We made it through Week 2 but not without injuries and underperformances.
If you have had injuries or are looking for a player to add to your team because you had some under-performing players in week 2, then I am here for you.
I will give names to pickup and beside each name I will put a percentage. This will be a percentage for how much that player is being rostered in general. These are in no particular order; they are laid out by position.
Running Back
Jerome Ford (18%) What a gruesome injury for Nick Chubb. I know he is out for the season but hopefully he can maintain a career. By the time you read this, we should have some clarity on how bad the injury really is. In the football world and fantasy world we have to move on to next man up and Monday night that was Jerome Ford. He had 16 carries for 106 yards and 3 receptions for 25 yards and a TD. I think Ford is the name to grab for everyone that needs/wants a RB2 with RB1 upside. The Browns will bring in a RB, maybe Kareem Hunt (13%), Leonard Fournette (3%) or they trade for Cam Akers. Go get Ford but put in a secondary waiver pick for Hunt or Fournette.
Kyren Williams (63%) Speaking of Cam Akers, he had been benched and will probably be traded or released this week. If for any reason he is still available, go get him. He will be “the RB” for the Rams.
Matt Breida (2%), Eric Gray (0%). With the news of Saqoun Barkley tweaking an ankle, Breida was the first RB that game into the game when Barkley went down. The MRI for Barkley came back as “ordinary ankle sprain”. Expectation is 2-3 weeks that he will miss. I am avoiding this hot mess of RBs behind Barkley, nobody is going to give you what he gave you. You aren’t going to get the double digit points that Barkley gave you and even if you guess right on who to plug in, are you going to be happy with their 4 points of production every week? If you need a RB short-term, then pick up Breida, if you need a RB long-term, I would take a shot on Gray.
Other RBs to consider: Justice Hill (44%), Gus Edwards (65%), Tony Jones Jr. (1%), Craig Reynolds (0%)
Wide Receivers
Tank Dell (5%) Tank Dell was a favorite of CJ Stroud in the NFL Draft, and they started building chemistry as the season has gone on. In Week 2 he had 7 grabs on 10 targets for 72 yards and one TD. Dell and Nico Collins are slowly emerging as the top targets for Stroud.
Josh Reynolds (13%) Reynolds was a favorite target of Jared Goff in Los Angeles, and he has become a favorite target in Detroit. He is averaging 17.5 points per game (4.5 receptions, 73 yards a TD). He could be a flex option at least until Jameson Williams comes back but I have feeling that Reynolds is someone you will want to keep around all season.
Cedric Tillman (0%) Amari Cooper was a late add to the injury report for the Monday Night Football game with groin injury. He did end up playing but he has a history of injuries. This is sneakier pick up and I probably wouldn’t waste a waiver move or FAAB on him. Wait until after waivers run and then grab him as a free agent. If Cooper misses time, I am leaning Cedric Tillman as the player to own. Tillman would replace Cooper on the roster and DPJ would keep his current role.
Other WRs to consider: Nico Collins (61%), Nelson Agholor (0%), Marvin Mims Jr. (3%)
Tight End
Zach Ertz (10%) The Cardinals are going to be a dumpster fire all season and we can’t stop that, but someone has to catch the ball and Ertz was targeted 8 times catching 6. Ertz has always been a solid, steady, productive TE and I think you can count him as at least a TE2 going forward.
Luke Musgrave (25%) I like Musgrave and I think as this offense evolves, his opportunities will evolve. He has been targeted 7 times in two games. He may not pay off right away and may only be a stash hope type of player. If you have room on your bench to stash him or if you need a TE right now, you probably can’t do much better than Musgrave.
Other TEs to consider: Hunter Henry (55%), Logan Thomas (3%), Kylen Granson (0%)
Quarterback
Jordan Love (61%) Two games in and three scores each game. Each game he is going to get better and better and once Watson comes back and brings him another weapon, he should be good for 15-20 points per week.
Matthew Stafford (35%) He looked rejuvenated and ready to take on the world, throwing for 334 yards in their week one win. As long as his surgically repaired neck holds up, he could at least give you a solid 15 points per week.
Mac Jones (23%) This is one I really like. I think this is positive year for Mac Jones and he comes back strong from a miserable 2022 season. He has Bill O’Brien back (they were at Alabama together) as his offensive coordinator and I think he shines in the offense all season. He could also be a surprise QB on fantasy championship teams.
Other QB to consider: CJ Stroud (9%), Baker Mayfield (15%), Ryan Tannehill (7%)
Thank you for reading my Waiver Wire Report. I hope that I have helped you find the best Waiver Wire options for Week 3.
An Air Force veteran, Jeremiah Orcutt lives in Wilmington. You can find the rest of his work year round at www.fantasyholics.com; www.facebook.com/thefantasyholics; Twitter (X) @fantasyholics1
