Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Pickups - Week 3

September 23, 2020

Justin Carter's fantasy football wide receiver waiver wire pickups for Week 3 of the 2020 NFL season. These are free agent WRs to add, stream and stash.

Whew, that was a rough day of football. It seemed like we just watched an endless parade of injuries all day.

It wasn't quite as rough for wide receivers as it was for other positions. But while your No. 1 waiver claim this week might not end up being a wide receiver, that doesn't mean you aren't going to find some useful, important value at the position on the wire.

Not all options are the same. Some players may be better in PPR or deeper leagues, so it’s not a one-size-fits-all comparison. Use your best judgment when deciding which of these players is the right fit for your roster. Check here for a complete list of our Waiver Wire Adds for Week 2 for help at all the skill positions. All players on this list here are around 30% rostered or below.

Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons

21% rostered

So, the Falcons are bad. This defense is just going to give out an never-ending stream of high-scoring games in 2020.

But that game script is good for Atlanta's receivers, who'll all get a lot of opportunities. Gage, for example, is coming off a six-catch, 46-yard Week 2 game in which he found the end zone. His role as the No. 3 receiver on this team appears to be safe, and he needs to be added in 12-team leagues at this point, because he's going to keep getting targets.

Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts

15% rostered

With Parris Campbell suffering an ACL injury on Sunday, the second-year receiver is likely going to miss some time, opening up a chance for the rookie Pittman to play more. This week, Pittman was tied for the team lead in targets with six, catching four of them for 37 yards.

The numbers themselves aren't super encouraging, but Pittman is a big-bodied outside receiver for Philip Rivers to throw to, and historically that's been a pretty good position to be in.

Cole Beasley, Buffalo Bills

7% rostered

The Bills are throwing more than expected as Josh Allen has really started to see his throwing ability catch up to his rushing ability.

Beasley has been targeted 13 times in two games and against Miami caught five passes for 70 yards. The slot receiver has a fairly safe role as the short-yardage option for Allen, and while Beasley's not going to have an explosive week on an offense that features John Brown and Stefon Diggs, he has a strong floor in full PPR leagues and can help fantasy managers get through some injury woes.

Chase Claypool, Pittsburgh Steelers

5% rostered

JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson are the top two receivers here, but it's becoming clear that James Washington's spot as the third guy isn't safe.

Why? Because Chase Claypool. The rookie had two catches for 39 yards in Week 1, then followed that up with three catches for 88 yards and a touchdown in Week 2.

That touchdown was an 84-yarder, so Claypool didn't do a ton aside from that, but he looked explosive on the touchdown and is an emerging weapon for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He's not ready to be a fantasy starter, but you could get him now before his value goes even higher.

Keelan Cole, Jacksonville Jaguars

2% rostered

I cover Jaguars news for this website and even I didn't see this coming. Cole has gone from an afterthought in 2019 to a key player for the Jaguars in 2020 and has now caught a touchdown in both weeks of this season. Against the Titans, he was targeted seven times, hauling in six passes for 58 yards and the score.

The Jaguars Defense is going to be bad enough this year to lead to a very pro-passing game script, and the next couple of weeks look like good chances for Cole to pile up yardage against the Dolphins and Bengals. I'm not fully sold on Cole, but he's getting more targets than D.J. Chark Jr. and will likely have plenty of chances at finding the end zone. I'm having real "Allen Hurns in that one season with Blake Bortles" flashbacks here.

Adam Humphries, Tennessee Titans

2% rostered

This is all about A.J. Brown's knee injury. If Brown is back next week, I wouldn't have much interest in Humphries. But with Brown sidelined and Corey Davis being Corey Davis (three catches for 36 yards, though at least one catch was for a touchdown.), Humphries was targeted six times, catching five passes for 48 yards and a score. In a deep league, Humphries is a viable flex option until Brown returns.

K.J. Hamler, Denver Broncos

1% rostered

Courtland Sutton played despite his shoulder injury, then exited with some combination of a knee issue and cramping. If he misses more time, it looks like the rookie Hamler is gong to be able to make some noise. Hamler didn't play in Week 1, but this week he was targeted seven times, bringing in three catches for 48 yards. He added a nine-yard carry as well. Hamler is definitely more interesting in dynasty than redraft, but he has value as an injury replacement in deep redraft leagues.

Braxton Berrios, New York Jets

0% rostered

The Jets are a disaster at receiver. Jamison Crowder was out. Denzel Mims is on the IR. Breshad Perriman left Sunday's game with an ankle injury.

And so it was Chris Hogan and Braxton Berrios who led the team in targets.

Berrios -- who I liked a lot in the past and then honestly gave up on -- was targeted eight times, catching six passes for 59 yards and a score. He could be an interesting deep, deep league play in the short term, though it's worth remembering he's still Braxton Berrios.

Chris Hogan, New York Jets

0% rostered

Really, the same thing as Berrios, but the version who we've at least seen more of in the NFL. He had six catches for 75 yards this week and like Berrios is an option in deep leagues if the Jets injury woes continue another week.

Isaiah Ford, Miami Dolphins

0% rostered

What?

Ford was targeted more than any other Dolphins wide receiver in Week 2 (and was second in targets to tight end Mike Gesicki) with nine of them. He caught seven for 76 yards. Ford was able to make an impact in the middle of the field, and in deep, deep leagues is an interesting upside guy moving forward, especially as it seems more and more that Preston Williams isn't the option that we thought he might be.

More Waiver Wire Pickups and Advice