Giants running back Saquon Barkley was the No. 1 overall pick in most Fantasy leagues this year, and now he's expected to miss 4-to-8 weeks with an ankle injury. The Giants have a bye in Week 11, and there's a good chance we don't see Barkley on the field again until Week 12.
That's not ideal.
I wish there was a running back on the waiver wire who could replace Barkley's production, but obviously that's not the case. You can explore some trades for a few buy-low candidates -- James Conner, Joe Mixon, Todd Gurley, David Montgomery and potentially Damien Williams are worth looking into -- but otherwise you're likely trying to put a band-aid on your Fantasy roster with a waiver wire addition.
The running back you will most likely be trying to add this week (we have plenty of candidates mentioned below as well) is the player the Giants will turn to as Barkley's replacement in Wayne Gallman since he's the backup on their roster. The third-year running back, who is owned in just 6 percent of leagues on CBS Sports, has seven carries for 30 yards (4.3 yards per carry) and one touchdown on the season, along with three catches for 24 yards on five targets.
For his career, Gallman has six games with double digits in carries, with most of them coming in his rookie campaign in 2017, before Barkley was in the NFL. In four of those games, he scored at least 11 PPR points. In three of those games, he also had at least five catches. So he might prove to be a competent replacement option.
The Giants had a suspect offensive line in 2017, and many thought Eli Manning was done as a starting quarterback in the NFL. The offensive line has been upgraded since then, and Manning was finally replaced prior to Week 3 at Tampa Bay with Daniel Jones, who had a successful debut in beating the Buccaneers.
We should see the best version of Gallman in the NFL as Barkley's replacement with a better offense around him, and he's clearly worth adding in all leagues. He's the No. 1 running back to add this week, and he's worth at least 20 percent of your FAAB budget.
Now, the one thing to caution with adding Gallman is the Giants are likely going to bring in a running back for depth on their roster. And it could be someone who takes away touches from Gallman depending on their level of experience and talent in the NFL.
Some of the possible free agents the Giants could look at are C.J. Anderson, Doug Martin, Alfred Morris and Jay Ajayi, with Anderson the most likely candidate since he was just released by Detroit last week. If you want to put in a claim for Anderson now, he's at 13 percent ownership on CBS Sports leagues.
The Giants also have fullback Elijhaa Penny on their roster, or they could promote John Hilliman off the practice squad. Most likely, a veteran running back will be added to share work with Gallman. But either way, he should still be the lead running back for the Giants until Barkley returns.
There's also the chance the Giants could trade for a running back, so keep Miami's Kenyan Drake on your radar since the Dolphins clearly aren't afraid to dump talented players for draft picks. It's the only reason I didn't list Drake in the drop candidates at running back this week with the possibility that the Giants make a deal for him, although that's likely a long shot.
For now, try to add Gallman in all leagues, especially if you are the Fantasy manager with Barkley on your team. No one can replace his production, but hopefully your Fantasy team can stay afloat until he returns.
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
- On a bye: Jimmy Garoppolo, Sam Darnold
- Injuries of note: Drew Brees (thumb), Cam Newton (foot), Nick Foles (clavicle)
- Priority list: Daniel Jones (35 percent ownership), Kyle Allen (5 percent), Case Keenum (19 percent), Gardner Minshew (13 percent), Jacoby Brissett (57 percent), Mason Rudolph (33 percent)
- Check to see if available: Matthew Stafford (74 percent). He would be the No. 1 quarterback to add if available.
- Drop candidates: Jimmy Garoppolo (88 percent), Drew Brees (86 percent), Cam Newton (82 percent), Kirk Cousins (73 percent)
Week 4 Priority List
I struggled with the No. 1 quarterback to add this week between Jones, Allen and Brissett. I would have Brissett at No. 1 if we knew T.Y. Hilton (quadriceps) was going to play in Week 4 against Oakland, but it sounds like he could be out, which drops Brissett down on the list. I like the setup for Jones and Allen, but adding Jones first makes more sense as a one-week replacement with his matchup against Washington. So far this year, Carson Wentz, Dak Prescott and Mitchell Trubisky have combined for 813 passing yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions against Washington, with all three scoring at least 25 Fantasy points. Jones just had 37 Fantasy points against Tampa Bay in his first start, and he should be a low-end starter in all leagues in Week 4. It gets tougher for Jones after this game with matchups against Minnesota and New England, but you can worry about that later. Jones is worth at least 10 percent of your FAAB budget.
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Allen will start again in Week 4 for Newton, and we don't know how long Newton will be out. For now, approach Allen as a week-to-week option for your Fantasy team, and he could be a low-end starter in all leagues. He scored 32 Fantasy points at Arizona in Week 3, and I like his matchup in Week 4 at Houston since the Texans have struggled with Drew Brees, Minshew and Philip Rivers already this year. Allen is worth 5-10 percent of your FAAB, and he'll be cheaper than Jones if you want someone who could be just as good.
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Keenum could be replaced at any moment by rookie Dwayne Haskins, so keep that in mind, but if he starts in Week 4 as expected, I like his chances as a Fantasy quarterback against the Giants. Keenum has multiple touchdowns in all three games this season, including two games with at least 332 passing yards. He's also scored at least 20 Fantasy points in two games. The Giants have one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL, and Prescott, Josh Allen and Jameis Winston have each scored at least 24 Fantasy points against this defense. Keenum is worth 5 percent of your FAAB.
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Brissett would be ahead of all these guys if Hilton were healthy, but it's hard to trust Brissett without his No. 1 receiver if Hilton is out. Keep an eye on that situation to determine where Brissett should rank if all of these quarterbacks are available to you. Brissett has scored at least 19 Fantasy points in all three games, with at least 21 points in his past two outings against Tennessee and Atlanta. With Hilton, he's a low-end starter against the Raiders. Without Hilton, Brissett is just an option in two-quarterback and Superflex leagues. He's worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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Minshew mania is taking over, and he's been a solid replacement for the injured Foles, who is on short-term IR and out until at least Week 11. Minshew has scored 21 Fantasy points in two of three games this year, and he's playing better than many expected. The reason he's lower on this list is his matchup with the Broncos in Week 4. Denver has limited Derek Carr, Trubisky and Aaron Rodgers to minimal production, and Minshew is only an option in two-quarterback leagues on the road. He's worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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Rudolph struggled at San Francisco in Week 3 in his first start for Roethlisberger, scoring 17 Fantasy points, but I expect a better outing in Week 4 at home against the Bengals. He's only an option in two-quarterback leagues, but I expect Cincinnati's defense to struggle on the road for the second week in a row. Rudolph is worth 1 percent of your FAAB.
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Waiver Wire
Running backs
- On a bye: Le'Veon Bell, Tevin Coleman, Matt Breida, Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson
- Injuries of note: Saquon Barkley (ankle), Rashaad Penny (hamstring), Damien Williams (knee), LeSean McCoy (ankle), Devin Singletary (hamstring), Tevin Coleman (ankle), Derrius Guice (knee), Ito Smith (concussion)
- Priority list: Wayne Gallman (6 percent ownership), Darrel Williams (5 percent), Rex Burkhead (47 percent), Jamaal Williams (26 percent), Ronald Jones (46 percent), Alexander Mattison (52 percent), T.J. Yeldon (14 percent)
- Check to see if available: Rashaad Penny (78 percent), Frank Gore (69 percent), Chris Thompson (72 percent). Gore would be the No. 2 running back to add this week behind Gallman, and Thompson would be behind Gallman and Gore, with his value higher in PPR.
- Drop candidates: Duke Johnson (93 percent), Tarik Cohen (92 percent), Latavius Murray (85 percent), Malcolm Brown (77 percent), Kareem Hunt (67 percent), Darwin Thompson (63 percent)
Week 4 Priority List
We talked about Gallman above, and hopefully he takes advantage of this opportunity as the replacement option for Barkley. Again, the Giants are likely to bring in another running back to compete with Gallman, but if he's the starter for potentially eight weeks for the Giants then he could be a flex option each week, especially with the bye weeks starting in Week 4. And Gallman is worth at least 30 percent of your FAAB.
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Damien Williams could be out again in Week 4 for the Chiefs, and McCoy is banged up. If both are out then Darrel Williams would be a potential starter in all leagues. He did well in tandem with McCoy in Week 3 against Baltimore with nine carries for 62 yards (6.9 yards per carry), as well as five catches for 47 yards. If you have an open spot, stash Williams just to see what happens with McCoy and Damien Williams moving forward. Darrel Williams is worth 10 percent of your FAAB.
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Burkhead is another great stash candidate, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him start taking work away from Sony Michel, who has struggled. He benefited in Week 3 against the Jets with James White (personal) out, but White is back this week. Still, in two of three games this year, Burkhead has scored at least 13 PPR points and could be much better if Michel's role gets reduced. Long-term, I like Burkhead better than Darrel Williams, and Burkhead is worth 10 percent of your FAAB.
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Packers coach Matt LaFleur said he wanted to increase the workload for Jamaal Williams, and it happened in Week 3 against Denver at the expense of Aaron Jones. Williams had 12 carries for 59 yards (4.9 yards per carry), as well as two catches for 27 yards. Jones, meanwhile, had 10 carries for 19 yards and one catch for 4 yards. I still like Jones better than Williams moving forward, but Williams is worth adding in all leagues. It would be a surprise to see Williams overtake Jones as the lead rusher, but should Jones miss any time, Williams could emerge as a weekly starter in all leagues. Williams is worth up to 10 percent of your FAAB.
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Tampa Bay again went with the hot hand at running back in Week 3 against the Giants, and this time it was Ronald Jones' turn. He had 14 carries for 80 yards (5.7 yards per carry), along with one catch for 41 yards. Barber had 13 carries for 48 yards (3.7 yards per carry), with two catches for 7 yards. Jones has now been the better of the two running backs in Week 1 and Week 3, and hopefully that's not the pattern. I'd stash Jones just to see what happens in Week 4, although it's a tough matchup at the Rams. He's worth 5-10 percent of your FAAB.
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Mattison could be the best lottery ticket this year should something happen to Dalvin Cook, who has battled injuries each of the past two seasons. The Vikings are clearly committed to the run, and Cook has been exceptional through three games. If he were to miss any time, Mattison would become a weekly starter in all leagues, and he's played well in tandem with Cook so far. He just had 12 carries for 58 yards (4.8 yards per carry) and a touchdown in Week 3 against Oakland. Mattison is worth 5-10 percent of your FAAB.
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Yeldon is worth a look in deep PPR leagues as long as Singletary is out. He had a bad fumble in Week 3 against the Bengals in the first game Singletary missed, but he also had eight carries for 30 yards (3.6 yards per carry), as well as two catches for 19 yards on three targets. The Bills will likely be chasing points this week against the Patriots, and Yeldon could have a bigger role in tandem with Frank Gore. Yeldon is worth 1 percent of your FAAB.
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WAIVER WIRE
Wide Receivers
- On a bye: Robby Anderson, Jamison Crowder, Deebo Samuel, Marquise Goodwin, Dante Pettis
- Injuries of note: T.Y. Hilton (quadriceps), Julian Edelman (ribs), Alshon Jeffery (calf), DeSean Jackson (groin), Michael Gallup (knee), A.J. Green (ankle), Tyreek Hill (collarbone), Tre'Quan Smith (ankle), Albert Wilson (calf)
- Priority list: Phillip Dorsett (40 percent ownership), Marquez Valdes-Scantling (64 percent), D.J. Chark (61 percent), Mecole Hardman (60 percent), Golden Tate (50 percent), Preston Williams (6 percent), Diontae Johnson (5 percent), Parris Campbell (7 percent), Paul Richardson (5 percent), Jakobi Meyers (2 percent), Deon Cain (1 percent), Darius Slayton (0 percent)
- Check to see if available: Terry McLaurin (76 percent), Curtis Samuel (77 percent), Nelson Agholor (76 percent), Marvin Jones (72 percent), Courtland Sutton (72 percent). McLaurin would the No. 1 receiver to add this week. Samuel would be behind Dorsett on the priority list. Agholor and Jones would be behind Chark and ahead of Hardman. Sutton would be behind Hardman.
- Drop candidates: Jarvis Landry (90 percent), Antonio Brown (87 percent), Robby Anderson (73 percent), Michael Gallup (69 percent), Jamison Crowder (60 percent), James Washington (50 percent)
Week 4 Priority List
Gallman should be the most-coveted player to add this week, but Dorsett should be second. He's in a good spot with the Patriots now that Antonio Brown is gone, and he could be a star in Week 4 if Edelman is out. While we expect Edelman to play, Dorsett should see a spike in playing time and production moving forward as the third receiver behind Edelman and Josh Gordon. In two games this year without Brown on New England's roster, Dorsett has 10 catches for 148 yards and three touchdowns on 11 targets. And going back to last year, including the playoffs, Dorset has six touchdowns in his past seven games. He's worth adding in all leagues and is worth 15-20 percent of your FAAB budget. In deeper leagues, you can take a flier on Meyers just in case Edelman is out.
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I love the set up for the Packers this week at home against the Eagles, and I expect this to be the best game for Aaron Rodgers in 2019. Davante Adams should also go off, but I would start Valdes-Scantling this week as well. Even if you don't start him, add him in all formats where he's still available since he's been Green Bay's best receiver with 13 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown on 21 targets. He's worth at least 10 percent of your FAAB.
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Chark has been Jacksonville's best receiver this season, and he should continue to play well with Minshew. In three games, Chark has 15 catches for 277 yards and three touchdowns on 18 targets, and he's scored at least 17 PPR points in each outing. He has a tough matchup in Week 4 at Denver, but Chark should not be a free agent in any league. And after playing the Broncos, the Jaguars have favorable matchups against New Orleans, Cincinnati, the Jets and Houston, where Chark could be a starter in all those games. He's worth at least 10 percent of your FAAB.
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Hardman has been great on limited targets for the Chiefs, and hopefully he'll keep it up until Hill is back. He's averaging 16.5 PPR points in the two games without Hill, and he has six catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns over that span. The problem is he has just 11 targets, so it could be hard to sustain that level of production without more opportunities. But he's playing with Patrick Mahomes, which certainly helps, and his speed is hard to contain. Hill could return soon, so keep that in mind, and the Chiefs also have other options in the passing game with Sammy Watkins, Demarcus Robison, Travis Kelce and the running backs out of the backfield. You should add Hardman where he's still available, and he's at least a No. 3 receiver in Week 4 at Detroit. He's worth at least 10 percent of your FAAB.
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Tate will return from his suspension in Week 5, and hopefully he helps Daniel Jones improve on what we saw in Week 3 against Tampa Bay. He's worth stashing now, and Tate should be the No. 3 receiver in this offense behind Evan Engram and Sterling Shepard. For Week 4, you could look at Slayton as a flier in deeper leagues. In the first start with Jones, Slayton had three catches for 82 yards on five targets, and this is a great matchup against Washington. Tate is worth 5-10 percent of your FAAB, and Slayton is worth 1 percent.
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The Dolphins are a horror show right now, but Williams might be their best offensive player. He's scored at least 10 PPR points in three games in a row, and in the first start with Josh Rosen in Week 3 at Dallas, Williams had a season-high 12 targets for four catches and 68 yards. He dropped a touchdown, but he should continue to see a hefty amount of targets with Miami always chasing points each week. He's worth using as a low-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver in Week 4 against the Chargers, and Williams is worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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Johnson got the chance to start in Week 3 at San Francisco, and he had three catches for 52 yards and a touchdown on six targets. Hopefully, better production is ahead as Rudolph improves as a starter, and Johnson is worth stashing in all leagues. He could be a low-end No. 3 starter in Week 4 against Cincinnati at home, and hopefully the 49ers game is a sign of things to come. Johnson is worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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We don't know how long Hilton is going to be out, or if he'll miss Week 4 at all. But if he misses time, the Colts will have to find a receiver to step up in his absence. I'd lean toward Campbell as someone to take a flier on, with Cain the second option. But we could see Zach Pascal or even Chester Rogers step up, so it might be a situation to avoid. If you're looking to add a Colts receiver then spend 1 percent of your FAAB on Campbell as a stash candidate.
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Richardson is coming off a strong game in Week 3 against Chicago, and he has a great matchup in Week 4 at the Giants. He's worth taking a flier on in deeper leagues if you need a third receiver this week. He had eight catches for 83 yards and a touchdown on nine targets against the Bears, and he also had three catches for 16 yards and a touchdown on three targets against Dallas in Week 2. Richardson is worth 1 percent of your FAAB.
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WAIVER WIRE
TIGHT ENDS
- On a bye: George Kittle
- Injuries of note: David Njoku (wrist), Hunter Henry (knee), Jordan Reed (concussion), Vance McDonald (shoulder), Tyler Higbee (chest)
- Priority list: Will Dissly (51 percent ownership), Jason Witten (62 percent),
- Vernon Davis (25 percent), Chris Herndon (15 percent), Dawson Knox (1 percent)
- Check to see if available: Greg Olsen (81 percent), Austin Hooper (80 percent). Olsen and Hooper would be the No. 1 tight ends to add this week on the priority list.
- Drop candidates: Jared Cook (87 percent), Hunter Henry (53 percent), Jordan Reed (43 percent), David Njoku (43 percent)
Week 4 Priority List
Dissly should be among the most-coveted players this week because the matchup against the Cardinals is amazing for Week 4. In three games, the Cardinals have been destroyed by T.J. Hockenson, Mark Andrews and Greg Olsen, who each scored 25 PPR points. That's better than most quarterbacks. Dissly is hot coming into this game with at least 18 PPR points in his past two outings, and he should be considered a No. 1 Fantasy tight end in all leagues for Week 4. He also can be a weekly starter moving forward as the third-best receiving option for Seattle. Dissly is worth 10-15 percent of your FAAB budget.
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Jordan Reed might not play again this season, which could leave Davis as the main tight end for Washington moving forward. He hasn't been great since Week 1 when he had 15 Fantasy points at Philadelphia, but I would trust him as a flier in Week 4 at the Giants. The Giants have already allowed Blake Jarwin, Jason Witten and O.J. Howard to score at least nine PPR points this season, and Davis could be started in deeper leagues this week. He's worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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Witten didn't take advantage of the matchup with Miami as many hoped, but he still played well enough with three catches for 54 yards on four targets. He hasn't seen more than four targets in any game this season, but he does have two touchdowns and should still be a factor in the offense with Gallup out. He faces New Orleans in Week 4, and the Saints just allowed Dissly to have six catches for 62 yards and a touchdown on seven targets in Week 3. Witten is again worth starting in deeper leagues. He's worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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Herndon is eligible to return from his four-game suspension in Week 6, and he's worth stashing in all leagues if you need help at tight end and have an open roster spot. We hope Darnold is healthy by then as well, and the Jets offense should start to improve after a dismal start. I expect Herndon to be a starting Fantasy tight end as the season moves on, and he's worth up to 5 percent of your FAAB.
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Knox was someone the Bills were hoping could contribute as a rookie, and he played well in Week 3 against Cincinnati with three catches for 67 yards and a touchdown on four targets. We'll see what happens with Tyler Kroft (foot) when he's healthy, but Knox could be a stash candidate in deeper leagues. Josh Allen is playing well for the Bills, and Knox could emerge as the third-receiving option behind John Brown and Cole Beasley. Knox is worth 1 percent of your FAAB.
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WAIVER WIRE
KICKERS
Priority list: Joey Slye (38%), Matt Bryant (41%), Zane Gonzalez (30%)
WAIVER WIRE
DST
Priority list: Steelers (39%) vs. CIN, Seahawks (58%) at ARI), Colts (27%) vs. OAK
So which players should you target on the waiver wire before Week 4? And which shocking receiver could lead your team to Fantasy glory? Visit SportsLine now to see the best league-winning free agents entering Week 4, all from the Fantasy expert named one of the most accurate in the nation.
