Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 3: Giovani Bernard Steps Up With Joe Mixon Out

Week 2 brought a few more injuries and some clarity on some other situations. The most prominent injury is Joe Mixon, who is expected to miss 2-4 weeks with a knee injury, after looking like a breakout candidate in Week 1. Giovani Bernard (owned in about 44% of leagues) will get the primary responsibilities with Mixon out. Bernard had three 1,000 yard from scrimmage seasons to start his career. Last year, he averaged over 100 yards from scrimmage in four December games after being little used early. He slots in as a solid RB2 weekly while Mixon is out, so if you need a starter he’s going to provide about three weeks of excellent value.

I’d consider him as being worth 10-15% of your FAAB cap for every week you would start him, so if you are the Mixon owner or someone else that needs a running back to start, he should garner a 30-40% bid even though his shelf life as a starter is limited by Mixon’s return.

Mark Walton is also a deep league add in Cincinnati as he should garner some action and will also be next up with an injury.

Here are the rest of the Waiver recommendations for Week 3:

RUNNING BACKS

If you don’t want to spend big for Bernard and just need some depth and options, I’d first look to Javorius Allen (26%) in Baltimore. So far this year, we have Alex Collins with 20 touches and Allen with 20 touches. That looks more like a committee to me. Yet Collins is widely owned and Allen is mostly available. In PPR or half-PPR leagues, Allen is more valuable because he is the third down back. He’s a fall-back flex option.

Marcus Murphy (7%) doesn’t have a great matchup and the Bills are a mess, but LeSean McCoy is now battling a rib injury, and also now has more legal issues surfacing with allegations of abuse. If he is out, Murphy is a flex option against the Vikings.

Theo Riddick (37%) had 9 catches last week and is a PPR option as a flex. Keep an eye on Darren Sproles (20%) as his value will only go up if he can play and with Carson Wentz returning.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Last week, Keelan Cole (64%) and Chris Godwin (37%) were among the top recommendations in this post. Both scored and had good weeks, and should be on rosters. If Cole is available in your league, add him.

Godwin and teammate DeSean Jackson (55%) are both factors in the Tampa Bay downfield attack and that offense has shown what it can do two weeks in a row.

Christian Kirk (19%) became a little bigger part of the Arizona passing game (as bad as it was) last week and Larry Fitzgerald is battling a hamstring injury, so he’s worth rostering in deeper leagues.

TIGHT ENDS

O.J. Howard (40%) is such a playmaker and the only thing is his opportunities in sharing in the Bucs offense. But he showed again in Week 2 what he is capable of doing with a long touchdown catch. The Steelers, who just got torched by Travis Kelce and the Chiefs’ offense, are next.

Benjamin Watson (44%) is a good fall-back option if you need a starter at the tight end position for this week.

Ricky Seals-Jones (27%) hasn’t put up good stats–nobody in Arizona has–but he’s seen 12 targets in two weeks and will have opportunity.

QUARTERBACKS

Ryan Fitzpatrick (24%) has now had one of the best two-game stretches to open a season in league history. He’s lit up the Saints and Eagles. Last week, I recommended him as the spot start you should pick up, and it’s not empty advice, as I added him on a team with Rodgers and started him instead. After these performances, though, his chances of remaining the starter in two weeks has gone up dramatically. He’s got weapons and he’s going to be the starter as long as he’s playing well. (and if a QB plays as poorly as Fitzpatrick would need to do over a month stretch to get benched now, you don’t want him anymore anyway). Bid away! He’s a Top 10 start again this week.

Blake Bortles (31%) is always there, and always seems to end up with more fantasy points than guys selected above him. He can make plays with his feet and will give you a solid baseline. There are at least 5 guys far more heavily owned that I would drop for Bortles.

In deep leagues, Ryan Tannehill (16%) would be my emergency starter this week.

KICKERS

Dan Bailey (11%) has signed with Minnesota and should be in a Top 6 kicker situation going forward in that offense and with that defense. He’s worth a definite pickup and is a top start right away against the woeful Bills.

Sam Ficken (1%) is the injury replacement for Greg Zuerlein. Another top situation, though he will only remain there until Zuerlein is back.

Chandler Catanzaro (5%) is in a high-powered offense in Tampa and should be rostered. He’s a top 8 option this week against the Steelers.

DEFENSES

The BROWNS (13%) draw the Jets this week and look like a much better defensive unit this season and are your matchup play this week. If not them, go with the COWBOYS (27%) at Seattle. Russell Wilson has been sacked 6 times both weeks and that offense is not healthy.

OVERALL

RB Giovani Bernard (40% of FAAB)
WR Keelan Cole (25%)
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (15%)
TE O.J. Howard (10%)
WR Tyler Lockett (10%)
WR DeSean Jackson (5-10%)
WR Chris Godwin (5-10%)
RB Javorius Allen (5%)
QB Blake Bortles (5%)
RB Marcus Murphy (5%)