Week 3 waiver wire targets: Add these players to your fantasy football roster before your leaguemates do (2026 season)
These are the top waiver wire adds for week 3 of fantasy football. Add these players to your roster before your leaguemates do.
Remember to be smart about who you do and don’t spend priority or blind bidding dollars on. A good rule of thumb is to ONLY spend priority/dollars on players who have a legitimate chance of being in the starting lineup right away.
Don’t blow your spot in line for a guy that’s just going to collect dust on the bench.
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Top week 3 waiver wire targets - Standard-sized leagues
RB Alvin Kamara handled 56% of the backfield touches in his return, compared to just 40% for Travis Etienne. Of course, it was the latter that was more efficient, gaining 31 scoreless yards on 8 carries and 2 catches (5.1 PPR points), while Kamara gained just 22 scoreless yards on 9 carries, 6 targets and 5 catches (7.2 PPR points). The Saints, of course, were in pass-heavy game script trying to catch up to the Ravens, likely keeping Kamara on the field more than they’d typically like. Still, it’s clear Kamara is going to have a very valuable role in this not-so-terrible offense.
RB Woody Marks handled 13 touches (61.9% of the backfield touches), including 5 catches on 6 targets as the Texans trailed the Bengals in week 2. The script is clear here; if the Texans are winning, it’ll be the David Montgomery show. If they’re playing from behind, it’ll be Marks’ time to shine. The Texans are currently 2.5 point road favorites in a Week 3 divisional bout with the Colts. Marks must be rostered in all formats.
RB Rachaad White - We may have already seen a changing of the backfield in Washington. Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White each had 13 touches (41.9% of the share), but White had A LOT more targets (6 to 1), catches (6 to 1), scrimmage yards (83 to 48) and PPR points (14.3 to 5.8). Of course, the Commanders were playing this game from behind, and White is clearly the much better pass-catching back. Still, White was simply more impressive than Bill, and may have done enough to eat into Bill’s workload as soon as Week 3 against the Seahawks.
WR Rashod Bateman saw 31% of the Ravens’ targets with Zay Flowers on the shelf, catching 7 of them for 88 yards, 1 TD and 21.8 PPR points. He’ll legitimately be on the WR 2 radar in a shootout with the Cowboys in Week 3 if Flowers can’t go.
TE Dalton Schultz caught 12 (!) of 14 (!) targets for 140(!) scoreless yards (26 PPR points) without Nico Collins in Week 2. He’ll be a surefire TE 1 play if Collins can’t play Week 3.
WR Xavier Worthy had another 7 targets in week 2, catching 5 of them for 25 yards, 1 TD and 13.5 PPR points. Battling for the WR 1 role in Kansas City yet available in 44% of leagues.
WR Devaughn Vele had another 7 targets in week 2, catching 5 of them for 64 scoreless yards (11.4 PPR points). Has a rock solid 19% target share after 2 games and will clearly be the next best option after Chris Olave.
WR Denzel Boston played more offensive snaps than any Browns WR and caught 5 of 7 targets (23.3% target share) for 95 yards, 1 TD and 20.5 PPR points in Week 2. Looks like he’ll at least be in the WR 4/flex discussion moving forward.
RB Kaleb Johnson handled 8 carries for 32 scoreless yards and 3.2 PPR points. His 8 touches tied MarShawn Lloyd for the team lead, which Chris Brooks (5 touches) not too far behind. Perhaps most importantly for Week 3, Lloyd didn’t touch the ball again after a Week 2 fumble. Johnson is very much worth a speculative add before Thursday Night’s bout with the hapless Falcons.
WR Adonai Mitchell caught 6 of 12 targets (33.3% target share) for 63 scoreless yards (12.3 PPR points). He’s currently leading the Jets in targets with 15 (compared to Garrett Wilson with 14).
TE Terrance Ferguson caught 6 of 9 targets (30% target share) for 54 yards, 1 TD and 17.4 PPR points with Puka Nacua on the shelf in Week 2. He'll be on the streaming radar if Puka can't go in Week 3.
WR Romeo Doubs - Drake Maye threw the ball just 22 times, but Hunter Henry had a 23.8% target share (5 targets, 3 catches, 40 yards, 7 PPR points) and Romeo Doubs had a 19% target share (4 targets, 3 catches, 96 yards, 12.6 PPR points). He's the clear target leader in the wide receiver room while AJ Brown is hurt.
Defenses to stream in week 3
DEF Kansas City Chiefs - face the Miami Dolphins in Week 3, who are currently projected to score just 17.5 points, the 2nd fewest in ALL of football in Week 3.
DEF New York Giants - host the Tennessee Titans in Week 3, who are currently projected to score just 18.75 points, the 3rd fewest in ALL of football in Week 3.
DEF Green Bay Packers - host the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3, who are currently projected to score just 19 points, the 3rd fewest in ALL of football in Week 3.
Superflex QBs worth targeting
QB Jameis Winston is likely to start in Week 3 with Jaxson Dart out. In 87 career games where Winston has thrown at least 20 passes, he’s averaging 17.7 fantasy points per game, including 274.7 passing yards, 1.7 passing TDs, 1.3 INTs, 14.5 rushing yards and 0.1 rushing TDs per game. He’s scored 15+ fantasy points in 60% of those games, and 20+ fantasy points in 36% of them. He’s even been able to score 30+ points in 5 of 87 tries (6%), including a career high of 34.7 points way back in week 14 of 2019.
QB Marcus Mariota is likely to start in Week 3 with Jayden Daniels out. In 74 career games where Mariota has thrown at least 20 passes, he’s averaging 16.8 fantasy points per game, including 222 passing yards, 1.4 passing TDs, 0.7 INTs, 27.9 rushing yards and 0.2 rushing TDs per game. He’s scored 15+ fantasy points in 62% of those games, and 20+ fantasy points in 28% of them. He’s even been able to score 30+ points in 4 of 74 tries (5%), including a career high of 37.9 points way back in week 13 of his rookie season (2015).
QB Tyson Bagent is likely to start in Week 3 with Caleb Williams battling a hamstring injury. Bagent averaged 12.4 fantasy points per game in 4 starts for the Bears back in 2023. He scored a career high 17.8 fantasy points in Week 9 of that season, but scored 7-13 PPR points in each of the other 3 games.
Waiver wire pickups for deeper leagues or lower-priority adds in standard-sized leagues
Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley - After Will Shipley played more snaps (10 to 6) and handled more touches (3 to 1) than Tank Bigsby in Week 1, there were some questions about who the true backup to Saquon Barkley was. “Fortunately” (not really), we received some answers when Barkley temporarily exited Week 2 with a stinger. Shipley played considerably more snaps (39) than Bigsby (26), but Bigsby handled more touches on the afternoon (15-9). Still, it’s helpful to know that the Eagles did NOT press Bigsby into a bellcow role when Barkley went down. It appears BOTH Bigsby and Shipley will be involved, forming a 1A-1B tandem if something bigger happens to Barkley.
WR Keon Coleman saw 21.4% of the targets in Week 2 with DJ Moore leaving the game early. He caught all 6 of them for 63 scoreless yards and 12.3 PPR points. Coleman will be on the WR 4/flex radar with some upside in a shootout with the Chargers if Moore can’t play.
WR Xavier Hutchinson saw 9 targets (18% target share) in week 2, but caught just 3 of them for 37 scoreless yards (6.7 PPR points). He’ll be in the WR 4/flex mix if Nico Collins can’t play in Week 3.
WR KC Concepcion caught 6 of 6 targets in Week 2 (20% target share), but for just 28 scoreless yards (8.2 PPR points). He’ll be involved in the Browns’ passing “attack,” but Denzel Boston brings more upside.
TE Jake Ferguson caught 4 of 4 targets (12.9% target share) for 43 yards, 2 TDs and 20.3 PPR points. He’ll be in the TE streaming conversation for a shootout with the Ravens in Week 3. Available in 25% of leagues.
WR Xavier Hutchinson saw 9 targets (18% target share) in week 2, but caught just 3 of them for 37 scoreless yards (6.7 PPR points). He’ll be in the WR 4/flex mix if Nico Collins can’t play in Week 3.
WR Dontayvion Wicks caught 5 of 6 targets (17.6% target share) for 74 scoreless yards (12.4 PPR points. Now has a 17-19% target share and 73-74 yards in both games as an Eagle.
WR Kayshon Boutte saw just 5 targets, but was the most efficient Texans’ WR, catching 3 of them for 37 scoreless yards (6.7 PPR points). Played the second most offensive snaps (58) behind only Xavier Hutchinson (65). He’ll be on the longshot WR 4/flex radar if Nico Collins can’t play in Week 3.
WR Tre Tucker caught 5 of 7 targets (24.1% target share) for 119 yards, 1 TD and 22.9 PPR points in week 2. Could be on the WR 4/flex radar if Brock Bowers remains out in week 3.
WR Malik Washington - It’s ugly, but Malik Washington has been the only “consistent” WR the Dolphins have after 2 weeks, accumulating 5-8 targets, 3-4 catches, 43-53 yards and 8-9 PPR points in both games. Dolphins will have to throw a bunch vs the Chiefs in Week 3.
WR Germie Bernard - With Michael Pittman on the shelf, rookie Germie Bernard played just as many snaps as Roman Wilson (55) and caught 4 of 8 targets (21.6% target share) for 35 scoreless yards (7.5 PPR points). It’s unclear if Pittman will be active in Week 3, but clear Bernard will be involved if not.
WR Roman Wilson - With Michael Pittman on the shelf, Roman Wilson caught 5 of 6 targets (16.2% target share) for 28 scoreless yards (7.8 PPR points, led all WRs). He now has back-to-back games with a 16.2% target share, 6 targets, 3-5 catches, 26-28 yards, and 5-8 PPR points.
RB Emanuel Wilson - It seems that Emanuel Wilson may have already passed George Holani on the depth chart, playing 29 snaps and handling 21 touches (51.2% of the backfield touches) for 92 scoreless yards and 9.2 PPR points (compared to just 5 touches, 15 scoreless yards and 2.5 PPR points for Holani). Wilson would be squarely in the mix as an RB 2/3 if Price were to miss time with his shoulder injury, though that doesn’t sound like it’ll happen. Still, Wilson — not Holani — appears to be the bench stash moving forward (until Zach Charbonnet returns).
WR Ryan Flournoy is playing just as many snaps (41-42) as CeeDee Lamb (47-41) and George Pickens (49-42). He caught 5 of 6 targets (19.4% target share) for 23 scoreless yards (7.3 PPR points). He’s bound to have a big day at some point with this kind of playing time, perhaps in a Week 3 shootout with the Ravens.
WR Kalif Raymond had another fantasy relevant day in Week 2, accounting for 16.7% of the targets and catching all 5 of them for 40 scoreless yards (9 PPR points).
WR Ted Hurst - rookie Ted Hurst played 48 offensive snaps and led the Buccaneers in targets (7, a 21.2% target share), though he caught just 2 of them for 27 scoreless yards (4.7 PPR points). Hurst officially has more targets (10) than Chris Godwin (7) this season, though Godwin has him beat in catches (7 to 5), yards (86 to 63), and PPR points (17.1 to 11.3). Still, Hurst belongs on your radar.
RB Jonah Coleman handled 13 touches — including 3 targets/catches — for 58 yards, 1 TD and 14.8 PPR points with RJ Harvey on the shelf and JK Dobbins leaving the game early with an injury. He’ll be every bit in the RB 2/3 conversation if Harvey and/or Dobbins can’t go in Week 3. That said, Dobbins sounds like he’ll be good to go, and Harvey shouldn’t be out long either.
WR Laquon Treadwell played 48 offensive snaps after Alec Pierce went down, more than Keenan Allen (33) and just 6 fewer than Josh Downs (54). He caught all 3 targets for 61 scoreless yards and 9.1 PPR points.
TE TJ Hockenson - The raw numbers were ugly in Week 2, but if you look closer, you’ll recognize that TJ Hockenson has accounted for more than 21% of the Vikings’ targets in each of the first 2 games. We’ll see if that holds with Kyler Murray back in the fold in Week 3.
TE Hunter Henry - Drake Maye threw the ball just 22 times, but Hunter Henry had a 23.8% target share (5 targets, 3 catches, 40 yards, 7 PPR points) and Romeo Doubs had a 19% target share (4 targets, 3 catches, 96 yards, 12.6 PPR points).
TE Pat Freiermuth caught 4 of 5 targets (13.5% target share for 32 scoreless yards and 7.2 PPR points. Now has back-to-back games with a 13.5% target share, 5 targets, 4-5 catches, and 32-46 yards. Will be in the streaming conversation against a Bengals defense that just got flamed by Dalton Schultz and were the worst in all of football against TEs last year.
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