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Matt MacKay's must-have fantasy football bench stashes and sleepers ahead of Week 3. He picks high-upside players to stash on your teams who can emerge.
There are numerous high-upside bench stashes to prioritize on league waiver wires entering Week 3. Injuries are ramping up already, and players we expected would sit and develop are instead nearing roles that include opportunities to contribute within their respective offense.
Whether a rookie or a veteran in a reasonable situation, please take advantage of these under-the-radar players and stash them on your bench to prepare for mid and late-season production. Winning fantasy leagues is all about patience and identifying plus situations and matchups.
Let's review a few players who meet these bench stash parameters, allowing you to drop that player on your roster currently occupying space for no reason.
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Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
The abrupt departure of Jared Goff from the Los Angeles Rams has seen virtually everyone discard his ability to play quarterback. However, Goff did lead the Rams to an NFC Championship win over the New Orleans Saints in 2019 and still possesses arm talent, as he is 12th in the league in passing yards.
Even in one QB leagues, stash Goff as injury insurance or to fill a bye week. He airs it out frequently to T.J. Hockenson, D'Andre Swift, and Quintez Cephus, thanks to the Lions' defense allowing 70 points through two games. Goff is a solid quarterback to stash moving forward.
Trey Sermon, San Francisco 49ers
First, it was the inability to acclimate to the NFL. Now it's dealing with the concussion protocol. As a result, the start to rookie running back Trey Sermon's career has been rocky. However, he could very soon find himself RB1 in one of the most potent rushing attacks in the league.
Sermon dazzled at Oklahoma and Ohio State and delivered a more physical, one-cut style than most of their current running back personnel. Stash Sermon off of waivers if he's still available on the waiver wire, as his usage expectancy is already surging thanks to injuries within the 49ers backfield.
Jacques Patrick, San Francisco 49ers
Patrick, a rormer undrafted running back and XFL player, has been signed off of the Cincinnati Bengals practice squad to the San Francisco 49ers. This move was made amidst the numerous injuries in the 49ers' backfield. Patrick still has yet to log any meaningful snaps in a regular-season game, but he did average 5.0 YPC with Cincinnati this preseason.
The backfield remains a carousel of young talent, so why can't Patrick claim a stake to certify himself as a consistent contributor? Grab him off of waivers to tap into the unknown potential.
Olamide Zaccheaus, Atlanta Falcons
The 24-year old Atlanta Falcons wideout saw increased usage against a vulnerable Tampa Bay secondary in Week 2, collecting four targets for 22 yards. While these aren't eye-popping metrics, Olamide Zaccheaus remains ahead of Russell Gage, Hayden Hurst, and Cordarrelle Patterson in terms of snap percentage.
Two of the Falcons' next three opponents rank in the top half of the league in points allowed to opposing wide receivers, meaning Zaccheaus could quickly become a Flex option as the WR2 on a pass-centric football team. So stash him and watch the ascension.
Jamison Crowder, New York Jets
The most coveted New York Jets player for fantasy purposes in 2020 was slot receiver Jamison Crowder. He's been on the mend recovering from a groin injury sustained in training camp but should step into a primary role to help out rookie quarterback Zach Wilson.
Braxton Berrios will not continue to be the alpha target for the Jets, so stash Crowder before he returns as a healthy alpha target in the offense.
Anthony Miller, Houston Texans
The Houston Texans offense has functioned strictly through Brandin Cooks in the first three weeks, as he has soaked up 37.6 percent of the targets. The injury to Tyrod Taylor saw rookie Davis Mills step under center in Week 3. While it was a poor outing overall, Anthony Miller was targeted six times, which turned into four receptions for 20 yards and a touchdown.
He's trending towards out-snapping Chris Conley as the Texans' WR2 and won't have to worry about the team's running backs taking away targets. So stash him ASAP if still available on waiver wires, as he will likely be one of the more sought-after prospects due to the primetime touchdown in Week 3.
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rookie tight end Pat Freiermuth caught multiple touchdowns in the preseason, providing a big reliable target for Ben Roethlisberger to find in the red zone. This momentum and talent have led to already out-snapping (54.4%) veteran Eric Ebron (44.7%) through the first two weeks. Freiermuth is fourth in receiving yards (60) and has caught all five of his targets, while Ebron has dropped two of four.
It won't be long before Freiermuth repeats a double touchdown outing in the regular season, so get ahead of your league mates by stashing him at the end of your bench. If you're streaming tight ends, the rookie could quickly become the answer to your frustrations.
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