As you probably know by now, each week we highlight the best waiver pickup candidates available in at least 50% of Yahoo Fantasy Football leagues, and if you're in urgent need of a roster spot, these names could be of help.
Quarterback
Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings (29%)
Darnold had another multi-touchdown game this week, passing for 449 yards and six scores in his past two games against the Niners and Texans, two tough opponents expected to make deep postseason runs.
Justin Jefferson played great as usual against Houston, catching six balls for 81 yards and a score. Darnold had contact with six receivers on the day, four of whom reached the end zone. He was playing ridiculously well. The league itself has declared him an MVP candidate. (Whether that will hold up over the years remains to be seen.) At the very least, he's the latest Kevin O'Connell rehab success story.
It's important to remember that the Vikings' offensive line, which includes Jefferson, Jordan Addison, TJ Hockenson and Aaron Jones, isn't fully operational yet, so it's possible Darnold's best week is yet to come.
He hurt his left knee on Sunday but recovered quickly and missed just two plays. Darnold to undergo further testingHowever, it seems unlikely that the injury will keep him out of the Week 4 game against Lambeau.
Recommended FAB offer (assuming a $100 budget): $11
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks (43%)
Apparently, Smith and DK Metcalf are going to hook up on one of these every week.
Smith had 200 passing yards by halftime and finished with 289 yards and one score. He's undefeated and seems to be quite comfortable with the team's new offensive line.
It's a good reminder that Smith is only one year removed from finishing in the top five at his position, and there's no shortage of playmakers in his receiver corps. He also has a fun (if not easy) game in Detroit on Monday in Week 4.
Fab: $9
Additional QB options:
Justin Fields leads the team at 3-0 and is coming off a game in which he earned one point for passing and one for rushing, and he'll definitely remain on the fantasy radar heading into the friendly in Indianapolis, where it looks like we won't be seeing Russell Wilson behind center anytime soon.
Andy Dalton has singlehandedly elevated the Panthers offense to a competent and watchable level for at least a week. He can superflex with a little uncertainty. Dalton has revenge games against Cincinnati and Chicago coming up. If you're interested in these details, take a look.
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Running back
Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (35%)
Little went right for the Buccaneers on Sunday, but Irving had another big game. The rookie out of Oregon finished with 70 yards on nine carries and 14 yards on three passes, beating Rachad White in yards from scrimmage by 49. With the ball in his hands, he's the life of the party.
Irving had 154 yards on 25 carries through three weeks, while White had just 66 yards on 31 carries. No doubt, Tampa Bay has some great talent, and White's receiving talent will no doubt keep him on the team, but he just hasn't produced the highlights shown above or the ones you see here.
That's crazy, rookie. Add Irving wherever you can use a lively runner with big-play ability.
Fab: $21
Braylon Allen, New York Jets (36%)
A week after Allen's breakout performance against the Titans with two touchdowns, he totaled 68 yards on 14 touches against New England. And he didn't just pile up stats in time-worn situations: Allen was productive both early and late, often sharing the field with Breece Hall.
The rookie appears to be more than just a thorn in Hall's side. If anything, he's a total contributor to New York's backfield. At 6'1″ and 235 pounds, he's a slugger with some serious speed. It didn't take long for him to establish standalone fantasy value. Be flexible if needed.
Fab: $16
Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys (42%)
Dallas appears to be using a committee approach in the backfield, but it's worth noting that Dowdle has been in consecutive starts. He also leads the team in carries (23) and rushing yards (88), while also catching 11 passes for 59 yards. If the Cowboys have to start a back-to-back in Week 4 against the Giants, Dowdle is the best option.
Fab: $7
Various other RB additions:
Roshon Johnson was unexpectedly busy on Sunday, totaling 62 yards on 12 touches and looking pretty effective.
Cam Akers filled in for the injured Joe Mixon on Sunday and had a mostly quiet afternoon, but did manage to convert one catch into a short touchdown. If Mixon remains sidelined for the upcoming game against the Jaguars, Akers will likely remain part of the replacement plans.
As expected, Samaje Perin played a supporting role in the Kansas City backfield on Sunday night. He was beaten 18-9 by Carson Steele. Still, given the quality and limitations of the team's offense, he deserves a roster spot in deeper leagues. Also, keep in mind that Clyde Edwards-Haley could return to this committee as early as Week 5.
Alexander Mattison ran for 44 yards and another score on six touches on Sunday. He stubbornly refused to let Zamir White get in the end zone for the first three weeks, which is no gentlemanly thing to do. Mattison has some uninspiring matchups in Cleveland, Denver and Pittsburgh, but he remains a viable player in the big leagues.
There's no need to criticize Tyler Buddy just yet, except in the lowest leagues. But it's worth noting that Buddy carried the ball nine times for 70 yards in Denver's win over Tampa Bay, further complicating an already troubling backfield. Buddy was a preseason hero, but he hadn't had much of a chance in the regular season until Sunday.
Wide receiver and tight end
Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers (32%)
Honestly, it felt pretty awesome to be part of the 16% of managers who put Jennings in the rotation and actually started him on Sunday — he was a clear contender with both Deebo Samuel and George Kittle sidelined over the weekend — but the decision to insert him in the starting lineup was more driven by a level of desperation.
After all, he was one of the correct answerers in week three.
Jennings finished with 11 catches on 12 targets for 175 yards and three spikes, arguably the best performance of his respectable (but thus far inconsequential in fantasy) career.
There's no guarantee he'll play like he did Sunday again, but a touchdown hat trick would be an automatic reinforcement in any league. He's next two games at home to the Patriots and Cardinals, but neither Samuel nor Kittle are guaranteed to return this week.
Fab: $12
Allen Lazard, New York Jets (30%)
Three weeks in, Lazard is essentially living up to the type of season that was initially expected from Mike Williams and Malachi Corey. Lazard has had three of his 16 targets at home and has played a key role in the offense every week. He's been Aaron Rodgers' teammate for his entire NFL career, so the rapport that exists between the two is undeniable.
Lazard should remain heavily involved when the Jets host the Broncos next week, with Patrick Surtain II expected to be busy dealing with Garrett Wilson and putting New York's other receivers in more favorable coverage situations.
Fab: $6
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears (40%)
In this season's context, the tight end with a 10-catch, 97-yard game is an immediate and emergency priority addition. Kmet was great on Sunday in the Bears' upset and lopsided loss at Indy. He's emerged as an easy button for Caleb Williams, something the team failed to figure out before Week 3. Chicago has a friendly game against the Rams coming up with no certainty that Keenan Allen (Heels) will return.
Fab: $6
Additional WRs and TEs to consider:
Darnell Mooney has been extremely helpful with 154 yards receiving, 11 catches and a score in back-to-back weeks against the Eagles and Chiefs, and he’s played a much bigger role in the game plan than most of us expected.
Quentin Johnston caught just two passes in Sunday's loss at Pittsburgh, one of which was for the team's lone touchdown. He has spiked the ball three times in the past two games and looks like the Chargers' best receiver to potentially be the starter.
Wan'Dale Robinson had another perfectly PPR-eligible day with seven catches on eight targets for 61 yards, and he's capable of putting up similar reception numbers in any given week, regardless of the opponent.
Jalen Naylor has hit a home run in each of Minnesota's first three games and is practicing with the hottest passer on the planet, so it's hard to say his streak won't continue in Week 4 against Green Bay.
Jakobi Myers is too good in the real world to remain so widely available in fantasy. He has a useful record of 7 wins, 62 losses and 1 tie, but most of his damage has come in the fourth quarter of desperate games.
If New England had to pick a receiver on the roster (which would be the worst scenario for the league), it would probably be Demario Douglas, who had eight touches for 78 yards in Thursday night's win over the Jets.
Noah Fant caught all six of his passes for 60 yards and no scores against Miami. Could your fantasy tight end have performed better? Probably not. Fant will benefit from a more pass-heavy game on Monday night against Detroit.
defense
New Orleans Saints (36%)
The Saints held all three opponents to under 20 points, with 11 sacks and seven turnovers. This defense is definitely for real, and they travel to Atlanta this week to face a less mobile Kirk Cousins in what should be a game full of dropbacks.
Fab: $1
Denver Broncos (14%)
The recommendation is not about the upcoming matchup with the Jets, but about the obvious quality of Denver's defense. Patrick Surtain II He took down three of the most talented receivers in the league. This team has a big advantage over any opponent in the first few weeks of the season. He will be a big problem for Garrett Wilson in upcoming matchups. Next week, this D/ST should put up double-digit scoring totals against the Raiders. Denver has recorded 11 sacks and four turnovers in three games.
Fab: $1
