We have made it through two weeks of the fantasy football season. If your team is 2-0 and injury-free, congrats! More than likely, your lineup doesn’t look as strong as you thought right after your draft, and you are looking to add that player from waivers that will give you a boost from now on. Here are our favorite waiver wire adds heading into Week 3 and suggested FAAB (free agency acquisition budget) allocations.
The standard for FAAB is $100 for the season, but that can vary in your league. We will use both overall percentages and a dollar amount specific to the $100 standard.
Top Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets in Week 3
Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns, 9.5% rostered on ESPN
FAAB Percentage: 20-30% , FAAB $: $25-$35
Ford is the likeliest to take over the Browns’ backfield, with starter Nick Chubb suffering a season-ending knee injury. Cleveland could move to bring in a free agent like Kareem Hunt or trade for Los Angeles Rams RB Cam Akers, but in the short term it seems like the starting gig is Ford’s.
Tony Jones Jr., RB, New Orleans Saints, 0.1% rostered on ESPN
FAAB Percentage: 0-5% , FAAB $: $0-$5
Jones is available in virtually every league on the ESPN platform, but he doesn’t need to be a high priority. The Saints’ run game has not been good this season, but Alvin Kamara has been serving his three-game suspension. I still think that Jamaal Williams will retain the backup role once that happens in Week 4, making Jones only a pickup for Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers if Williams is unable to play. It is worth noting Williams was injured on MNF in Week 2 and Jones could lead the backfield for at least one week.
Adam Thielen, WR, Carolina Panthers, 52.2% rostered on ESPN
FAAB Percentage: 5%-10%, FAAB $: $5-$10
In an instance where someone on the team must be relevant, Thielen’s number was called this week. He finished with seven receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. With how poorly the Panthers’ offense has played through two games, it likely won’t be a big deal if you miss out on Thielen, but if he has a good matchup, he could be a good streamer in PPR formats.
Jaylen Warren, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers, 40.3% rostered on ESPN
FAAB Percentage: 10%-15% , FAAB $: $11-$17
Starting running back Najee Harris has not looked like the long-term answer for the Steelers. He has struggled in the offense, but Warren has looked like the better player through limited action. I don’t know that Pittsburgh pulls the trigger and fully commits to Warren as the starter, but it isn’t wild to think he sees more consistent usage going forward.
Zack Moss, RB, Indianapolis Colts, 32.3% rostered on ESPN
FAAB Percentage: 8%-14% , FAAB $: $8-$14
Moss is an interesting case. On the one hand, he was the clear bell-cow running back in Week 2. He had 18 carries for 88 yards, a score, and 19 yards on four receptions. No other running back had a carry. The workload suggests throwing all of your FAAB at Moss, but the Jonathan Taylor situation is unclear. Moss could be the starter for the rest of the year if Taylor is traded. If Taylor plays, the Colts get their star running back on the field in Week 5, and then Moss spends the remainder of the year as a backup with little value, barring an injury. I am more hesitant for now, so I suggest minimal FAAB on Moss unless you only need a short-term solution.
Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions, 49.5% rostered on ESPN
FAAB Percentage: 18%-22%, FAAB $: $18-$22
LaPorta is one of the players I’m most excited about through the season’s first two weeks. The rookie tight end has made an early impact with 10 receptions for 102 yards. He hasn’t found the end zone yet but is getting consistent work in the passing game. LaPorta heads into Week 3 as the TE7 in half-PPR scoring.