
Desperation Bid: 30-40%

It turns out that sweet garbage-time Week 1 touchdown was a precursor to far more involvement against Tampa Bay in Week 2. The rookie turned seven targets into five catches for 95 yards and a score, the bulk of which came on an impressive 55-yard break-and-sprint to the end zone. This may reflect more on Tampa's awful tackling, but it is still exceptional to see.

55 yards for Denzel's second TD of the year 🙌#CLEvsTB on CBS pic.twitter.com/YQo9axvz0f

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) September 20, 2026

While it is tough to envision ample big plays out of Cleveland, Boston’s skill set makes him the kind of player who can turn limited opportunities into the big play. And the seven targets mean we’re in a survivable volume tier. You have to accept a painfully low floor, but let’s see how the Carolina game goes before you weigh up holding him through Pittsburgh in Week 4.

Tre Tucker (WR, LV) - 28% rostered

FAAB Bid: 4-5%
Aggressive Bid: 5-7%
Desperation Bid: 7-10%

We saw Tucker “boom” with 119 yards and a score on five catches after the 2-27-0 “bust” in the opener. It’s great to see him maintain this ceiling while Jalen Nailor fails to latch on (4-36-0…combined), though Brock Bowers’ imminent-ish return will demand alpha status. Of course, maybe his knee plagues him for much of ‘26, just as it did in ‘25. Stay ready.

Rashod Bateman (WR, BAL) - 16% rostered

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

Bateman’s clean bill of health separated him from the pack in Baltimore’s receiver room in Week 2, which led to a 7-88-1 line on nine targets. The Ravens will need to keep the offense moving with a road trip to Dallas on the schedule, though buying into Bateman requires accepting the low floor seen in Week 1’s goose egg when Zay Flowers (hamstring) is healthy.

It will be a while before Ja’Kobi Lane is back from that wrist fracture, but there’s no denying that Bateman is stuck at No. 4 behind Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews, and Flowers. But that’s enough for many on an offense that can reasonably eclipse 40 points.

Adonai Mitchell (WR, NYJ) - 11% rostered

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

Mitchell saw a hearty 12 targets in Week 2’s loss to Green Bay, catching six for 63 yards. It means he’s notched 60 rec yards in each game to start the year with Geno Smith at the helm, logging 57 total routes. That’s one fewer than Garrett Wilson, only with 236 air yards to Wilson’s 149.

Smith is one of the best deep-ball QBs in recent years, and perhaps the best if you throw out last season, so we could have a more reliable connection to lean on. You don’t roster Mitchell with the hopes of a catch rate north of 55-60%, but his usage doesn’t require that. And now he’ll take on a generous Detroit defense in their dome, so that’s nice.

Malik Washington (WR, MIA) - 14% rostered
Chris Bell (WR, MIA) - 6% rostered

FAAB Bid: 2-4% / 1-2%
Aggressive Bid: 4-5% / 2-4%
Desperation Bid: 5-10% / 4-6%

Caleb Douglas was forced from the fourth quarter of Week 2 with an ankle injury and was spotted in a walking boot after the game. Washington gained 47 yards on five touches, though we did see the average depth of target slip back to a modest 5.0 after sitting at 16.0 last week. Bell’s one target came 12 yards downfield, but they couldn’t connect.

This writer would love to see that bump up in the coming weeks, although Miami is about to climb uphill on uneven footing against the Chiefs and Vikings. I won’t blame anyone for passing this situation over. And while Ryan Miller’s 77-yard TD was great, I’d rather see what Bell or Washington can do than chase that.

Keon Coleman (WR, BUF) - 2% rostered

FAAB Bid: 1-3%
Aggressive Bid: 3-4%
Desperation Bid: 4-6%

Coleman brings another short-term injury bump to the table, as he brought in all six targets for 63 yards in the win over Detroit as DJ Moore nursed an AC joint sprain. Moore, whose eight targets seen in Week 1 were vacated, is considered day-to-day and has a longer window to heal, having played on Thursday.

Still, Coleman showed consistency and was the guy converting key third downs as the Josh Allen Machine rumbled. The unit is tops in the league with 77 points, and second with 855 yards, through two games. Perhaps this version of Coleman earns more trust moving forward, and Buffalo is worth speculating on.

Clutch 3rd down conversion by Josh Allen and Keon Coleman

DETvsBUF – on Prime Video
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/3YBPDor4X9

— NFL (@NFL) September 18, 2026

Dollar Bin:

*Keenan Allen - He and Laquon Treadwell will be far more involved with Alec Pierce (heel) down, though neither may earn enough beyond Josh Downs, Tyler Warren, and Jonathan Taylor to move the needle. (Recent signing Darius Slayton fits the vertical-route niche, keeping this messy.)
*Kayshon Boutte - More exciting than Xavier Hutchinson to me, and Boutte could ramp up as the season progresses.
*Kalif Raymond - QB situation makes this less enticing, but Raymond's role in oft-used three-wide sets in notable.
*Mack Hollins - Don't forget about Hollins and his path to regular routes with A.J. Brown out.
*Joshua Palmer - Another contingent boom-bust play if Moore misses time.
*Germie Bernard - Michael Pittman Jr. (foot) may miss Week 3, so perhaps Bernard can build on the four-catch effort?
*Jordan Watkins - The 49ers will need someone to step up with Robinson hurt, and Watkins seems to offer the highest WR ceiling of the lot.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Tight Ends

Terrance Ferguson (TE, LAR) - 19% rostered

FAAB Bid: 5-7%
Aggressive Bid: 7-10%
Desperation Bid: 10-15%

After an underwhelming opening game in Australia, Ferguson secured six of his nine targets for 54 yards and a touchdown, operating as the clear No. 2 receiver with Puka Nacua (hip) out. And it could’ve been a massive, multi-score day if not for a deflection off the top of a helmet at the line on a crossing route.

What you’ll have to decide is whether having Nacua on the field will lead to Ferguson’s role being closer to this or the nonexistent one seen in Week 1. This writer leans heavily towards the former, with Ferg simply sliding from the WR2 to WR3, effectively.

Oronde Gadsden (TE, LAC) - 6% rostered

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

The Chargers somehow lost 26-14 for the second straight week, but Gadsden did find paydirt. The TD came with only two catches for 18 yards, but we’re interested by virtue of the receiving talent we saw last year and the injuries around him.

David Njoku (fibula) and Charlie Kolar (forearm) are going on injured reserve, per Jim Harbaugh

The Chargers have one tight end on its active roster.

— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) September 21, 2026

David Njoku was carted off with a knee injury, and Charlie Kolar exited with a forearm issue. With both on the IR, they’ll simply have to work around the blocking woes. They can’t afford to pull punches against Buffalo this week!

Darren Waller (TE, CAR) - 2% rostered

FAAB Bid: 3-4%
Aggressive Bid: 4-5%
Desperation Bid: 5-8%

Waller caught a pair of touchdowns from seven and 12 yards out, continuing a TD-heavy trend for the veteran TE. You may recall that he scored six times on just 24 receptions for Miami last year, recording 19 first downs.

Fewer overall reps than in his prime, but they make these targets count. That Week 4 game against Detroit is circled, highlighted, and underlined.

Dollar Bin:

*Michael Mayer - He stays on the radar just in case Brock Bowers can’t go.
*Kenyon Sadiq - It was a quiet Week 2, but the Jets now face the Lions and Bears.
*Pat Freiermuth - Opening the year as a decent floor, TD dart throw (72-catch pace).
*T.J. Hockenson - We’ve yet to see what this offense does with Kyler Murray, and the Bucs have been beaten early by opposing TEs.
*Zach Ertz - Philadelphia needs help with Dallas Goedert (knee) missing extended time and both Grant Calcaterra and Eli Stowers already on IR. Johnny Mundt is not a starter.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Defense/Special Teams

Kansas City Chiefs Defense (at MIA) - 34% rostered

FAAB Bid: 2-3%
Aggressive Bid: 3-4%
Desperation Bid: 5%

Though the Chiefs gave up 30 points without registering a sack against Indianapolis on Sunday night, we’re getting road tilts against Miami and Las Vegas before the Week 5 bye. Those should skew closer to the Week 1 output we saw against Denver, which yielded four sacks and two turnovers. The offense should put those teams into a hole where mistakes happen!

Green Bay Packers Defense (vs. ATL) - 23% rostered

FAAB Bid: 2%
Aggressive Bid: 3%
Desperation Bid: 4-5%

You’re securing one good matchup against the wayward Falcons, with room for a second at a reeling Tampa Bay. For all of their inconsistent play, the Packers have collected seven sacks over the first two weeks, but we’d start anyone against ATL right now. A short week pinches Michael Penix Jr.’s readiness, and neither Cooper Rush nor Jack Strand look to be a threat.

Carolina Panthers Defense (at CLE) - 6% rostered

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

Going from allowing 59 points in Week 1 to just a field goal, with five turnovers, three sacks, and a defensive score, is quite the pendulum swing. While the Browns are better than the early-season Falcons, they’re much closer to that than the Bears. Put your faith in linebacker Devin Lloyd, who has jump-started his Panthers tenure with a bang.

Cincinnati Bengals Defense (at PIT) - 6% rostered

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

The Bengals proved that Week 1’s pressure surge against the Bucs was no fluke by logging their second four-sack game in as many weeks. Next Gen Stats charted them with a whopping 43.5% pressure rate in Week 2, and now they’ll take on a forlorn Steelers offense. You may want to dodge Jacksonville in Week 4, but then it’s the Dolphins!

New York Giants Defense (vs. TEN) - 3% rostered

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

The Giants have had to navigate tough opponents in DAL and LAR to kick off the season, but now they’ll see an enticing five-game stretch before the bye (TEN, ARI, at WAS, NO, at HOU). The Titans pushed Philadelphia to the end, but it was largely thanks to turnovers. Only 14 first downs (6-of-13 on third) don’t move the needle. We’re still targeting Cam Ward, but now we’ll want to see Brian Burns (low ankle sprain) active next week.

More Waiver Wire Analysis