Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice: Players to Drop (Week 3)

Let’s take a look at players our analysts consider on the fringe as you weigh your waiver wire additions for the week. And find our full Week 3 fantasy football waiver wire advice article here.

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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice: Drop or Hold?

DROP RECOMMENDATIONS

Droppable

• Cam Akers
• D’Onta Foreman
• Michael Gallup
• Deon Jackson
• Allen Lazard
• Darnell Mooney
• Alec Pierce
• Irv Smith

Cam Akers played behind Kyren Williams in Week 1, and in Week 2 Akers was a healthy scratch. Despite leading the NFL in rushing over the final six weeks of the 2022 regular season, Akers is clearly not the apple of Rams head coach Sean McVay’s eye. It’s time to bail.

D’Onta Foreman was inactive in Week 2, so he has no value unless either Khalil Herbert or Roschon Johnson goes down. Foreman doesn’t catch passes, so he needs rushing volume in order to provide fantasy value. He’s simply not going to get it in Chicago.

Michael Gallup drew two targets on Sunday and had a single reception for 3 yards. Considering that Brandin Cooks was out with a knee injury and that Dak Prescott completed 33-of-38 passes against the Jets, Gallup’s lack of involvement is pretty damning. It’s safe to dump him.

Deon Jackson started at running back for the Colts in Week 1 and played 71% of the team’s offensive snaps. In Week 2, Zack Moss returned from a broken arm, and Jackson played zero offensive snaps. Moss played 56-of-57 offensive snaps in Week 2, so he’s clearly the main man in Indy — at least until Jonathan Taylor comes back. Jackson has no fantasy value.

No Aaron Rodgers means no fantasy viability for Allen Lazard, period.

Darnell Mooney had 4-53-1 on seven targets in Week 1, but he didn’t draw a single target in Week 2. D.J. Moore is clearly the lead receiver in Chicago, and the Bears’ popgun passing attack can’t support more than one fantasy-viable receiver. Feel free to swap out Mooney for a more valuable asset.

Through the first two weeks of the season, Alec Pierce has drawn five targets and has 3-33-0. The Colts are going to be a run-first team, and Michael Pittman is the alpha receiver. Pierce’s skill set may eventually pair well with QB Anthony Richardson‘s cannon arm, but it seems unlikely Pierce will do much in 2023.

If the Bengals’ offense were humming, Irv Smith might have some fantasy value. The Bengals’ offense is certainly not humming these days.

Droppable with a chance of regret

• Rashod Bateman
• Dalvin Cook
• Chig Okonkwo
• Rashaad Penny
• Samaje Perine

Rashod Bateman has been working as the No. 3 receiver in Baltimore behind rookie Zay Flowers and veteran Odell Beckham. Bateman is also well behind TE Mark Andrews in the target pecking order, and now WR Nelson Agholor is starting to get involved. A first-round draft pick in 2021, Bateman just hasn’t been able to get any traction in Baltimore, due in large part to injuries. It’s possible he’ll still pan out, but if you need to drop someone, it won’t be all that painful to part ways with Bateman.

Once a fixture in the first round of fantasy drafts, Dalvin Cook is now a mere committee back. He’s splitting time with the younger and more talented Breece Hall, and Michael Carter joined the Jets’ backfield mix in Week 3. A committee back can have fantasy value in the right environment, but it will be hard for Cook to provide fantasy value with a part-time an offense being triggered by QB Zach Wilson.

Young TE Chig Okonkwo flashed intriguing potential last season as a rookie, but he hasn’t been drawing many targets in a run-heavy Titans offense that added WR DeAndre Hopkins in the offseason.

Rashaad Penny is clearly the odd man out in the Eagles’ backfield. Kenneth Gainwell operated as Philly’s lead back in Week 1. With Gainwell missing Week 2 due to an injury, D’Andre Swift served as the lead back and had a big night against Minnesota, rushing for 175 yards and a touchdown. Boston Scott was the No. 2 back, and Penny didn’t get any work until Scott sustained a concussion. Gainwell and Scott won’t be out for long, so Penny has no fantasy utility for now. If a wave of injuries hit the Philly backfield, however, Penny could suddenly become Johnny on the spot.

With Javonte Williams well ahead of schedule in his recovery from a major knee injury and already operating as Denver’s lead back, Perine doesn’t offer much to fantasy managers. The Broncos also seem interested in giving undrafted free agent Jaleel McLaughlin some playing time at running back, further kneecapping Perine’s value.

Don’t drop yet

• Tank Bigsby
• Quentin Johnston
• Elijah Mitchell
• Kyle Pitts

Tank Bigsby played only 12 snaps in the Jaguars’ Week 2 loss to the Chiefs and didn’t have a single carry. As much as he was playing in the preseason, it seemed as if Bigsby might have standalone fantasy value even with Travis Etienne the clear No. 1 in Jacksonville. It turns out that isn’t the case. Still, Bigsby is a potentially valuable handcuff back who’d become a must-start if Etienne were to go down.

Chargers first-rounder Quinton Johnston Is currently operating as the team’s No. 4 receiver behind Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Josh Palmer. But based on the worrisome injury histories of Allen and Williams, Johnson is worth keeping around if you can spare a roster spot.

With Christian McCaffrey dominating snaps and touches in the 49ers’ backfield, there’s little for Elijah Mitchell to do. McCaffrey has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, so ditching Mitchell would be premature. He’s a lottery ticket with the potential to bring you a jackpot.

The Kyle Pitts haters are already getting restless, with Pitts producing 4-59-0 on eight targets over his first two games. Don’t give up on a player of Pitts’ immense talents.