Each Sunday night during the season, I’ll be bringing you early waiver wire suggestions to help you get a jump on the competition! Thanks for joining me as we hit the waiver wire looking for players who can help you out for Week 3 and beyond. Here are the players whose performances earned them a waiver claim heading into Week 3, including some who may need to be added due to injury and a handful of 49ers.
Note: All players have less than 30% ownership in Yahoo leagues.
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Running Back
*Jaylen Samuels is a must-add this week after James Conner injured his knee. He’s 35% owned, but he has to be mentioned.
Raheem Mostert (SF): 16% owned
Week 2 Stats: 13 carries, 83 rushing yards, 3 receptions, 68 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD
He was a recommended add last week, and his ownership spiked to only 16 percent. That number is sure to balloon quickly after 151 total yards and a TD against the Bengals on Sunday. Mostert was heavily involved on the ground and through the air, and despite sharing time with Matt Breida and Jeff Wilson, he will be flex-worthy each week, especially in good matchups. An injury to Breida would propel him into RB2 territory.
Next three weeks: PIT, BYE, CLE
Frank Gore (BUF): 8% owned
Week 2 Stats: 19 carries, 68 rushing yards, 2 receptions, 15 receiving yards, 1 rushing TD
Once again, Gore finds his way into fantasy relevancy by logging 19 carries and scoring a touchdown in Week 2. Gore has now managed 30 carries over the first two weeks of the season, and he remains the starter ahead of the younger and more dynamic Devin Singletary. Singletary tweaked his hamstring Sunday, and his health concerns bode well for Gore’s stock, at least in the short term. As long as he’s getting such a voluminous workload, Gore offers some unexciting flex value.
Next three weeks: CIN, NE, @TEN
Darwin Thompson (KC): 18% owned
Week 2 Stats: 1 carry, 1 rushing yard
Damien Williams left Sunday’s game in the fourth quarter with a knee injury, and if he’s forced to miss time, Thompson is the likely backup to LeSean McCoy in the backfield. This add is purely speculative until the extent of Williams’ injury is known.
Next three weeks: BAL, @DET, IND
Jeff Wilson (SF): 0% owned
Week 2 Stats: 10 carries, 34 rushing yards, 2 TDs
Wilson scored twice in the Week 2 victory, and it looks like he’ll get some work in an RBBC with Raheem Mostert and Matt Breida. He doesn’t offer a lot of standalone value at this point, but he does offer touchdown-upside with the possibility of a bigger workload should Mostert or Breida miss time.
Next three weeks: PIT, BYE, CLE
Wide Receiver
Demarcus Robinson (KC): 4% owned
Week 2 Stats: 6 receptions, 172 receiving yards, 2 TDs
With Tyreek Hill out of the lineup, Demarcus Robinson became the hero of the Chiefs’ receiving corps in Week 2, filling Sammy Watkins’ shoes from Week 1. Patrick Mahomes tossed four touchdowns Sunday, and his potent passing shows no sign of slowing down. Robinson still has Watkins, Travis Kelce, and Mecole Hardman to compete with, but any receiver catching passes in this Kansas City offense is worth owning.
*Mecole Hardman is 40% owned, but if he’s available, add now
Next three weeks: BAL, @DET, IND
Deebo Samuel (SF): 13% owned
Week 2 Stats: 5 receptions, 87 receiving yards, 2 carries, 7 rushing yards, 1 receiving TD
After two weeks, it’s clear that Samuel is one of the top wideouts on this team, and Dante Pettis is… not. Samuel was involved early and often in the Week 2 win over Cincinnati, and similar usage can be expected moving forward. A starting wideout with such a low ownership should be scooped up now.
Next three weeks: PIT, BYE, CLE
Tight End
Will Dissly (SEA): 3% owned
Week 2 Stats: 5 receptions, 50 receiving yards, 2 TDs
Dissly came away with just one reception for 12 yards last week but went off for two scores in Week 2. His production may be up-and-down, but it’s a brutal tight end landscape, and Dissly presents some upside with his scoring ability.
Next three weeks: NO, @ARI, LAR
Jason Witten (DAL): 15% owned
Week 2 Stats: 4 receptions, 25 receiving yards, TD
Witten came up with a TD for the second week in a row and also saw four targets for the second time in that span. It looks like he’ll be regularly involved in the Cowboys’ offense, and though he has a low ceiling, the longtime veteran should be added for those who need help at tight end.
Next three weeks: MIA, @NO, GB
Quarterback
Teddy Bridgewater (NO): 0% owned
Week 2 Stats: 165 passing yards, 2 carries, five rushing yards, fumble
Drew Brees got his hand smashed early in the game by Aaron Donald, leading Bridgewater to see significant action Sunday. Brees was seen with his thumb wrapped on the sidelines, and it’s unclear how long he may be out. Bridgewater could be the starter in Week 3 and beyond, making him a priority add for those in need of quarterback help.
Next three weeks: @SEA, DAL, TB
Andy Dalton (CIN): 18% owned
Week 2 Stats: 311 passing yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 2 carries, 2 rushing yards, 1 fumble
Dalton has been solid over the first two weeks of the season, totaling 729 yards, four touchdowns, and just one interception. Next week’s matchup against Buffalo isn’t appealing, but Weeks 4 and 5 feature exploitable matchups in Pittsburgh and Arizona. Dalton makes a solid addition this week.
Next three weeks: @BUF, @PIT, ARI
Mason Rudolph (PIT): 0% owned
Week 2 Stats: 112 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 1 INT, 1 carry, 7 rushing yards
Ben Roethlisberger left early with an injury to his elbow, and his status for Week 3 is yet unclear. Rudolph played well in his NFL debut, and he’ll be the starter if Roethlisberger is forced to miss time. He should be unowned virtually everywhere, so pick him up if you need help in deeper leagues or any league that utilizes two quarterbacks.
Next three weeks: @SF, CIN, BAL
D/ST
San Francisco D/ST: 18% owned
They’ve stifled Tampa Bay and Cincinnati in Weeks 1 and 2 and are now staring at the likely task of facing Mason Rudolph in Week 3. In a home matchup against an unproven quarterback, expect this defensive unit to shine.
Next three weeks: PIT, BYE, CLE
Green Bay D/ST: 16% owned
This new-and-improved defense has put together two very solid outings against Chicago and Minnesota in Weeks 1 and 2. Next week’s matchup at home against Denver is a juicy one, and this unit looks like it may have every-week appeal.
Next three weeks: DEN, PHI, @DAL
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Zachary Hanshew is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Zachary, check out his archive and follow him @zakthemonster.