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Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups: Should You Trust Troy Franklin?

Week 2 brought a slew of injuries, leaving many fantasy managers scrambling to fill out their lineups.

Other players have disappointed now in multiple games, leaving serious questions about their long-term viability. Week 3 is a good time to be proactive and fill in those gaps.

Here are several players -- plus a Week 3 streaming defense -- to consider adding now.

*These guys are generally available in at least 70% of ESPN leagues and ranked in order of priority by position.

Your bid should vary by format and situation. Need help at RB? Prioritize that position. All set there? Then you probably don’t need to chase the top guys.

Quarterback

Daniel Jones, Colts

Blind Bid Recommendation: 10-15%

Jones is still widely available, but that will change this week. 

Only Lamar Jackson has scored more fantasy points than Jones through two games. The Indy QB ranks second in the league with 588 passing yards and tied for first with 3 rushing TDs. 

The Colts’ schedule will get tougher, but Jones looks like a top-10 option in Week 3 facing the Titans, who rank 20th in passing defense DVOA. 

The Titans are also struggling to sustain drives on offense. Tennessee ranks 31st with 12.5 first downs per game and leads the league with 6.5 punts per game. 

That translates to more drives and more fantasy opportunities for Jones and the Colts. 

Sam Darnold, Seahawks

Blind Bid Recommendation: 2-3%

Darnold looked much more like the guy we saw in 2024 in a Week 2 win over Pittsburgh. The 28-year-old tossed 2 INTs but delivered 295 yards and 2 TDs on 8.9 yards per attempt and 66.6% completions.

Darnold has leaned on Jaxon Smith-Njigba, feeding him a 30.3% target share. But we also saw Cooper Kupp (7 catches, 90 yards) come alive against a banged-up Pittsburgh defense.

The schedule looks appealing, too, with upcoming matchups vs. New Orleans and at Arizona.

Running Backs

Bhayshul Tuten, Jaguars

Blind Bid Recommendation: 10-20%

Tuten looked explosive in a Week 2 loss to the Bengals.

He notched 5.3 yards per carry on eight attempts, plus 32 yards and a score on a pair of targets.

Tuten still played behind Travis Etienne. The rookie saw only a 31% carry share compared to 54% for Etienne. Tuten also tallied a 13% route rate, well below Etienne’s mark of 51%.

Tank Bigsby’s off the roster, but fellow rookie LeQuint Allen seems poised to hold a small receiving role going forward. He actually edged Tuten in route rate (16%) against the Bengals.

Still, Tuten’s a candidate to see his touches increase as he gets acclimated to the NFL. And if Etienne were to miss time, HC Liam Coen would likely feed the rookie 15+ touches.

Tuten should be rostered in all leagues.

Jeremy McNichols, Commanders

Blind Bid Recommendation: 6-8%

Austin Ekeler suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Thursday’s loss to Green Bay. That’ll put McNichols in line for passing-down work alongside rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt.

McNichols, who will turn 30 in December, is on his 10th NFL team. His career high for receptions in a season stands at 28 (for the 2021 Titans). McNichols has caught just 21 career passes outside that year. So keep your expectations in check.

Still, this is a nice situation for the veteran in an unproven backfield. McNichols enters a positive draw this Sunday vs. Vegas.

Wide Receivers

Troy Franklin, Broncos

Blind Bid Recommendation: 8-12%

Franklin won Denver’s slot receiver job in camp. There were questions about how big a role he would play, but he’s off to a good start.

Through two games, here’s how Franklin ranks among all WRs:

• 38 slot snaps (T-12th)
• 71 yards after catch (seventh)
• 2.38 yards per route run (17th)
• 3 missed tackles forced (T-5th)
• 12 receptions (T-14th) 

In Week 2, Franklin led Denver’s receiving corps in snaps (49), routes (29), and targets (9). He also logged a career-best 8 grabs and 89 receiving yards.

However, he only ran 1 more route than Marvin Mims, so this is still an evolving offense and WR rotation. Still, Franklin enters Week 3 as the WR14 in PPR leagues. He offers weekly WR4/flex value with WR3 potential if his role stabilizes. 

Wan'Dale Robinson, Giants

Blind Bid Recommendation: 8-12%

Robinson recorded 8 catches in Sunday's loss to Dallas, a fact that's not too shocking on its own. But couple that with his yardage total -- 142 -- and you have to take notice.

Robinson caught deep balls of 25, 32, and 50 yards. He scored on one of them and came two yards away from a second TD.

This marked such a divergence from 2024, when Robinson saw five targets of 20+ air yards all season (per PFF). He averaged just 4.9 yards per target.

A plus matchup vs. Dallas helped. So did a much-improved outing from Russell Wilson, who threw for 450 yards and 3 scores.

We’ll see if Robinson’s deep ball usage continues, but he’s certainly operating as the team’s No. 2 WR entering Week 3. Through two weeks, he’s generated 18 targets.

Robinson should remain busy on Sunday night against a desperate Kansas City team.

Romeo Doubs, Packers

Blind Bid Recommendation: 5-8%

Through two weeks, Doubs owns 5 catches, 96 yards, and 1 score. He's benefited from a red-hot Jordan Love, who's tallied 4 TDs, 0 INTs, and 9.1 yards per attempt.

Doubs’ upside gets a boost from WR Jayden Reed landing on IR with a clavicle fracture. That leaves room for Doubs’ 17% target share to grow.

Next comes a positive scoring matchup with the Browns. And Week 4 holds a Dallas defense that just surrendered 450 yards to Russell Wilson.

Dontayvion Wicks, Packers

Blind Bid Recommendation: 5-8%

Wicks will also see role growth with Reed out. 

Wicks climbed from 46% of Green Bay’s snaps in the opener to 54% in Week 2. And he ran 59% of his Week 2 pass snaps from the slot, Reed’s primary role.

Wicks also ranks an encouraging fourth this season among qualifying WRs in Pro Football Focus receiving grade.

Deep League Options

Jake Browning, Bengals

Blind Bid Recommendation: 2-3%

Browning started seven games for the 2023 Bengals after Joe Burrow tore a ligament in his right wrist. Cincinnati went 5-3, while Browning averaged 267 passing yards and produced 14 total TDs.

He wasn’t afraid to air it out on Sunday, throwing 32 passes, a pair of TDs, and 3 INTs in a little more than half a game. 

If you rostered Burrow or need QB depth in a superflex league, Browning is a risk/reward option worth targeting. 

Woody Marks, Texans

Blind Bid Recommendation: 4-6%

In Week 2, Marks was elevated to Houston’s No. 2 RB role. In their loss, Marks came in on the first drive, spelling Nick Chubb. Ultimately, Marks played 13 snaps, running 8 routes and logging 3 carries. In Week 1, Marks was only on the field for 7 snaps 

Marks caught his only target, but it went for 37 yards, which was the biggest play of the night for the Texans. 

With Houston off to an 0-2 start, Marks should start seeing more consistent work as the passing-down back. Dare Ogunbowale dipped from 17 snaps in the opener to 10 in Week 2 and has had major issues in pass protection. That opens the door for Marks to continue to play as Houston’s No. 2 back. He’s worth a speculative add if you’re looking for RB depth. 

Chris Rodriguez, Commanders

Blind Bid Recommendation: 4-6%

Washington made Rodriguez a healthy scratch in the first two games. But Austin Ekeler’s season-ending injury should change that. 

Rodriguez was good as an early-down option last year, shredding tackles and ranking 7th in Pro Football Focus’s Rush Grade for RBs with 30-plus carries.  

However, Rodriguez can still factor in as a change-of-pace option with plus short-yardage potential in this ambiguous backfield. Listed at 224 pounds, he fits the prototype of a short-yardage runner, while Jeremy McNichols can contribute more in the passing game. 

Blake Corum, Rams

Blind Bid Recommendation: 4-6%

Kyren Williams led all RBs in snap share in 2023 (82%) and 2024 (86%). However, Week 2 saw Williams command less than 75% of snaps. Corum has been rotating drives, but in Week 2, those drives just happened to turn into longer scoring drives for the Rams.

Corum played 18 snaps, logging 5 rushing attempts for 44 yards and outscoring Williams. If Williams were to get injured, Corum would be in line for a massive workload. However, Williams will remain the lead back, making Corum more of a handcuff target if you roster Williams. 

Elic Ayomanor, Titans

Blind Bid Recommendation: 5-7%

In his first two NFL games, Ayomanor has proved he belongs. Ayomanor has run 48 routes and drawn 13 targets, one fewer than Calvin Ridley. He ranks second in the receiving corps in both metrics. 

Ayomanor has earned a solid 21.3% target rate while averaging 1.44 yards per route run, 0.11 ahead of Ridley’s rate. 

In Week 2, Ayomanor caught 4-of-6 targets for 56 yards and his first TD. Tennessee ranks dead last in passing, but Ayomanor’s 13 targets, which are tied with Emeka Egbuka for 34th, show how big a role he is playing for the Titans. His 23.2% target share ranks 23rd overall. 

He’s locked into the No. 2 role in a Tennessee offense that will see plenty of fantasy-friendly game scripts. The rookie could prove to be a weekly WR4 option for 12-team leagues.

Isaiah Likely, Ravens

Blind Bid Recommendation: 4-6%

Similar to last season, Andrews is off to a rough start. Likely missed Baltimore’s first two games coming off his summer foot fracture. But he returned to a limited practice on Friday and is expected to be ready for game action soon.

Likely brings after-the-catch ability that Andrews lacks. Last season, Likely averaged 6.2 yards after contact per reception compared to Andrews’ 3.6. And despite commanding 13 fewer targets, Likely forced 10 missed tackles, while Andrews forced just 4. 

As soon as he’s active, Likely warrants immediate attention as a streaming option with top-10 weekly upside. 

Top Streaming Defense For Week 3

Seattle Seahawks vs. New Orleans Saints

Only the Browns are projected to score fewer points in Week 3 than the Saints, who head west for their first road game after dropping two straight at home.

Lumen Field is a tough place to play. Particularly for a team that ranks just 22nd in total offensive DVOA and 24th in passing DVOA. The Saints have, at least, averaged a decent 114 rushing yards per game.

But the Seahawks rank a strong eighth in run-defense DVOA through two weeks. Shutting down the run and forcing QB Spencer Rattler to challenge a secondary that already has 4 INTs would be a bad game script for New Orleans.

This game sports the lowest total on the slate, with Seattle favored by a TD. That points to ideal game conditions for attacking Rattler.

Next Up

Streaming Defense Week 7: Seahawks Set To Soar Vs. Texans

Next Article  

Jody Smith, Analyst

Jody Smith has been playing fantasy football for over 30 years, the last 15 as an analyst, writer, and editor. Jody's rankings have been among the most consistent, placing him inside the top-10 in multi-year accuracy.