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Waiver Hub – Week 3

It is Tuesday and we are ready to move onto week 3. Mike here, welcome back to my weekly Waiver HUB. Follow me on Twitter (@FantasyHubbard) for all things fantasy football throughout the season.

Week 2 is history and week 3 is within reaching distance. The Browns lost to the Steelers and the Saints beat the Panthers both on MNF. The big story there is the injury to Nick Chubb that should sideline him the remainder of this season. This Thursday we get a matchup between the just barley 1-1 New York Giants and the 2-0 San Francisco 49ers. Lopsided to say the least but maybe the Giants can make it interesting. Check out my START/SIT Hub later this week for more picks.

It’s time to make some moves and prepare for fantasy postseason greatness. Injuries are inevitable so here’s another chance to hit the waiver wire and get impactful players. Another week gone, another opportunity to make your team stronger and inch your way to that league trophy and an offseason of bragging rights.

Below are my top waiver wire priorities this week. Go get those available players to help your chances at a championship. Good luck this week and remember to check back every week to stay informed on who you could target off of waivers.

TOP PRIORITY OF THE WEEK

Jerome Ford – Cleveland Browns

Nick Chubb say it isn’t so. That was a brutal injury on MNF last night and its clear Chubb is done for a while and most likely the entire 2023 season. So, who is going to replace him at RB1 and take on a workload hopefully close to what Chubb was getting? Jerome Ford is 2nd on the depth chart and filled in nicely after Chubb went down. He finished with 106 rushing yards and caught a TD to go with his 25 receiving yards.  The only flaw in this straightforward situation is Kareem Hunt. Will he get something done in Cleveland when they need a viable RB as soon as now? Go pick up Ford and maybe stash Hunt if you’re able to. Next week will be a tougher matchup with the Titans run defense.

Quarterbacks

Matthew Stafford – LA Rams

Stafford is now 1-1 after a loss to the 49ers that was closer than most expected. 1 TD and 2 INTs through 2 games isn’t what we strive for but if options are slim and you need a starting QB or some extra depth in case of injury or BYE weeks, Stafford is a decent pick up. Stafford is currently sitting in 3rd in the NFL in passing yards behind only Kirk Cousins and Tua. Keep in mind the Rams are currently without Cooper Kupp. Tutu Atwell and Puka Nacua are looking very impressive early on leading the team in targets. If Stafford can start finding the endzone regularly he will be an even better addition.

Jordan Love – Green Bay Packers

Love is continuing to show great promise for the Green Bay Packers. He is QB1 with no distractions (Aaron Rodgers). He goes and beats the Bears in Chicago by 18 and then travelled to Atlanta where he lost by 1 point. In both games Love threw 3 TDs without any INTs and completed over half of his passes. Love gets the Saints next who could pose a defensive problem for the Packers. If Love can pop out multi-TD games weekly, it will be hard to ignore him as a viable back up and eventual fantasy starter.

Running Backs

Jerome Ford – Cleveland Browns

SEE TOP PRIORITY OF THE WEEK TOP OF PAGE

Matt Breida – New York Giants

Another RB injury and this time it goes to Saquon Barkley who was really starting to heat up in the Giants comeback victory over the Cardinals. He scored a TD both through the air and on the ground. He is projected to miss at least 3 games for the Giants opening up more responsibility and volume to Matt Breida. The Giants may be in trouble this Thursday playing against the 49ers in primetime in San Francisco. That could be a bumpy game for every New York Giant but after that the Giants get a few games that are rush friendly. I wouldn’t want much to do with him this week, but you can’t ignore a RB1 in fantasy football even if its temporary.

Kyren Williams – LA Rams

What in the world is going on with Cam Akers and the Rams? Trouble in paradise seems to be his theme in LA. He only ran for 29 yards on 22 carries in week 1 and then was a healthy scratch. Tread lightly if you own him because he could be traded sooner than later, and I know a team or 2 that could use a RB right now (Browns). But that situation may be bad for the Rams and Cam, but it opens up the RB position to Kyren Williams who has used the opportunity wisely thus far accruing over 100 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards. He also has scored a whopping 4 total TDs. Williams is RB1 in LA and should be owned moving forward.

Wide Receivers

Tutu Atwell – LA Rams

Tutu Atwell is playing well for Stafford and the Rams. No Cooper Kupp? That’s okay when Atwell and Nacua both are averaging close to or more than 100 receiving yards per game. Now we got to get Stafford some passing TDs. Atwell is 2nd on the team in targets, receptions, and receiving yards. Who knows what will happen with Kupp moving forward, but Atwell is a solid piece to throw onto your bench or even start if you need him to. Nacua is nursing an oblique injury so Atwell could get even more volume if anything were to happen there.

Tank Dell – Houston Texans

Tank Dell not only went to Houston in college but now he is playing in Houston yet again but this time on Sundays. The rookie has been a big part of what the Texans want to do offensively. Dell is in the mix with veteran Robert woods and young rising WR Nico Collins. The Texans are most likely going to be playing football from behind a lot this season making that more favorable for Dell when they need to air it out and fast.

Jayden Reed – Green Bay Packers

Jordan Love has 6 TDs and 0 INTs. Yet all of his pass catchers are under 100 receiving yards total. However, Reed is leading the Packers with 13 targets and also tied with Romeo Doubs with 2 TDs each. Reed and Romeo Doubs are good adds the way Love is playing safely and consistently (so far).

Josh Reynolds – Detroit Lions

Josh Reynolds has been impressive to begin the season putting up good numbers. 13 targets, 9 receptions, 146 receiving yards, and 2 TDs. Reynolds is third on the team in receptions, second in yards and targets, and his 2 TDs are most by any Lions player this season. Goff has some strong weapons and Josh is looking like one of them. He could be in for a good game against the Atlanta Falcons.

Tight Ends

Hunter Henry – New England Patriots

Henry has started the season very well in New England scoring 2 TDs in the first 2 games. Hunter is a TE and is leading the Patriots in both receptions and receiving yards. Henry is clearly going to be a decently big part of the Patriots offense moving forward. Worth an add at TE if you need someone who has been consistent through 2 games.

Zach Ertz – Arizona Cardinals

Zach Ertz again is in this spot after another game with lots of attention. Ertz leads the entire NFL in targets for a TE (18) and is second in the NFL with 12 receptions as a TE. Ertz hasn’t scored yet and his 12 receptions are only for 77 receiving yards, but the volume is there and it’s something positive on a team going in the wrong direction. Hard to find that kind of consistency in the TE spot in fantasy so you have to take what you can get.

Recent News

Christian McCaffrey: Not in uniform Saturday
McCaffrey isn't warming up ahead of Saturday's preseason contest versus the Chargers, Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports.
(Aug 23 -- Rotowire)

Shedeur Sanders' disappointing outing ends on bench: You want to be that dog
Browns General Manager Andrew Berry said Saturday the team has no problem keeping four quarterbacks on its 53-player roster.
(Aug 23 -- ProFootballTalk.com)

Malik Washington caught all three targets for 41 yards and a touchdown in the Dolphins' preseason Week 3 game against the Jaguars.
Washington was targeted on three of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's eight pass attempts from the first three drives of the team's final preseason contest, the final of which went for a nifty touchdown from 25 yards out. It was a simple crossing route on a quarterback bootleg, with Washington catching it in the flat before putting on the breaks and leaving his defender in the dust. The obvious caveat here is that both Tyreek Hill and DeVon Achane remained out of the lineup, but Washington has surely shown the same on-field connection with Tagovailoa this preseason that has been reported in camp, making him a viable late-round dart in best ball contests the rest of the way.
(Aug 23 -- NBC Sports)

Matthew Golden: Makes long catch
Golden made one catch on two targets for 39 yards in Saturday's 20-7 preseason win over the Seahawks.
(Aug 23 -- Rotowire)

Steelers' Aaron Rodgers not ruling out 'running it back' with Pittsburgh in 2026
Rodgers, 41, is keeping an open mind regarding his future
(Aug 23 -- CBS Sports)