Fantasy football Week 3: Add and drop

Each week I’ll list the best widely available free agents for fantasy football — I define “widely available” as being owned in around half of all ESPN or Yahoo leagues — and some guys who are probably better off in the free-agent pool than collecting dust on your roster.

Follow me on X (formerly known as Twitter) @UTEddieBrown if you have questions throughout the week.

Here’s my NFL Week 3 waiver wire cheat sheet for all league sizes and formats, with players you need to add, drop and stream in your fantasy football league:

ADD

— QB Justin Fields, Steelers (ESPN: 32%; Yahoo: 20%): Fields is only the overall QB22 through two weeks, but he’s also shown significant improvement across the board in his game. His big-time throw rate is the highest it’s been, and he’s dramatically lowered his turnover-worthy throw rate, according to Pro Football Focus. Also, his completion percentage is up almost 10 points higher than his career average. Fields finished as the overall QB6 in 2022 and was tied for 12th in fantasy points per game with Patrick Mahomes last season for the Bears. He had five games with 24-plus fantasy points compared to Mahomes’ one in 2023, and played three fewer games due to injury. Frankly, I think Russell Wilson is cooked. Fields can be a long-term solution at QB for Pittsburgh, and is capable of producing as a top-10 option in fantasy going forward, even with Arthur Smith as his offensive coordinator.

— WR Demarcus Robinson, Rams (ESPN: 34%; Yahoo: 42%): Puka Nacua is already on injured reserve and Cooper Kupp could be joining him shortly. Robinson led the team with 50 receiving yards against the Cardinals, and his 11 targets this season are the most among remaining healthy players. He finished strong last season as the WR10 in standard formats (WR12 in PPR) his final five games in the regular season. Robinson will likely be Matthew Stafford’s WR1 for at least the next month. The upcoming matchups are difficult, but the target volume should be there. Tyler Johnson (ESPN: 13%; Yahoo: 11%), rookie receiver Jordan Whittington (ESPN: 1%; Yahoo: 2%) and tight end Colby Parkinson (ESPN: 44%; Yahoo: 49%) also deserve consideration in deeper leagues while Nacua and Kupp are sidelined.

— RB Carson Steele, Chiefs (ESPN: 2%; Yahoo: 5%): Starting running back Isiah Pacheco fractured his fibula in Kansas City’s victory over the Bengals and will miss 6-8 weeks. Steele, an undrafted rookie out of UCLA (he also played at Ball State), handled the between-the-tackles runs after Pacheco went down and could see a more prominent early down role. Samaje Perine (ESPN: 4%; Yahoo: 6%) has been primarily used in a pass-catching role, and will also likely be utilized in a more robust way. Clyde Edwards-Helaire (ESPN: 6%; Yahoo: 2%) is eligible to return from the reserve/non-football illness list after Week 4, so Steele might not be the long-term solution. GM Brett Veach is also reportedly signing Kareem Hunt (ESPN: 2%; Yahoo: 2%) to the practice squad and could give Jerick McKinnon (ESPN: 0%; Yahoo: 0%) a look to help fill the void.

— WR Quentin Johnston, Chargers (ESPN: 7%; Yahoo: 8%): The vibes around Johnston were nothing but positive the entire offseason. His hands, the one true knock on him coming into the league, have improved and it’s clear Justin Herbert has noticed. With DJ Chark on IR and Joshua Palmer banged up, Johnston led L.A. with six targets, five receptions, 51 yards and two touchdowns at Carolina. It wouldn’t surprise me if Johnston ends up Herbert’s WR1 while Ladd McConkey experiences his own rookie growing pains.

— TE Hunter Henry, Patriots (ESPN: 10%; Yahoo: 25%): Henry has been a fantasy starter on and off throughout his career. Only George Kittle had more fantasy points in Week 2. Henry caught 109 of Jacoby Brissett’s 149 passing yards against the Seahawks, while seeing a career-high 12 targets — the yardage was a career-high as well.

— BONUS: QB Derek Carr, Saints (ESPN: 10%; Yahoo: 20%): Carr is the overall QB2 through two weeks and the only quarterback who has at least 20 fantasy points in both games this season. I don’t believe New Orleans will score 40 points every week, but I do believe new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak can help Carr crack the top-10 in fantasy at his position for the first time since 2016, his third season with the Raiders.

— BONUS: WR Romeo Doubs, Packers (ESPN: 30%; Yahoo: 45%): Green Bay has an embarrassment of riches at receiver. Some believe Jayden Reed is WR1. Others are still waiting for Christian Watson to pay off the promise of a four-game stretch during his rookie season when he scored eight TDs. Then there are the Dontayvion Wicks truthers, but Doubs is the actual WR1 and he’s currently being rostered at a ridiculously low rate. Lucky for you, his roster percentage will likely remain suppressed until Jordan Love returns so grab and stash if he’s available in your league.

— BONUS: RB Tyler Allgeier, Falcons (ESPN: 50%; Yahoo: 26%): Allgeier finished as the overall RB34 in standard formats (RB36 in PPR) last season playing second fiddle to Bijan Robinson, including scoring double-digit fantasy points in Week 16 and 17. Few backups have his upside.

— BONUS: WR Jerry Jeudy, Browns (ESPN: 67%; Yahoo: 41%): Jeudy is the overall WR27 in standard formats (WR28 in PPR) through two weeks and looks like he could become the WR1 for Cleveland if Deshaun Watson and Amari Cooper are unable to get on the same page.

— BONUS: RB Bucky Irving, Buccaneers (ESPN: 30%; Yahoo: 34%): I wrote last week Irving looked like a more explosive runner than Rachaad White against Washington. Well, the rookie looked like the more explosive runner against Detroit too, and now White is reportedly dealing with a minor groin injury (is there such a thing?).

— BONUS: WR Alec Pierce, Colts (ESPN: 13%; Yahoo: 28%): Pierce is the overall WR6 in standard formats (WR8 in PPR) through two weeks after producing two of the best games of his career. I’d be a little more juiced if it weren’t for the eventual return of Josh Downs (ESPN: 9%; Yahoo: 21%), possibly this week against the Bears. I anticipate Downs taking targets from Pierce, but both are talented and will have weekly WR3/flex upside going forward, with Pierce possibly reverting back to his boom-or-bust ways.

— BONUS: RB Braelon Allen, Jets (ESPN: 7%; Yahoo: 10%): The rookie touched the ball nine times and scored twice. I don’t think he’s a threat to Breece Hall, but I believe he’s good enough to earn eight-to-10 touches per week and vulture an occasional TD from Hall. If Hall were to get hurt, Allen would have RB1 upside.

— BONUS: WR Jauan Jennings, 49ers (ESPN: 1%; Yahoo: 2%): Coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Monday that Deebo Samuel will miss “a couple” of weeks with a calf strain sustained late in Sunday’s loss at Minnesota. Jordan Mason, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle will be the primary beneficiaries with Samuel and Christian McCaffrey sidelined, but Jennings will have flex appeal most weeks with WR3 upside while both superstars are out. If you watched the Super Bowl, you know what he’s capable of.

— BONUS: TE Zach Ertz, Commanders (ESPN: 6%; Yahoo: 8%): Ertz is the overall TE9 in standard formats (TE7 in PPR) through two weeks. The veteran is second only to Terry McLaurin in targets and receptions and leads Washington with 90 receiving yards. There’s upside going forward, but he’s also the best streaming option for the next two games. The Bengals allowed the second-most fantasy points to tight ends last season, while the Cardinals gave up the fourth-most yards per reception and the second-most receiving TDs to the position.

— BONUS: RB Isaac Guerendo, 49ers (ESPN: 2%; Yahoo: 6%): Just like those who drafted Christian McCaffrey would’ve been wise to invest in Jordan Mason as a handcuff, Mason investors should be just as prudent and invest in Guerendo.

— BONUS: D/ST Raiders (ESPN: 4%; Yahoo: 8%): Maxx Crosby and Co. have a premium matchup at home against the Panthers this week. Carolina has allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing defenses through two weeks, scoring only 13 points while committing four turnovers and allowing six sacks. It remains to be seen if Andy Dalton is an upgrade over Bryce Young.

— BONUS: D/ST Buccaneers (ESPN: 3%; Yahoo: 5%): When in doubt, target a rookie QB when selecting a defense to stream. Tampa Bay gets Bo Nix and Denver at home with a chance to begin the season 3-0. The Broncos have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing defenses through two weeks. Nix has yet to throw a TD pass and has multiple interceptions in both starts.

— BONUS: D/ST Seahawks (ESPN: 54%; Yahoo: 41%): Seattle is at home against a Dolphins team that has dealt with a season’s worth of drama in only two weeks and now has to travel cross country. Miami will start Skylar Thompson, a seventh-round draft pick in 2022 who’s completed 57.1% of his 119 career passes, averaging just 5.2 yards per attempt with one TD and three interceptions.

DROP

— WR Marquise Brown, Chiefs: “Hollywood” had surgery for his shoulder injury on Monday and everything went well. It sounds like if he returns this season, it won’t be until the playoffs.

— QB Bryce Young, Panthers: Carolina is benching Young in favor of veteran Andy Dalton. One can only hope this is rock bottom for the former No. 1 overall pick.

— RB Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys: Elliott will remain a TD-dependent flex option going forward, but it looks like Rico Dowdle will have an opportunity to lead Dallas’ backfield.

— WR Allen Lazard, Jets: Hopefully, you see the error of your ways if you took the bait after Lazard caught two TD passes in Week 1 at San Francisco. Lazard’s role will continue to shrink as Mike Williams’ snaps increase.

— WR Curtis Samuel, Bills: Samuel is still dealing with a turf toe injury and only has three receptions (four targets) for 18 yards in two games.