Before we head into Week 3 of fantasy football, take a look around your league to get a lay of the land. Are there any confident, healthy 2-0 teams with an extra starter or two on the bench who might be expendable? How about any 0-2 teams that are already panicking and maybe a week or two away from a full-on fire sale?
Reach out now, while the rest of your league is still trying to get their feet under them. Most people aren't ready to shake things up after two weeks, which usually creates some opportunities − especially if you already have some convictions on how the rest of the season will turn out.
Here are five players to trade for before the start of Week 3:
WEEK 3 FANTASY RANKINGS: QB | RB | WR | TE | K | D/ST | FLEX
Week 3 fantasy football players to buy
TE Dalton Kincaid, Bills
The train might have already
left the station in your league, but if the Kincaid manager thinks this two-game stretch to open the season is a mirage, you should swoop in and take the fourth-year TE off their hands. Kincaid has been limited by injuries the last few seasons and there might be some lingering hesitation out there that he won't make it through 2026, either.
If he does, though, Kincaid is probably going to finish as a top-3 tight end. Josh Allen hasn't had a WR1 since Stefon Diggs left town after the 2023 season and free agent signing DJ Moore is not that guy anymore. Kincaid, who already has 12 catches (on 14 targets) for 225 yards and a score, isn't going to average almost 19 yards per catch this season, but for someone who is 6-foot-3 and almost 250 pounds, is still as explosive as a wide receiver. What might feel like buying high now could end up looking like a steal in December.
QB Justin Herbert, Chargers
We had Herbert listed in this column for Week 2 and he rewarded us with a touchdown, but also just 192 yards, two interceptions and three fumbles (one lost) for a Chargers team that at times looked like it was trying to play a different sport. Thanks, Mr. Beer.
Making this trade would be risky, but it's only been two games with new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and Herbert has the talent to figure it out. Even if he doesn't and the Chargers' struggles continue, Herbert managers are probably freaked out enough right now that the price tag will be cheap. We could look back at this as a fantastic buying window.
WR Drake London, Falcons
Atlanta can't get any worse on offense, right? That's the bet for London here. If you can find another manager panicking about his pedestrian six catches through two weeks, see if you can get London for much cheaper than his second- or third-round draft cost. Michael Penix might not be an All-Pro, but he physically cannot be worse than what the Falcons have been trotting out at quarterback so far in 2026.
WR Zay Flowers, Ravens
Baltimore's 24-17 loss to the Saints in Week 2 was one of the more shocking results of the weekend, and the game made it clear that the Ravens really missed their WR1, Zay Flowers. They just don't have quality receivers catching passes from Lamar Jackson when Flowers is out.
There's a chance Flowers can't play again in Week 3 and beyond with an injured hamstring, but even with the injury risk baked in, Flowers is still a buy here. He's just that important to what Baltimore and new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle want to do on offense.
RB Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks
Chances are that someone drafted the injured Charbonnet to stash on their bench until he returns from a torn ACL suffered in January. If there's any fantasy luck on your side, that manager has started 0-2 and feels desperate for healthy reinforcements. Normally we try and avoid trading for injured players, but this Seattle offense is looking like one to invest in, especially after career backup Emanuel Wilson ripped off 21 carries for 92 yards while rookie Jadarian Price was sidelined with a chest injury.
Charbonnet also might be returning to the field soon. Last Friday, before the Seahawks embarrassed the Cardinals, Seattle coach Mike McDonald said, "Zach's doing great. We're getting down to possibly finding a date where he could start practicing again. So that's coming – it's coming soon." If he starts playing in October, we're looking at a potential workhorse RB1 in a good offense for the last half of the season. Buy, buy, buy.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fantasy football trade targets for Week 3: Buy these 5 players
