The Most Important Waiver Wire Of The Year (Week 3)

Adonai Mitchell is the top wide receiver waiver add after recording 11 targets and a 32% target share. He has consolidated the WR2 role and is top-10 in the NFL in air yards, which Mattek notes is highly predictive of future fantasy success.

Bryce Young is Mattek's top waiver wire quarterback add, as the Panthers lead the NFL in pass rate over expectation and Young is showing significant improvement; he is projected as a top-15 fantasy quarterback.

Chris Bell has a chance to supersede Caleb Douglas in the Miami Dolphins' pecking order following Douglas's ankle injury.

Chris Brooks played the most snaps for the Packers backfield last week, but he is not viewed as a primary rusher compared to Caleb Johnson.

Chris Rodriguez Jr. is a drop candidate; he is seeing only 24% of snaps and is losing work to Ameer Abdullah and Laquon Treadwell.

Mattek advises dropping Courtland Sutton, stating he is no longer generating separation, is dropping passes, and looks like he is headed to the glue factory; he is effectively finished as a fantasy asset following a brutal start to the season.

Darren Waller is a legitimate 12-team league waiver add. Despite athletic limitations preventing him from running a high route share, he remains elite at finding soft spots in zone coverage and red-zone efficiency.

Denzel Boston is a recommended add following a 20-point PPR performance with a 94% route rate and 24% target rate. Mattek projects him as a top-36 wide receiver if Deshaun Watson maintains baseline quarterback play, noting Boston has a more valuable route tree than Casey Conpsion.

Mattek expresses concern over DK Metcalf's performance, noting he looks like he is running in 'quicksand' with poor separation metrics compared to teammates like Jalen McMillan. While he will still earn targets, his recent film is concerning.

Geno Smith is a target for streaming defenses because he consistently takes 3-4 sacks per game and is expected to have high pass volume, with projections of 35-40 attempts.

JK Dobbins suffered a hamstring injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mattek advises against betting on a quick recovery, citing a historical trend of Dobbins not returning quickly from injuries.

Mattek identifies Jake Ferguson as a priority tight end target on the waiver wire.

Mattek admits he was wrong to fade Jaylen Coker, noting that Coker looks amazing within the high-volume passing offense of the Panthers, which is currently led by a surging Bryce Young.

Jalen McMillan is a strong waiver target; he posted 7.5 PPR points with a 22% target share and 85% route share while Michael Pittman Jr. was out.

Jaden Reed is a drop candidate in leagues without IR slots due to a brutal injury.

Jaylen Warren is unlikely to see a high-volume rushing workload, as the team is trending toward a pass-heavy approach with Rico Dowdle injured; there is no realistic scenario where Warren receives 22 carries in a game.

Mattek advises fantasy managers to forget Jerry Jeudy exists, noting he recorded only one target and no catches in a recent win against the Buccaneers.

Jonah Coleman is the top waiver wire add for Week 3, with Mattek recommending a 30% FAAB bid. Coleman recorded 42% of snaps and a goal-line touchdown following JK Dobbins' injury; while he played only 14% of long down-and-distance snaps, he is a versatile prospect expected to earn a significant role in the Broncos backfield. Mattek ranks him higher than Tank Bigsby for rest-of-season value.

Despite leading the team in targets through two games with a 76% route share and 17% target share, Raymond's fantasy outlook is described as depressing.

Kenneth Gainwell is a drop candidate in shallower leagues, as he is currently serving as the RB2 for the Buccaneers.

Kyle Pitts is used as a benchmark for Terren Ferguson's value; while Mattek still prefers Pitts, he acknowledges Ferguson is now in the same conversation. Mattek also notes he is frustrated watching Pitts as a fantasy asset.

Kyler Murray is a recommended waiver add who can provide 17-18 fantasy points per game. He is expected to benefit from a pass-heavy team tilt and his own rushing production.

Burden is struggling with effort and route execution, showing poor film in Week 2. There is hope for a rebound, but his performance has been consistently disappointing.

Lloyd's role is tenuous after failing to receive another touch following a fumble in Week 2. His fantasy outlook is poor.

Oronde Gadsden is a strong waiver add due to injuries to Charlie Kolar and David Njoku. With the team lacking other viable tight ends, Gadsden is projected for a 65-75% route share. He previously averaged over 10 points per game as a rookie when his route share exceeded 65%. Mattek suggests a FAAB bid of 20-30%.

Despite a disappointing Week 2 performance, Mattek remains high on Pat Bryant and recommends adding and holding him in all leagues, noting his route rate actually increased. Mattek prefers him over Courtland Sutton, who he believes is finished as a fantasy asset.

Rashod Bateman is a viable start if Zay Flowers misses time; he benefits from the long-term absence of Devontez Walker. Bateman saw a 95% route share and 33% target share in Week 2, though his role remained unchanged in the most recent evaluation.

Rico Dowdle is a drop candidate due to an injury with an unclear recovery timeline; he should not be held even if he avoids the IR.

Saquon Barkley is dealing with a stinger injury that limited him to 12 snaps in Week 2, making his availability for Week 3 legitimately questionable.

With Saquon Barkley dealing with a stinger, Tank Bigsby is expected to start for the Eagles in Week 3; Mattek ranks him as a top-25 running back for the week if Barkley is out.

Trey Harris is a low-priority waiver add who has shown no ability to earn targets, despite a 71% route rate; he is considered less desirable than Trey Tucker or Khif Raymond.

Tucker is a viable start for Week 3 in a dome game against the Saints, coming off a 22-point PPR performance with a 25% target share and 75% route share. His outlook is contingent on Brock Bowers' health.

Despite a 53% snap share and handling long down-and-distance and two-minute drills, Will Shipley is not a recommended waiver add or start because Saquon Barkley is expected to play, and Tank Bigsby is the primary replacement.