5 Best Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 3

After two weeks of fantasy football, most of us have a general idea about the quality of our teams. Some are excited by this prospect. Others, not so much. No matter which side you fall on, reinforcements are always necessary.

Here are the best waiver wire pickups for Week 3 of the fantasy football season. (All stats via ESPN PPR leagues)

Noah Brown, WR, Dallas Cowboys (Available in 99 Percent of ESPN Leagues)

Cooper Rush leading the Cowboys to a victory on Sunday was shocking but even more so was the fact that his favorite receiver is apparently Noah Brown. The fifth-year wideout had an excellent day against Cincinnati, hauling in five catches for 91 yards and a touchdown, good for 17 fantasy points. Brown's ceiling will be limited as Michael Gallup makes his return to the lineup but he's presumably weeks away from reclaiming his former role as the No. 2 wideout. Capitalize now, while Rush only has eyes for Brown.

Greg Dortch, WR, Arizona Cardinals (Available in 97 Percent of ESPN Leagues)

DeAndre Hopkins' absence due to a PED suspension means there are targets available. Sunday's wild comeback against Las Vegas seemed to indicate Greg Dortch will be a big beneficiary. After a very quiet Week 1, Dortch blew up with 11 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown in Week 2. There's a chance he regresses closer to his Week 1 performance in the future but it's worth a shot if Kyler Murray has found a new favorite target. A lot of risk here, but a lot of possible reward, especially if you're in a full PPR league.

Breshad Perriman, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Available in 99 Percent of ESPN Leagues)

The Bucs suddenly find themselves without any receivers. Chris Godwin is down for a few weeks yet with a hamstring issue. Mike Evans is suspended for this week. For whatever reason, Tom Brady trusts Breshad Perriman more than he does anybody else when those two on the field. Perriman caught three balls for 45 yards and a touchdown against New Orleans and is set for an even bigger day against Green Bay with the absence of Evans. He'll probably be a one-hit wonder for this week and this week only unless more injuries strike the receiving room in Tampa Bay, so best to strike while the iron is hot.

Raheem Mostert, RB, Miami Dolphins (Available in 49 Percent of ESPN Leagues)

Chase Edmonds is Mike McDaniel's top choice at running back but it seems Raheem Mostert is going to get carries in bunches. He recorded 16 attempts last week despite Miami being down multiple scores and even got some work in the passing game. It seems McDaniel is taking after Kyle Shanahan when it comes to RB usage, which is a problem for fantasy, but the offense should be prolific enough to consider Mostert a low-end RB2/flex option. This week is a tough matchup against a strong Bills front seven, but in the long view Mostert could prove very useful indeed.

J.D. McKissic, RB, Washington Commanders (Available in 58 Percent of ESPN Leagues)

Before the season began, there were many big questions about how Washington's backfield would shake out after preseason favorite Brian Robinson was placed on IR. It seems it's J.D. McKissic, not Antonio Gibson, who will be getting the significant snaps. He had three carries and seven catches against the Lions last week, and given the Commanders seem like they'll be playing from behind more often than not, McKissic seems in line for similar days in the future. It's risky business because he doesn't offer much on the ground, but in PPR leagues he's definitely worth a pickup.