Week 2 is in the rearview mirror. Now, it’s Week 3, but it can pay to be looking ahead to Week 4 and beyond to consider the players on waivers that you might stash. Go ahead and grab them now rather than having an all-out waiver-wire war with your fellow league mates in a few days’ time.

This column will take a look ahead each week at players rostered in less than 50% of Yahoo leagues.

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Week 3 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Stashes

Matthew Stafford (QB – LAR) – 48% Rostered

Coming into the season Matthew Stafford wasn’t a sexy pick because people worried about his injury issues in 2022, and then of course, Cooper Kupp aggravated his hamstring and Stafford fell further in people’s estimations. Now, however, Stafford has put up back-to-back performances with 300+ passing yards and if it wasn’t for a lack of passing touchdowns, could have been one of the true fantasy sleepers of this short campaign. In Week 3 Stafford faces a Bengals defense that has looked awful, followed by a Colts defense that has allowed the fourth-most passing yards. With Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell growing into this team, a lack of running backs and a terrible defense, the passing touchdowns will come sooner rather than later, and with it, a climb up the QB rankings for Matthew Stafford.

look at when Matthew Stafford releases this Dig route to Tutu Atwell.

that anticipation combined with Stafford's arm strength makes the throw essentially impossible to defend. Even with the Seahawks Safety breaking on the route.

so sooooooo good. pic.twitter.com/QtxvRIe0OK

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) September 12, 2023

Roschon Johnson (RB – CHI) – 45% Rostered

When the Chicago Bears made D’Onta Foreman a healthy scratch in Week 2 they greatly helped fantasy managers out, probably earlier than many expected, and the Bears haven’t done a lot to help out fantasy managers so far this season. Reducing a committee backfield from three players down to just two is a massive help and although it didn’t pay off in Week 2 when Roschon Johnson put up a paltry 6.2 PPR points, it was a great show of faith in the rookies abilities. The Bears are already in evaluation mode for 2024 and it makes sense to give Johnson every chance to establish a role so that this management gets a chance to work out how big a role he can have in 2024 when they might just be slightly more competent.

When trailing by 7+ points in 2023:

Snap rate
49% – Roschon Johnson
37% – Khalil Herbert

Bears listed as 12.5-point dogs vs. KC. Is this Roschon Johnson week?

— Jacob Gibbs (@jagibbs_23) September 22, 2023

Tyjae Spears (RB – TEN) – 23% Rostered

The Titans aren’t being shy about wanting to get Tyjae Spears involved early in the season, with him seeing 14 touches over the first two games, and Spears has obliged with 6.9 yards per carry compared to 29-year-old Derrick Henry‘s 3.6. The Titans are sooner or later going to have to confront where they are as a team, and when that happens it wouldn’t be surprising to see Derrick Henry traded, or given a back seat to the promising rookie they drafted this offseason. Spears might not blow up too soon, but he’s worth rostering in all formats.

Rashod Bateman (WR – BAL) – 48% Rostered

Odell Beckham Jr. is set to miss the Ravens Week 3 matchup with a Colts defense that could be described as average at best, and in his absence, it could be time for Rashod Bateman‘s first blowout game of 2023. Bateman had two big weeks to start the 2022 season before succumbing to a lisfranc injury, and the Ravens have been cautious in his return to the field. Sooner or later the Ravens will take the training wheels off Bateman, because ultimately, they have to see from the third-year, former round-one pick, and against the Colts, with fewer options in the running game and passing game, Bateman’s breakout could be incoming.

Robert Woods (WR – HOU) – 20% Rostered

Yes, Robert Woods is 31 years old, but right now, he’s looking pretty good for that age and has had the eleventh most targets among wide receivers through two games. The Texans defense is in a bad state, and because of that CJ Stroud has the fourth-most passing yards of all quarterbacks, and that was before they lost Derek Stingley Jr. (cornerback) to IR, potentially pushing the Texans into even more pass-heavy game scripts.

Getting excited to make a waiver claim on Robert Woods pic.twitter.com/niucBM4dKd

— Sam Hoppen (@SamHoppen) September 20, 2023

Jake Ferguson (TE – DAL) – 41% Rostered

Through two weeks it’s a little surprising to see that Jake Ferguson is leading all pass-catchers in red zone targets with eight, which is three more than any other player. Tight end is a difficult position to deal with, and when a player is seeing high-value looks like this, we need to take notice. Neither Brandin Cooks or Michael Gallup has seized the number two receiver role behind CeeDee Lamb, and the team seems enamored with Ferguson. You might not want to start him just yet, but he’s worth rostering and keeping an eye on.

TE Targets – Inside The Red Zone

Jake Ferguson – 8 ??
Travis Kelce – 4
TJ Hockenson – 3
Pat Freiermuth – 3
Dawson Knox – 3
Adam Trautman – 3 ?
Hunter Henry – 2
Hayden Hurst – 2
Kylen Granson – 2
Donald Parham – 2
Logan Thomas – 2
Darren Waller – 2

— The Dynasty Grill (@FFDynastyGrill) September 21, 2023

Cleveland Browns DST – 44% Rostered

When it comes to defenses in fantasy, we want teams who are able to cause incidents more than those who can cause shutouts. The Browns defense looks far and away better than the offensive unit, with a host of high picks finally starting to come good, along with perenially sack-hunter Myles Garrett looking in great form under new defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz. In Week 3 the Browns play the Titans who barely have an offensive line, followed by the Ravens who are currently missing their pro-bowl left tackle, Ronnie Stanley and up-and-coming second-year center, Tyler Linderbaum.