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Michael Florio's deep-league fantasy football waiver wire pickups. His top Week 3 waiver wire options for those who play in 16-team fantasy leagues or deeper.
Deeper leagues are the forgotten stepchild of fantasy football content. Waiver wire articles typically focus on players that are available in 10 or 12 team leagues. It can be frustrating when you click through articles and every player named is already rostered in your 16, 20 or 24 team league.
That is exactly what this article will focus on, those deep league adds that are actually on the waiver wire in your league. As someone who has played in a 20-team league that recently expanded to 24 teams, I get your frustration firsthand and that is why I seek to change it!
So for you crazy fantasy football players that want to roster a fourth-string RB or a tight end no one heard of a couple of weeks ago, rejoice! This is a safe place for you and your waiver wire needs!
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Daniel Jones - QB, New York Giants
Danny Dimes went off in Week 3 for nearly 30 fantasy points, rushing for 95 yards and a touchdown while adding 249 passing yards and a TD with his arm. He had about 25 rushing yards and a second TD called back due to penalty, otherwise, he would have finished as the QB1 in Week 2. It was the second straight week he led the Giants in rushing yards, rushing for 27 yards and a TD in Week 1. Rushing quarterbacks are a cheat code in fantasy football and Jones looks like the next one to burst out on the scene. He should be added in 12-team leagues as well, but he has been overlooked and is widely available in deeper leagues. Be aggressive and grab him now while you still can. He gets the Falcons in Week 3 and is looking like a must-start option.
Teddy Bridgewater - QB, Denver Broncos
Bridgewater has topped 20 fantasy points in both games this season. In Week 2, he went for 328 yards and two touchdowns against the Jaguars. He has shown that he can take advantage of a good matchup, which is exactly what he gets in Week 3 against the Jets. Bridgewater is overlooked in fantasy with his reputation as a game manager, but he has taken more downfield shots so far this season. He is a high-end QB2 right now and should be added even in deeper formats.
Cordarrelle Patterson - RB/WR, Atlanta Falcons
Patterson has been a better real-life NFL player than fantasy for years, but that may be changing. In Week 2, he played 35 percent of the snaps while rushing seven times, for just 11 yards and a TD, but the touches are what matters. He also added in five catches for 58 yards and a touchdown on six targets in the passing game. Mike Davis rushed nine times and had seven targets, showing that they are starting to split the work. The most interesting part is Patterson lined out wide on 25 percent of his snaps. He is a chess piece that the Falcons will move all around the board. He is definitely worth taking a shot on in deeper formats.
Quintez Cephus - WR, Detroit Lions
On Monday Night, Cephus saw seven targets, the second-most on the Lions. He hauled in four of them for 63 yards and a touchdown, including a long 46-yarder. That was after he had six targets in Week 1. He only caught three of them for 12 yards, but he did find the end zone in that one as well. He is clearly a red zone weapon for this team and is a safe bet to lead the receivers in targets weekly on a Lions team that desperately need a receiver to step up with Tyrell Williams hurting. He is worth adding now in anything deeper than 12-team leagues.
Jamison Crowder - WR, New York Jets
Crowder has not played a snap this season, meaning he is likely still on waivers, but that should change as he should return in Week 3. Forget the fact that he has been a useful fantasy piece in the past. The reason to get excited for Crowder is solely how the Jets have utilized their slot receivers this season. Zach Wilson has thrown 30 percent of his passes to the slot and Braxton Berrios has benefited so far. In Week 1, he tied for the team lead with seven targets, catching five for 51 yards. Then in Week 2, he saw a team-high 11 targets, catching seven for 73 yards. That work should be going to Crowder moving forward. But, Berrios is worth a flier in deeper leagues as well, in case Crowder does not suit up this week.
K.J. Osborn - WR, Minnesota Vikings
He had six targets, five catches, 91 yards and a touchdown in Week 2. In Week 1, he had nine targets going for seven catches and 76 yards. Osborn has blossomed into the Vikings' third option in the passing game behind Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen. It's time fantasy owners take notice of Osborn in this passing game, especially those in deeper formats.
Zach Pascal - WR, Indianapolis Colts
Pascal has now scored in both games this season, with three total touchdowns. In those games he has seen five and six targets, showing that he has a safe role in the Colts passing attack behind Michael Pittman Jr. He may never see huge weekly volume, but he is clearly a big part of their red-zone package, which is enough to make him a viable flex option in leagues this deep.
Dyami Brown & Adam Humphries - WR, Washington Football Team
Both receivers have been seeing more work with Curtis Samuel sidelined. On Thursday night, Humphries saw eight targets, the second-most on Washington. He hauled in seven of them for 44 yards. Brown had six targets, catching three for 34 yards, including a long 22-yard catch. Both should see consistent targets at least for the foreseeable future. Humphries is the safer floor, but low ceiling play, while Brown has the lower floor but the higher ceiling. I prefer taking a shot on Brown, but both should be rostered in deeper leagues.
Freddie Swain - WR, Seattle Seahawks
Swain caught all five of his Week 2 targets for 95 yards and a touchdown. He had a 68-yard catch showing off his deep ball prowess. He also was given a carry, going for five yards. He only had one target in Week 1, so this could just be a one-week blip on the radar, but Seattle is searching for a third option in the passing game to step up alongside Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf and Swain should get more opportunities to step up after Week 2.
Jack Doyle - TE, Indianapolis Colts
Doyle was targeted eight times in Week 2, the second-most on the Colts. He reeled in five of them for 64 yards and scored a two-point conversion. That was good enough to make him a top-five tight end for the week. Given the state of tight end, it could be hard to find a useful piece in a 12-team league, let alone a 16-teamer or deeper. Any tight end with targets and a pulse is fantasy viable in this format. Doyle, a proven veteran, should remain a part of the Colts passing game. He may not see eight targets weekly, but if he can manage to get five, he is worthy of rostering in those formats.
Maxx Williams - TE, Arizona Cardinals
The little-used tight end suddenly saw seven targets in Week 2, the second-most on the Cardinals. He caught all of them for 94 yards, going for 16.4 fantasy points, making him a top-five tight end for the week. His usage really stands out since the Cardinals have four useful wide receivers and run the second-most four-wide receiver looks in the NFL. It has been seemingly forever since the Cards had a fantasy-viable tight end, so this could be a one-week blip. But, given the state of the tight end position, the volume he saw this week cannot be ignored. He is worth a flier in these deep leagues.
Make sure to follow Michael Florio on Twitter, @MichaelFFlorio
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