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Derek Carr, Carson Steele and Quentin Johnston highlight the top waiver wire targets entering Week 3.
Welcome to the Week 3 waiver wire watch! Consider making a waiver claim in your fantasy football leagues for the following players (available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues).
Zoo wee mama! The surprise of the season so far is Klint Kubiak’s offense. The new O-coordinator in New Orleans has produced consecutive 40-point outings, something the Saints haven’t done since Drew Brees’ record-breaking 2018 season. Derek Carr has completed 30 of 39 passes for 443 yards and 5 touchdowns; he leads the league in yards per attempt, passer rating, QBR, EPA per play and CPOE. Kubiak and co. will come down to Earth at some point, but they’ve proven themselves as a fantasy-relevant unit, making Carr a capable option in deep or 2QB leagues.
No player in this article has a better opportunity in front of him than Steele, who’s in line for double-digit touches after Chiefs starter Isiah Pacheco (fibula) was placed on injured reserve. Steele can be plugged in as a short-term spot starter — just beware of his long-term ceiling. Pacheco will return later in the season, Samaje Perine lingers as a veteran presence, and the team hosted free agent Kareem Hunt on a free agent visit Tuesday, per Adam Schefter.
Allen, the 134th pick out of Wisconsin, scored 2 touchdowns on 9 touches last week. Though that scoring rate is unstable, it does give the coaching staff a reason to continue giving him opportunities. Allen generated a lot of buzz out of Jets training camp and is among the best handcuffs in fantasy.
With Cooper Kupp (ankle) and Puka Nacua (knee) shelved on injured reserve, Robinson has stepped up as Matt Stafford’s lead receiver. He paces the team in routes run and ranks top-30 among all NFL wideouts in air yards and average depth of target. The Rams have some tough defenses on deck between the San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears, but the top target earner in Sean McVay’s offense deserves a roster spot in all dynasty formats.
The Chargers were a major talking point this offseason after cleaning house, hiring Jim Harbaugh and moving on from Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Fantasy analysts debated whether fourth-year pro Josh Palmer or second-round rookie Ladd McConkey would become Justin Herbert’s lead target, but instead, it’s Quentin Johnston who’s leading L.A. in targets, catches, yards, touchdowns and first downs through the air. He scored twice in Week 2, which led to the 17th-most PPR points by any player entering Monday night. Johnston had a forgettable rookie season, to put it nicely, but the former 21st-overall pick could be a noteworthy fantasy asset this year.
Last year’s 79th overall pick broke the franchise record for receptions by a rookie after posting 68 catches for 771 yards and 2 touchdowns. Downs was expected to have a strong sophomore campaign with him (knee) and Anthony Richardson (shoulder) returning from 2023 injuries, but Downs sprained an ankle in training camp and missed the first two games of the season. The good news is he practiced for the first time last week, including a full practice on Friday, and could be good to go as soon as this weekend. The second-year slot man won’t be available in fantasy leagues for long.
Henry had a career day with 8 catches for 109 yards in last week’s overtime loss. The ninth-year tight end hadn’t surpassed 70 yards in a game since the 2021 season — so he shouldn’t be expected to repeat this surprise performance. Still, you could do worse than adding a seasoned vet playing in Alex Van Pelt’s TE-friendly offense if you’re needy at the position.
