X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

High-Upside Bench Stashes: Weekend Waiver Wire for Week 3 Includes Matthew Stafford, Tyjae Spears, Jayden Reed, Jake Ferguson

Matthew Stafford - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Kyle's must-have fantasy football bench stashes and waiver wire sleepers ahead of Week 3 (2023). He picks high-upside NFL players to stash on your fantasy teams.

Hey now, welcome to the Week 3 Weekend Waiver Wire Series, where we look at high-upside stashed before Sunday's games. just because this week's waivers have already run in your league it doesn't mean there isn't a diamond in the rough out there to be found! Given the ever-present injury bug in the NFL, snagging that fantasy-relevant gem off the waiver wire before anyone else is the kind of move that ends up bearing fantasy gold and helps you stay ahead of your league mates.

As mentioned in last week's article, one guy who spent most of the 2022 season available on waivers everywhere who ended up dominating the important part of the fantasy season was Kansas City Chiefs RB Jerick McKinnon. McKinnon dominated fantasy playoffs and won people leagues after he nailed in the coffin on opponents as the overall RB1 in Weeks 14-15 and was the RB7 in Week 17. While we aren't looking to shell out all of our FAAB on the players listed below, if we are in deeper leagues with ample roster space, these are players we shouldn't mind stashing away on our roster just in case the right situations break their way.

If some of these names seem like long shots, that is the point of the article. Most of the players listed in this column each week are going to be available on waivers. The point isn't to give you the obvious names, but rather the ones flying under the radar who could have fantasy value later in the season. Even if you don't pick these players up it's important to know their names and to keep them in the back of your mind. Now let's dive in, shall we?

Editor's Note: Discover RotoBaller’s top Fantasy Football Sleepers to gain an edge in your drafts. Our free who to draft tool and expert picks spotlight undervalued players, breakout candidates, and late-round gems for all league formats.

 

Weekend Waiver Wire Stashes Before Week 3

Zach Evans, (RB) Los Angeles Rams

1% rostered

This one may come as a bit of a surprise, but Evans has talent. He was inactive for Week 2, but the 6th-round rookie from Ole Miss does have some potential league-winning upside. Evans originally enrolled at TCU before losing his job to Kendre Miller and transferred to Ole Miss. He was the No. 2 RB recruit in the 2020 class only to Bijan Robinson and finished his college career with 4.21 yards after contact with a 49.1% breakaway run rate per PFF. Evans put up 2,200 yards from scrimmage and 19 TDs without a full workload. The bad news? He may have fallen in the 2023 NFL Draft due to potential character concerns and has a similar personality to former Rams RB Cam Akers, who was just traded to Minnesota.

We have seen how much more functional the Rams offense looks through 2 games this season. Vintage Matthew Stafford is back, the offensive line has looked better, and they will suddenly feature a potent WR corps with rookie Puka Nacua, Tutu Atwell, and star Cooper Kupp once he returns from injured reserve. Kyren Williams is a capable RB, but doesn't quite have that homerun speed. With Cam Akers now with the Vikings, there is a chance for Evans to start creeping up on the depth chart behind Williams and Ronnie Rivers. You likely can't roster Evans right now outside of super deep formats, but he is a name worth knowing just in case he does start getting on the field. The Rams are back.

De'Von Achane, (RB), Miami Dolphins

28% rostered

Achane hasn't done much through two weeks and RB Raheem Mostert has looked great, but there's a reason Miami drafted Achane in the 3rd Round of the 2023 NFL Draft despite having other needs. He had the fastest 40 yard dash time of all running backs at 4.32! He's absolute lightning and was a track star at Texas A&M as well. For now, this Miami offense looks to be a high-powered juggernaut with HC Mike McDaniel calling plays and QB Tua Tagovailoa playing lights out. RB Jeff Wilson Jr. will likely return from injured reserve in Week 5, but Achane has a chance to carve out a meaningful role for himself if he gets on the field enough.

Sam Howell, (QB), Washington Commanders

15% rostered

Someone who remains on this list for the second-straight week, Howell had another impressive performance against the Broncos in Week 2. So far on the season he's finished as the QB11 and QB14. While this isn't great outside of Superflex formats, it's encouraging to see that Howell is proving he belongs in this league.

The Commanders have a tough stretch with the Bills and Eagles coming up, but they face the horrific Bears defense in Week 5. If Howell can hang in there and prove his mettle over the next two games, watch out.

Tyjae Spears, (RB) Tennessee Titans

18% rostered

After having a solid college career at Tulane, there were some doubts raised about Spears during the 2023 NFL Draft process after it was revealed there was no cartilage left in one of his knees. However, that didn't completely stop him as he was taken by the Titans in the 3rd Round - 81st overall. While it's still clear that Derrick Henry is the Titans RB1 and likely will be unless he were to miss time, Spears has been playing a good amount as a rookie: 45 percent of the offensive snaps through two weeks to be precise.

Spears is a solid receiver out of the backfield and has potential stand-alone value outside of Henry. So far he's had just 14 touches through 2 games, but it's clear that the Titans value him and don't want Henry seeing such a massive workload all season. The Titans offense needs to get better during the year in order for Spears to be worth starting in any formats right now, but he is a player worth rostering in deeper leagues should his playing time continue to improve.

Matthew Stafford, (QB) Los Angeles Rams

40% rostered

Alright, alright. I know, it's Matthew Stafford. Super Bowl champion, but the reality is he's not being rostered (along with a lot of Rams offensive players) in fantasy as he should be. While they are 1-1, it's pretty clear that the high-powered offenses of Rams past under Sean McVay are back. After last year's 5-12 debacle things were looking bleak during the summer of 2023, but it's pretty clear that the offseason re-energized McVay along with Stafford, who has gone over 300 yards passing in each of the last two weeks.

The Rams offense will get even better once WR Cooper Kupp returns from injured reserve, which many are hoping will be around Week 5. While it's not a given that Stafford is available on your league's waiver wire, the 40 percent mark is usually our cutoff point for this article, so if it seems like long-shot players are being recommended to you here (outside of Stafford), that's the point of it. Vintage Matthew Stafford is back and the Rams are moving the ball. If he's somehow available on waivers be sure to grab him immediately.

Jake Ferguson, (TE) Dallas Cowboys

29% rostered

While he hasn't exactly been great for fantasy, Ferguson currently leads the whole NFL with 8 red zone targets through 2 games (per Fantasy Points). The Cowboys' defense has been absolutely stifling, which hasn't allowed their offense to do a whole lot (because it didn't need to). WR CeeDee Lamb is the alpha in this offense, but nobody has yet stepped up to be the No. 2 pass catcher thus far. Ferguson didn't do much in Week 1, but saw a TD pass in Week 2, and as mentioned above he is seeing plenty of red zone targets and appears to be an early favorite of QB Dak Prescott.

With how potent the Dallas defense is, it could hurt their offense this year as far as fantasy goes, but we have seen players like TE Dalton Schultz thrive in the Cowboys offense in the past. Is it reasonable to expect more from Ferguson? He likely can't be rostered right now outside the deepest of formats unless you are really hurting at tight end, but he's on the short list of guys to go if you're in a pinch. Keep an eye on this one to see if Ferguson's usage improves.

Chuba Hubbard, (RB) Carolina Panthers

22% rostered

Hubbard finds himself on this list for another week, and his roster ownership across fantasy formats has risen from 17 to 22 percent over the last week. The Panthers offense hasn't been great for fantasy as they currently sit at 0-2, but Hubbard saw 5 targets in Week 2. He's still the clear RB2 on the Panthers' depth chart behind Miles Sanders, so there's no need to go crazy just yet, but it's easy to see from watching the games that Hubbard has talent.

As mentioned in last week's article: Hubbard once rushed for 2,000 yards in a season in college at Oklahoma State and is still just 24 years old. The gap between him and Sanders isn't all that great.

Rashee Rice, (WR) Kansas City Chiefs

18% rostered

A player who was dropped in a lot of leagues after a disappointing Week 2, Rice had just 2 targets finishing with 2 receptions for 20 yards. Unfortunately, the Chiefs defense looks like the real deal and is third-best in points allowed through 2 weeks. The defense absolutely smothered the potent Jaguars offense and held them to just 9 points. No Chiefs WR has over 5 targets in a game through the first 2 weeks and the RB room is an absolute mess. Hard to imagine that we'd get to a point where Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were the only players you could confidently start for fantasy in an Andy Reid offense, but here we are. Is it possible the Chiefs change gears a little bit this year and become more of a defensive-minded team?

We can't completely be out on the Chiefs skill players right now due to the reality that when Patrick Mahomes is on his A-game there is no better QB in the league. If another WR should step up and start earning targets and playing more on a consistent basis they would be a great fantasy play, but as of now, no one has done so. Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney loom in the background, but it was hard not to like what we saw from Rice this preseason and he is a bigger WR who can play on the outside. Don't give up on this offense for fantasy just yet.

Wan'Dale Robinson, (WR), New York Giants

2% rostered

A player who flashed a little bit in 2022 before going down with a torn ACL, Robinson joins an absolutely crowded WR room in New York. Thus far the Giants are 1-2 to start the season and it's hard to have much confidence in their offense right now, but let's not forget who they've played: the Cowboys in Week 1 and the 49ers in Week 3 on TNF, 2 of the best defenses in the entire NFL. Brian Daboll has shown himself to be a more than capable play-caller and offensive innovator, so we can't raise the white flag on the Giants just yet.

Robinson isn't worth picking up right now, but he was a 2nd Round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft after an electric career at Kentucky. He is a converted running back with elite speed who has the chance to go the distance on any given touch. Robinson had 4 receptions for 21 yards in Week 3 and played just 22 percent of the snaps, hardly exciting.

This Giants WR room is going to be an avoid for fantasy purposes until it works its way out, but given how tough their schedule has been early on, don't write them off just yet. If someone were to establish themselves as the clear-cut No. 1 WR in this offense they could be great for fantasy. It's clear the coaching staff likes Robinson.

Jayden Reed, (WR), Green Bay Packers

19% rostered

We don't know for sure exactly how much Reed will play once the Packers WR1 Christian Watson returns from his hamstring injury, but we do know that Reed has looked good so far even as a rookie. Reed has earned 13 targets through 2 games and finished with 8 receptions for 37 yards and 2 TDs in Week 2, putting him as the WR16 on the week in half PPR formats. So far Packers QB Jordan Love has looked more than capable and there is reason to be optimistic about the Packers' offense thus far.

They draw the Saints this week, but afterward get some great matchups against the Lions and Raiders. It's still hard to predict just how the Packers' pass-catching corps shakes out with Watson, Romeo Doubs, Reed, and rookie TE Luke Musgrave all in the fold, but if Jordan Love continues to look good then grabbing pieces of the Packers' pass pass-catchers will bear fruit for fantasy this year.

 

I hope you enjoyed these picks. Remember that it's a long season and it's best to be patient and wait for some of these situations to unfold. By being proactive and prepared ahead of your league mates you can save that valuable FAAB for later in the season when you might really need it! Feel free to follow me on Twitter for more waiver and player analysis throughout the season!



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Colson Montgomery

Promoted to the Major Leagues
NFL

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
Max Muncy

Goes on Injured List With Knee Bruise
Max Muncy

Out of Thursday's Lineup
James Wood

Joining Home Run Derby
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
Max Scherzer

Cleared to Start on Saturday
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Kodai Senga

Could be "in Play" to Return Before All-Star Break
Ha-Seong Kim

Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim From Injured List
Christian Moore

Placed on Injured List With Thumb Sprain
Luis L. Ortiz

the Subject of Gambling Investigation
Jordan Lawlar

to Miss Multiple Weeks With Hamstring Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Receives Encouraging News on his Hand
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
Divine Deablo

Could be the Quarterback of the Defense
Isaiah Rodgers

a Likely Starter for the Vikings
Jacob Monk

Sees Plenty of Work With Starters
Avonte Maddox

has Impressed Dan Campbell
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Chicago Bears

Ruben Hyppolite Shows Notable Improvement
Toronto Raptors

Sandro Mamukelashvili Heading to Toronto
Daron Payne

Commanders Coaches Impressed With Daron Payne
Danny Gray

Makes Impression During Offseason Workouts
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dane Belton

Should Have a Role in 2025
Kaiir Elam

Flashes During Offseason Workouts
Dylan Harper

Unavailable for California Classic
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Riley Greene

Homers Twice, Drives in Six on Wednesday
Max Muncy

Exits With Apparent Knee Injury
Christian Moore

Exits Early with Thumb Irritation
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Josh Naylor

Returning to Diamondbacks Lineup
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Oronde Gadsden

an Active Pass-Catcher This Offseason
Brashard Smith

Speed Could be Put to Use
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Pat Bryant

Off to a Good Start
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
Cody Barton

Quickly Becoming a Leader With his New Team
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
Montaric Brown

has Worked With Starters
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
DET

James van Riemsdyk Joins Red Wings on One-Year Contract
Viktor Arvidsson

Traded to Boston
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Josh Jung

Sent to Triple-A
Jurickson Profar

Officially Reinstated and Hitting in Five-Hole on Wednesday
Spencer Schwellenbach

Going on Injured List With Fractured Elbow
Maxwell Hairston

Facing Sexual-Assault Lawsuit
Tai Felton

Rookie Season Likely to be Spent on Special Teams
LeQuint Allen Jr.

to Have Receiving Role for Jaguars?
Justin Walley

Turning Heads Going into Rookie Season
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
Jamari Thrash

Establishing Himself as Reliable Option
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Brandon Woodruff

Likely to Pitch on Sunday in Miami
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
PHI

Dan Vladar Links Up With Flyers on Two-Year Deal
Zac Gallen

Fans 10 in Tuesday's Win
Hunter Goodman

Hits Two More Homers Tuesday
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Jeff Green

Signs One-Year Deal to Remain in Houston
Los Angeles Lakers

Jake LaRavia Lands with Lakers
Orlando Magic

Tyus Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney Heads to New Orleans
Milwaukee Bucks

Jericho Sims Staying in Milwaukee
Denver Nuggets

Tim Hardaway Jr. Joins Nuggets
Detroit Pistons

Duncan Robinson Lands With Detroit
Charlotte Hornets

Tre Mann Remaining in Charlotte
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Milwaukee Bucks

Gary Harris Inks Deal With Bucks
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF