Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Early Must-Adds For Week 3

Here's a list to kickstart your fantasy football waiver wire plans for Week 3.

Week 2 is nearly complete, but it’s time for fantasy football managers to start looking at Week 3 and potential waiver wire moves.

Here are some early waiver wire adds to prioritize for Week 3.

Ty Chandler, RB, Minnesota Vikings

Aaron Jones had more touches on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, but Chandler had one more carry (10) with 82 rushing yards to Jones’ 32. A 25-yard run skewed that a bit, but Jones had just one more touch after what could have been a costly fumble near the goal line at the end of a reception late in the third quarter. Jones also went into the medical tent during the game before returning.

Chandler lost out to Jones in the passing game on Sunday, six targets to zero, but Chandler did have three catches in Week 1 and he was the better runner against the 49ers. Overall, the snap split dramatically favored Jones for the second straight game.

That said, Chandler might be working himself toward a timeshare with a running back who will turn 30 in December, and at minimum he’s the handcuff to Jones. That’s enough to make him rosterable immediately in 12-team leagues.

ESPN Ownership: 46.7%
Yahoo! Ownership: 29%

Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints

The Saints had another blowout win on Sunday, this time 44-19 over the Dallas Cowboys. Carr had two touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown in the first half, and three of his five touchdown passes through two games this season have been 50-plus yards.

It was expected to come in Week 2, but the Saints will surely have far tougher games going forward. From Week 3-6 they face the Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Carr has not had to throw very much thus far (39 pass attempts through two games), but that is in line to naturally change. Maybe a lot.

The Saints’ offense is really clicking so far under new coordinator Klint Kubiak. Carr has never been a very exciting fantasy signal caller, but his efficient start is about to meet more (necessary) passing volume and that makes him a must-add in all leagues.

ESPN Ownership: 9.5%
Yahoo! Ownership: 19%

Demarcus Robinson, WR, Los Angeles Rams

It was a rough day on Sunday for the Rams. A 41-10 loss was bad enough, but wide receiver Cooper Kupp suffered an ankle injury and left the locker room in a walking boot.

Robinson became a popular waiver wire add last week when the Rams’ other star receiver, Puka Nacua (right knee) went on IR. Now with Kupp’s health in question, he’s going to be popular again this week.

Robinson had two catches for 50 yards on Sunday, highlighted by a 42-yarder. If Kupp is out too, in Week 3 and/or beyond, you’re looking at the Rams’ No. 1 wide receiver. Everyone else (Tyler Johnson, Jordan Whittington, Tutu Atwell) has far narrower appeal as a waiver wire add.

Late last season, depending on how you set the stretch of weeks and with scoring format in mind, Robinson was a WR2/WR3 in fantasy. He can be that again with a a large role in front of him, so he should be added in all 12-team leagues.

ESPN Ownership: 33.7%
Yahoo! Ownership: 42%

Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay didn’t get much going on the ground against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, with quarterback Baker Mayfield as their leading rusher (34 yards). But Irving was more effective than Rachaad White, with 22 yards on seven carries to White’s 18 yards on 10 carries.

White did leave the game very briefly with a groin injury, but overall (h/t to Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus) Irving took a larger share of early down snaps than he had in Week 1.

Adding Irving is still more of a projection move than anything, but he should be rostered in a lot more leagues as he slowly eats into White’s role/fantasy value.

ESPN Ownership: 29.6%
Yahoo! Ownership: 34%

Hunter Henry, TE, New England Patriots

After a dud in Week 1 (two catches for 18 yards), Henry had eight receptions for a career-high 109 yards against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. His 12 targets were nearly a 50 percent target share from quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Brissett has some history of affinity for throwing to tight ends, for whatever it’s worth for as long as he may be starting under center for New England.

The Patriots also lack proven options at wide receiver, as they’ve gone young there. So Henry stands to be a prominent target more weeks than not, and if anything Week 1 might be his low-water mark.

Double-digit targets and 100 yards is obviously not what the weekly expectation should be for Henry, and there are some far tougher matchups coming. But with some lean toward PPR formats, Henry is in play as an add for anyone who needs tight end help.

ESPN Ownership: 10%
Yahoo! Ownership: 24%

Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

With D.J Chark on IR and Josh Palmer limited by a knee injury, Johnston became the featured outside receiver for the Chargers Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. He had five catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns, on six targets. If Justin Herbert had needed to throw the ball more than 20 times in a 26-3 win, Johnston would surely have more catches and yards.

The Chargers will favor the run game with Jim Harbaugh as head coach and Greg Roman as offensive coordinator. But a wide receiver will naturally be fantasy viable with Herbert as the quarterback, and there’s nothing keeping that from being Johnston if he can put his struggles as a rookie last year behind him.

To be fair, Johnston is mostly a viable add in deeper leagues this week. But there are worse ways to fill a bench spot in leagues with 12 or more teams, if only speculatively to see if Sunday turns into something.

ESPN Ownership: 6.9%
Yahoo! Ownership: 7%

Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings

A big chunk of his yardage Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers (268 yards) came on a 97-yard touchdown to Justin Jefferson, but Darnold has two touchdowns passes in each of the first two games this season.

Jordan Addison (ankle) missed Sunday’s game, and Jefferson suffered a quad injury during the game. So the Vikings’ receiving corps could be very thin in Week 3 against the Houston Texans, though Jefferson didn’t seem overly concerned about his injury.

In any case, Darnold has a lot of good around him to foster success.
Surrounding a Week 6 bye, matchups against the Texans, Green Bay Packers (Week 4), Detroit Lions (Week 7), Los Angeles Rams (Week 8), Indianapolis Colts (Week 9) and Jacksonville Jaguars (Week 9) look solid.

Darnold, as expressed by some during the preseason and after his Week 2 performance, has a path to being “this year’s Baker Mayfield” in fantasy. Anyone looking for a streamer for many of the coming weeks, or generally a QB2 in leagues with at least 12 teams, should have him on their radar.

ESPN Ownership: 5.6%
Yahoo! Ownership: 13%