Week 3 Waiver Wire Rankings: Must-Add RBs & WRs + FAAB Bids, Streamers & Drops (Ep. 2207)
The FantasyPros crew breaks down Week 3 waiver priorities, headlined by a battle between Broncos RB Jonah Coleman and Browns WR Denzel Boston, with Coleman winning out as the top add due to immediate opportunity if RJ Harvey/JK Dobbins miss time. They also dig into messy backfields (Bigsby/Wilson, Caleb Johnson in Green Bay), breakout WR Adonai Mitchell, and run through keep-or-cut calls on struggling players plus top streamers and FAAB targets.
This week's waiver preview from FantasyPros centers on a running back-versus-wide receiver debate at the top of the board, then works through a deep bench of speculative adds across both positions. Chris Welsh hosts Jake Seeley and Pat Fitzmaurice, who largely agree on rankings but diverge on confidence levels and FAAB pricing throughout.
The arguments
Jonah Coleman is the unambiguous top waiver claim of the week, even for wide-receiver-needy managers. Seeley argues the pickup is precautionary insurance against a J.K. Dobbins injury, but even in a full-strength Broncos backfield, Coleman's training-camp buzz and Sean Payton's history of deploying "bell cow" backs make him a locked-in RB2/3. Fitzmaurice backs this with process detail — good camp reports, strong pass-blocking and pass-catching, contact balance despite lacking speed — and both hosts prefer him even to a decent receiver option because chasing running back scraps later in the season is worse than overpaying now.
Denzel Boston is a clear WR add but should be priced well below Coleman because of quarterback uncertainty. Seeley caps his bid range lower (10–15%) specifically because he trusts Deshaun Watson over Shedeur Sanders to keep feeding Boston deep shots, while Fitzmaurice notes the training-camp hype was real and even revises his dynasty view of Boston above Carnell Tate — but both agree the redraft price should stay modest (their public recommendation was 10, with 20 for desperation) given the low-floor, boom/bust profile.
The RB4/5 landscape behind Coleman is murky and dependent on injury news to Saquon Barkley and Jaydon Blue/Jadarian Price. Fitzmaurice flags Tank Bigsby and Emmanuel Wilson as the early-down, touchdown-dependent options if Barkley or Price sit, while Seeley pushes back on treating Bigsby as an automatic smash, comparing the Eagles' backfield uncertainty to past messy committees and noting Bigsby out-touched Shipley 15-9 despite fewer snaps. On Caleb Johnson, Seeley is willing to speculatively stash him as a ceiling play behind a messy Packers committee (Marshawn Lloyd, Chris Brooks), while Fitzmaurice keeps him third in his pecking order pending Barkley/Price updates.
Rashad Bateman validated last week's aggressive call and retains standalone value even with Zay Flowers back. Seeley argues Bateman was the clear No. 2 and that Baltimore's offense has moved past Mark Andrews as a target hog, making Bateman a WR3/4 even in a healthy passing game; Fitzmaurice is more skeptical, willing to roster him but nervous starting him weekly with Flowers active, citing his boom/bust college profile.
Among the second tier of receivers, Adonai Mitchell is the priority add over Trey Tucker and Dontayvion Wicks. Both hosts cite Mitchell's clear No. 2 role behind Garrett Wilson, a drawn 50-yard pass interference penalty, and favorable upcoming matchups against Detroit's banged-up secondary and a bottom-five Chicago defense. Fitzmaurice downgrades Tucker because "WR1" means little behind Ashton Jeanty in Las Vegas's target hierarchy, and both flag a red flag in Wicks losing fourth-quarter snaps to Jack Bech/Malik Nabers-analog Darius Cooper (unexplained in-game benching).
Several 91%-plus rostered names should be actively cut, not just benched. Both hosts endorse dropping Marvin Harrison Jr. outright, with Seeley noting he already cut him live on another show due to a declining route percentage; they also unanimously cut "all Titans" (specifically Van Jefferson/Elic Ayomanor-type volume players), citing no path to receiving work in a run-funneled offense.
What it means for your roster
- Spend big on Jonah Coleman now: FAAB range of 16–30%, going as high as 35–40% if your RB2 situation is dire — both hosts would take him even over a receiver need.
- Bid moderately on Denzel Boston: Target the 10–15% range, not more, given the unresolved Watson/Sanders question at quarterback capping his ceiling.
- Add Adonai Mitchell ahead of Dontayvion Wicks and Trey Tucker: Priced around $5–7 (up to desperation bids of $6 per the written article) given his clear No. 2 role and plus matchups vs. Detroit and Chicago the next two weeks.
- Hold, don't start, Rashad Bateman: Keep the roster spot given last week's usage, but bench him once Zay Flowers is fully back unless you need the ceiling.
- Speculative stashes for deeper leagues: Tank Bigsby and Emmanuel Wilson at $4–8 pending Barkley/Price injury news; Caleb Johnson as a low-cost ceiling swing in Green Bay's messy committee; Alvin Kamara and A.J. Dillon as deep desperation handcuffs.
- Cut Marvin Harrison Jr. and any Titans wide receivers immediately; both hosts view these as sunk-cost holds with no near-term path to fantasy relevance.
“This guy feels like a Broncos running back. And I want in.” — Pat Fitzmaurice
Players in this episode
↓ Left game with a stinger, returned, but getting an MRI; status uncertain for Week 3, which impacts Tank Bigsby's value.
→ Referred to as 'Trey Tucker' in transcript; big game but hosts view him as boom/bust given crowded target competition (Bowers returning).
→ X-rays on chest injury came back not serious, but availability for Week 3 uncertain, impacting Emmanuel Wilson's role.
→ His potential absence is the key variable that would boost Jonah Coleman to bell-cow status.
→ Snap share dropped behind Jaylen Warren in Week 2, but hosts learned he was banged up, so they're keeping him for now.
→ If he misses time along with Harvey, Coleman becomes a clear top-20 RB.
↓ Zero catches on one target; hosts recommend cutting him outright, noting his route percentage has dropped significantly.
↓ Left game with groin injury again; hosts lean toward cutting him if news trends toward 'week-to-week' given recurring durability issues.
↓ Only 1 catch on 1 target two straight weeks; hosts giving one more week before cutting, viewed as a long-term stash that hasn't paid off yet.
↓ Failed to capitalize on opportunity (1 catch/7 targets); hosts not holding tightly, citing offensive struggles and brutal upcoming schedule.
↑ Top waiver priority this week; if RJ Harvey and JK Dobbins miss time he could be a top-20 RB with bell-cow volume in Sean Payton's offense. Recommended FAAB 16-30%.
→ Worth stashing in case something happens to Etienne.
→ Available at only 46% roster share; hosts see him as a safe PPR floor play but capped ceiling if DJ Moore is out.
→ Would be the more fantasy-relevant early-down back if Barkley/Price are out, though Jake argues the split with Shipley won't be lopsided; out-touched Shipley 15-9 in Week 2.
↑ Back-to-back big games (95 yards/TD), seen as WR3 with high ceiling/low floor; hosts prefer Deshaun Watson over Shedeur Sanders for his production. Recommended FAAB 10-20%.
→ Got heavy touches with Price out; seen as early-down/goal-line option alongside George Helani if Price sits.
↑ Emerged as clear No. 2 behind Garrett Wilson with Gino Smith improved play; favorable matchups vs Lions and Bears the next two weeks make him a strong add. Recommended FAAB 5-7%.
→ Led Packers in rushing (30 yards on 8 carries) after a fumble by Marshawn Lloyd; messy three-way timeshare with Lloyd and Chris Brooks, but has breakout upside worth a stash.
→ Considered the clear No. 3 option if Alec Pierce's injury lingers; deep-league WR4/5 play.
↑ Was the clear No. 2 behind Andrews with Flowers out; hosts see him retaining a WR3/4 role even with Zay Flowers back due to Andrews' decline. Recommended FAAB ~5-10%.
→ Good box score (6/74) but concerning snap count drop in the 4th quarter behind Malik Nabers/Lemon comparisons; underlying usage worries despite production.
↑ Averaged 17.4 fantasy points per game in his last starts and still provides rushing value; in Superflex, hosts suggest bidding 40-60% FAAB given Jayden Daniels' injury uncertainty.
→ Deep-league desperation stash as next man up behind Chuba Hubbard after Jonathan Brooks re-aggravated his groin.