Unlock Hidden Gems: Must-Make Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Picks for Week 3 That Could Skyrocket Your Team!

Week 2 in the NFL reminded us all why fantasy football managers cling to this game like it’s their lifeline. Scoring soared from a modest 41.3 points per game in Week 1 to a far livelier 49.8 in Week 2—proof that offensive fireworks are back to claim the spotlight. But here’s a tasty little dilemma for you: with offensive explosions lighting up the scoreboard, which lesser-known players are sneaking under the radar, ready to ignite your fantasy lineup just before Week 3? It’s those under-the-radar gems—those unexpected game-changers—that I’m itching to highlight for you. Buckle up, because your waiver wire treasure map starts here, packed with breakout stars who could turn your season around in a snap. LEARN MORE.

Offense was up in the NFL in Week 2, which is what fantasy football managers like to see. Which breakthrough players are worthy of picking up on the waiver wire heading into Week 3?

Now that’s more like it!

After a Week 1 slate that saw an average of 41.3 points per game (both teams combined scoring), Week 2 saw scoring rise to 49.8 points per game.

It’s fairly common for scoring to start low and gradually increase as the season goes on, particularly with starters playing less and less in the preseason.

While defensive struggles can be entertaining, as fantasy managers, shootouts are what we want (particularly when our players are in the game).

Among all the points, some previously unheralded players had big weeks and put themselves on the fantasy radar. Here are the top players to grab off your fantasy waiver wire.

NFL Week 3 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups

RB Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons

Remember that intro you just read? Yeah, the Atlanta Falcons and Minnesota Vikings didn’t get the memo that they were supposed to score more points in Week 2.

When the only touchdown of the game for either team was finally scored in the fourth quarter, it wasn’t the dynamic Bijan Robinson finding his way into the end zone. It was his backup, Tyler Allgeier.

Allgeier’s ownership is still under 50% on most platforms, and that needs to change. Sure, he’s never going to be the lead back or even close to it with Robinson healthy. But the Falcons have put enough emphasis on the running game that Allgeier is still a worthy Flex option in some matchups, especially because he’s in the mix for high-value touches near the goal line.

That includes this upcoming week against the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers have struggled through two weeks and will be down two starting offensive linemen. It’s possible the Falcons get a big lead early in this one, which would make Allgeier all the more valuable. Don’t forget Travis Etienne Jr. rushing for 143 yards against the Panthers in Week 1, either.

Plus, if anything were to happen to Robinson, Allgeier would instantly become a must-start player in all formats. He’s a priority handcuff with standalone value and should be rostered in almost every league.

RB Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars

When the Jacksonville Jaguars traded Tank Bigsby to the Philadelphia Eagles, Tuten was expected to benefit the most as the undisputed RB2 in Jacksonville.

His role ended up being about what was expected, as Tuten got 33% of the running back carries for the Jaguars along with two targets.

But Tuten looked even better than most anticipated, rushing for 42 yards on eight carries and hauling in two catches for 32 yards and a touchdown.

Travis Etienne’s production has been remarkable so far this season, so it would take some bad games from him for Tuten to enter the RB1 mix in Jacksonville. But the rookie out of Virginia Tech can certainly play himself into some more touches if he shows the same burst and decisiveness the next couple of weeks.

Tuten is a boom-or-bust desperation play next week but is a good speculative add for anyone with room on their bench and a long-term need at running back.

WR Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos

Franklin is a great example of a player many gave up on too soon.

He had some buzz as a rookie last year after being drafted in the fourth round out of Oregon. His college quarterback Bo Nix was taken in the first round by the Broncos, and the thinking was that they would keep their rapport going in Denver.

But Franklin struggled with drops in an inconsistent rookie season and wasn’t expected to be a major part of the Broncos offense heading into this season.

Fast forward past the first two weeks of the season, and Franklin leads the team in targets, receptions and yards.

Franklin’s burst and suddenness have always been apparent, but he’s finally starting to turn his exciting traits into production. He’s the clear No. 2 receiver for the Broncos behind Courtland Sutton now and is among the top 30 in the league in targets.

It’s dangerous to assume the pecking order of any positional group is settled when Sean Payton is the coach, but ride the Troy Franklin wave for now. He’s a worthy Flex play for the foreseeable future and ranked as our WR36 for this week.

WR Wan’Dale Robinson, New York Giants

We’ve been on the Wan’Dale Robinson hype train for PPR leagues since before the season started, and he has probably appeared in this weekly article more than anyone dating back two years, but he’s broken contain as simply a PPR cheat code.

Robinson has 18 targets and 14 receptions through two games for 197 yards and a touchdown. While he’s unlikely to keep up his current pace (his 14.1 yards per reception would be much higher than his career high of 9.9), it’s clear he has Russell Wilson’s trust.

The New York Giants offense has been heavily concentrated. They haven’t been able to run the ball effectively at all, and Malik Nabers and Robinson have combined for 70% of the team’s receiving yards so far.

With a target share anywhere near what he’s been getting, Robinson doesn’t need the Giants offense to produce at the level it did against the Cowboys to be effective. He just needs Wilson to make sure the offense doesn’t completely crater. He should be started most weeks in PPR leagues and rostered in every format.

TE Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints

The Saints will likely struggle on offense in a lot of games this year, but Johnson looks to be a top-two option in the passing game for his team, which isn’t something a lot of tight ends can claim.

He’s one of only five tight ends with at least five catches in each of his first two games. And he’s a big red-zone target for Spencer Rattler.

Johnson is highly unlikely to join the top tier of tight ends due to the team he plays for, but he’s likely to outperform a lot of low-end starters at the position the rest of the season.

Johnson is projected as our TE8 this week. If you’re desperate for tight end help, you could do a lot worse.

QB Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts

Fantasy managers usually don’t need to use the waiver wire for quarterbacks in one-QB leagues very often. But Joe Burrow is likely to miss several months, Brock Prudy is week-to-week and both Jayden Daniels and Justin Fields are questionable for next week as well.

This leaves a lot of owners scrambling for viable options, and the best one available in most leagues is Daniel Jones.

It was one thing when Jones put up big numbers against the imploding Miami Dolphins. But in Week 2, Jones put together another impressive game against the Denver Broncos, a team with one of the best secondaries in the league. Through two weeks, the Colts quarterback has completed 71.4% of his passes and has yet to throw an interception.

In a twist of irony, the only quarterback with more passing yards than Jones is the Giants new quarterback, Russell Wilson. But even if Jones comes back down to Earth as a passer, the Colts have boosted his fantasy stock by using him as a goal-line option. Jones already has three rushing touchdowns.

In Week 3, he faces a Tennessee Titans defense that gave up 298 passing yards and two touchdowns to Matthew Stafford in Week 2. As long as Jones is healthy, he should remain a capable plug-in for any injured quarterback.

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