FAAB Waiver Wire Bidding - Fantasy Football Pickups to Target for Week 3

September 21, 2022

Nick Mariano's fantasy football waiver wire FAAB bidding guide for Week 3 (2022) -- how many FAAB dollars (free agent acquisition budget) to spend on waivers.

It's time to open the wallet and prepare for some accounting as you input those Week 3 fantasy football waiver wire FAAB bids! Week 2 wasn't as chalky as Week 1 and there were plenty of performances and injuries to react to.

Joining our famous waiver wire pickups list, our weekly fantasy football waiver wire columns by position, and our free new Who Should I Pickup? Waiver Wire comparison tool, this column focuses on suggested waiver wire bidding percentages for fantasy football owners in leagues using a Free Agent Acquisition Budget (FAAB).

As a caveat, these prices do not by any means indicate how much these free agent players will go for. Each league values players differently and will continue to do so. These values are here to provide a baseline or priority order to understand roughly how much you should be looking to spend on a particular player. Specific needs are always reasonable cause for a manual override. It's difficult to toe the line between savvy and overreaction, but do consider making a few calculated dart throws at RB/WR this early. Trust your process and us as analysts! For the first time in the 2022 season, here are my median FAAB bid ranges and adds going into Week 3.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Quarterbacks

Marcus Mariota (QB, ATL) - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
11% rostered

Mariota and the Falcons came within a few plays of defeating the Rams but the LAR pass rush won out in the end. He only mustered 196 yards and two passing touchdowns next to two picks and 16 rush yards, but now he’ll face a weaker Seattle defense. Doing so should see his total yardage creep back towards the ~300 mark seen in Week 1 when he produced a 12-72-1 rushing line.

Jared Goff (QB, DET) - FAAB Bid: 0-1%
22% rostered

After we identified Goff as a shootout target in last week’s column all he did was pop for four touchdowns and 250-plus yards passing in a 36-27 victory. He’s enjoyed two home games so far and will now travel to Minnesota for a Week 3 tilt that likely also blows up for over 50 combined points. Goff and the Lions also get a soft Seattle defense at home in Week 4.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Running Backs

Raheem Mostert (RB, MIA) - FAAB Bid: 6-10%
43% rostered

Mostert regained the edge over Chase Edmonds in Week 2, totaling 14 opportunities to Edmonds’ eight. Each of them saw three targets and Mostert would tally 79 yards as Edmonds nabbed 41. It’ll be interesting to see if they revert to more Edmonds for a Week 3 shootout with the Bills, though Miami didn’t favor Edmonds in Week 2’s insanity. 

Perhaps his rushing for only 25 yards on 12 carries in Week 1 against a tough New England front has solidified a chance for Mostert to be the 1A ball-carrier. Edmonds still holds value but Mostert needs to be rostered in this potent offense.

Jordan Mason (RB, SF) - FAAB Bid: 3-5%
5% rostered

Overshadowed by the awful season-ending injury to Trey Lance, Tyrion Davis-Price looked to have jumped ahead of Jordan Mason to be San Francisco’s No. 2 RB. But that hype train was halted with Monday’s news that TDP suffered a high-ankle sprain and will be out for at least a month. Mason didn’t have any touches in Week 2 but he moves up the list.

Jeff Wilson Jr. had 20 opportunities resulting in 103 yards, way more than the 14 carries for 33 yards that TDP yielded, but it is notable intel. The 49ers will have to lean on their rushers more with Jimmy Garoppolo back under center and JWJ is no pinnacle of health so add Mason if RB depth is needed.

Mark Ingram II (RB, NO) - FAAB Bid: 3-5%
30% rostered

Ingram impressed with 60 rushing yards on 10 carries against a stalwart Buccaneers defense with Alvin Kamara (rib) out. We also saw Dwayne Washington and Tony Jones Jr. mix in for four touches each, but Ingram’s 12 were the clear frontrunner. The vet did lose a fumble and is only viable if Kamara remains out for Week 3 against the Panthers.

Tyler Allgeier (RB, ATL) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
14% rostered

Allgeier mixed in for 10 carries and though he only netted 30 yards, it’s a good signal moving forward. The Falcons clearly don’t want to burden Cordarrelle Patterson with a heavy workload and wear him out as they did in 2021. 

With Damien Williams on the IR, Allgeier has a chance at proving himself worthy of being the other punch in Atlanta’s 1-2 combo. But you could also see Avery Williams and Caleb Huntley continue to mix in and make this a headache that isn’t worth your time. This speculation is what end-of-bench spots were made for.

Darrel Williams (RB, ARI) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
Eno Benjamin (RB, ARI) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
4% & 11% rostered, respectively

James Conner is nursing an ankle injury and while it’s reportedly minor, we’ll still sprinkle in Williams and Benjamin. While I prefer Benjamin over the long term, it was Williams who looked slightly better on Sunday and garnered the short-yardage touches. 

He wound up punching in a rushing TD while Benjamin had the advantage in the passing game, catching three balls for 20 yards (Williams caught two for three yards). They face the Rams next, which could skew towards Benjamin as the Cardinals look to keep up with Matthew Stafford’s brigade.

After Week 1, we thought maybe Eno Benjamin was the handcuff to James Conner. Just kidding.

Darrel Williams/Benjamin splits after Conner's injury:

Snaps: 56%, 48%
Atts: 47%, 35%
Routes: 48%, 41%

RBBC with Murray also stealing rushing attempts in a Cardinals' pass-happy offense

— Dwain McFarland (@dwainmcfarland) September 19, 2022

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Wide Receivers

Garrett Wilson (WR, NYJ) - FAAB Bid: 10-15%
23% rostered

If there’s a must-add from Week 2’s action it is Wilson. The electric rookie turned 14 targets into eight receptions for 102 yards and two scores. He played on 12 fewer snaps than Corey Davis but wound up running two more routes than Davis, underscoring his usage in passing-down situations.

You may have frustrating times ahead in the short term as Wilson continues to work his way up the WR flagpole for the Jets. Corey Davis isn’t going to go away and Elijah Moore is the No. 1. The good news is the Jets will find themselves behind often and don’t have a rushing identity to lean on yet.

Jakobi Meyers (WR, NE) - FAAB Bid: 8-12%
35% rostered

Are there truly 65% of Yahoo leagues out there that don’t have any PPR aspect to them? Meyers had a decent 4-55-0 line with seven rush yards in Week 1’s embarrassment. Then Week 2’s decent offensive showing yielded nine catches for 95 yards on 13 targets. Even in half-PPR settings,  Meyers is the Mac Jones safety blanket and should be rostered in more leagues. I know most people want to house upside on their rosters but there’s room for a steady Meyers as a plug-and-play. You’ll be grateful as injury attrition piles up.

Sterling Shepard (WR, NYG) - FAAB Bid: 6-10%
10% rostered

Shepard has stepped up as the No. 1 receiver for the G-men with Kenny Golladay simply collecting paychecks and Kadarius Toney failing to earn more snaps. He may not demand much from the wallet due to the box score leaving much to be desired.

While Shep only had six catches for 34 yards in a quiet slugfest with Carolina, his 10 targets easily paced the team. Those in very deep waters will note Richie James Jr. had five catches for 51 yards on six looks as the No. 2 WR.

Sneaky 31% target share and 43% air yardage share for Sterling Shepard in Week 2 👀

Here are a few players who Sterling Shepard has drawn targets at a higher per-route basis than since 2020:

Chris Godwin, Travis Kelce, DK Metcalf, DJ Moore, DeAndre Hopkins, Brandin Cooks

— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) September 19, 2022

Joshua Palmer (WR, LAC) - FAAB Bid: 5-10%
27% rostered

I wager Keenan Allen returns for Week 3’s tilt against the Jaguars but you can throw some keep-’em-honest bids at Palmer just in case. He was quiet for most of Week 2’s loss to the Chiefs but caught a seven-yard score with a minute left as Justin Herbert pushed through the rib injury. If Allen returns or Herbert is out then Palmer is a significantly worse play in Week 3, so proceed appropriately per your team’s need.

Breshad Perriman (WR, TB) - FAAB Bid: 4-5%
0% rostered

The Bucs’ WR room is in shambles going into a Week 3 home date with a stout Packers defense. Chris Godwin is likely out with the hamstring injury, Julio may return but is dealing with a knee injury, and Mike Evans has been suspended for a game. 

Perriman caught Tampa’s lone offensive TD in their Week 2 win and is the big-bodied wideout that can step in for Evans. Russell Gage is a fine PPR add and Scotty Miller makes for a tournament option but Perriman looks like the WR to target across the board on a team that doesn’t utilize its tight ends.

Noah Brown (WR, DAL) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
2% rostered

The Cooper Rush era is not all doom and gloom, folks. We saw CeeDee Lamb hit 75 yards on seven catches while Brown, playing as the No. 2, reeled in five catches for 91 yards and a touchdown. You’ll note he caught five balls for 68 yards in Week 1 as well.

We have Dalton Schultz banged up, Dennis Houston fell back and only had one target, while Michael Gallup could suit up for Week 3. Overall, Brown makes for a modest add ahead of a divisional showdown against the Giants in Week 3.

Greg Dortch (WR, ARI) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
7% rostered

Dortch torched the Raiders for 55 yards and a touchdown in Week 2 while catching all four of his targets. Those who jumped in last week were rewarded and others looking to get in now will have to monitor Rondale Moore’s status. Dortch displays the value of Arizona’s slot man, which Moore will slide back into eventually.

Ashton Dulin (WR, IND) - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
2% rostered

Dulin stepped up with Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce out and hauled in five-of-seven targets for 79 yards, adding a three-yard rush in for kicks. This came on a day where Parris Campbell put up a bagel on two targets and most of the Colts crumbled. 

Dulin may have done enough to surpass both Pierce and Campbell to earn starts across from MPJ moving forward. The Colts are undoubtedly going to need a spark for their Week 3 showdown with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Ashton Dulin has earned 13 targets on just 39 routes run this season. Resulted in 8-125-0. Dude can play.

— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) September 19, 2022

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Tight Ends

Hayden Hurst (TE, CIN) - FAAB Bid: 3-5%
16% rostered

Hurst played on 56 snaps and ran 39 routes, which comes close to mirroring Tyler Boyd’s numbers as the slot man. You now have a pair of five-catch weeks and healthy involvement out of Hurst in a potent Cincinnati offense, so make the add if you’re still awaiting George Kittle or lost Dalton Schultz.

Don’t look now, but Hayden Hurst is off to a rock solid start.

78% snap share and 7.5 targets a game through 2 weeks.

Low end TE1 and a great fill in for Schultz if he misses time.

— Ben Weiner (@BenThePylonDon) September 19, 2022

Logan Thomas (TE, WAS) - FAAB Bid: 2-4%
14% rostered

Thomas continues to ramp up and played on 54 of Washington’s 74 offensive snaps in Week 2. This led to five targets on 32 routes run, of which he caught three for 37 yards and a touchdown. Washington’s defense will keep the offense needed throughout their games and Thomas is a nice complement to their emerging WR trio.

Evan Engram (TE, JAX) - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
21% rostered

Engram actually led Jacksonville in targets (8) and receptions (7) in Week 2, even as Christian Kirk’s 6-78-2 receiving line stole the show. The Jags need a big body that can work the seam and Engram’s six-foot-three frame looks up to the task. The floor is low on Jacksonville but he’s squarely ahead of Dan Arnold and getting valuable targets out of the gate.

Tyler Conklin (TE, NYJ) - FAAB Bid: 0-1%
3% rostered

Would you believe that Conklin played all 70 of New York’s snaps in their dramatic Week 2 comeback win? Yes, Conklin was an iron man with C.J. Uzomah out and ran the second-most routes (40), trailing only Elijah Moore’s 45. 

As a result, he snagged six catches for 40 yards in a second straight game with at least 10 PPR points. The ceiling isn’t tremendous but the sneaky volume is there.

Juwan Johnson (TE, NO) - FAAB Bid: 0-1%
0% rostered

The Saints were contained well by Tampa Bay’s defense on Sunday, which led to many Jameis Winston trebuchets downfield for Chris Olave. Look beyond the 300-plus air yards for Olave and you’ll find that Johnson quietly was third on the team with seven targets. 

Some of this is tied to Alvin Kamara’s absence, but Johnson has hit 40 yards in each of the Saints’ first two games. Johnson is available all over the place and is the receiving TE ahead of Adam Trautman, despite what preseason chatter may have put in your head.

FAAB Waiver Wire Pickups - Defense/Special Teams

Dallas Cowboys Defense (at NYG) - FAAB Bid: 1-2%
42% rostered

Don’t be fooled by the opening game total line of 48 points, as the Dak Prescott injury plus recent play has seen this plummet to 39.5 as of this Monday. Dallas just got to Joe Burrow for six sacks and has held two incredible offenses in Tampa Bay and Cincinnati to under 20 points thus far.

New York Giants Defense (vs DAL) - FAAB Bid: 0-1%
7% rostered

On the other side of the game is a Giants defense that has handled both Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey. They have a trio of sacks as well as three fumble recoveries through two games, even without Kayvon Thibodeaux. Let’s hope he’s active in Week 3 to make things more interesting.

Chicago Bears Defense (vs HOU) - FAAB Bid: 0-1%
5% rostered

This game opened with a betting total of 39 points and still moved down to 38.5 at plenty of books. The Bears had little chance with Aaron Rodgers, as is tradition, but have five sacks and three turnovers through two games ahead of an unimposing Davis Mills matchup.

Houston Texans Defense (at CHI) - FAAB Bid: 0-1%
1% rostered

These are the two lowest-projected games via Vegas aside from the Thursday nighter between Pittsburgh and Cleveland, but those defenses aren’t widely available. Just like the Bears, the Texans also have five sacks and three turnovers forced across their first two contests. They’ll have to mind Justin Fields’ mobility but fresh off of ruining Russ’s cooking, the Texans could provide a jolt in the deepest of leagues.

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