Fantasy Football Week 3 Waiver Wire: V12 Jerome Ford Set to be a League Winner?

Written By: Daniel Rebain

Week 1 brought so many happy faces from fantasy managers as Football returned to all of our homes. In week two the football gods brought us back down to earth with multiple key injuries that will seriously impact managers’ lineups for weeks and in certain cases, the rest of the season.

With a bunch of different impact players already picked up on the wire last week, here are some names you should add to your roster before the deadline early Wednesday morning.

*NOTE: Availability numbers are via ESPN Fantasy*

If Available In Your League, Pick Up ASAP!

  • Puka Nacua, WR, LA Rams, 26.8% Available
  • Kyren Willams, RB, LA Rams, 39.3% Available
  • Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts, 20.5% Available
  • Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans, 38% Available

Quarterback

Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers, 60.2% Available

(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

It’s been two weeks against mediocre teams, but Jordan Love is looking like a very usable QB option every week, especially once #1 WR target Christian Watson is set to return either this week or next. Through the first two weeks of the season, Jordan Love is actually the QB2 in fantasy football.

Love only passed 25 times against the Falcons, but the new Packers QB threw for three TDs for the second week in a row. 23 points in week one and now 20.34 points in week two, Love is a safe play if you don’t have a top-tier QB in your lineup. The next three weeks before the Packers bye week, Love gets to face the Saints, Lions, and Raiders.

C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans, 92.6% Available

(Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)

The Texans are not just bad, they are REALLY bad. But that could be favorable in some ways in fantasy football. In the case of rookie QB C.J. Stroud in Houston, this bolds well for his fantasy status.

Without four of his starting offensive linemen, including star LT Laremy Tunsil, Stroud was still able to throw for 384 yards and two TDs on 47 attempts totaling 21.46 points. As the season continues to unfold, Stroud should get more and more comfortable in the offense and these 300+ 2 TD games will be the norm for the rookie. For now, you can really only view Stroud as a streaming option, so if you are able to start a different option like Jared Goff or Geno Smith.

Running Back

Jerome Ford, Cleveland Browns, 90.1% Available

As we saw on Monday night football in Pittsburg, Nick Chubb suffered a severe knee injury and has already been ruled out for the rest of the season. That’s the sucky part of fantasy football, but we have to continue on with the season. Looking at the current Cleveland backfield, Jerome Ford is next up.

But this isn’t just a situation where Ford will share the backfield at the current moment. With Chubb going down, Ford came in a produced 106 yards on 16 carries one score rushing three catches for 25 yards, and a score. Ford did have a 69-yard, nice, rush down to the one where Pierre Strong poached the TD, which would have made Ford’s day an even bigger day. You can fire up Jerome Ford as a top-20 RB going forward.

Zack Moss, Indianapolis Colts, 67.9% Available

(Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

There are not that many “starting” caliber running backs on the waiver wire very often, but Zack Moss is currently one of those guys. Of the 57 total snaps in week two against the Texans, Moss was on the field for 56 of them. That’s the same volume as Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley.

Now you won’t get McCaffrey and Bakley production but when you get 100% of the volume as an RB, you are a MUST START in fantasy football let alone just someone you should pick up on waivers. Onto said production, Moss earned 22 touches for 107 total yards, four catches, and a score. If you add the rushing ability of Antony Richardson to the equation, teams will not be able to focus and shut down Moss. This is definitely sustainable until Jonathan Taylor returns if he returns at all.

Pass Catchers

Tutu Atwell, LA Rams, 68.3% Available

(Pro Football Network)

Every fantasy manager and their mother has been focusing on Puka Nucua in the LA Rams passing attack and for good reason. But Tutu Atwell has also broken onto the scene this season with Cooper Kupp on IR. Through two games, Tutu has 13 catches for 196 yards.

While Puka has been in the Kupp role for the most part, Atwell has been the main down-the-field target for Matthew Stafford in the early season. If you need some extra help/upside at your flex, Tutu is one of the best options left on waivers. Even though it’s early in the season Tutu is currently the WR15, sandwiched between Amon-Ra St. Brown and Davante Adams.

Nathaniel “Tank” Dell, Houston Texans, 96.2% Available

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

Who would have thought in the preseason that not only is one Houston Texans pass catcher fantasy relevant, but now another could wind up being relevant after Tank Dell blew up onto the scene in week two against the Indianapolis Colts. With Noah Brown being placed on IR, Tank got his shot and boy did the rookie third-round pick take it in stride. Here’s his stat line:

Tank a STUD in college put up 182 receptions, 2476 yards, and 25 touchdowns the last two seasons at Houston. The only problem Tank has is that he’s small, even for a receiver at 5’8, 165 lbs. But after going second overall this past April in the 2023 draft, the new franchise QB vouched for Tank to the Texans front office and told them to select the WR in the third round. Now partnered with third-year receiver Nico Collins, Tank could be a serious weapon for the Texans going forward and a serious option for fantasy managers for the rest of the season.

Hunter Henry, New England Patriots, 65.4% Available

(Yahoo Sports)

As is said after week one heading into waivers, “Henry isn’t the sexy name you want on your roster, but now that Jonnu Smith is no longer in New England, Henry is set to be fantasy-relevant once again.” In week two after a 16.6-point week one, Henry re-produced similar numbers in a close Sunday loss to the Dolphins.

On seven targets, Henry brought in six of them for 52 yards and a score. Henry has been a reliable option for Mac Jones early this season with the Patriots QB averaging 48 pass attempts early this season. The Pats to be able to stay in games are going to have to throw the ball. With no true #1 alpha receiver on the depth chart, targets are truly up for grabs and Hunter Henry is taking advantage, as he is the TE2 on the season with the second-most receiving yards and fourth-most catches out of any TE this season. Henry is a MUST pickup at this point and he can instantly start for your team.

  • Josh Reynolds, Detroit Lions, 95.3% Available
  • Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers, 80.3% Available
  • DeVante Parker/Kendrick Bourne, New England Patriots, /61% Available
  • Zach Ertz, Arizona Cardinals, 52.7% Available
  • Sam Laporta, Detroit Lions, 50.5% Available

Defense Streamers for Week 3

  • Green Bay Packers, vs New Orleans Saints, 48.6% Available
  • Kansas City Chiefs, vs Chicago Bears, 90.3% Available
  • Tennessee Titans, @ Clevland Browns, 96.2% Available