• Bucky Irving leads the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for urgent tests: It seems to be only a matter of time before he becomes the team’s primary early-down running back.
• Juan Jennings scores three touchdowns: The San Francisco 49ers The wide receiver delivered one of the best games of the season in his position.
• Take advantage of a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all of our fantasy tools of the season, including Weekly rankings, WR/CB Matchup Charts, weekly projectionsThe Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Register now!
Estimated reading time: 26 minutes
Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season is almost complete. Here are the key players you should target on the fantasy football waiver list. Here we’ll cover options for both minor and major leagues and also highlight the players you should avoid.
Jump to a position group:
QB | RB | WR | TE
quarterback
Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers (In 24.2% of leagues on ESPN in the squad)
Fields threw 25 of 32 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown and also ran for a touchdown, keeping the Steelers undefeated. The first important point is Pittsburgh’s record; the more Fields wins, the less likely it is Russell Wilson will take over the starting job.
Fields’ performance was good enough to make him QB9 this week. The biggest difference between Week 3 and his first two outings is that he scored twice. The fact that he gained just six yards on six carries is also notable, because if anything, his yardage should increase.
He’s among the top four quarterbacks in rushing attempts. If Fields combines his new passing efficiency with his rushing efficiency from past seasons, he’d be a top-five fantasy quarterback. Even if that doesn’t happen, he should remain a fantasy starter in the right matchups.
Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings (16.1%)
Darnold has been a top-six fantasy quarterback in each of the last two weeks. He completed 17 of his 28 passes for 181 yards and four touchdowns in the Vikings’ blowout win in Week 3. His chance of rushing production is minimal, which is why he is below Fields on waivers, but Darnold could play even better. He hasn’t had a Jordan Addison in the last two weeks, and Star Tight End TJ Hockenson should return from his injury at some point.
Darnold should be ahead of most quarterbacks drafted as fantasy backups.
Geno Smith, The Seattle Seahawks (27.5%)
Despite a poor third week, Smith remains one of the top 12 quarterbacks in fantasy points so far this season, completing more than 75% of his passes for nearly 300 yards while throwing one touchdown and two interceptions.
While the touchdowns haven’t always been there, Smith ranks third in passing yards in the Seahawks’ new pass-friendly offense. All of his receivers have had at least one good week this season, and the offense should improve even more with more time together. Smith can be used in fantasy starting lineups with the right matchups.
Andy Dalton, Carolina Panthers (1.4%)
Dalton made his season debut in Week 3 and became the first quarterback this season to have over 300 passing yards and three touchdowns in a game. Most of the Panthers’ skill players had their best game of the season. Carolina did that in a decisive win, but there will also be weeks when the offense has to throw a lot to play from behind. Dalton may be a one-week wonder, but it’s not often that a quarterback who scores nearly 25 fantasy points is available in more than 95% of fantasy leagues.
Run back
Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (32.7%)
Irving led the Buccaneers in both rushing yards and yards per carry through the first two weeks, and he was the team’s leader in rushing attempts in Week 3.
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