Week 3 Waiver Wire - Six Players to Immediately Prioritize

This week 3 waiver episode from Josh and Joel Smith works through the wide receiver post-hype names hitting again in week two, a swarm of backup running backs suddenly forced into work by injuries, and a drop list for teams sitting on early-draft busts. The through-line is that two-game samples are now real enough to act on with FAAB, not just stash — with several backfields and receiving corps genuinely reshaped by injury.

The arguments

Jonah Coleman deserves real FAAB investment even with Dobbins expected back. Josh and Joel note Coleman took over as the trusted closer once J.K. Dobbins left Denver's week two game, and Joel argues the pure role — even short-term — validates why people drafted him given Dobbins' injury history and Rico Harvey's uncertain standing. Both land on roughly 30–35% of FAAB, with Josh pointing out Sean Payton has never had a 250-carry back and that Dobbins was still only a top-23 back on his pre-injury pace, meaning none of these Broncos backs may have standalone value unless the timeshare collapses to two.

Emmitt Johnson is a must-add even behind Kenneth Walker III, and Joel would prioritize him over Coleman if you already own Walker. Joel says Johnson's tape alone justifies the pickup — tackle-breaking ability and Andy Reid publicly discussing lightening Walker's load are notable given how slowly Kansas City usually develops rookies. Both hosts agree Johnson isn't a start-now piece since Walker is fine and productive, but call him a top-12 runner if Walker ever misses time, and Joel would be more aggressive adding him specifically as handcuff insurance for Walker owners.

Trey Tucker and Dontavian Wicks are legitimate, if volatile, add-and-start plays off real usage changes. Josh compares Tucker to 2024 Rashid Shaheed given Clint Kubiak's history of aggressive downfield play-calling once the Raiders actually started throwing deep in week two, while Joel notes seven of Tucker's eight targets came nine-plus yards downfield. On Wicks, Joel flips from skeptical after week one to bought-in after week two, pointing out Wicks is out-targeting Makai Lemon 10-to-5 and working intermediate routes while Lemon stays tethered to the line of scrimmage; both call Wicks a fine flex against Chicago.

Adonai Mitchell is the top wide receiver priority add of the week, ahead of both Wicks and Tucker. Josh and Joel both rank him number one, citing his near every-snap role (41 of 50 dropbacks), Geno Smith's low pressure rate creating downfield opportunities, and a soft upcoming slate (Lions, Bears, Browns) before it tightens. Joel adds that the lack of a touchdown so far is the only thing keeping his weekly scores under Wicks or Tucker's peaks, and Josh suggests spending as much as 15–25% of FAAB.

Rashad Bateman's breakout is tied directly to Zay Flowers' absence and shouldn't be trusted as a season-long role. Joel frames him as a strong short-term add given Baltimore's offense but stresses Flowers remains the unquestioned WR1 target earner whenever healthy, with every other Ravens receiver topping out around a 50% route share. Josh agrees Bateman functions more like a high-end handcuff than an every-week piece, useful in projected shootouts even after Flowers returns.

Denzel Boston looks talented but the hosts disagree on how repeatable his production is. Joel says the two "blow-up" games both hinged on individual touchdown plays and cautions against expecting similar volume soon, especially with Cleveland's murky quarterback situation. Josh is more bullish, pointing to Boston's route count exceeding Cedric Tillman/Casey and real signs of contested-catch ability, arguing he's worth rostering in at least half of leagues regardless of the offense's overall quality.

What it means for your roster

• Priority FAAB order for receivers: Adonai Mitchell first (15–25% of budget), then Trey Tucker, then Dontavian Wicks — both hosts explicitly ranked them in that order, with Mitchell viewed as a likely WR5-or-better rest of season.
• Add Jonah Coleman at ~30–35% FAAB as Broncos backfield insurance, but temper expectations for standalone value once Dobbins returns.
• Grab Emmitt Johnson now, especially if you own Kenneth Walker III — treat him as free handcuff insurance and a top-12 back if Walker ever sits, even though he shouldn't be started currently.
• Start Tank Bigsby over Will Shipley if Saquon Barkley misses time, given Bigsby's ground-work edge, though the hosts flag Philadelphia's line/run-blocking issues as a real drag on both backs' upside.
• Bench or sit Marvin Harrison Jr. against zone-heavy defenses (49ers, Giants) per Joel's read on his man-vs-zone target splits; consider Michael Wilson as the better real add in Arizona's offense.
• Cut bait on Kenny Gainwell, Keaton Mitchell, and Chris Rodriguez (Bacsi Tootuu's role is growing), and treat Courtland Sutton as touchdown-or-bust with Waddle/Bryant squeezing his volume.
• Don't panic-drop Falcons pieces — with Michael Penix Jr. reportedly starting, Josh and Joel expect the offense, and especially Drake London, to improve.