The first two weeks of the NFL season have been brutal as far as injuries. Quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels both went down while Sam Darnold was already out. Tight end Dallas Goedert will miss a few weeks, running back Saquon Barkley was injured and wide receiver Puka Nacua missed Week 2’s game against the New York Giants, who lost quarterback Jaxson Dart on the first drive.
Meanwhile, some players simply underperformed. Tight end Colston Loveland only put up 1.3 points, which probably cost a lot of fantasy owners a win this week, including myself. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence failed to have a touchdown after throwing four touchdown passes in the season opener. Even running back Bijan Robinson underperformed with only 29 rushing
yards.
After a week like this, it is key for fantasy owners to monitor the waiver wire. So, here are five waiver wire pickups heading into Week 3.
QB Bryce Young, Panthers
Rostered in 34.3% of ESPN leagues
Bryce Young has the second-most fantasy points among any quarterbacks in fantasy football and he is available in the majority of fantasy leagues. Sure, his Week 1 performance against the Chicago Bears probably looked like a fluke. But, after putting up three passing touchdowns in back-to-back games, this is no fluke. As an added bonus, he gets to face the Cleveland Browns in Week 3. This is a recipe for a lot of fantasy points. Especially with all of the quarterback injuries already this season, you need to pick up Bryce Young.
WR Denzel Boston, Browns
Rostered in 26.4% of ESPN leagues
Maybe the Cleveland Browns are not as bad as everyone thought they were going to be. Even if they are, their rookie wide receiver Denzel Boston has been pretty good in the first two weeks of the NFL season. He has a touchdown in both of their games this season and put up 95 receiving yards in their win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Even though the Browns are bad, their rookie receiver could be a hidden gem in fantasy this year.
TE Dalton Schultz, Texans
Rostered in 21.4% of ESPN leagues
Dalton Schultz may not be the type of tight end who is going to score a lot of touchdowns, but he is going to put up decent points at the very least. However, he proved in Houston’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals that if wide receiver Nico Collins is out, Schultz is the one getting the ball. He was targeted 14 times with 12 receptions for 140 yards. That is pretty good production for a tight end especially when there are some tight ends who are injured. If he is available in your league, you really want to pick up Schultz.
TE Juwan Johnson, Saints
Rostered in 52.5% of ESPN leagues
If you are unable to get Schultz for any reason, Juwan Johnson is a solid option too. Quarterback Tyler Shough loves to throw the ball which makes his pass catchers valuable in fantasy including their tight end. Johnson had seven targets and recorded a touchdown in their first game. He caught all four of his targets in the second game and had 66 receiving yards. While he does not have the upside of some other tight ends, he at least provides a decent floor.
WR Rashod Bateman, Ravens
Rostered in 24.4% of ESPN leagues
With Zay Flowers out, Rashod Bateman got a lot of action with nine total targets that he turned into seven receptions for 88 yards and a touchdown. Flowers has a chance to return Week 3 which would negate Bateman’s fantasy value. But, if Flowers cannot come back, Bateman is someone you want on your roster which makes him a decent pickup.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: 5 waiver wire pickups in fantasy football in Week 3
