Week 2 gave fantasy managers something Week 1 mostly avoided: injuries, changing depth charts, and legitimate new opportunities.
That makes this waiver period much more interesting.
The goal is not to chase whoever scored the most points Sunday. It is to find the players whose opportunity actually changed.
Here are the 10 players I’m targeting heading into Week 3.
Week 3 Waiver Wire Top 10
| Rank | Player | Pos. | FAAB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jonah Coleman | RB | 15–18% |
| 2 | Denzel Boston | WR | 8–10% |
| 3 | Bryce Young | QB | 3–5% |
| 4 | Alvin Kamara | RB | 1–3% |
| 5 | Emanuel Wilson | RB | 3–6% |
| 6 | Adonai Mitchell | WR | 3–5% |
| 7 | Darren Waller | TE | 1–2% |
| 8 | Marcus Mariota | QB | 4–6% SF |
| 9 | Tank Bigsby | RB | 3–6% |
| 10 | Tre Tucker | WR | 1–2% |
1. Jonah Coleman, RB, Denver Broncos
Rostered: 35% | FAAB: 15–18%
Coleman is the priority add this week.
RJ Harvey entered Week 2 dealing with a hamstring injury, then J.K. Dobbins suffered one of his own. Coleman responded with 13 touches for 58 yards and a touchdown while playing ahead of Tyler Badie after Dobbins left.
The injuries may not keep Denver’s other backs out long, but Coleman finally got his opportunity and did something with it.
That matters.
Even when the backfield gets healthier, he now has a chance to keep a role. If another injury hits, his upside becomes much bigger.
Verdict: The No. 1 waiver claim of Week 3.
2. Denzel Boston, WR, Cleveland Browns
Rostered: 42% | FAAB: 8–10%
Boston is starting to look less like a stash and more like a breakout.
After scoring in Week 1, he followed it with five catches for 95 yards and another touchdown on a team-high seven targets.
The Cleveland offense may create some ugly weeks, but the important part is the role.
Boston is playing, earning targets, and producing.
That is exactly what we want from an early-season waiver pickup.
Verdict: Best wide receiver add of the week.
3. Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers
Rostered: 41% | FAAB: 3–5%
Bryce Young has officially worked his way back onto the fantasy radar.
Through two games, he has thrown for 648 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception.
That does not erase everything we have seen previously, but the offense around him looks much more capable of producing explosive plays.
Week 3 against Cleveland is not ideal, but his upcoming schedule gives him enough appeal to add now.
Verdict: Best quarterback pickup for managers looking for a starter or streamer.
4. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
Rostered: 43% | FAAB: 1–3%
The efficiency was ugly.
Kamara finished Week 2 with only 22 yards on 14 touches.
But those 14 opportunities came on just 20 snaps.
That is the interesting part.
New Orleans clearly still wants to involve him when he is on the field, especially in the passing game. At this price, that is enough to make him worth a speculative add in PPR leagues.
Verdict: Cheap PPR upside. Do not overspend.
5. Emanuel Wilson, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Rostered: 3% | FAAB: 3–6%
Wilson could provide immediate help if Jadarian Price misses time.
After Price left Week 2 with a chest injury, Wilson handled 21 carries for 92 yards as Seattle closed out the game.
The role may be temporary. Price could return quickly, Zach Charbonnet will eventually return, and George Holani can handle passing-down work.
But temporary starting running backs still matter.
Verdict: Strong short-term pickup for RB-needy teams.
6. Adonai Mitchell, WR, New York Jets
Rostered: 12% | FAAB: 3–5%
This is the usage fantasy managers have been waiting for.
Mitchell followed a three-target opener with 12 targets in Week 2, catching six passes for 63 yards.
Garrett Wilson remains the clear No. 1, but Mitchell appears to have established himself as the second option.
Add favorable upcoming matchups and this becomes a pretty easy waiver profile to like.
Verdict: Strong WR4/FLEX pickup with immediate upside.
7. Darren Waller, TE, Carolina Panthers
Rostered: 9% | FAAB: 1–2%
Waller caught only three passes in Week 2.
Two of them went for touchdowns.
That tells you almost everything you need to know.
The target volume is still low, so this is not suddenly a safe weekly tight end. But at a thin position, touchdown upside matters.
Verdict: Cheap streamer for managers frustrated with their current TE.
8. Marcus Mariota, QB, Washington Commanders
Rostered: 1% | FAAB: 4–6% in Superflex
This one is mostly for Superflex and two-QB leagues.
Jayden Daniels is expected to miss time, putting Mariota into the starting lineup.
Mariota’s rushing ability gives him a fantasy floor most backup quarterbacks do not have. In his previous starts filling in for Daniels, he showed he can produce usable fantasy weeks.
Verdict: Priority Superflex add. Mostly leave him alone in standard one-QB leagues.
9. Tank Bigsby, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Rostered: 27% | FAAB: 3–6%
Bigsby’s value depends almost entirely on Saquon Barkley’s health.
When Barkley briefly left Week 2, Bigsby handled 15 touches and scored a touchdown.
If Barkley plays, Bigsby goes back to being a stash.
If Barkley sits, he immediately becomes one of the more interesting running back options on the wire.
Verdict: Add now if you need RB upside rather than waiting for Barkley’s final designation.
10. Tre Tucker, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
Rostered: 29% | FAAB: 1–2%
Tucker exploded for five catches, 119 yards, and a touchdown in Week 2.
The box score is exciting.
The role is less convincing.
He still played fewer than 60% of the offensive snaps, and Brock Bowers could soon return to soak up targets.
Tucker is worth adding, but this is exactly the type of performance you do not want to overpay for.
Verdict: Deeper-league upside add.
Week 3 Waiver Priority
Spend aggressively: Jonah Coleman, Denzel Boston
Immediate help: Bryce Young, Emanuel Wilson, Adonai Mitchell
Cheap upside: Alvin Kamara, Darren Waller, Tank Bigsby
Format-specific/deeper leagues: Marcus Mariota, Tre Tucker
Final Verdict
Week 3 is our first waiver period where injuries have created several legitimate openings.
Coleman is the top target because his opportunity could turn into something permanent. Boston already looks like he may be breaking out. Mitchell’s 12 targets matter. Wilson and Bigsby could become valuable quickly depending on injuries ahead of them.
The important thing is not who scored the most fantasy points last week.
It is who has the best chance to get the opportunities that create points next week.
Buy the opportunity, not the box score.
