RADIO
Up is down, black is white, cats and dogs are living together. Ryan Fitzpatrick is the best QB in football (OK, behind Pat Mahomes) and Blake Bortles doubled Aaron Rodgers in fantasy points this week. Also, Joe Mixon, Devonta Freeman, and Leonard Fournette are sidelined by injuries while Le'Veon Bell continues to sideline himself. Also, the fifth-string receiver on Kansas City seems to carry more value than LeSean McCoy and Josh Gordon is suddenly looking for a new team. The waiver wire has never looked so appealing as it does early in the 2018 season.
In this weekly waiver wire series, we provide a comprehensive list of fantasy-viable players that are owned in approximately 35% or fewer fantasy leagues, so that you can make an educated decision about who to add to your squad that might actually be available.
Let’s look around the league at the players worth adding or bidding on as we move on to Week 3 of the 2018 NFL season. Be sure to also check out our weekly rankings and analysis columns, with in-depth analysis for all options heading into Week 3.
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Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options
Tyrod Taylor, Cleveland Browns - 31% owned
It wasn't a stellar performance in Week 2 (246 passing yards one TD, one INT), but he outproduced other QBs outside the top-14 like Alex Smith, Case Keenum and Derek Carr. If you stream the QB position, at least you know Taylor still has the starting job and will keep a relatively safe floor with his legs and big-play ability. The main reason he remains a viable streamer is the schedule - Cleveland faces the Jets and Raiders the next two weeks.
Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals - 27% owned
He's been on this list two weeks running and will stay on here until we take him seriously. His ownership dropped after a mediocre performance against the suspect Colts defense, but we all paid dearly for that mistake. In what was a no-brain must-sit matchup versus the Ravens on Thursday Night Football, Dalton came up huge on prime time for the first time... ever? He may not repeat his four-TD outing, but the loss of Joe Mixon for a couple weeks could force him to air it out more and could result in higher passing volume, if not efficiency.
Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars - 25% owned
The Jags got their revenge against the Pats, as Bortles led the way with three touchdowns in the first half alone. He wound up with a whopping 377 yards and four touchdowns on the day, marking the second-best fantasy day of his five-year career. He actually threw for five touchdowns and 322 yards against Tennessee three years ago. Speaking of... the Jags face Tennessee next week on the road. The absence of Leonard Fournette could have been cause for concern over the entire offense, but new receivers Donte Moncrief and Austin Seferian-Jenkins made an impact and Keelan Cole appears to be pretty good. With Fournette's availability still up in the air and the chance for a letdown game, Bortles is a dice roll as always, but one that might pay off.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 20% owned
Who is that man playing quarterback for Tampa Bay and what have you done with Ryan Fitzpatrick? He's thrown for over 400 passing yards and four touchdowns in each of the first two games. A matchup with the Steelers that looks to have the highest over/under of the coming week seems like a good time to take a chance on his repeating his magic (again) since the Bucs aren't even pretending to run the ball.
Running Backs - Waiver Wire Options
Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals - 27% owned
Although this list is organized by ownership level, Bernard is undoubtedly the top RB add of the week. Joe Mixon is estimated to be out 2-3 weeks, so Bernard becomes the RB1 on a surprisingly effective offense. Rookie Mark Walton may be worked into the mix, but has been inactive the last two weeks and is no threat to steal valuable carries. Bernard should see at least 20-25 touches a game in Mixon's absence. In Weeks 13-14 last season when Mixon was out, Bernard totaled 130 and 43 yards respectively. That 43-yard effort came on the road against the Vikings in a 34-7 loss, which limited the effectiveness of the running game. With Mixon back in Week 15, Bernard exploded for 116 rushing yards and 168 total plus a touchdown. Make a bid for him in every league he's available, as starting running backs must be gobbled up whenever possible.
LeGarrette Blount, Detroit Lions - 22% owned
If you're in a full PPR league, feel free to skip to the next player. Standard league owners already know about Blount and his 18-touchdown season in 2016. Last year was a huge dropoff and going to Detroit, a.k.a. No Man's Land for running backs, didn't figure to help his value. He is still touchdown-dependent and hasn't scored yet, but better days could be ahead once the Lions offense really gets going. Of course, that assumes the defense ever shows up for an entire game. Theo Riddick's ankle injury didn't appear serious, but if it lingers in practice this week it could hold him out of action. This wouldn't seem to directly benefit Blount, but one less running back means more touches for both Kerryon Johnson and Blount. Johnson is probably owned in your league so consider pivoting to Blount if you're desperate. Concerns over a possible suspension for his late-game defense of his teammates could be overblown. It's not impossible that he receives punishment from the NFL, but that doesn't make him worth dropping just yet.
Corey Clement, Philadelphia Eagles - 21% owned
Just when it looked like Clement might find himself with a diminished role, he momentarily became the lead back for the defending champs. Darren Sproles was already out with a hamstring injury and Jay Ajayi missed two quarters against Tampa with a back issue. Although he returned, Ajayi's sketchy health record makes him one player you want to handcuff. Clement only saw six carries and six targets in Week 2, but turned those touches into 85 yards and touchdown. He's stashable if you have space in PPR leagues.
Javorius Allen, Baltimore Ravens - 8% owned
With Kenneth Dixon (knee) out of the mix for several weeks, Allen will stay busy on passing downs and short-yardage plays. He had a very Buck Allen-like day with five catches 36 yards, six carries for eight yards and a touchdown. It's never pretty, but at the end of the day Allen is good for double-digit fantasy games on a regular basis and is flex-worthy in leagues that utilize more than one flex spot.
Ito Smith, Atlanta Falcons - 2% owned
Now that Tevin Coleman is the lead back, Ito Smith assumes RB2 duties. If Coleman was worth a mid-round pick this season, it stands to reason that Smith holds similar value if he performs well. He carried the ball nine times for 46 yards while catching one pass for eight yards against Carolina. "The Judge" is a diminutive 5'9" but has 4.5 speed that makes him a breakaway threat.
Others to consider: Jordan Wilkins, Indianapolis Colts (39% owned); Ty Montgomery, Green Bay Packers (22% owned); Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis Colts (5% owned)
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options
Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 35% owned
You wouldn't be blamed for doubting if Fitzpatrick's Bucs were for real, but it's still a shock to see that Godwin's ownership barely climbed after last week, especially when DeSean Jackson was questionable to play. Even with Jackson on the field, Godwin came away with 56 yards and a touchdown in Week 2. The second-year pro has seen 10 targets over the first two games and has proven to be a red zone threat. He may be taking the second-year leap that many predicted in the preseason.
Geronimo Allison, Green Bay Packers - 31% owned
It wasn't a huge stat line, but Allison caught all six of the balls thrown his way for 64 yards and outproduced Randall Cobb (four catches, 30 yards) on the same numbers of targets. It's especially encouraging to see a productive outing in one of the toughest defensive matchups the Pack will see all season. It appears he won't be dependent on red zone usage for value, although having a 6'3" frame doesn't hurt in that respect.
John Brown, Baltimore Ravens - 25% owned
Brown has scored twice in the first two games, but you should also pay attention to the fact he was targeted 10 times in Week 2. The Ravens will continue to chuck the ball with great frequency and Brown is the WR2 there. He's been just as productive as Michael Crabtree thus far, but is available in three-fourths of fantasy leagues. It may not have been health concerns alone holding him back in Arizona, now that we see just how low the Cardinals have fallen on offense even with David Johnson back.
Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons - 22% owned
The rookie went without a catch in the first game, but broke out in a big way against the Panthers in game two of his NFL career. Ridley caught his first touchdown and finished with 64 yards on four receptions. With Julio Jones conspicuously quiet, while Ridley and TE Austin Hooper scored touchdowns, it seems as if the Falcons may be trying to diversify things in the interest of efficiency. It worked, as they came away with 31 points and a key divisional victory. Ridley could surpass Sanu as the team's second-leading target before long.
Dante Pettis, San Francisco 49ers - 22% owned
Pettis didn't stand out in Week 2 even though Marquise Goodwin didn't suit up at all. Pettis was held to one catch for 35 yards in a forgettable follow-up to his impressive debut. He plays the deep threat in this offense and may be big-play dependent, making him more of a boom-bust option.
Dede Westbrook, Jacksonville Jaguars - 17% owned
Of course, the WR4 on Jacksonville is a fantasy stud! Westbrook entered the year low on the depth chart but a season-ending injury to Marqise Lee has cleared things up a bit. Although Keelan Cole led the way this time around, Westbrook turned in a huge game-clinching 61-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to pad his stats at the end. He's seen 11 targets in two games so far, catching nine for a total of 134 yards. Westbrook was a prolific pass-catcher at Oklahoma and brings blazing speed to the table, giving him just as much upside as Ridley or Pettis, albeit in a less pass-friendly offense. At least that's what we used to think. If Donte Moncrief's knee injury proves serious enough that he misses game action, Westbrook borders on must-add territory in PPR leagues.
Antonio Callaway, Cleveland Browns - 6% owned
Callaway was already on this list as of Saturday evening when it was discovered the Browns were planning to release Josh Gordon. Callaway now seems to be entrenched as the team's No. 2 receiver and nearly helped the team come away with a win after a huge 47-yard touchdown grab toward the end of regulation. Of course, Browns gonna Brown so they managed to lose at the last second, but that doesn't change the fact that Callaway's stock is rising fast. He led the team in receiving in Week 2, outproducing even Jarvis Landry. This isn't quite a high-volume passing attack, but at some point if Baker Mayfield takes the reins at QB, Callaway could see his target volume rise even more.
Others worth consideration: Phillip Dorsett, New England Patriots (22% owned); Terrelle Pryor, New York Jets (4% owned); James Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers (3% owned); Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals (2% owned)
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Jacksonville Jaguars - 32% owned
Another Jag... jeez. ASJ caught his first TD with his new team and presents a moderate red zone threat on the field. He won't see a lot of action aside from that, so prioritize him in standard leagues but feel free to look elsewhere in PPR.
Austin Hooper, Atlanta Falcons - 16% owned
Touchdown aside, Hooper caught all five of the passes aimed his way and might be carving out a role for himself finally. He's the only tight end to catch a pass for Atlanta so far this season, as Levine Toilolo is now with Detroit and new backup Logan Paulsen has never caught as many as 30 passes in a season.
Jesse James, Pittsburgh Steelers - 9% owned
Vance McDonald returns, Jesse James goes off, just like we expected. Week 2 marked the first time James ever went over 100 yards in a game, logging 138 yards on five catches with a touchdown. This was a shootout at its finest and Kansas City's defense isn't the best measuring stick but James had already put up 60 yards in Week 1. He won't be a reliable weekly option, but then again, Tampa Bay is up next on the schedule.
Jake Butt, Denver Broncos - 3% owned
Butt's targets and receptions went up by two in Week 2, although four catches for 48 yards is still not going to make any waves in the fantasy landscape. He was the second-leading pass-catcher for the Broncos, however, and Jeff Heuerman isn't going to be a big threat in the offense. He's a speculative add at this point.
Others worth consideration: Ricky Seals-Jones, Arizona Cardinals (27% owned); Will Dissly, Seattle Seahawks (29% owned); Ian Thomas, Carolina Panthers (7% owned)
More Fantasy Football Analysis
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