Mid-Week Waiver Wire Rankings for Week 3 (2026): Fantasy Football Pickups for Jonah Coleman, Emanuel Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Darren Waller, Oronde Gadsden, more

September 23, 2026

Mid-week fantasy football waiver wire rankings for Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season. Top fantasy football free agents and streamers to add off waivers.

Hey RotoBallers, welcome back to more fantasy football waiver wire advice. We have updated our waiver wire rankings after the first run of waivers and will update them throughout the week to reflect the latest injury news and notes. Below, you will find our updated waiver wire rankings for fantasy football Week 3 of the 2026 season. We rank the top 85 players to help bolster your fantasy teams ahead of Week 3. 

Several rookies may be emerging, such as Broncos running back Jonah Coleman, who stepped up for the injured J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey by racking up 58 total yards and a score in last Sunday's win over the Jaguars. Chiefs running back Emmett Johnson could be in for an extended role. Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid said on Monday that "Johnson could carve out a bigger role on offense as the season goes along." A few veterans have also turned back the clock, as Panthers tight end Darren Waller caught two touchdowns in Carolina's win over the Falcons. Find out where Coleman, Johnson, and Waller are listed below.

These Week 3 waiver wire rankings are updated by Nick Mariano, RotoBaller's lead fantasy football analyst and forecaster. If you're not familiar, he brings you his weekly waiver wire rankings and priority adds for the top 85 options to consider across positions and league sizes. Good luck in Week 3 on the waiver wire!

Who To Pick Up for Fantasy Football Week 3?

Quarterbacks (QB) and Defenses (D/ST) are grouped together at the bottom of the list:

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Outlooks

Top names include Darren Waller, Jonah Coleman, Emmett Johnson, Zach Ertz, and Emanuel Wilson. We recap why these players should be on your waiver wire radar for Week 3.

Darren Waller, TE, Carolina Panthers

Carolina Panthers tight end Darren Waller made the most of limited work Sunday, catching all three of his targets for 33 yards and two touchdowns in a 34-3 win over Atlanta. The touchdowns will get the attention, but the role still needs some context. Waller played 29 offensive snaps, or 44%, while Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans both played more. That was still a step up from Week 1, when Waller logged 24 snaps and had a touchdown wiped out by a penalty.

Carolina clearly has a use for him near the goal line, and this is not new territory. Waller scored six times on only 24 catches for Miami last season. The volume may stay frustrating, but tight end is thin enough that those scoring chances matter. RotoBaller's Week 3 waiver coverage has him as an add in 12-team leagues, with one column calling him a must-add at that depth. He is worth picking up now, but managers should expect some low-target weeks along the way.

Jonah Coleman, RB, Denver Broncos

Denver Broncos rookie fourth-round running back Jonah Coleman had a big role in the team's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, and that could continue, even when the team's backfield is at full strength, according to Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. Second-year back RJ Harvey (hamstring) was inactive, and J.K. Dobbins left the game with a hamstring issue late in the third quarter and did not return. Head coach Sean Payton intimated on Monday that both Harvey and Dobbins could be available this week as the Broncos prepare to face the Los Angeles Rams at home on Sunday night in Week 3.

"I think all three of those players we're discussing can be bell cows, handle a majority of the carries," Payton said. "Yes, I think there's a lot ahead of us this week relative to who our runners are going to be." Coleman really endeared himself to the coaching staff and teammates during his first big moment in the NFL against the Jags, carrying the ball 10 times for 39 yards and his first NFL touchdown. He added three catches (on three targets) for 19 yards as a receiver. Even with Harvey and Dobbins potentially being active in Week 3, Coleman has become one of the best long-term upside waiver-wire stashes in fantasy leagues this week. He is now rostered in 28% of Yahoo leagues.

Emmett Johnson, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said that rookie running back Emmett Johnson will continue to be more involved in the team's offense as the season progresses, per Soren Petro of Sports Radio 810 WHB. Johnson has been extremely efficient on a limited workload through the first two games of his NFL career, recording 103 scrimmage yards on 14 touches. The Chiefs have leaned heavily on RB1 Kenneth Walker so far, and Walker has recorded 369 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 56 touches.

As long as Walker remains healthy, it may be difficult for Johnson to provide consistent production for fantasy managers. Still, it appears as though the Chiefs are happy with Johnson's progress and could find ways to get him more involved going forward. Heading into Week 3, Johnson profiles as a high-upside handcuff running back option with some season-long standalone upside.

Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles

Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz is signing with the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad on Monday to return to the team that he played for from 2013 to 2021, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Eagles lost starting tight end Dallas Goedert (knee) to an MCL sprain in their win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, and he is expected to miss multiple weeks, so Ertz, who helped the Eagles win their first Super Bowl, will give the team some depth at the position going forward.

The 35-year-old veteran spent the last two years with the Washington Commanders, catching 116 of his 163 targets for 1,158 yards and 11 touchdowns in 30 starts. The 13-year veteran tore his ACL in Week 14 and was limited to 13 games a year ago. Depending on how quickly Ertz can get his legs back under him this week, he could be elevated to the 53-man roster for the team's Week 3 contest on Monday Night Football against the Chicago Bears. Grant Calcaterra (back) and rookie Eli Stowers (hamstring) are on Injured Reserve, so in addition to Ertz, the Eagles only have Johnny Mundt and E.J. Jenkins at the position outside of Goedert.

Emanuel Wilson, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks running back Emanuel Wilson took on an enormous workload in Sunday's win over the Arizona Cardinals, making him a high-priority waiver wire target for Week 3 and beyond. The Seahawks cruised to victory over the Cardinals, prompting them to run the ball 40 times as they looked to drain the clock. Wilson was a big part of that effort, rushing for 92 yards on 21 attempts. It's worth noting that Wilson's role did grow after Jadarian Price (chest) exited in the second half, but he was still well on his way to a substantial workload even before the rookie left the game.

Price's status is something to consider when placing a claim for Wilson this week. It's evident the Seahawks want to get Wilson involved no matter what, but he'd likely only get 20+ touches again if Price were to miss a game. The 27-year-old doesn't have much receiving upside, but he's a high-volume running back with decent efficiency numbers and touchdown upside. He should be a priority waiver wire target in Week 3 with the potential to earn a spot in fantasy lineups right away.

Running Backs - Week 3 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Wide Receivers - Week 3 Waiver Wire Rankings

Tight Ends- Week 3 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order:

Quarterbacks - Week 3 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order, with emphasis on Week 3:

Defenses (D/ST) - Week 3 Waiver Wire Rankings

Pickups are in priority order, with emphasis on Week 3:

Week 3 Waiver Wire Articles

After diving into the Week 3 rankings, read about some other free waiver wire resources available at RotoBaller:

• Week 3 waiver wire pickups (all positions)
• Week 3 FAAB waiver wire bids
• Week 3 running back waiver wire pickups
• Week 3 wide receiver waiver wire pickups
• Week 3 tight end waiver wire pickups
• Week 3 quarterback waiver wire pickups
• Week 3 defense (D/ST) streamers and pickups
• Week 3 kicker streamers and pickups

Each week, our NFL team puts out a complete array of fantasy football waiver wire articles to complement our slick Who Should I Pickup? Waiver wire player comparison tool. Bookmark it!

In addition, be on the lookout for our other waiver wire articles all season long. We will be releasing weekly waiver wire articles for each position, FAAB bidding recommendations, streamers, and more. Stay tuned!

Who Should I Pickup Tool

Trying to decide who to pickup off the waiver wire? Check the Who Should I Pickup tool here:

Who Should I Pickup for Week 3?

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Who Should I Pickup? Some common 2026 fantasy football waiver wire decisions are regarding players like Darren Waller, Jonah Coleman, Emmett Johnson, Emanuel Wilson, Zach Ertz, Tre Tucker, Kaleb Johnson, Dontayvion Wicks, Rashod Bateman, Oronde Gadsden, Kayshon Boutte, Rashid Shaheed, Mack Hollins, Kendrick Bourne, Joshua Palmer, Chris Brooks, Kirk Cousins, Bryce Young, Drew Lock, and Geno Smith. But not to worry, we are here to help make these waiver wire decisions and build winning teams in 2026. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups in 2026. 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.

2026 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players: Mack Hollins, Emmett Johnson, Eli Raridon, Kaelon Black, and Demarcus Robinson. These are some common searches for 2026 fantasy football waiver wire pickups.

Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. First, enter the player names you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player 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.

Recent Improvements For Who Should I Pickup? You may have noticed that our Who Should I Pickup? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win on the waiver wire in 2026. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!

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 Waiver Wire Searches. Curious to see some tough waiver wire decisions for 2026? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Pickup? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.

Popular Player Comparison Searches - Who To Pickup

Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Pickup tool for 2026 for Darren Waller, Jonah Coleman, Emmett Johnson, Emanuel Wilson, Zach Ertz, Tre Tucker, Kaleb Johnson, Dontayvion Wicks, Rashod Bateman, Oronde Gadsden, Kayshon Boutte, Rashid Shaheed, Mack Hollins, Kendrick Bourne, Joshua Palmer, Chris Brooks, Kirk Cousins, Bryce Young, Drew Lock, and Geno Smith.:

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