5 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Stashes to Add NOW Before Week 3 (Ep. 2223)
STACKED extracted the fantasy-relevant player signal from this podcast and kept the full transcript here for context.
13 min
Duration
Estimated from transcript
Sep 26, 2026
Published
Sat, September 26, 2026
9
Player insights
9
Players mentioned
Topics
Aaron JonesCourtland SuttonDarren WallerDemond ClaiborneJalen McMillanMalachi FieldsMalik NabersPat BryantTed Hurst
Player analysis
Player insights
Aaron Jones
NegativeInjury10:20
Jones is questionable for Week 3 with a knee injury after a heavy workload in the first two weeks of the season.
Insight pageCourtland Sutton
NegativeRole8:14
Sutton has struggled with efficiency, totaling only 36 yards on nine targets through two games. At nearly 31 years old, he faces potential role erosion in favor of younger talent like Pat Bryant.
Insight pageDarren Waller
PositiveUsage3:18
Waller is a rosterable asset due to his red-zone role, having scored eight times in his last 11 games. His snap share is trending upward (35% to 44%) as he integrates into the Panthers' offense after missing training camp. He is a strong streaming candidate for Week 4 against Detroit.
Insight pageDemond Claiborne
NegativeSleeper9:01
Claiborne is a low-risk, high-reward stash as the only 100% healthy Vikings running back entering Week 3. With Aaron Jones and DJ Dallas dealing with injuries, Claiborne has a path to immediate opportunity.
Insight pageJalen McMillan
NegativeRole13:23
McMillan has been relegated to a minor role in the Buccaneers' offense, playing only seven snaps and running two routes in his Week 2 return from a knee injury.
Insight pageMalachi Fields
PositiveSleeper0:04
Fields is a recommended stash due to contingent upside stemming from Malik Nabors' shoulder injury. Despite a low catchable target rate, he has seen significant usage with 10 targets through two games and snap shares of 72% and 81%.
Insight pageMalik Nabers
NegativeInjury0:11
Nabors is dealing with a shoulder dislocation. While data suggests optimism for his ability to play, there is concern regarding his ability to maintain his typical performance level and avoid re-injury, similar to Xavier Worthy's 2025 season.
Insight pagePat Bryant
PositiveBreakout6:40
Bryant is a long-term stash who is already seeing significant involvement, playing 41 snaps and running 24 routes in Week 2. He is a physical perimeter threat who could eventually chip away at Cortland Sutton's role if the Broncos' offense improves.
Insight pageTed Hurst
PositiveBreakout12:46
Hurst has established himself as the primary X receiver for Tampa Bay, earning a team-high seven targets in Week 2. Despite low yardage, his physical profile and usage make him a high-upside rookie stash with a favorable upcoming schedule.
Insight pageFull transcript
Episode Transcript
0:00This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed Human. Learn more at staples.com.
0:04The first player on our list this week is New York Giants wide receiver Malachi Fields, who is rostered in 24% of leagues.
0:11Now, the number one thing we're considering for Malachi Fields here is the injury to Malik Nabors.
0:17As of this recording, Nabors has logged limited practices to start the week, but what's peculiar about his shoulder injury is that
0:24there wasn't a collision or major fall that happened on Monday Night Football.
0:29He was fighting off coverage and it was actually his right shoulder on the outside that dislocated and then he ended up
0:36popping back in on the sideline himself. Deepak Chona of SportsMed Analytics had this to say about the potential fantasy impact for Malik Nabors.
0:44Quote, He also went on to say that to protect Xavier Worthy after his 2025 shoulder dislocation, Andy Reid admitted that they
0:52actually had to shrink his route to the end of the season.
0:56Overall, the data suggests relative optimism about Nabors' ability to keep playing, but less optimism about his ability to maintain his typical level of performance and avoid re-injury.
1:05Now, nobody is going to sit here and debate that Malik Nabors and Xavier Worthy are on the same playing field, right?
1:12Nabors is the much better wide receiver than Xavier Worthy, but could accommodating for Nabors' shoulder injury mean more opportunity for a
1:20player like Malachi Fields, who appears to be the next man up at wide receiver?
1:25He has 10 targets through two games, he's played 72% and 81% of snaps, and per Heath Cummings of CBS, he's one
1:32of two wide receivers to have at least 10 targets this year, but also have a catchable target rate below 70%.
1:39I'm not here to tell you that gets fixed with Jameis Winston at quarterback, but I am here to point out that
1:47there's been yards and fantasy points left on the table, so I would stash Malachi Fields purely on the contingent upside if
1:54this shoulder injury continues to hinder Nabors for the foreseeable future.
1:58The second player on our list this week is Carolina Panthers' tight end, Darren Waller, who is rostered in 23% of leagues.
2:05Look, the man just has a nose for the end zone.
2:09He had a touchdown called back in week one, and in week two he made up for it by scoring twice.
2:16We already saw this in Miami last year, we already played this game, right?
2:20He scored four times on 10 catches in his first three games before getting injured.
2:25Even in his 11 games since returning to the NFL last year, Darren Waller has already scored eight times.
2:32If the Panthers are for real, and Bryce Young continues playing at the level he's been playing at through the first two
2:39weeks, then Darren Waller is absolutely a rosterable piece, even if it is just for his role in the end zone, in the red zone area.
2:48The snap share has already been growing for Darren Waller as well.
2:5235% of the snaps in week one, 44% of the snaps in week two, and you have to remember, Darren Waller signed with the Carolina Panthers in August.
3:01He missed a bulk of training camp and all of preseason, so he's still getting up to speed with everything in the Panthers' offense, in their playbook.
3:10There's still plenty of room for his role to grow.
3:14Now, how much will that role grow? It's to be determined, but even looking ahead to week four specifically, he's going to
3:21be one of the most popular streaming options at tight end when the Panthers play the Detroit Lions.
3:27And you already know, the Panthers are going to have to score a ton of points to keep pace with Detroit's offense.
3:35And more points leads to more red zone opportunities, which leads to a higher chance of Darren Waller finding the end zone for your team.
3:43That's the entire case, right? This is not a Harold Fannin situation where a waiver wire ad at tight end is going
3:50to give you six to eight targets per game, but you're chasing touchdowns here.
3:55And those fantasy points add up very, very quickly at the tight end position.
4:00Next up on our list is Denver Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant, who is rostered in 16% of leagues.
4:06Pat Bryant is one of those players that you're probably going to have to let simmer on the end of your bench for a while.
4:14He was involved instantly in week one, drawing six targets and catching four of them for 42 yards.
4:20But in week two, he failed to catch his lone target, gave you a goose egg.
4:26However, if you do dive a bit deeper into his week two participation, I become a bit more intrigued.
4:32He played 41 snaps, which was ahead of Jalen Waddle and trailed only Cortland Sutton.
4:37He also ran 24 routes, which was two more than Jalen Waddle ran.
4:42Obviously, Waddle is still going to get all the buzz with his eight catch 138 yard day.
4:47And I would never tell you that Pat Bryant is going to be a thorn in Jalen Waddle's side.
4:54But what about Cortland Sutton? Sutton has drawn nine targets in the first two games, but he's only totaled 36 yards.
5:01Bryant topped that himself in week one with 42 yards.
5:04This is like nothing earth shattering. But at nearly 31 years old, is there a possibility Cortland Sutton slowly gets phased out
5:11of this offense for a younger talent? Like Pat Bryant.
5:15Sutton is 6'4". Pat Bryant is 6'2". Sutton has only about 12 more pounds on Pat Bryant.
5:20Both are physical perimeter players and red zone threats for this team.
5:24Like I said, Pat Bryant may need some time to simmer out the end of your bench.
5:30But if this Broncos offense starts to click, it's clear Pat Bryant is already involved and could become an intriguing option eventually
5:38if he does start to chip away at Cortland Sutton's role.
5:41The fourth player coming in on our list this week is Minnesota Vikings running back DeMond Claiborne, who is rostered in only 7% of leagues.
5:50Claiborne made my list last week once Jordan Mason landed on IR.
5:54And as of this recording, things have only gotten murkier with the Vikings backfield.
5:58I mentioned there were two paths forward for getting value out of Claiborne last week.
6:03The first was Claiborne playing a handful of snaps alongside Aaron Jones to see what the Vikings actually have in their rookie.
6:11That really didn't happen. But the second was KOC running the brakes off of Aaron Jones and burning what juice he has left early on in the season.
6:20That is exactly what happened. So much so that Aaron Jones came out of last week's matchup with a knee injury.
6:27And as of this recording, he's questionable for week three.
6:30That was my closing remark as well. If there's a world where Aaron Jones doesn't even make it three to four games
6:38before Jordan Mason can return, we actually may have something with DeMond Claiborne in the meantime.
6:43Now, I fully recognize DJ Dallas was the next man up last week.
6:48He got the additional totes when Aaron Jones came off the field.
6:52But wouldn't you know, he also came out of last week's game banged up with a toe injury.
6:58And so as it stands, DeMond Claiborne is the only 100% healthy Minnesota Vikings running back entering week three.
7:04I'm not promising you the world out of a sixth-round rookie.
7:08But at some point, you have to look at the opportunity in front of the player and recognize there's potential here.
7:15All it could take is two to three splash carries for DeMond Claiborne to earn himself a larger piece of the pie
7:22in this Vikings backfield, especially if Aaron Jones and or DJ Dallas can't stay healthy when Jordan Mason returns.
7:28At worst, what you did is you stashed a rookie who can be dropped for the next new hotness on the waiver wire.
7:36So that's the beauty of a player like DeMond Claiborne.
7:40He's extremely low risk with opportunity in front of him that could lead to a very high reward.
7:46And the final player on our list this week is Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Ted Hurst, who is rostered in 7% of leagues.
7:54Ted Hurst made my list in week one for the reason that I believe he could overtake Jalen McMillan in this offense as the primary X receiver.
8:03And so far through the first three weeks, he's been exactly that for the Buccaneers.
8:08McMillan did miss week one with a lingering knee injury.
8:11But even in his return in week two, he only played seven snaps and ran two routes.
8:17Meanwhile, Ted Hurst, on the other hand, played 48 snaps, ran 26 routes, and earned a team high seven targets on the afternoon.
8:24Now, those seven targets only turned into two catches for 27 yards, but that's enough to catch my eye and remain optimistic for the rookie moving forward here.
8:34Again, this is a player who was drawing small school George Pickens comps in the NFL draft cycle this year.
8:41He's a trifecta for this Tampa Bay offense. He gets off the line quick and tracks the deep ball well.
8:47He's lethal after the catch. He's a beast in the red zone at 6'3 and a 79-inch wingspan.
8:53I fully understand you have Emeka Igbuka ahead of him playing the more lucrative Z role in this offense instead of the
9:01sacrificial X role that Ted Hurst seems locked into.
9:04But again, seven targets this past week against the Browns is something I just can't ignore for a rookie.
9:10And as soon as Hurst logs one big game this year, it's going to be too late.
9:16Everyone begins drooling over these rookies with standout performances.
9:19Just think of Denzel Boston already. And looking at the schedule coming up as well, it's Minnesota and Green Bay at home
9:26who have exploitable secondaries and then the Cowboys in Dallas, which could be a high-scoring affair.
9:31So again, get ahead of your league mates on this one.
9:35Stash the high upside potential of Ted Hurst this week.
9:39There you have it. Those are my top five waiver wire stashes ahead of week three.
9:44Go sprint to your waiver wire right now just to make sure that none of these guys are still available.
9:51They're only rostered in 30% or less of leagues.
9:54So there's actually a good chance that some of them might be floating out on your waiver wire still.
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