Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Avoid: Nelson Agholor, Baker Mayfield, Kadarius Toney (Week 3)

They may look like fantasy football waiver wire gold, but don’t be fooled! Let’s take a look at players who had strong weekly performances, but our analysts aren’t buying it as they look ahead to this week and beyond. Here are a few players to avoid when making your fantasy football waiver wire pickups. And find our full Week 3 fantasy football waiver wire advice article here.

Waiver Wire Pickups to Avoid

FOOL’S GOLD

Even with Odell Beckham hurt already and Rashod Bateman marginalized in the Baltimore offense, Nelson Agholor isn’t worth pursuing. He Had 5-63-1 on six targets Sunday, but he played only 24 snaps and ran just eight routes. It’s hard to see Agholor carving out a fantasy-relevant role as the Ravens’ No. 4 receiver.

Baker Mayfield has played well in his first two starts for the Buccaneers, throwing for 490 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions and only one sack. But Mayfield has faced the Vikings and Bears, who have two of the league’s weaker defenses. He’ll face a much tougher challenge this week against the Eagles. Mayfield is streamable in softer matchups, but he is not a permanent solution to anyone’s QB problem.

A four-drop debacle in the Thursday-night season opener made Kadarius Toney the butt of jokes for a week, but he caught all five of his targets for 35 yards in Week 2. Toney is a twitchy, explosive athlete playing in a high-octane offense, but he’s played only 35 of the Chiefs’ 132 offensive snaps so far this season. Toney is targeted at an extraordinarily high rate when he’s on the field, but it’s not the sort of usage that would make you comfortable putting him in your starting lineup.

Successful In-Season Fantasy Football Management

Once your fantasy football team is drafted, the work is not over. Successful in-season management is crucial to a winning fantasy football season. Here are some tips to help you manage your team effectively throughout the season:

Stay up to date on player news
Keep track of player injuries, suspensions, and other news that may impact their performance. This will help you make informed decisions about which players to start each week.

Monitor the waiver wire
Keep an eye on the waiver wire and be ready to pick up players who may be undervalued or overlooked by other teams. This can provide valuable depth to your roster. Use our waiver wire assistant to view optimal lineups, waiver and trade suggestions, and league analysis.

Analyze matchups
Analyze the upcoming matchups for your players and opponents to determine which players to start in your lineup each week. Look for favorable matchups and take into account the strength of the opposing team’s defense.

Stay active in trades
Be open to trading players with other teams if it will benefit your team. Analyze the potential impact of a trade before making a decision and negotiate with other teams to find a mutually beneficial agreement.

Be prepared for bye weeks
Plan ahead for bye weeks by having backup players ready to fill in for your starters. Avoid having too many players with the same bye week, which can leave your team short-handed.

Don’t overreact to one bad week
Avoid overreacting to one bad week of performance by a player. Take a long-term view of their performance and evaluate their potential moving forward.

Continuously evaluate your roster
Continuously evaluate your roster throughout the season and make adjustments as needed. Be willing to drop underperforming players or make changes to your lineup if necessary.