Fantasy Football Week 3 Waiver Wire: Best Pickups At Each Position

With two weeks under the proverbial belt, things are starting to level out in fantasy football.

We’re starting to see which Week 1 performances were flashes in the pan, and which players are carving out a nice for themselves. As always, the waiver wire will have plenty of players who are suitable as injury replacements or upgrades at the skill positions.

So who should you bring into the fold in Week 3? Here are the best players at each position owned in 65 percent or fewer of Yahoo! fantasy leagues.

Quarterback: Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals (27 percent owned in Yahoo! leagues)
Dalton has his flaws, but if your QB isn’t panning out, he presents a quality option, as his fantasy upside is significant. The Bengals aren’t afraid to let Dalton air it out all game, which was evident in his 42-pass performance against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2. He completed 24 of those passes, for 265 yards and four touchdowns. With two straight weeks of quality performance, Dalton is worthy of fantasy consideration, and not just as a last resort.

Other quarterbacks to target: Ryan Fitzpatrick (TB),Blake Bortles (JAX)

Running Back: Matt Breida, San Francisco 49ers (61 percent owned)
The good news about Jimmy Garoppolo not quite living up to expectations so far is that Breida has picked up the slack. After a quiet opening game, he broke out for 138 rushing yards and a touchdown on 11 attempts in Week 2. He put his explosiveness on display in Sunday’s win over the Detroit Lions, as his score came on a 66-yard scamper. With Jerick McKinnon out for the year, whoever is playing best will command the carries in San Fran’s backfield for the foreseeable future. For now, Breida is making a compelling case as the Niners’ primary back over Alfred Morris.

Other running backs to pursue: Austin Ekeler (LAC), Bilal Powell (NYJ)

Wide Receiver: DeSean Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (48 percent owned)
So, it turns out DeSean Jackson is for real. There was healthy (and understandable) skepticism about Jackson entering 2018, but the 31-year-old has meshed well with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. A concussion cut his two-touchdown, 146-yard Week 1 showing short, but he bounced back against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. He reeled in all four of his targets for 129 yards and another score. Jackson clearly has a knack for finding the end zone, and his deep-threat ability makes him a suitable option in either a WR2 or FLEX role.

Other wide receivers to target: Keelan Cole (JAX), John Brown (BAL), Calvin Ridley (ATL)

Tight End: Jesse James, Pittsburgh Steelers (9 percent owned)
The pool of receiving tight ends isn’t too deep right now, but James is doing a fine enough job earning Ben Roethlisberger’s trust. James grabbed five passes for 138 yards and a touchdown in the Steelers’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. What’s encouraging is that he put up those numbers with Vance McDonald playing.  That type of performance hardly is sustainable, so expecting him to eclipse the century mark with any regularity is a lofty goal. Still, he’s deserving of some attention in fantasy leagues, particularly deep ones.

Other tight ends to pursue: Austin Hooper (ATL), Eric Ebron (IND)