Week 3 Waiver Wire Watch
*Looking at my roster and seeing "OUT" "IR" and "QUES" next to every starter*
"Is that good?"
Well
So let's get started...
Priority Adds
Player | Pos | FAAB % | Why | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TE | 15-20% | In 2025, Gadsden seemed to break out mid-season before suffering a knee injury that limited him the rest of the year. Entering 2026 with a new OC, who also brought in Charlie Kolar and David Njoku in free agency, dampened some expectations for Gadsden, who seemed to drop on the depth chart. Well, both Kolar and Njoku ended up on IR after week 2, leaving Gadsden as the lone active TE on the roster for the anemic Chargers offense. He did manage to haul in a TD on one of his two catches, and Mike McDaniel will likely lean on the 2nd-year man to produce against the high-powered Bills offense in week 3. Gadsden's receiving upside is somewhat limited by his lackluster blocking ability, but who else are they going to play at TE? Given what we saw last year in a small sample size, Gadsden could emerge as a top target for Justin Herbert over the next few weeks, and you'll wish you had him. | |
| RB | 15-20% | Sean Payton hates his running backs. He's been trying to find a starting-caliber RB since he got to Denver, and his staff picked Coleman in the 4th round of the 2026 NFL Draft. With JK Dobbins and RJ Harvey limited by injuries, Coleman got his chance in week 2, and at least he didn't look terrible? Opportunity is the name of the game at running back, and if Coleman is on your waiver wire, that type of opportunity doesn't come knocking very often. Coleman was one of my late-round targets in drafts this year for this exact reason, once he got his chance, there may be no looking back. | |
| RB | 15-20% | Ken Walker had another great outing in week 2, but any Walker manager you know is probably already asking the same thing. Is this sustainable? Even if it is, rookie Emmett Johnson has still gotten his fair share of opportunities in relief, scoring over 100 yards from scrimmage on 14 touches in week 2, and Andy Reid has even alluded to getting the rookie more involved to spell Walker further. In week 3, the Chiefs face the Miami Dolphins, who are...just so bad. Expect Johnson to get plenty of volume now and moving forward. If you didn't get him before week 2, you may be out of luck, but it's hope that springs eternal, my friends. | |
| WR | 5-10% | Oh boy, how about them Bills? DJ Moore (who is always OK) went down, but the Bills offense kept humming, as it does. Entering the season, WR3 in Buffalo was a toss-up between 3rd-year Keon Coleman and veteran Josh Palmer, and frankly, both are worth considering here if you need someone at WR. Palmer scored a TD both weeks, and Keon looked good against the Lions secondary (I know) when Moore was out. I'm not pounding the table for either guy, because Moore should be back soon, and frankly I think both could easily end a game with one catch for 12 yards, but it's the Josh Allen show, and don't you want to be a part of that? I know I do. | |
| RB | 5-10% | I don't know, man. I believed in Tank Bigsby in Jacksonville last year, and then they traded him to Philly, where he toiled behind Saquon Barkley and that man Jalen Hurts for carries and goal line TDs. The short yardage TDs won't be there for Bigsby, but with Barkley hurt (injured?), Bigsby could be worth a speculative add for at least the next week or two. Just don't come crying to me when Hurts vultures his touchdowns. | |
| RB | 0-5% | Marshawn Lloyd, how we hardly knew ye. I know, we give that grace to young players, but big dog, you're supposed to be our number one (c’mon, now). And you're playing like a bum, I bet you better start doing your job, or Kaleb is gonna come take it from you. After Lloyd's fumble in week 2, Kaleb and Chris Brooks split carries, with Johnson starting in OT. It was only a matter of time before the third-round man out of Iowa found a home that actually respected him (looking at you Aaron Rodgers and Arthur Smith) and gave him a chance. With Josh Jacobs' future still up in the air, Kaleb Johnson could easily take control of the Packers' backfield and not give it up. If you listen closely, you can hear my colleague Matt hooting and hollering. |
Handcuff chains & deep stashes
Skyler Bell - BUF - WR
DJ Moore's injury doesn't appear to be serious, and Bell is likely WR5 on the depth chart when he is healthy, but he could get his first opportunity to be active in week 3 against the Chargers, and catching passes from Josh Allen is enough incentive to make this analyst's ears perk up. Don't spend your FAAB, but monitor the situation, and if you have a roster spot free by Sunday afternoon, it could be worth a shot.
Brandin Cooks - SF- WR
He's not even in our database for this year yet, but the journeyman WR appears to be signing with the 49ers practice squad. With injuries to Demarcus Robinson (and pretty much everyone on the 49ers), Cooks could provide some capable hands to the San Francisco receiving room.
Zach Ertz - PHI - TE
That's right, he's back. Dallas Goedert went down, and the 35-year-old former Eagle is returning home to lumber his way into the endzone in the most annoying way possible. Jalen Hurts loves throwing to TEs, so keep an eye for when he's officially active, Ertz will get you 6 of the most annoying points of all time.
Drop candidates:
It's a week-to-week league at this point...go with God.
That's it for this week...we'll see you in the Blast Furnace.