Jamison Crowder has averaged eight targets per game over the first three weeks

Week 3 is in the books, and along with the usual frustrations that come along as the season progresses, such as having a roster ravaged by injuries or full of underperforming players, fantasy owners now have bye weeks to deal with as well. Green Bay and Philadelphia are the teams with a Week 4 bye, so plan accordingly. As always, players listed below must be less than 40% owned in ESPN leagues to be considered at each position.

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Quarterback

Trevor Siemian (DEN) – Owned in 4.7% of ESPN leagues

Chasing last week’s points is not usually a wise strategy, but Siemian appears to have turned a corner in his NFL development and could be a fantasy force in the upcoming weeks. Going into a hostile stadium and posting over 300 yards and four TDs is no easy task, but he went into Cincinnati in Week 3 and shredded a solid defense.

Siemian showed off big-play ability, an area of the Broncos offense that some people had started to question. In the process, the dynamic duo of Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders have re-emerged and provide Siemian with top notch targets as Denver enters an easier stretch of their schedule.

Starting with a Week 4 matchup at Tampa Bay, a team that allowed 37 points to the L.A. Rams, the Broncos should be able to keep rolling. That makes Siemian a viable option for anyone in need of a quick QB fix.

Also Consider

Carson Wentz (PHI)
Wentz has a Week 4 bye, but if you want him and have room on the bench this would be the week to get him. His performance against Pittsburgh elevates him to at least a streaming level starting QB.

Leave on the Wire

Brian Hoyer (CHI)
Hoyer finished with a nice stat line in Week 3 but didn’t do anything until Dallas had a big lead. I’d be shocked to see another 49 pass attempt game from Hoyer anytime soon.

Running Back

Jordan Howard (CHI) – Owned in 15.5% of ESPN leagues

Howard saw an expanded role in the Bears Week 3 loss to Dallas, and an injury to fellow RB Jeremy Langford (likely out 4-to-6 weeks) will open up a greater opportunity for Howard in the weeks ahead, beginning with a Week 4 matchup against Detroit. Backup Ka’Deem Carey is dealing with an injury of his own, leaving Howard as the lone healthy back in the Chicago backfield.

Howard is likely the most talented pure runner in the Bears backfield and has also shown an ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, which was the biggest question mark of his game as he entered the NFL. That makes him capable of playing all three downs, a role that not many RBs can hold claim to anymore.

The Bears now have back-to-back games against Detroit and Indianapolis, giving Howard an opportunity to make an instant splash. Howard’s all-around talent mixed with a great opportunity make him an obvious waiver wire target this week.

Also Consider

Dwayne Washington (DET)
Theo Riddick will continue to be the pass-catching back in Detroit’s offense, but Washington was the more effective rusher and should see the majority of carries, especially in short yardage and goal line situations. His ceiling isn’t great, but he should see around 10-to-15 carries per week.

Leave on the Wire

Orleans Darkwa (NYG)
Even with Shane Vereen lost for the year, the Giants RB situation remains a mess. Darkwa saw 10 carries in Rashad Jennings’ absence in Week 3, but Jennings will be back soon, and both Bobby Rainey and Paul Perkins have better skill sets to fill the vacant Vereen role.

Wide Receiver

Jamison Crowder (WAS) – Owned in 11.1% of ESPN leagues

Crowder has averaged eight targets per game through the first three weeks of the season and is averaging 5.3 catches for 58.3 yards per game. He also has two TDs in the first three weeks of the season. With the Redskins leaning on the passing attack, Crowder should continue to remain an active part of the offense, though he always seems to stay under the fantasy radar.

With Cleveland coming to Washington in Week 4, Crowder should continue his solid start to the season. He is more valuable in PPR leagues than standard, but as he showed Sunday against the Giants, he is capable of taking any play to the end zone.

Also consider

Terrelle Pryor (CLE)
Pryor made the Cleveland offense worth watching in Week 3. He was deployed as a QB at times as well as posting solid WR stats. He is a gifted athlete, and those type of players tend to find ways to be involved in big plays. Potential alone makes him worth the gamble.

Leave on the wire

Adam Humphries (TB)
Humphries posted nine catches for 100 yards receiving, but QB Jameis Winston threw 58 times in the Bucs Week 3 loss. Humphries could be targeted in deep PPR leagues, but he’s nothing more than a safety valve for Winston, and a non-factor in the red zone.

Tight End

Cameron Brate (TB) – Owned in 0.9% of ESPN Leagues

Brate has moved into the starting TE spot in Tampa, and in his first game in that role he received 10 targets, hauling in five catches and scoring twice. With WR Vincent Jackson looking like a shell of his former self, Brate looks to be in line for a lot of targets with only Mike Evans worthy of more looks.

Brate had been fighting Austin Seferian-Jenkins for the lead TE role, but the Bucs released ASJ paving the way for Brate to be the featured tight end. Brate looks to be capable of filling the lead role and has established himself as a favorite target of Jameis Winston.

The Bucs need a consistent receiving option to team up with Evans, and Brate could be that player, especially in the red zone. While he may not be a big-play threat, his chemistry with Winston and red zone usage could produce frequent weeks of TE1 numbers.

Also Consider

Kyle Rudolph (MIN)
Rudolph has scored a TD in each game since Sam Bradford took over as QB for the Vikings and was the lone offensive bright spot against Carolina in Week 3.

Leave on the Wire

Richard Rodgers (GB)
Found the end zone in Week 3, but a Week 4 bye and limited targets make him easy to pass up on the waiver wire.

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Micah Cedergren is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Micah, check out his archive and follow him @mcffinsights.