Week 3 Waiver Wire

Another week down, more waiver wire pickups. How’d you do this week? I sucked, to be honest.

Anyways…

 

Quarterback

MUST ADD

1. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

Owned in 39% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 419 passing yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 11 rushing yards

Mr. Rivers, you have my attention.

After a 4 TD performance with under 200 yards in Week 1, I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical, but Phil (can I call you Phil?), you have proved me wrong. Yes, it was a pedestrian Eagles team, but he just looked a bit like his old self.

Taking a glimpse in to his upcoming schedule, Rivers plays at Tennessee, vs. Dallas, and at Oakland…all great match-ups.

Philip Rivers will be in my top-12 until further notice. I’d start him over Cam Newton.

2. Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins

Owned in 15% of Yahoo Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 319 passing yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, 1 rushing yard

He had a similar game to Week 1, but his numbers weren’t bad. He seems to be throwing a ton and the TDs will eventually come to him.

For now he’s probably a streaming option, but a guy that I would want for sure.

AVOID

1. Any Browns QB Replacing Brandon Weeden, Cleveland Browns

Owned In a Combined 0% of Yahoo Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 6 passing yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs

Jason Campbell, Brian Hoyer. Those are the potential candidates to replace Brandon Weeden. Usually when a player is injured, the player taking his spot is considered as a speculative add. In this case? No…

I’ll end it there.

2. Geno Smith, New York Jets

Owned in 5% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 214 passing yards, 0 TDs, 3 INTs, 17 rushing yards

In real football, Geno Smith didn’t look all too bad. But we play fantasy and we care about stats. Under 5 fantasy points just ain’t going to cut it.

OK real life QB, HORRIBLE fantasy QB.

 

MUST ADD

Running Back

1. James Starks, Green Bay Packers

Owned in 11% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 20 carries, 132 rushing yards, 1 TD, 4 receptions, 36 yards

Remember the report that Eddie Lacy was going to get 20-25 touches? Well, I think they spelled his name wrong. Unfortunately for Eddie Lacy owners, he’s concussed. He was injured during the team’s Week 2 match-up versus the Washington Redskins. It is highly likely Lacy misses this week, and Starks seems to be the best replacement. If you look at the stats above, he appears to be better than Lacy! The team gets Cincinnati next week and Starks should see a similar workload.

He is a must own as of now.

2. Bernard Pierce, Baltimore Ravens

Owned in 46% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 19 carries, 57 yards, 1 TD, 1 reception, -1 receiving yards

Despite Ray Rice’s hip flexor injury, this guy should have been owned anyways. If you’re late to the party, get him now. It is uncertain if Ray Rice will miss time, but in the event he does, Bernard Pierce instantly becomes a top-15 back.

He’s the complete package.

3. Jason Snelling, Atlanta Falcons

Owned in 1% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 2 carries, 19 yards, 1 TD, 4 receptions, 41 receiving yards

A product of the “starter got hurt” waiver wire add. Snelling looked good in the teams win over the Rams, and what is most encouraging is his pass catching numbers.

If SJax is unable to go, Snelling should see the majority of the catches with Jacquizz Rodgers seeing more time in pass formations.

AVOID

1. Jordan Todman, Jacksonville Jaguars

Owned in 0% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 5 carries, 7 rushing yards

The Jaguars suck.

That is all.

2. Andre Ellington, Arizona Cardinals

Owned in 1% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 4 carries, 20 yards, 2 receptions, 42 receiving yards, 1 TD

Bruce Arians said Ellington is a “carry the load” type of back. That might be true, but unless Mendenhall is injured, he doesn’t have much fantasy value. He did catch a TD, but just because a player scores a TD doesn’t make them fantasy relevant.

Avoid unless a Mendenhall gets injured.

 

MUST ADD

Wide Receiver

1. Eddie Royal, San Diego Chargers

Owned in 21% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 8 targets, 7 receptions, 90 receiving yards, 3 TDs

If I’m buying in to Rivers, have to buy in to his leading receiver too, right? Royal has 5 TDs in 2 games. Before that he had 5 in 3 years. After a Week 1 outing that included 3 catches for just over 25 yards and 2 TDs, it’s very easy to say they were fluky. But, when he received almost double-digit targets, almost 100 yards receiving and a hat trick, he becomes hard to ignore. Fellow WR Malcom Floyd got injured badly, and will likely miss time. Eddie Royal should receive added looks from Rivers. Even though he’s probably the perfect sell high candidate, he’s also very own-able.

2. Aaron Dobson, New England Patriots

Owned in 16% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 10 targets, 3 receptions, 56 receiving yards, 1 TD

Yes, a 30% catch rate is not impressive, but we, or at least I, expected mistakes from Dobson in his first game back. Give him time and Tom Brady will turn him into a machine. As long as Amendola is out, Dobson will continue to be relevant.

3. Ace Sanders, Jacksonville Jaguars

Owned in 1% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 7 targets, 5 receptions, 64 receiving yards, 0 TDs.

Yes – A Jaguars player to own. In PPR leagues especially, Ace Sanders will play a great role. He’s the No. 2 WR until Blackmon returns, and offers decent PPR upside. With Chad Henne at the helm, he at least offers an upgrade over Blaine Gabbert (who by the way is HORRIBLE). Sandars won’t have anyone else to contend with in that offense besides Cecil Shorts. A lot of his value will come via garbage time, which the Jags will face a lot.

He’s worth an add in 14-teamers.

AVOID

1. Austin Pettis, St. Louis Rams

Owned in 0% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 11 targets, 8 receptions, 78 receiving yards, 1 TD

Pettis did have a good game, but this may very well be his last. In a bit of a “pick your poison offense”, Pettis is last on the totem pole. He’s a great fill-in for Brandon Gibson, but is bound to make a few boneheaded decisions.

Unless we see consistency, avoid for now.

2. Ted Ginn Jr., Carolina Panthers

Owned in 1% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 8 targets, 3 receptions, 62 receiving yards, 1 TD

Fortunately for Ginn, he has blinding speed and that was the result of his TD. It was a beautiful 40-yard bomb, but Ted Ginn Jr. is nothing more than a situational deep threat guy. The Panthers are and will always be a run-first offense.

 

Tight End

MUST ADD

1. Charles Clay, Miami Dolphins

Owned in 3% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 7 targets, 5 receptions, 109 receiving yards, 0 TDs

Though scoreless (through the air), Charles Clay appears to have emerged as the teams main tight end. Fellow tight end Michael Egnew only saw 9 snaps. Tannehill likes to fling it, and fling it often and Clay is becoming the main target for him.

2. Coby Fleener, Indianapolis Colts

Owned in 11% Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 8 targets, 4 receptions, 69 receiving yards, 1 TD

The Stanford connection runs deep…

With Dwayne Allen injured this week, it was likely Fleener would see some action. I’ll admit that until this game, I was unable to drink the kool-aid, but Fleener has me slightly convinced. He’s a TE2 for now.

AVOID

1. Garrett Graham, Houston Texans

Owned in 2% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 30 receiving yards, 1 TD.

Read my previous waiver wire article.

Very unpredictable scoring pattern to come.

2. Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans

Owned in 1% of Yahoo! Leagues

Week 2 Stats: 2 targets, 1 reception, 10 receiving yards, 1 TD

Like him as a real football player, but this offense isn’t very good, nor is Jake Locker. He had a lucky TD. That’s all.

Top-3 Waiver Wire Defenses for Week 3:

1. Minnesota Vikings

2. Buffalo Bills

3. New York Giants

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