Top Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Additions of Week 3: Carr, Henry, Johnston

It was a frenzy on the waiver wire after Week 1’s action. Jordan Mason dominated in place of Christian McCaffrey and now looks like one of the waiver rookies of the year with McCaffrey on injured reserve. Colby Parkinson, Demarcus Robinson and Tyler Johnson have all emerged as interesting signings now that Puka Nacua will be sidelined for about a month and a half.

After the NFL’s injury madness, it’s almost as if Isaiah Likely’s performance of 12 targets and 11 yards was swept under the rug. He may not have as big an impact on fantasy rosters as Mason, but he could certainly finish the year as a starting TE in 12-team leagues.

Now it’s time to move on from the whirlwind of last week and focus on attacking the waiver list for Week 2.

Top Fantasy Football Waiver List Draft Picks for Week 3: Derek Carr, Hunter Henry, Quentin Johnston Among Top Draft Picks

Unless otherwise noted, only players registered in less than 50% of Yahoo leagues are considered.

Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints

Derek Carr was highlighted on our list of the best quarterbacks drafted after Week 1. I hope you listened, because Carr and the New Orleans offense are taking the league by storm. With Carr at center and Klint Kubiak at the helm, the Saints have scored 40+ points in both games this season.

As expected, the starting quarterback of the league’s most prolific offense has been a great fantasy player. Carr threw for 200 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1, earning him a QB6 spot. He then followed that up with 243 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown for 21.82 fantasy points. Carr becomes a top pick for teams with an unreliable starting quarterback.

Hunter Henry, TE, New England Patriots

The Patriots’ offense, led by Jacoby Brissett, is actually… competent. Brissett and Rhamondre Stevenson led the charge in Week 1, when the Patriots beat the Cincinnati Bengals. However, it was Hunter Henry who was the driving force behind the offense in Week 2.

Henry finished the day with eight receptions for 109 yards. The Patriots are lacking talent in their receiving room and Henry is taking advantage of the opportunity he has. With tight ends like Jake Ferguson, Evan Engram and David Njoku out with injuries, Henry is a solid option to replace an injured tight end.

Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver

Did Jim Harbaugh fix Quentin Johnston? A year after looking like one of the biggest misses in the 2023 draft, Johnston has had a solid start to his second year. In the Chargers’ opener, Johnston posted a modest 3/38/0 stat line, but his 70% snap share and 21% target share made it clear he has the potential to succeed.

Johnston made the most of that opportunity in Week 2. Johnston produced similarly in terms of yards, finishing the game with 51 yards on five catches. However, he made the most of his opportunities in the red zone and scored twice on Sunday. He’s not the kind of player who will slot into your starting lineup, but a significant role in the offense would make him bench-worthy.

Who are the top quarterback waiver targets?

Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings

Sam Darnold is the latest beneficiary of Kevin O’Connell’s quarterback-oriented offensive scheme. Darnold has now thrown multiple touchdowns in both games this year. He’s racked up 19.92 fantasy points against a 49ers pass-funnel defense. Darnold should continue to throw at a high rate and could be a ready-made starter alongside Justin Jefferson, assuming his quad injury is minor, as expected.

Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks

Geno Smith has now been a top-12 pick in both weeks of the season. Somehow, he’s only been in 34% of Yahoo leagues. It’s almost as if fantasy managers forgot that Smith was the QB5 just two seasons ago. Smith is now part of Ryan Grubb’s passing attack with a slew of talented weapons alongside him. He looks like he could be a low-end starter in 12-team leagues this year.

Who are the other top waiver targets for running backs?

Braelon Allen, New York Jets

It became clear early in the offseason that Braelon Allen was the direct replacement for starting running back Breece Hall. It wasn’t a situation in which Allen could have siphoned off any meaningful work from Hall, but earning that backup role made Allen one of the best backup running backs in fantasy football.

Allen proved what he’s capable of Sunday afternoon. He converted nine total touchdowns into 56 yards from scrimmage, scoring twice in the process. If Hall is forced to miss time for any reason, Allen will immediately become a fantastic starter. He’s a solid addition in leagues with deep benches.

Antonio Gibson, New England Patriots

It appears the Patriots have Antonio Gibson planned to be a key part of this offense. After seeing seven carries in Week 1, Gibson had 12 total touches (11 rushes, 1 reception) on Sunday against the Seahawks. Gibson was very efficient with those touches, turning them into 103 total yards.

Given that the Patriots’ offense is mediocre at best, it will be difficult for Gibson to be a reliable fantasy starter as long as Rhamondre Stevenson is healthy. Gibson would likely be considered a flex player if Stevenson were to be sidelined for any length of time.

Samaje Perine and Carson Steele, Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs starting running back Isiah Pacheco left the game in the fourth quarter Sunday after getting his ankle caught under a defender. To top it all off, Pacheco was seen leaving the stadium wearing a boot and on crutches. The severity of the injury is unknown, but we could reasonably see Pacheco sidelined in Week 3.

If Pacheco misses time, it’s likely that it’ll be some sort of rotation among the Chiefs’ other backs. Samaje Perine has primarily been a pass protector and third-down specialist. Carson Steele is in his rookie season but is carving out a role as a short-yardage back. It’ll be interesting to see how that backfield is carved out if Pacheco misses time. It would be hard to count on either back in fantasy, but both should be on the shelf if Pacheco’s injury keeps him out for multiple weeks.

Who are the other wide receiver waiver targets?

Andrei Iosivas, Cincinnati Bengals

After a strong showing in Week 2, Andrei Iosivas is becoming a go-to player in deeper leagues. Iosivas has generated positive buzz throughout the offseason and was expected to fill the void left by Cincinnati’s slot stalwart Tyler Boyd. With Tee Higgins also sidelined, Iosivas was a full-time player for the first two weeks of the season.

Iosivas made the most of that opportunity in Week 2, finding the end zone twice and finishing with seven yards on two receptions. He’ll be a touchdown-dependent fringe flex option in the coming weeks with Higgins returning to the lineup shortly.

Tyler Johnson and Demarcus Robinson, Los Angeles Rams

After Puka Nacua’s injury in Week 1, Tyler Johnson and Demarcus Robinson have emerged as viable candidates for the waiver process. If either or both of those players fell through the cracks in last week’s waiver cycle, they absolutely should not do so this week.

Johnson and Robinson could get an even bigger opportunity next week. Rams star receiver Cooper Kupp left the game with an ankle injury and did not return. If Kupp is sidelined in Week 2, Robinson and Johnson will become Matthew Stafford’s top options. Neither had a strong showing in Week 2, but the Rams’ offense has been dysfunctional overall. Los Angeles has a matchup against San Francisco’s defense in Week 3, so expect this duo to have a lot of work if Kupp is unable to play.

Who are the other top targets for the tight end positions?

Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals

Much like Andrei Iosivas, Mike Gesicki benefited from the absence of Tee Higgins from Cincinnati’s offense. Gesicki was targeted nine times Sunday, making seven catches for 91 yards. That 16.1-point performance is likely close to Gesicki’s ceiling. However, you don’t need to score 16 points every week to be relevant in fantasy at tight end. Gesicki can be a PPR compiler to provide TE1 production here and there.

Who are the defense’s best targets and streamers?

New England Patriots

The New England Patriots may not have a great outlook as a team, but Patriots fans should be pleased with the state of their defense. They have been able to hold two strong offenses, the Bengals and Seahawks, to modest totals in their first two games of the season. Aaron Rodgers and the Jets’ slow, methodical offense have looked suspect at times and could easily struggle against New England.

Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers have the privilege of facing the Tennessee Titans this week. Tennessee has yet to score 20 points this season and Will Levis looks like a quarterback who could be benched at any moment. The Titans are quickly becoming a target offense for managers who stream defenses.