Panic is Now Authorized Due to Injuries – Week 3 Waivers

I recommended that you do not panic after one week of fantasy football, especially if you lost.  It happens.  Losses are part of the deal, and you all knew the deal coming into the season.  Well, after two weeks of fantasy football injuries, I am authorizing some panic.  As if the list of AJ Brown, Zay Flowers, De’Zhaun Stribling, Sam Darnold, Kyler Murray, Brock Bowers was not bad enough after Week 1, we witnessed a litany of fantasy relevant injuries during Week 2.

 

Week 2 saw Nico Collins and RJ Harvey ruled out late in the week, not to mention the uncertainty of Puka Nacua (did not practice) who plays on Monday Night Football.  Additionally, the fantasy world almost imploded on itself when Caleb Williams went down with a non-contact injury being described as ‘not the knee, probably a hamstring’ followed by Jayden Daniels dislocating the same elbow that essentially ended his 2025 season.  My Packers saw Jayden Reed carted off on a backboard with a scary neck injury, too.  As if those injuries were not bad enough, Saquon Barkley missed most of Sunday with a stinger.  To add insult to injury for the 2-0 San Francisco 49ers, their WR replacement of a replacement of a replacement, Demarcus Robinson left in the first half as well.  To wrap up the evening, Alec Pierce appears to have reaggravated/reinjured his heel.

 

With that list out of the way, we need to decide how we are going to handle these injuries.  While trading is always an option, good luck finding a trade partner willing to help you at cost.  Most trades this early in the season will probably see you trading a stud for two players to fill in while your injured players heal.  I guess that leaves the waiver wire to come to your rescue.  Let’s find some names that can help you triage your lineup heading into Week 3.

 

Do not forget the @Razzball NFL writers team will be hosting our Sunday Morning Start/Sit podcast every week starting three hours before kickoff all the way up to the official start of the early games.  Sky – @SkyGuasco, Derek – @Derek_Favret, Jeff @Jefferson__21, Dave @crewswe128 and me/Matt – @stiles08, will be answering all your questions to help you win your weekly matchups.  Come for the analysis and stay for the laughs!

 

WAIVERS:

 

ADD OF THE WEEK = Jonah Coleman – 27% rostered: Though his Week 2 numbers do not jump off the page (10 rushes for 39 yards, 1 TD + 3 receptions for 19 yards), he is absolutely the top add looking forward to Week 3.  The reasons are simple.  RJ Harvey missed Week 2 (hamstring) and J.K. Dobbins left Sunday’s game early (hamstring) opening the door for Coleman to assume the RB1 role for the time being.  Coleman must be rostered in all formats and started immediately.

 

QB: Bryce Young – 33% rostered: Throwing to Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker is looking like child’s play for the diminutive Panthers QB.  Through two weeks, a small sample size, Young is averaging 33 fantasy points per week.  Trust my Baker Mayfield shares when I say you can do a lot worse than 33 points per week.  Though tougher defenses are on the horizon, I can see a world in which starting Young at Cleveland and home against Detroit is a winning formula.

Honorable Mention/Cheaper Options:

Kirk Cousins – 5% rostered: Two games, six touchdowns.  Not bad for a guy brought in to mentor the Heisman winner.  Week 3 could be a shootout with the Saints who love to throw the ball, too.  Fire up Captain Kirk and ignore the interceptions that will inevitably occur.

 

Geno Smith, Jacoby Brisset, and Drew Lock looked good, not great.  Sure, Lock tossed three TDs to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but do not expect that each week.  I think that is much more about JSN and the Arizona defense than it is about Drew Lock being a Top 10 fantasy QB.

 

Jameis Winston – 0%: As much as Jameis was a fun backup QB in the past, what I saw last night did not have me running to my waiver wire to place a claim.  If Jaxson Dart is out long-term, and it does not sound like he will be (sprained MCL), Winston should only be added in SuperFlex or 2 QB formats.  Grab your antacids ahead of starting him.

 

 

RB: Tank Bigsby – 29% rostered: Do not go crazy with your FAAB or waiver priority as it pertains to the Philadelphia RB2.  Saquon Barkley left almost immediately on Sunday with a stinger but returned in the second half.  He will undergo additional testing Monday to determine the severity of the injury.  If he is cleared, ignore my recommendation of adding Bigsby.  If Barkley is slated to miss time, scoop up Bigsby regardless of his middling line from Sunday.  He will step into a very good situation for a team that prefers to run first.  Final Note: Watch the Barkley updates before dropping your bank on Tank.

Honorable Mention/Cheaper Options:

Devin Singletary – 11% rostered: Appears to not be a thing after Week 2.  I would pass on adding the Giants receiving back until Dart returns.

 

Emmanuel Wilson – 1% rostered: You cannot ignore 21 rush attempts.  You should pay attention to the game script considering this game was over before it started.  The JSN show was on full display but Wilson dropping 92 yards on 21 carries is notable.  Part of the reason behind those carries is Jadarian Price departed in the 4^th quarter due to a chest injury.  Wilson failed on three goal line attempts then watched as George Holani received the next opportunity.  Either way, if Price sits in Week 3, I lean into Wilson over Holani based on gut feel alone.

 

There are three RB handcuff names I like in deeper formats, each rostered under 30%: Braelon Allen NJY), Emmett Johnson (KC), and Chris Brooks (GB).  Do not break the bank on any of these players.  In fact, I recommend waiting until waivers run so you can scoop them up for free.  These are all insurance policies that looked good in Week 2.

 

WR: Devaugh Vele – 51% rostered.  The WR2 for New Orleans is quietly averaging 15 PPR points per game through two weeks.  I am leaving him atop my list considering he is only half rostered.  The Saints schedule looks ideal with Las Vegas and Arizona the next two games.  After Week 5 brings the stout Minnesota defense, the Saints offense has favorable matchups for the remainder of the season.  Additionally, the Saints have not shown a successful rushing attack this season, so let’s fire up the WR corps.

Honorable Mention/Cheaper Options:

Tre Tucker – 29% rostered:  With help from Captain Kirk (see above), Tucker smashed in Week 2.  It is quite possible that Tucker is no longer just a Best Ball asset.  The Raiders upcoming schedule lends itself to positive passing game scripts so count me in on Tucker moving forward.  He is currently my second favorite Tucker behind Tucker Kraft.

 

Denzel Boston – 32% rostered: Currently the top receiving threat for an offense that does not look abysmal to start the season.  Two double-digit PPR (14.90, 21.50) to begin the 2026 campaign is intriguing for a player you might be able to wait to acquire until after waivers clear. Seriously, nobody is looking to add Browns players, so take advantage of that for your squad.

 

Dontayvion Wicks – 28% rostered: His Week 1 line was nice.  His Week 2 line was a little less nice.  If Saquon is, indeed, scheduled to miss time, the offense will tun through the arm of Jalen Hurts before the run game is the priority.  Yes, I mentioned Tank Bigsby above, but that is much more about the lack of fantasy RB depth than it is potential fantasy points.  Wicks is averaging ~14 PPR points and clearly outplaying and outclassing zesty rookie Makai Lemon through two games.

 

Keon Coleman / Joshua Palmer – 2% / 1% rostered: Good luck picking which one of these Buffalo WRs will pop each week. Coleman is seeing more volume and playing time while Palmer has found paydirt two straight weeks to open the season.  These two WRs are dart throws at best.

 

TE: Darren Waller – 3% rostered:  I am not sure we will see two TDs in Week 3, but we sure saw them in Week 2, so we need to pay attention.  Waller is becoming the Cris Carter of 2025-26 TEs in that he only catches TDs (IYKYK).  I do not think Waller is in must-start territory, yet, but he could get there quickly with another performance akin to Week 2.

 

As mentioned above, it has only been one week, so if you lost, got blown out even, relax.  It will be OK.  There is no need to rush to drop any specific player.

 

Follow me @stiles08 on X and send questions comments at the bottom of this article.  Make sure you jump around the Razzball site for all your fantasy football needs.  We have a ton of free content to include our Slot Versus Wide tool additional articles from our crack team of writers. 

 

-Stiles-