Remember in the preseason when we told you that quarterback was a deep position? That depth is being tested already.
Heading into Week 2, we were already down Andrew Luck (retired), Nick Foles (collarbone) and Sam Darnold (illness). Things got much worse when Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees went down during their games, and we could be without Cam Newton heading into Week 3 as well.
Roethlisberger suffered a right elbow injury against Seattle, and we found out Monday he's having surgery that will knock him out for the season. Brees hurt his right thumb, which will require surgery and is expected to keep him out for at least six weeks. And Newton aggravated his preseason foot injury, which leaves his status in doubt for Week 3 at Arizona.
Yikes.
While Mason Rudolph and Teddy Bridgewater are options for your Fantasy teams as the replacements for Roethlisberger and Brees in real life, hopefully you can find someone better on the waiver wire. My favorite quarterback to add heading into Week 3 is Josh Allen if he's still available, but we have several suggestions for you below, including the new starting quarterback for the Giants with Daniel Jones taking over.
We're also keeping an eye on several other injuries, including James Conner (knee), Damien Williams (knee), LeSean McCoy (ankle), Devin Singletary (hamstring), Alshon Jeffery (calf), DeSean Jackson (groin), Michael Gallup (knee) and David Njoku (concussion). There are plenty of players to add as replacement options if needed, as well as the players to target coming off impressive games, including guys like Demarcus Robinson, Greg Olsen and Raheem Mostert, among others.
And, as always, we have DST and kicker streamers for you to target heading into Week 3. It should be a busy waiver wire period, with many of you searching for help at quarterback due to a couple of major injuries.
Editor's note: For this waiver wire column, we are only looking at players owned in less than 65 percent of CBS Sports leagues.
Week 3 Waivers
WAIVER WIRE
Quarterbacks
- Injuries of note: Ben Roethlisberger (elbow), Drew Brees (thumb), Cam Newton (foot), Sam Darnold (illness), Nick Foles (clavicle), Marcus Mariota (quad), Trevor Siemian (leg)
- Priority list: Josh Allen (62 percent ownership), Andy Dalton (30 percent), Matthew Stafford (60 percent), Jacoby Brissett (26 percent), Daniel Jones (11 percent), Mason Rudolph (1 percent), Gardner Minshew (10 percent), Teddy Bridgewater (1 percent), Taysom Hill (2 percent)
- Check to see if available: Jimmy Garoppolo (69 percent)
- Drop candidates: Drew Brees (100 percent), Kirk Cousins (73 percent), Mitchell Trubisky (60 percent)
Week 3 Priority List
Allen has the Bills off to a 2-0 start, and he's been playing well since the second half of Week 1 against the Jets. He rallied Buffalo in that game, finishing with two second-half touchdowns and 17 Fantasy points. He then played great against the Giants in Week 2 with 24 Fantasy points, and he should have another solid outing against the Bengals this week. The best part about Allen for Fantasy players is he continues to run, totaling 17 carries for 59 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in two games. It gets tougher for him in Week 4 against New England and in Week 5 at Tennessee before a bye in Week 6, but Allen should be considered a low-end No. 1 quarterback for the rest of the season. He's worth at least 10 percent of your FAAB budget.
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Dalton has been a quality Fantasy quarterback through two games against Seattle and San Francisco, scoring at least 22 points in each outing. And the best part is he's doing this without A.J. Green (ankle), who could return soon, hopefully by Week 4. John Ross has been a pleasant surprise with his production, as well as Tyler Boyd, but this new offense under Zac Taylor seems to be a good fit for Dalton. He has a tough matchup in Week 3 at Buffalo, but things look good for him in Week 4 at Pittsburgh and Week 5 against Arizona based on how those defenses have played to start the year, as well as Green potentially back. Dalton is worth up to 10 percent of your FAAB.
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Stafford scored 33 Fantasy points at Arizona in Week 1, and he followed that up with 18 points against the Chargers in Week 2. He's off to a solid start, and I love all his weapons with T.J. Hockenson and Danny Amendola joining Kenny Golladay, Marvin Jones and Kerryon Johnson. He could continue to have a productive stretch at Philadelphia in Week 3 and against Kansas City in Week 4 before a bye in Week 5, and I don't mind Stafford as a low-end starter in those matchups. He's worth up to 10 percent of your FAAB.
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Brissett has played well through two road games to open the season at the Chargers and at Tennessee, scoring at least 19 Fantasy points in each outing. He has five touchdowns and one interception over that span, and he's also run 10 times for 34 yards. He has a favorable schedule coming up against Atlanta in Week 3, against Oakland in Week 4 and at Kansas City in Week 5 before a bye in Week 6, and he could be a useful Fantasy option during that stretch. Brissett is worth 5-10 percent of your FAAB.
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Jones is now starting for the Giants after Eli Manning was benched, and let's see how he does against Tampa Bay in Week 3. It would help if Sterling Shepard (concussion) is healthy, but Jones is still only a Fantasy option in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues. Things could improve for him moving forward once Golden Tate (suspension) is back after Week 4, and we'll see how Jones does as the top quarterback for the Giants for the rest of the year. He's worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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Rudolph had a strong preseason for what it's worth, completing 65.1 percent of his passes for 368 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, and he should have a good connection with his former teammate at Oklahoma State, James Washington, who is worth adding in all leagues. Rudolph also looked good in relief of Roethlisberger with 112 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception on 12-of-19 passing against Seattle. He's the starter in Pittsburgh for the rest of the year, and this is his audition to be the heir apparent for Roethlisberger. In two-quarterback and Superflex leagues, he could emerge as a weekly starter, including in Week 3 at San Francisco. Rudolph is worth 5-10 percent of your FAAB.
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Minshew is worth using in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues as long as Foles is out, and he has at least 17 Fantasy points in two games. The schedule is tough for Minshew the next two weeks with matchups against Tennessee in Week 3 on Thursday, at Denver in Week 4 and at Carolina in Week 5, but Minshew could be a band-aid on your roster in deeper formats if you're hurting at quarterback. He's worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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With Brees out, likely until at least the Saints' bye in Week 9, we could see Sean Payton be creative with how he uses Bridgewater and Hill. Bridgewater will likely start, but don't be surprised with how many packages we see Hill under center. It could be frustrating to rely on Bridgewater as a Fantasy option, but obviously many of you could be desperate in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues. The same goes for Hill in deeper leagues. I'd take Bridgewater first, but neither is worth more than 5 percent of your FAAB unless it's an emergency situation.
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Waiver Wire
Running backs
- Injuries of note: James Conner (knee), Damien Williams (knee), Josh Jacobs (groin), LeSean McCoy (ankle), Devin Singletary (hamstring), Tevin Coleman (ankle), Derrius Guice (knee)
- Priority list: Jaylen Samuels (61 percent ownership), Darwin Thompson (50 percent), Frank Gore (23 percent), Raheem Mostert (26 percent), Jalen Richard (31 percent), Jeff Wilson (0 percent), T.J. Yeldon (6 percent), Jamaal Williams (22 percent)
- Check to see if available: Peyton Barber (75 percent), Carlos Hyde (73 percent), Chris Thompson (72 percent), Royce Freeman (70 percent), Justin Jackson (65 percent)
- Drop candidates: Kenyan Drake (94 percent), Giovani Bernard (80 percent), Jordan Howard (80 percent), Kareem Hunt (68 percent), Darrell Henderson (54 percent)
Week 3 Priority List
It appears as if Conner will be fine after leaving Week 2 against Seattle with a knee injury, but it's not a bad idea to add Samuels where available, just in case Conner is out in Week 3 at San Francisco. While the offense might not be as productive without Roethlisberger, Samuels would still be a low-end starter in most leagues if Conner missed time. Last year, Samuels scored at least 15 PPR points in the three games where he had at least 15 total touches. He could split time with Benny Snell (4 percent ownership) if Conner were out, but Samuels is the running back to target as the replacement option in Pittsburgh. He's worth up to 15 percent of your FAAB budget.
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Like Samuels, it's not a bad idea to add Thompson in all leagues, even though it doesn't appear like the injuries to Williams and McCoy are serious. Thompson would obviously be a must-start Fantasy option if both of those guys were out. And keep in mind, Williams has already dealt with a hamstring injury in training camp, and McCoy is 31 and has been banged up in recent years. Thompson would share playing time with Darrel Williams (1 percent ownership) if both guys were hurt, but Thompson is the running back to target as the replacement option in Kansas City. He's worth up to 15 percent of your FAAB.
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With Coleman out, the 49ers used a three-headed rushing attack at Cincinnati in Week 2, and all of them were successful. Matt Breida had 12 carries for 121 yards (10.1 yards per carry), along with one catch for 11 yards. Mostert had 13 carries for 83 yards (6.4 yards per carry), as well as three catches for 68 yards and a touchdown. And Wilson had 10 carries for 34 yards (3.4 yards per carry) and two touchdowns. It could be frustrating moving forward, but Mostert is worth adding in all leagues and using as a flex until Coleman is back. And Wilson is worth adding in deeper formats. We'll see how all three running backs are used in Week 3 against Pittsburgh, but I still like Breida the best for now. Mostert is worth 10-15 percent of your FAAB, and Wilson is worth 5 percent.
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If Singletary is out then Gore and Yeldon would likely split playing time, with Gore the lead back and Yeldon working on passing downs. In that scenario, you could use Gore as a low-end starter in Week 3 against the Bengals. He might have value beyond that even when Singletary is healthy, and he just had 19 carries for 68 yards (3.6 yards per carry) and a touchdown, as well as two catches for 15 yards in Week 2 at the Giants. Yeldon has yet to play this year, but he could take on Singletary's workload if the rookie is out. Gore is worth up to 10 percent of your FAAB, and Yeldon is worth up to 5 percent.
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We're all hopeful that Jacobs is fine for Week 3 at Minnesota, but if he's out then Richard and DeAndre Washington (0 percent ownership) would split time for the Raiders. I prefer Richard given his role in the passing game, but you can take a look at Washington in deeper leagues. Richard hasn't done much yet with Jacobs playing at a high level through two games, and he only has three carries for 6 yards and two catches for 2 yards. But in 2018, Richard scored double digits in PPR points in nine games based on his production as a receiver. If Jacobs is out, Richard is worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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Jamaal Williams continues to split playing time with Aaron Jones, and Williams played 47 percent of the snaps in Week 2 against Minnesota. He had nine carries for 28 yards, as well as three catches for 13 yards and a touchdown on four targets. He's not worth starting as long as Jones is healthy, but it's not a bad idea to stash Williams. I'd put Alexander Mattison (54 percent ownership) and Ito Smith (37 percent) in the same category since all three of these guys will get touches in secondary roles, but they play behind injury-prone starters in good offenses. If given a bigger opportunity, Williams, Mattison and Smith could be Fantasy starters. They are worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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WAIVER WIRE
Wide Receivers
- Injuries of note: Alshon Jeffery (calf), DeSean Jackson (groin), Michael Gallup (knee), Tyrell Williams (hip), A.J. Green (ankle), Tyreek Hill (collarbone), Sterling Shepard (concussion), Marqise Lee (knee), D.J. Chark (ankle), Tre'Quan Smith (ankle), A.J. Brown (knee), Demaryius Thomas (hamstring), Albert Wilson (calf), Chris Conley (hip)
- Priority list: Demarcus Robinson (4 percent ownership), Mecole Hardman (50 percent), Nelson Agholor (20 percent), Terry McLaurin (52 percent), D.J. Chark (22 percent), Deebo Samuel (25 percent), Randall Cobb (24 percent), Marquise Goodwin (36 percent), Cole Beasley (11 percent), Chris Conley (4 percent), Devin Smith (0 percent), Golden Tate (48 percent), JJ Arcega-Whiteside (6 percent), Preston Williams (5 percent)
- Check to see if available: D.K. Metcalf (74 percent), James Washington (67 percent)
- Drop candidates: Michael Gallup (86 percent), Marvin Jones (76 percent), Donte Moncrief (57 percent), Corey Davis (57 percent), Dante Pettis (57 percent)
Week 3 Priority List
Robinson and Hardman both blew up in the first game without Hill at Oakland in Week 2, and hopefully that's a sign of things to come. Robinson had six catches for 172 yards and two touchdowns on six targets, and Hardman had four catches for 61 yards and a touchdown on six targets. Hardman also had a 72-yard touchdown called back due to a holding penalty. I like Robinson slightly better than Hardman, but both are worth adding in all leagues. And both are worth at least 15 percent of your FAAB budget.
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The Eagles have a need at receiver with Jackson and Jeffery hurt, and Agholor would be a potential starter in all leagues in Week 3 against Detroit if both are out. In Week 2 at Atlanta, Agholor had eight catches for 107 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets, and he would be the second-best option in the passing game behind only Zach Ertz if Jackson and Jeffery don't play. In deeper leagues, you can also look at Arcega-Whiteside and Mack Hollins (0 percent ownership), although neither would be worth starting against the Lions. Agholor is worth at least 10 percent of your FAAB if Jackson and Jeffery don't play in Week 3.
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McLaurin hasn't played as well as Marquise Brown, but he has been the second-best rookie receiver through two games. He has 10 catches for 187 yards and two touchdowns on 16 targets over that span, and he's scored at least 17 PPR points in each outing. Washington doesn't have an easy matchup in Week 3 against Chicago, but McLaurin should be owned in all leagues. He could emerge as a weekly starter in three-receiver leagues by the middle of the season and is worth at least 10 percent of your FAAB.
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It might be too soon to drop Dede Westbrook, but Chark and Conley might be the top receivers in Jacksonville, at least while Minshew is starting. Chark is the one to add first, and he's played well through two games with 11 catches for 201 yards and two touchdowns on 13 targets. He's scored at least 18 PPR points in each of his first two games. Conley has 10 catches for 170 yards and one touchdown on 12 targets over that span, and he's scored at least 11 PPR points in each outing. Chark is worth 10 percent of your FAAB, and Conley is worth 5 percent.
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Samuel was among my favorite rookies this year, and he had a breakout game of sorts in Week 2 at Cincinnati with five catches for 87 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. I also like Goodwin, who had a solid performance against the Bengals with three catches for 77 yards and a touchdown on three targets. Samuel is the one to target first, and he's worth 10 percent of your FAAB. Goodwin is worth 5 percent, but both should be the top receivers in San Francisco for the foreseeable future. It's easy to drop Pettis now with his lack of playing time and targets compared to Samuel and Goodwin.
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Gallup is expected to miss 2-4 weeks with his knee injury, which opens the door for more targets for Cobb and Smith. Cobb's role isn't likely to change with Gallup out, and he has nine catches for 93 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets through two games. Smith just had a breakout performance in Week 2 at Washington with three catches for 74 yards and a touchdown on three targets, and both Cowboys could be potential starters in deeper leagues in Week 3 against Miami. Both are worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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While John Brown is the receiver to own for the Bills, don't overlook Beasley in deeper leagues. He has nine catches for 123 yards on 13 targets through two games, and he just scored 12 PPR points in Week 2 at the Giants. I like him as a low-end starter in three-receiver PPR leagues in Week 3 against the Bengals, and he's worth stashing in all PPR formats moving forward. Beasley is worth 5 percent of your FAAB.
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It's worth speculating on Tate now for when his four-game suspension ends in two weeks, and hopefully he will benefit with Jones now starting at quarterback. Tate will be the No. 2 receiver and likely No. 4 target in this offense behind Saquon Barkley, Evan Engram and Shepard. Still, in PPR, Tate could emerge as a potential starter in three-receiver leagues. He's worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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No one really wants any Dolphins, but Williams could be their best Fantasy option. And we're only talking about deeper leagues here. But through two games, Williams has seven catches for 87 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets, and he's scored at least 10 PPR points in both outings. He's worth 1 percent of your FAAB in deeper formats.
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WAIVER WIRE
TIGHT ENDS
- Injuries of note: David Njoku (concussion), Hunter Henry (knee), Jordan Reed (concussion), Dallas Goedert (calf)
- Priority list: Greg Olsen (51 percent ownership), Jason Witten (21 percent), Will Dissly (6 percent), Vernon Davis (37 percent), Tyler Eifert (16 percent), Chris Herndon (15 percent)
- Check to see if available: Vance McDonald (79 percent)
- Drop candidates: Jimmy Graham (70 percent), Hunter Henry (65 percent), Kyle Rudolph (45 percent)
Week 3 Priority List
Olsen was great in Week 2 with six catches for 110 yards on nine targets against Tampa Bay, and he's had nine targets in each of the first two games. He's healthy now after battling foot injuries the past two years and missing 16 games, and hopefully he's able to play most of the season. He has a great matchup in Week 3 against Arizona, which has been abused so far by T.J. Hockenson and Mark Andrews. Olsen can be a starting Fantasy tight end for the rest of the season, and he's worth at least 15 percent of your FAAB budget.
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Witten's return to the NFL has been successful so far with seven catches for 40 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets in two games. He's scored at least 10 PPR points in each outing, and he could also benefit with Gallup out. He has a great matchup in Week 3 against Miami, and Witten should be considered a low-end starting option this week. He's worth 5-10 percent of your FAAB.
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I liked Dissly heading into Week 1 against Cincinnati, but he got hurt and was unable to finish the game. He bounced back in Week 2 at Pittsburgh with five catches for 50 yards and two touchdowns on five targets, and he could be the No. 3 option in Seattle's passing game behind Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. He's worth using as a streaming option in Week 3 against New Orleans, and Dissly is worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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Davis will once again be Fantasy relevant for as long as Reed is out, and we'll see if Reed is able to return this week. Through two games without Reed, Davis has seven catches for 88 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets, and he would be a low-end starting option in Week 3 against the Bears. Davis is worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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It's good to see Eifert healthy after being limited to 14 games the past three seasons due to injury, and hopefully he can play 16 games. He scored in Week 2 against San Francisco, and he now has eight catches for 36 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets to start the year. I don't love the matchup in Week 3 at Buffalo, but Eifert could become a weekly starter if he stays on the field. He's worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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Herndon is worth stashing in all leagues for when his suspension is over in Week 6. The hope would be that Darnold is healthy then, and then Herndon can be a potential Fantasy starter in all leagues. If you have an open roster spot, I suggest stashing Herndon now. He's worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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WAIVER WIRE
KICKERS
Priority list: Joey Slye (13%), Mason Crosby (61%), Jason Myers (52%)
WAIVER WIRE
DST
Priority list: Packers (39%), Seahawks (45%), 49ers (29%)
So who should you sit and start this week? And which surprising quarterback could lead you to victory? Visit SportsLine now to get Week 3 Fantasy football rankings for every position, plus see which QB is going to come out of nowhere to crack the top 10, all from the model that out-performed experts big time last season.
