We are heading into the meat of the fantasy football season and it is time to make some tough decisions. Dead weight on rosters is starting to become apparent. Time to trim the fat and grab some difference makers while there is still time.
*(Waiver Picks are meant for long term investment, but for fun I list the 1 week returns on my last batch of picks. Fantasy Points Based On Standard League Scoring)*
The Rest Of The Waiver Wire Picks
Week 2 Pick Recap Wide Receiver
Cooper Kupp LAR Week 2 Stats: 3 receptions 33 yards - 3 Fantasy Points
Kenny Golladay DET Week 2 Stats: 1 reception 8 yards - 0 Fantasy Points
Nelson Agholor PHI Week 2 Stats: 1 reception 9 yards 1 touchdown - 6 Fantasy Points
Jermaine Kearse NYJ Week 2 Stats: 4 receptions 64 yards 2 touchdowns - 18 Fantasy Points
J.J. Nelson ARI Week 2 Stats: 5 receptions 120 yards 1 touchdown - 18 Fantasy Points
(Watch) Marqise Lee JAC Week 2 Stats: 7 receptions 76 yards - 7 Fantasy Points
Kupp did not see a large share of the offense as Todd Gurley dominated this game. The Eagles spread the ball around, but looked to Agholor in the red zone. The Jets have thrown a ton to Kearse, the only threat to his value is Austin Seferian-Jenkins coming off suspension next week. The Cardinals receiver to own is J.J. Nelson for the moment; Palmer only has eyes for him. The passing game in Jacksonville is abysmal, but Lee appears to be the no-doubt top option.
Week 3 Picks
10 Team Leagues
J.J. Nelson ARI 15% owned: This was one of last week's picks, but Nelson is drastically underlined. The Cardinals offense is floundering without David Johnson, but Nelson is not suffering. The young deep threat is gobbling up targets and turning them to fantasy gold. Last week brought over 100 yards and a score. There should be more of the same going forward as Palmer is locked on to Nelson.
Kenny Golladay DET 42.2% owned and Cooper Kupp LAR 34.9% owned: I probably will not write this every week, but pick up these rookies in leagues where they are still available. Golladay is the better pick for standard leagues whereas Kupp will outperform him in PPR.
12 Team Leagues
JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT 0.6% Owned
The Steelers have a lot of options on offense, but they spent a high pick on Smith-Schuster. The young receiver has shown flashes in the preseason and scored on Sunday. Smith-Schuster went from zero targets in week 1 to four targets in week 2. If he continues trending upward he could challenge for the third receiver job. That could mean a legitimate uptick in opportunities and production. For now he is a bench stash, but a potentially valuable one.
Torrey Smith PHI 19.4% Owned
This speedster has always been a boom or bust commodity, but he can stack up points. It has been a couple of years since Smith has played with a serviceable quarterback. Now he is paired with Carson Wentz and that means the deep ball is back in play. Their rapport appears to be growing with each week. The last matchup brought 4 catches and 66 yards. Any time the ball goes his way it could be a long touchdown. On the other hand, Smith owners always have to be prepared for a goose egg in a given week.
Rashard Higgins CLE 0.3% owned
The Browns need someone to step up at receiver with Corey Coleman out for 6-8 weeks. It looks like that may be an unlikely person - Rashard Higgins. He has a great rapport with rookie quarterback Deshone Kizer; they went for 7 catches and 95 yards on Sunday. It may be a flash in the pan, but Higgins looks like he could have staying power. If you do not pick him up, at least put him on the top of the watch list.
Look Away And Pull The Trigger
Kendall Wright CHI 7.4% owned
The Bears offense looks miserable, but Kendall Wright should be in store for a boatload of targets. There will be very few games where Chicago is not playing from behind. That means Kendall Wright and scat-back Tarik Cohen should be busy every week. Wright is not the most physically gifted receiver, but he has good hands. Glennon should continue to lean on him with no help in sight for this weak receiving corps.
Check back often for more of our exclusive content. There will be more waiver wire help, sleepers and general advice all season and offseason. As always, follow us on Twitter for additional insight and analysis: @_knuckleheads and @brendancole16.
