Should I Pickup Dameon Pierce or Cam Akers? Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 3

Houston Texans top tailback Joe Mixon has been nowhere to be found this week at practice after suffering an ankle injury during Houston’s Sunday night victory over the Chicago Bears. This has caused chaos in the fantasy football universe.

Mixon racked up 159 rushing yards and a touchdown in Week 1 and looked well on his way to another outstanding season in his first year with the high-powered Texans, but his untimely injury will likely force him to miss this week’s contest against the Minnesota Vikings.

Mixon has not been ruled out officially yet, but he is listed as doubtful and it appears to be a formality since he has not practiced at all. So are his backups, Dameon Pierce and Cam Akers, worth a look on your league’s waiver wire? Here is my take:

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Should I Pickup Dameon Pierce?

No, Pierce is arguably in worse shape than Mixon. He is nursing a hamstring injury, which kept him off the field in Week 2 and will keep him out this week as well. Pierce has been officially ruled out of Sunday’s game, so fantasy managers will have to check on his status next week to see if he has a chance of returning anytime soon. Even if he does, his fantasy value is virtually nil if Mixon is AOK.

Texans also listing Dameon Pierce as out, putting RB Cam Akers in line to start Sunday’s game vs. his former Vikings team. https://t.co/ajSMQjvmmj pic.twitter.com/2miFnT0OVW

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 20, 2024

Should I Pickup Cam Akers?

By all means, yes! With Mixon and Pierce out of the way, Akers becomes a hot commodity on fantasy waiver wires. Akers will be a workhorse with how banged-up the backfield is. He should be line for 20 touches and get the goal line work as well unless 30-year-old journeyman Dare Ogunbowale, Houston’s RB4, finds the field and suddenly runs like Earl Campbell.

Fantasy footballers know Akers has a dubious history. He has suffered season-ending injuries, been benched for being ineffective, and had fumble troubles throughout his career. This is why Houston is Akers’ third NFL team.

Yet fantasy players have seen the “good” Akers, too. He finished the 2022 campaign with three straight 100-yard games for the Los Angeles Rams. If he can run like he did two years ago while being the top tailback in Houston’s explosive offense, Akers could easily be one of the best fantasy backs to use in Week 3.

Akers is as risk-or-reward as it gets. But when it comes to finding a RB on the waiver wire, there are not many available options that are starting a game and have such a great opportunity to put up points. Pick up Akers and hope for 100 yards and a TD. Just do not expect him to be a long-term solution to your fantasy RB problems since Mixon’s ankle injury is not considered to be serious. Akers might be a one-week wunderkind, and that’s it.

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