Week 3 was as ugly a fantasy week as we have seen all season, and coincidentally, this week’s waiver wire is also the worst we have seen. If they are available, there are some substantial additions like Romeo Doubs and Tyler Conklin, but for the most part, this is a week to clean up the bottom of your roster and make some smaller bids. Here is the Week 4 Waiver Wire Additions!
Welcome in to the Week 3 Edition of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to RB! This is the place where we talk all things running back streaming. Each week we discuss running back usage, matchups, and waiver opportunities to convert the least amount of capital into a playable running back position on your fantasy teams.
Week 3 is now on the horizon, and we need to keep improving our rosters. Hopefully, your team is 2-0 or even 1-1, but an 0-2 start in fantasy football is not a death sentence. We have some players we drafted with confidence that we cannot use (hello, Chicago pass catchers), and once again, we need to pivot off of injuries (Trey Lance and James Conner).
There are some apparent additions for leagues with fewer roster spots (Garrett Wilson- time to make it rain) and some options for those in deeper formats.
Last season, post-Week 1, going into Week 2 waiver wire, was one of the most impactful waiver wire runs. Elijah Mitchell, Cordarrelle Patterson, Hunter Renfrow, Christian Kirk, and Dalton Schultz were added in most leagues. Mitchell was the clear running back to roster in a good offense with a path to yearly usage. Other players went under the radar and could be picked up with reasonable faab bids and waiver priorities.
All in all it was a strong week for our roster making transactions rather difficult. The brightest star is of course Darrell Henderson. The former Memphis Tiger played 82-percent of his team’s snaps and dominated usage in all situations. While he was not able to punch in a score or provide much in terms of efficiency, his usage profile was that of an RB1.
The goal of this column is simple. Just as the hitchhiker attempts to achieve their destination without a consistent or known vehicle, we will reach your league championship relying on a mix of temporary solutions and unexpected revelations. I will attempt to stream the highest scoring season long RB2 slot we can, relying only on a finite pool of late round picks and the waiver wire. I will explain the parameters in detail at the end of the article.
Jimmy Garoppolo is dealing with a thumb injury. Trey Lance would be an instant fantasy upgrade due to his rushing ability. A healthy trio of George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk and “The Terminator” Deebo Samuel would provide him with great weapons. This week, Lance could help Superflex players win leagues with a great matchup against Houston.
With Buffalo decimated at WR, Isaiah McKenzie stepped right into a significant role and did not disappoint. He finished with 11 catches on 12 targets with 125 yards receiving and a TD. This week, expect another high Snap Share and potential for another useful fantasy performance.
We’ve recommended Gabriel Davis for several weeks now, and he continues to come through with fantasy contributions. Davis had one of the best performance of his career with five receptions for 85 yards, and two TD catches. He now has four TD catches in his last three games and 15 targets over his previous two games. He looks to be part of the Bills weekly game plan down the stretch and he has the trust of Josh Allen. Davis can be treated as a WR3.
Amon-Ra St. Brown is almost assuredly rostered, but if he is somehow available, be aggressive as you can in adding him. He is the midwest version of Hunter Renfrow, and has become the focal point of Detroit’s offense. ARSB is heating up and is a player whose stock should rise this summer in dynasty. Craig Reynolds continues to be a Cinderella story for Detroit. The 25-year-old seemingly came out of nowhere in Week 14, and this past week saw a bell cow-like 26 carries for 101 yards as Detroit convincingly upset Arizona. This week, Reynolds has a plus matchup against Atlanta.
Pete Carroll promised that Rashaad Penny would be a big part of the game plan, and he certainly kept his word. Penny ran wild against The Texans with 137 yards rushing and two TDs. He played his best game as a pro and looked like a former first round pick. The competition gets a lot stronger with the Los Angeles Rams on tap this week, but Penny will get every chance at another high volume day.
Gabriel Davis played very well this past weekend at Tampa Bay. He caught a TD pass and converted a huge first down with effort and athleticism. He has now scored TDs in back-to-back games and should see even more snaps with Emmanuel Sanders now injured. Davis is a WR3 for me this week and can be used as a Flex play (monitor the Josh Allen injury).
Christian McCaffrey paid the ultimate price for becoming a bell cow.
Josh Palmer and Jalen Guyton are big play receivers.
