by Optimus Staff
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If you like winning, come back every week for under-the-radar fantasy waiver wire pickups to keep you in contention until the final contest. We leave no stone unturned to ensure we give you the BEST chance to win week in and week out. Let’s get to it with our Week 3 waiver wire pickups.
~ Check out our Week 3 Fantasy Football Rankings ~
Fantasy managers: “Week 1 was a brutal way to start the fantasy football season.”
Week 2:” Hold my beer.”
It was that kind of week, and it started on Thursday night. The Miami Dolphins offense crapped the bed, putting up a pedestrian 10 points, with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle combining for seven catches, 65 receiving yards and no TDs. To add insult to injury, Miami also lost QB Tua Tagovailoa and RB Jeff Wilson for an undetermined amount of time.
Need more? Good. 49ers multi-tool Deebo Samuel will miss multiple weeks with a calf injury, Rams WR Cooper Kupp left State Farm Stadium on Sunday in a walking boot, Chiefs RB Isaiah Pacheco is heading to IR with a fractured fibula and the list goes on.
It might feel like your options are becoming slight, but plenty of value exists. Here are my favorite low-cost additions and streaming D/STs on the Week 3 waiver wire.
Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups
Terms to Know:
- PPR – Point Per Reception
- FAAB – Free Agency Acquisition Budget
- IR – Injured Reserve
- FUBAR – IYKYK
Week 3 Waiver Wire QBs
Justin Fields (QB – PIT) | 31.9%
Football feels more fun when Justin Fields is on the field, and the first two weeks of the season have given us just that.
It isn’t always pretty.
It isn’t always fruitful in the real world of football.
But, when it comes to fantasy football, Fields produces when he gets the chance.
The Fields-led Steelers being 2-0 is one of the bigger surprises two weeks into the 2024 season. It hasn’t been flashy or fruitful for fantasy football so far – Fields is currently the overall QB22 – but it’s worked. Fields got off to a slow start in 2022, clocking in as the overall QB31 through four weeks before finishing the season as QB6 despite missing two games down the stretch.
Week 3 sees Pittsburgh hosting the Chargers, who have allowed a league-low 7.4 fantasy points to QBs.
Los Angeles could be a tough matchup for Fields, but it could also force him to go off-script and play street ball, which is when he is most effective for fantasy football.
More than anything, the Steelers love winning, and Mike Tomlin will stick with what’s working. The team is 2-0 on the back of Fields, and right now, there is an opportunity to get him rostered at a discount. Hedge your bets on the athleticism and play-making ability – and drop five to seven percent of your remaining FAAB to get Fields on your squad.
Tyler Huntley (QB – MIA) | 0.1%
Former Baltimore Ravens legend Tyler Huntley has a new home, folks. With Tagovailoa out for the foreseeable future, Miami hit free agency and snagged Huntley off the Ravens practice squad this past weekend.
Huntley won’t be the starter immediately for the Dolphins’ speedy offense, but it’s likely only a matter of time. Skylar Thompson, the current next-man-up for Miami, has logged one career start. That came back in 2022, and he completed 21 of his 30 passing attempts for 152 yards.
While it was an admirable performance, this team has playoff aspirations, and Huntley has more experience.
Huntley has logged nine starts, 11 total touchdowns, seven interceptions, and 509 rushing yards in four seasons. While that’s more experience than Thompson, it still isn’t much.
The bet is on Mike McDaniel getting creative and finding ways to use Huntley’s rushing acumen.
If you have some free bench spots – who doesn’t with all the injuries – Huntley is worth an emergency stash. He’ll be free this week and likely next, but once he sees the field, his price will go up. Get your security blanket now, and save your FAAB for later.
Week 3 Waiver Wire RBs
Jaylen Wright (RB – MIA) | 25.2%
The NFL moves fast, and Week 3 has me very high on some of the less-coveted Miami Dolphins offensive assets. Leading up to Week 1, I wouldn’t have believed you if you said I’d be telling people to roster rookie RB Jaylen Wright.
However, no one could foresee the rash of injuries in Miami and league-wide to start the season.
Wright has seen limited work so far this season, partly due to his continued recovery from a hand injury suffered at the end of last season. He was inactive in Week 1 against Jacksonville and saw five carries for four yards on Thursday night against Buffalo.
However, despite a minimal sample size at the NFL level, Wright will likely be thrust into a more prominent role in Week 3 in Seattle. Raheem Mostert is unlikely to play despite avoiding IR thus far, and Jeff Wilson suffered an oblique injury against the Bills and did not return. Wilson may be a game-time decision, but Wright will be active and have an opportunity to earn more work.
With Tua out indefinitely, the Miami run game will be crucial to bridging the gap and staying in contention in the AFC East.
That makes Wright a valuable fantasy acquisition, whether as a handcuff to De’Von Achane or a stand-alone flex option down the line.
Less than three percent of your remaining FAAB should land you a share of Wright as a solid wait-and-see bench addition.
Cam Akers (RB – HOU) | 0.5%
The Houston Texans are legit, folks. The offseason additions of WR Stefon Diggs and RB Joe Mixon have proved fruitful, with the pair contributing three touchdowns and 298 yards of total offense. A less talked about addition, RB Cam Akers, could also have a fantasy impact on a powerful Texans team.
Akers was a highly-touted prospect heading into his rookie season, but his progress was slowed by a multitude of injuries, culminating in an Achilles tear in OTAs in 2021. Akers hasn’t been quite the same explosive back he was before the Achilles injury, which isn’t surprising. However, now three full years removed from the injury, he could find himself fantasy-relevant again.
While Mixon has been nothing short of elite in his first two games in Houston – he is the PPR RB10 with 39 carries for 184 yards and a TD plus six catches for 44 yards – the NFL isn’t a one-back-system kind of league.
Akers isn’t going to light your roster on fire. He was inactive in Week 1 and saw seven carries for 32 yards in his season debut last week. However, with injuries piling up, getting anyone who can provide points on your roster could be the difference between a fantasy football win and a loss. Akers likely will clear your Week 3 waiver wire and be ripe for the picking on Wednesday morning.
Week 3 Waiver Wire WRs
Tyler Johnson (WR – LAR) | 12.9%
With Kupp & Nacua set to miss extended time, Johnson is falling into opportunity. The healthy Rams WR corps consists of Johnson, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Whittington and Tutu Atwell. Robinson and Johnson have separated themselves from the other two WRs, earning 10 targets this season. Their stat lines are nearly identical, and they now find themselves as the WR1 and WR2 in an offense that has thrown the ball almost 80 times in two games.
While Stafford and the Rams are without their start WR duo, Tyler Johnson will get plenty of opportunities to score fantasy points.
It’s not pretty, and Johnson is anything but a long-term solution for your fantasy football roster woes. However, Johnson will be the WR2 in a pass-forward offense for the next four to six weeks.
Times are desperate. If you want Johnson, you’ll have to spend money. Get ready to drop five to seven percent of your FAAB to get in on Johnson. If the Kupp and Nacau injuries linger, Johnson could become a long-term value addition.
Elijah Moore (WR – CLE) | 0.8%
You don’t have to be a fan of the Cleveland Browns offense to like what you’ve seen from Elijah Moore. The fourth-year WR out of Ole Miss has drawn 14 targets through two games this season, totaling nine catches for 53 yards. While Moore is listed as the WR3 on the Browns’ depth chart, behind fellow veterans Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy, it hasn’t shown in his usage and opportunity.
Moore is currently second on the team in targets (14) and leads the team in catches (9) and route participation percentage (93.3). His Week 2 stat line (6 catches, 44 yards receiving) was good enough for 10.4 PPR fantasy points, or WR29 overall.
There are many questions surrounding the Browns – chiefly QB Deshaun Watson’s long-term viability as a starter – and very few answers right now. However, Moore is getting volume – thanks to his mastery of short and intermediate routes – which matters most in fantasy football.
Like most players you’re rostering off the waiver wire, Moore’s long-term viability in fantasy isn’t excellent. However, given the rash of injuries fantasy managers are trying to navigate right now, he can provide a solid flex play over the next few weeks as your roster gets healthy.
Cleveland’s next three opponents are in the league’s bottom half in fantasy points allowed to WRs.
Drop into the waiver wire and get Moore for two to three percent of your remaining FAAB budget.
Week 3 Waiver Wire TEs
Hunter Henry (TE – NE) | 10.1%
We weren’t supposed to be excited about any part of this 2024 New England Patriots offense. To be clear, we still aren’t, but we do have an answer to who will be the primary receiving target in this offense.
It’s Hunter Henry.
Through two weeks of play, Henry is outpacing the rest of the receiving corps by almost double in targets (15) and catches (10). The next closest receiver to Henry in yards (127) is the Patriots TE2, Austin Hooper (36).
This isn’t rocket science. Henry is the proverbial WR1 in New England. You don’t have to like the offense to love the volume.
Adding Henry to your roster is a no-brainer in a landscape devoid of TEs drawing a high target share. If you must spend 10 to 15 percent of your remaining FAAB, do it. Only a handful of TEs will get as much of their team’s target share as Henry is seeing, and you want that on your roster.
Jonnu Smith (TE – MIA) | 2.3%
There is zero chance I will get through a season of fantasy football waiver wire articles without writing up Jonnu Smith. Somehow, someway, he always finds a way to make us believe he will be relevant. It just isn’t usually this early on in the season. Yet, here we are after a Week 2 Miami meltdown against Buffalo.
Despite the offensive meltdown that saw Hill walk away with a scant three receptions for 24 yards to add to one carry for 12 yards, Smith was a bright spot. He caught six of his seven targets for 53 yards, locking in 11.3 PPR fantasy points and finishing the week as the overall PPR TE6.
Miami has a quarterback conundrum with Tua likely out for the foreseeable future. The aforementioned Huntley will likely come into play as the starter, but for Week 3, we are looking at Thompson behind center.
The veteran Smith provides a dynamic, versatile weapon for whichever QB is behind center in Tua’s absence. While Hill and Waddle limit his opportunities, the bar at TE is low this season. One big play, or a peppering of targets, could get you a top-12 finish from Smith.
He isn’t a hot commodity among Week 3 waiver wire targets, so drop one percent of your remaining FAAB budget if you think other managers are as savvy as you, just to be safe.
Streaming D/STs
Chicago Bears (CHI) @ IND
Second-year QB Anthony Richardson has been fun to watch through two weeks of the NFL season, but to say he has been elite would be a lie. Richardson’s PFF passing grade of 54.6 is 25th amongst all QBs this season, and his 4 INTs are tied with Broncos rookie Bo Nix for the most in the league through Week 2.
The Colts draw the third-highest-rated D/ST in the league this week in the Chicago Bears. Through two games, they are tied for ninth in total sacks (6) and QBR allowed (74.8), eighth in yards allowed per game and sixth in points allowed per game (18).
It’s too early to tell if this defense will continue this trend through the 2024 season, but it’s unlikely to change versus a young, inexperienced Colts offense.
Look for a multiple turnover and sack effort from the Chicago defense, making them a top-tier D/ST streaming option for your Week 3 fantasy football squads.
Las Vegas Raiders (LV) vs Carolina
Bryce Young is out at QB, and veteran Andy “The Pale Squirtgun” Dalton is in. That doesn’t change the fact that Carolina’s offense is putrid.
Dalton might breathe some life into this team, but it won’t be in Week 3 on the road against a Raiders defense that just held the explosive Ravens offense to 23 points.
Maxx Crosby and Company should get Dalton rattled early and generate turnover opportunities. The Las Vegas D/ST won’t be a unit you can rely on every week, but against a ragtag Panthers team with no identity, they’re an easy fantasy football streaming option in Week 3.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TB) vs DEN
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on a roll. While a considerable part of that has been the efficiency of the offense and the resurgence of quarterback Baker Mayfield, their D/ST has also contributed to their early-season success. Through two weeks, the Bucs D/ST unit ranks eighth in total QBR allowed (72.3) and seventh in points allowed per game (18) despite having faced rookie Jayden Daniels and the high-powered Detroit Lions defense this season.
Week 3 has Tampa Bay up against Denver and rookie QB Bo Nix, who can’t seem to get out of his own way.
Last week was a masterclass in ineptitude from Denver, where Nix added to his three Week 1 INTs with two more against the Steelers staunch D/ST.
The team has managed just one TD through two games and boasts Nix as their leading rusher (60 rushing yards) through two weeks of the season.
This matchup screams big-time fantasy points for the Bucs D/ST. Ride them out this week, but beware: You’ll want to ditch them before their Week 4 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Nate Polvogt is a Co-Founder and the lead senior analyst for Optimus Fantasy Football. Find more from Nate on X (formerly Twitter) @NatePolvogt and on Optimus Fantasy.
by Optimus Staff
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If you like winning, come back every week for under-the-radar fantasy waiver wire pickups to keep you in contention until the final contest. We leave no stone unturned to ensure we give you the BEST chance to win week in and week out. Let’s get to it with our Week 3 waiver wire pickups.
~ Check out our Week 3 Fantasy Football Rankings ~
Fantasy managers: “Week 1 was a brutal way to start the fantasy football season.”
Week 2:” Hold my beer.”
It was that kind of week, and it started on Thursday night. The Miami Dolphins offense crapped the bed, putting up a pedestrian 10 points, with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle combining for seven catches, 65 receiving yards and no TDs. To add insult to injury, Miami also lost QB Tua Tagovailoa and RB Jeff Wilson for an undetermined amount of time.
Need more? Good. 49ers multi-tool Deebo Samuel will miss multiple weeks with a calf injury, Rams WR Cooper Kupp left State Farm Stadium on Sunday in a walking boot, Chiefs RB Isaiah Pacheco is heading to IR with a fractured fibula and the list goes on.
It might feel like your options are becoming slight, but plenty of value exists. Here are my favorite low-cost additions and streaming D/STs on the Week 3 waiver wire.
Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups
Terms to Know:
- PPR – Point Per Reception
- FAAB – Free Agency Acquisition Budget
- IR – Injured Reserve
- FUBAR – IYKYK
Week 3 Waiver Wire QBs
Justin Fields (QB – PIT) | 31.9%
Football feels more fun when Justin Fields is on the field, and the first two weeks of the season have given us just that.
It isn’t always pretty.
It isn’t always fruitful in the real world of football.
But, when it comes to fantasy football, Fields produces when he gets the chance.
The Fields-led Steelers being 2-0 is one of the bigger surprises two weeks into the 2024 season. It hasn’t been flashy or fruitful for fantasy football so far – Fields is currently the overall QB22 – but it’s worked. Fields got off to a slow start in 2022, clocking in as the overall QB31 through four weeks before finishing the season as QB6 despite missing two games down the stretch.
Week 3 sees Pittsburgh hosting the Chargers, who have allowed a league-low 7.4 fantasy points to QBs.
Los Angeles could be a tough matchup for Fields, but it could also force him to go off-script and play street ball, which is when he is most effective for fantasy football.
More than anything, the Steelers love winning, and Mike Tomlin will stick with what’s working. The team is 2-0 on the back of Fields, and right now, there is an opportunity to get him rostered at a discount. Hedge your bets on the athleticism and play-making ability – and drop five to seven percent of your remaining FAAB to get Fields on your squad.
Tyler Huntley (QB – MIA) | 0.1%
Former Baltimore Ravens legend Tyler Huntley has a new home, folks. With Tagovailoa out for the foreseeable future, Miami hit free agency and snagged Huntley off the Ravens practice squad this past weekend.
Huntley won’t be the starter immediately for the Dolphins’ speedy offense, but it’s likely only a matter of time. Skylar Thompson, the current next-man-up for Miami, has logged one career start. That came back in 2022, and he completed 21 of his 30 passing attempts for 152 yards.
While it was an admirable performance, this team has playoff aspirations, and Huntley has more experience.
Huntley has logged nine starts, 11 total touchdowns, seven interceptions, and 509 rushing yards in four seasons. While that’s more experience than Thompson, it still isn’t much.
The bet is on Mike McDaniel getting creative and finding ways to use Huntley’s rushing acumen.
If you have some free bench spots – who doesn’t with all the injuries – Huntley is worth an emergency stash. He’ll be free this week and likely next, but once he sees the field, his price will go up. Get your security blanket now, and save your FAAB for later.
Week 3 Waiver Wire RBs
Jaylen Wright (RB – MIA) | 25.2%
The NFL moves fast, and Week 3 has me very high on some of the less-coveted Miami Dolphins offensive assets. Leading up to Week 1, I wouldn’t have believed you if you said I’d be telling people to roster rookie RB Jaylen Wright.
However, no one could foresee the rash of injuries in Miami and league-wide to start the season.
Wright has seen limited work so far this season, partly due to his continued recovery from a hand injury suffered at the end of last season. He was inactive in Week 1 against Jacksonville and saw five carries for four yards on Thursday night against Buffalo.
However, despite a minimal sample size at the NFL level, Wright will likely be thrust into a more prominent role in Week 3 in Seattle. Raheem Mostert is unlikely to play despite avoiding IR thus far, and Jeff Wilson suffered an oblique injury against the Bills and did not return. Wilson may be a game-time decision, but Wright will be active and have an opportunity to earn more work.
With Tua out indefinitely, the Miami run game will be crucial to bridging the gap and staying in contention in the AFC East.
That makes Wright a valuable fantasy acquisition, whether as a handcuff to De’Von Achane or a stand-alone flex option down the line.
Less than three percent of your remaining FAAB should land you a share of Wright as a solid wait-and-see bench addition.
Cam Akers (RB – HOU) | 0.5%
The Houston Texans are legit, folks. The offseason additions of WR Stefon Diggs and RB Joe Mixon have proved fruitful, with the pair contributing three touchdowns and 298 yards of total offense. A less talked about addition, RB Cam Akers, could also have a fantasy impact on a powerful Texans team.
Akers was a highly-touted prospect heading into his rookie season, but his progress was slowed by a multitude of injuries, culminating in an Achilles tear in OTAs in 2021. Akers hasn’t been quite the same explosive back he was before the Achilles injury, which isn’t surprising. However, now three full years removed from the injury, he could find himself fantasy-relevant again.
While Mixon has been nothing short of elite in his first two games in Houston – he is the PPR RB10 with 39 carries for 184 yards and a TD plus six catches for 44 yards – the NFL isn’t a one-back-system kind of league.
Akers isn’t going to light your roster on fire. He was inactive in Week 1 and saw seven carries for 32 yards in his season debut last week. However, with injuries piling up, getting anyone who can provide points on your roster could be the difference between a fantasy football win and a loss. Akers likely will clear your Week 3 waiver wire and be ripe for the picking on Wednesday morning.
Week 3 Waiver Wire WRs
Tyler Johnson (WR – LAR) | 12.9%
With Kupp & Nacua set to miss extended time, Johnson is falling into opportunity. The healthy Rams WR corps consists of Johnson, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Whittington and Tutu Atwell. Robinson and Johnson have separated themselves from the other two WRs, earning 10 targets this season. Their stat lines are nearly identical, and they now find themselves as the WR1 and WR2 in an offense that has thrown the ball almost 80 times in two games.
While Stafford and the Rams are without their start WR duo, Tyler Johnson will get plenty of opportunities to score fantasy points.
It’s not pretty, and Johnson is anything but a long-term solution for your fantasy football roster woes. However, Johnson will be the WR2 in a pass-forward offense for the next four to six weeks.
Times are desperate. If you want Johnson, you’ll have to spend money. Get ready to drop five to seven percent of your FAAB to get in on Johnson. If the Kupp and Nacau injuries linger, Johnson could become a long-term value addition.
Elijah Moore (WR – CLE) | 0.8%
You don’t have to be a fan of the Cleveland Browns offense to like what you’ve seen from Elijah Moore. The fourth-year WR out of Ole Miss has drawn 14 targets through two games this season, totaling nine catches for 53 yards. While Moore is listed as the WR3 on the Browns’ depth chart, behind fellow veterans Amari Cooper and Jerry Jeudy, it hasn’t shown in his usage and opportunity.
Moore is currently second on the team in targets (14) and leads the team in catches (9) and route participation percentage (93.3). His Week 2 stat line (6 catches, 44 yards receiving) was good enough for 10.4 PPR fantasy points, or WR29 overall.
There are many questions surrounding the Browns – chiefly QB Deshaun Watson’s long-term viability as a starter – and very few answers right now. However, Moore is getting volume – thanks to his mastery of short and intermediate routes – which matters most in fantasy football.
Like most players you’re rostering off the waiver wire, Moore’s long-term viability in fantasy isn’t excellent. However, given the rash of injuries fantasy managers are trying to navigate right now, he can provide a solid flex play over the next few weeks as your roster gets healthy.
Cleveland’s next three opponents are in the league’s bottom half in fantasy points allowed to WRs.
Drop into the waiver wire and get Moore for two to three percent of your remaining FAAB budget.
Week 3 Waiver Wire TEs
Hunter Henry (TE – NE) | 10.1%
We weren’t supposed to be excited about any part of this 2024 New England Patriots offense. To be clear, we still aren’t, but we do have an answer to who will be the primary receiving target in this offense.
It’s Hunter Henry.
Through two weeks of play, Henry is outpacing the rest of the receiving corps by almost double in targets (15) and catches (10). The next closest receiver to Henry in yards (127) is the Patriots TE2, Austin Hooper (36).
This isn’t rocket science. Henry is the proverbial WR1 in New England. You don’t have to like the offense to love the volume.
Adding Henry to your roster is a no-brainer in a landscape devoid of TEs drawing a high target share. If you must spend 10 to 15 percent of your remaining FAAB, do it. Only a handful of TEs will get as much of their team’s target share as Henry is seeing, and you want that on your roster.
Jonnu Smith (TE – MIA) | 2.3%
There is zero chance I will get through a season of fantasy football waiver wire articles without writing up Jonnu Smith. Somehow, someway, he always finds a way to make us believe he will be relevant. It just isn’t usually this early on in the season. Yet, here we are after a Week 2 Miami meltdown against Buffalo.
Despite the offensive meltdown that saw Hill walk away with a scant three receptions for 24 yards to add to one carry for 12 yards, Smith was a bright spot. He caught six of his seven targets for 53 yards, locking in 11.3 PPR fantasy points and finishing the week as the overall PPR TE6.
Miami has a quarterback conundrum with Tua likely out for the foreseeable future. The aforementioned Huntley will likely come into play as the starter, but for Week 3, we are looking at Thompson behind center.
The veteran Smith provides a dynamic, versatile weapon for whichever QB is behind center in Tua’s absence. While Hill and Waddle limit his opportunities, the bar at TE is low this season. One big play, or a peppering of targets, could get you a top-12 finish from Smith.
He isn’t a hot commodity among Week 3 waiver wire targets, so drop one percent of your remaining FAAB budget if you think other managers are as savvy as you, just to be safe.
Streaming D/STs
Chicago Bears (CHI) @ IND
Second-year QB Anthony Richardson has been fun to watch through two weeks of the NFL season, but to say he has been elite would be a lie. Richardson’s PFF passing grade of 54.6 is 25th amongst all QBs this season, and his 4 INTs are tied with Broncos rookie Bo Nix for the most in the league through Week 2.
The Colts draw the third-highest-rated D/ST in the league this week in the Chicago Bears. Through two games, they are tied for ninth in total sacks (6) and QBR allowed (74.8), eighth in yards allowed per game and sixth in points allowed per game (18).
It’s too early to tell if this defense will continue this trend through the 2024 season, but it’s unlikely to change versus a young, inexperienced Colts offense.
Look for a multiple turnover and sack effort from the Chicago defense, making them a top-tier D/ST streaming option for your Week 3 fantasy football squads.
Las Vegas Raiders (LV) vs Carolina
Bryce Young is out at QB, and veteran Andy “The Pale Squirtgun” Dalton is in. That doesn’t change the fact that Carolina’s offense is putrid.
Dalton might breathe some life into this team, but it won’t be in Week 3 on the road against a Raiders defense that just held the explosive Ravens offense to 23 points.
Maxx Crosby and Company should get Dalton rattled early and generate turnover opportunities. The Las Vegas D/ST won’t be a unit you can rely on every week, but against a ragtag Panthers team with no identity, they’re an easy fantasy football streaming option in Week 3.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TB) vs DEN
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are on a roll. While a considerable part of that has been the efficiency of the offense and the resurgence of quarterback Baker Mayfield, their D/ST has also contributed to their early-season success. Through two weeks, the Bucs D/ST unit ranks eighth in total QBR allowed (72.3) and seventh in points allowed per game (18) despite having faced rookie Jayden Daniels and the high-powered Detroit Lions defense this season.
Week 3 has Tampa Bay up against Denver and rookie QB Bo Nix, who can’t seem to get out of his own way.
Last week was a masterclass in ineptitude from Denver, where Nix added to his three Week 1 INTs with two more against the Steelers staunch D/ST.
The team has managed just one TD through two games and boasts Nix as their leading rusher (60 rushing yards) through two weeks of the season.
This matchup screams big-time fantasy points for the Bucs D/ST. Ride them out this week, but beware: You’ll want to ditch them before their Week 4 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Nate Polvogt is a Co-Founder and the lead senior analyst for Optimus Fantasy Football. Find more from Nate on X (formerly Twitter) @NatePolvogt and on Optimus Fantasy.
Believing in New York to pull off the unlikely victory in Week 1 was most definitely not my finest moment of the week, but I did also advise others to be cautious about the small likelihood of that. I can't beat myself too much over believing in the Giants, as Wan'Dale Robinson did deliver in Week 1's predictions via "Storyline, Storytime."
Hey folks! We cannot understate the importance of being in on Week 3 waiver wire players early while the FAAB price is cheapest (or free!), so you can add them to your roster. This is not just for adding them to your roster so your league mates don’t get them first but also so you […]
Bo McBrayer brings the spice with his fantasy football Week 2 advice, giving you the musings and information you need to keep your lineups hot-n-ready. Have you ever watched football for 11 consecutive hours on a leather couch? I have. My current couch is cloth, but I remember back when I was sticking and peeling […]
Week 1 always has a way of taking the wind out of our sails. Sure, it's lovely having football back. What's not wonderful is when a wide receiver goes down with an injury and has to miss time.
Puka Nacua should be heading to the injured reserve with a sprained PCL. There is no timetable for how long Nacua will be shelved. Fantasy managers are now sprinting to find a decent replacement.
In this week's WR2 Radar, I look at some of the more notable wide receiver injuries to monitor this and future weeks.
I will examine wide receivers that are readily available and that you can use to bolster your squad this week (or in the near future). Plus, find out what WR1s are pulling the wool over our eyes. Make sure to check out the Optimus Fantasy Rankings.
But fear not, folks. It’s early in the season, and there is plenty of time to fill those holes and right the ship. Here are players at every position that can help you get on your way to victory in Week 2 of fantasy football action and beyond.
Wide receivers are so nice; I had to do this twice! Welcome to Week 1, Part 2 of The WR2 Radar, where I dive into wide receivers who may not be the top option on their teams or at the top of the weekly fantasy WR rankings but have the potential to post WR1 numbers this season. Week 1 offers opportunities for these players to step into the spotlight.
Each week, I'll provide five players as look-ahead players for the next week, who could be THE waiver wire claims for the following week. But they won't be available in your league because you already have them. We haven't even played a snap of regular-season football yet, but we're already looking ahead to Week 2's players.
Note: If these players get hurt in Week 1, I cannot be held responsible, so please don't tweet me @ktompkinsii if that happens.
Keeping your fantasy football rosters in tip-top shape is no small task; it requires a level of almost psychotic tinkering that only a few in this world are capable of. It can drive some to madness and others to championship glory. We prefer to help you do the latter.
Should I give out bad advice, I’m not really the sentimental type. Being apologetic for failing to predict the future seems disingenuous, anyway. The fine folks at Optimus want me to contribute the stuff that spills from my eyes, ears, and nose, so this column will put just that at your fingertips. Should it aid you in a redraft or dynasty league victory, or even a DFS lineup, that’s cool beans. I aim to win in an entertaining way, so they don’t ever sack me for being boring. Bring on the rush, I’ll stand tall (or scramble) the only way I know: with pizzazz.
Last year, several wideouts surprised us by putting up WR1 numbers when they were WR2 (or WR3) on their teams. DeVonta Smith, Gabe Davis, and Tee Higgins each had four games as a top-12 WR in points per reception (PPR) scoring.
Rashid Shaheed, Jakobi Meyers, and Noah Brown all had three. Jaylen Waddle, Odell Beckham Jr., Jordan Addison, Joshua Palmer, and Cooper Kupp tallied two.
In my series this season, I'll examine weekly matchups to determine if an NFL WR2 can outperform a WR1 on another team. It is important to look beyond the label of "WR1." Considering factors such as matchups, injuries, and team dynamics, I'll find what No. 2 options are worth putting in your lineup.
This series is focused on helping you to learn how to play fantasy football.
In this article, we'll focus on the basics of what you need to start your own league. We will discuss how to decide what league format you want to play in, a few of the different platforms you can play on, and how to create your league settings.
First and foremost, let's discuss deciding who you will be playing with.
These rookies stepped onto the stage in downtown Detroit this April and heard their names called for the world to listen to. Now, it is their time to show the world what they are made of. Not all rookies will meet their fanbase's expectations in their first year, but some players will start building a resume on their path to a golden jacket during their rookie seasons.