Need Fantasy Football lineup advice? Talk to CBS Sports on your Google Assistant to get insights on the best sleepers and to help decide between players. Just start with, "Hey Google, talk to CBS Sports." For the most part, we got lucky when it comes to injuries for Week 2. Only two prominent players suffered injuries, with Joe Mixon (knee) and Greg Zuerlein (groin). Mixon is expected to miss at least two weeks, which makes Giovani Bernard the No. 1 player to add in all leagues where he's available. He's owned in 41 percent of leagues on CBS Sports heading into Week 3, and we'll talk about him more in the running back section of this column. Zuerlein is looking at an extended absence, although he should return at some point this year. Despite Zuerlein being drafted as the No. 1 Fantasy kicker in the majority of leagues this season, he needs to be dropped while he's hurt. The Rams added Sam Ficken (0 percent ownership) as a replacement option, and you can look at him as a streaming option, although I prefer new Vikings kicker Dan Bailey (8 percent). Now, there are some minor injuries we're keeping an eye on, including Melvin Gordon (upper body), Dalvin Cook (hamstring), LeSean McCoy (ribs) and Larry Fitzgerald (hamstring). These guys are expected to play in Week 3, but you might want to prepare just in case something changes. Also, keep in mind, that we still don't know the status for guys like Leonard Fournette (hamstring), Devonta Freeman (knee), Marquise Goodwin (thigh) and Doug Baldwin (knee), who missed Week 2. They could be out again, which means you still need replacement options, and we have you covered. Editor's note: For this waiver wire column, we are only looking at players owned in less than 65 percent of CBS Sports leagues. Quarterbacks Injuries of note: Marcus Mariota (elbow) Priority list: Ryan Fitzpatrick (21 percent ownership), Andy Dalton (33 percent), Blake Bortles (31 percent) Fitzpatrick has been impressive through the first two weeks of the season with 819 passing yards and nine total touchdowns against New Orleans and Philadelphia. He has a favorable matchup in Week 3 against Pittsburgh at home, and he's worth trusting as a No. 1 quarterback in the majority of leagues. Now, there's some long-term concern about Fitzpatrick with Jameis Winston (suspension) expected back in Week 4. But if Fitzpatrick has another strong game against the Steelers he should remain the starter in Tampa Bay for the foreseeable future, which looks like a good thing for Fantasy owners. He's worth 5-10 percent of your FAAB budget depending on your need at quarterback. Through two games against Indianapolis and Baltimore, Dalton is averaging 26.5 Fantasy points, with at least 19 points in each outing. He's worth buying into this season as a low-end starting option since he has a healthy receiving corps and a revamped offensive line. And this week he faces a Panthers defense that just allowed Matt Ryan to score 33 Fantasy points in Week 2. He's worth 1-5 percent of your FAAB if you need a quarterback. Bortles was better than Tom Brady in Week 2 in their head-to-head showdown, and he scored 40 Fantasy points. He now has at least 22 Fantasy points in six of his past eight games in the regular season going back to last year, which is impressive. He has a favorable matchup in Week 3 against Tennessee and is worth starting in two-quarterback leagues. Drop candidates: Case Keenum (69 percent), Dak Prescott (62 percent), Eli Manning (54 percent) Running backs Injuries of note: Joe Mixon (knee), Leonard Fournette (hamstring), Devonta Freeman (knee), Melvin Gordon (upper body), Dalvin Cook (hamstring), LeSean McCoy (ribs), Tarik Cohen (ankle), Darren Sproles (hamstring) Priority list: Giovani Bernard (41 percent ownership), Corey Clement (61 percent), Javorius Allen (26 percent), Theo Riddick (37 percent), Corey Grant (3 percent), Ito Smith (3 percent), Chris Ivory (8 percent)/Marcus Murphy (7 percent), Latavius Murray (46 percent) Bernard will start for Mixon until he returns, and he has an excellent track record whenever he's been given an increased workload. During his career, Bernard has 29 games with at least 15 touches, and he's scored at least 10 PPR points in 23 of those contests. In 2017, he had five games with at least 15 touches, and he averaged 16.4 PPR points over that span. Mixon had 22 touches in each of the first two games, so Bernard should get the bulk of that workload. He will be a weekly starter while Mixon is out, including Week 3 at Carolina. Bernard is worth at least 20 percent of your FAAB. Clement had a solid outing in Week 2 against Tampa Bay with Sproles out and Jay Ajayi dealing with a back injury. Ajayi should be fine for Week 3 against the Colts, but we don't know if Sproles will play, leaving Clement the chance for additional touches, especially in the passing game. After just five carries for 26 yards and no catches in Week 1 against Atlanta with Sproles active, Clement had six carries for 30 yards and a touchdown and five catches for 55 yards on six targets against the Buccaneers. He could become a weekly PPR starter as long as Sproles is out and is worth 10-15 percent of your FAAB. Allen has found a way to be productive in each of the first two games against Buffalo and Cincinnati with two touchdowns and 10 catches over that span. He's scored at least 13 PPR points in each outing, which is good, but it's frustrating because we want to see more from starter Alex Collins. Allen will remain Baltimore's primary pass catcher out of the backfield, and the Ravens like using him at the goal line as well. And should Collins continue to struggle with fumbles or suffer an injury, we could see Allen in a bigger role. He's a good player to stash at the end of your bench and is worth 5-10 percent of your FAAB.<doc-sep>Week 2 of the fantasy season gave us yet another tie, another epic shootout, and some tough injuries as well. Those injuries in particular are why many of us must stay active on the waiver wire, but it can be tough to not only find gems, but scooping them up earlier than your opponents. Never fear though, as Liz Loza is here with three early waiver wire pickups to consider for Week 3: Giovani Bernard a priority pickup (27% owned on Yahoo) Joe Mixon’s knee injury against the Baltimore Ravens was something of a slow burn. He left the game multiple times only to return and keep chugging along, raising his fantasy owners’ hopes for his health in the process. Unfortunately, the news that came afterward wasn’t great. Mixon is expected to miss multiple weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. The snaps while Mixon is out are expected to be dominated by Giovani Bernard. Against the Ravens, Bernard totaled 53 yards on seven targets in the pass game to go along with six rushing attempts. While he may not provide the flashy big-play ability of Mixon, Bernard has proven himself a solid receiver and adequate runner, so expect him to have an increased role — and increased fantasy value. Bernard averaged 16 touches per game when Mixon missed time last season and was a top-20 running back during that stretch. Cincinnati Bengals running back Giovani Bernard gets an uptick in value with Joe Mixon sidelined.. (AP Photo/Gary Landers) Antonio Callaway worth a closer look (6% owned on Yahoo) When the news about Josh Gordon’s impending release — barring a trade — fantasy owners are no doubt looking to take advantage of a hole that his departure will leave in Cleveland. While Jarvis Landry and David Njoku are sure to earn the lion’s share of targets going forward (and yes, Rashaad Higgins truthers, he should see an uptick as well), the Browns have an intriguing receiver in Antonio Callaway. In Sunday’s heartbreaking loss to the New Orleans Saints, Callaway reeled in 3-of-4 targets for 81 yards and a long touchdown. With Gordon leaving, Callaway is now the team’s big-play option at receiver for the Browns. He might have a tough time against Trumaine Johnson and the New York Jets in Week 3, but the opportunity is there for Callaway to become fantasy relevant. Story continues Corey Clement ready to take up the mantle (21% owned on Yahoo) Philadelphia Eagles starting running back Jay Ajayi suffered a back injury early in Week 2 and had to leave the game for nearly two quarters before returning. With Darren Sproles out with a hamstring injury, the Eagles turned to Corey Clement against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Clement rushed six times for 30 yards and a touchdown. He also caught five-of-six targets for 55 yards. Those are solid numbers. With Ajayi’s injury history and Sproles’ continued battle with both a hamstring issue and Father Time, Clement is a worthy stash if you’re in need of running back depth. More From Yahoo Fantasy Sports<doc-sep>Let’s all say it together now: Giovani Bernard isn’t a backup running back. The Cincinnati Bengals lost Joe Mixon to a knee injury that will sideline him about two weeks. Mixon’s heroic efforts — coming back into the game only because it was close and ripping off a huge fourth-quarter run to set up a field goal — make Bernard’s task of starting seem like a terrible setback. Far from it. Fun fact time: The Bengals are 13-3-1 when Bernard handles at least 14 carries in a game. Detractors will try to poke holes in the above numbers, saying naturally gameflow where Bernard gets those carries means the team was already in a winning position or he was merely a complement to a bigger back. In a way, fair points — but this hasn’t always been the case. In 2015, a 27-24 win in overtime against Seattle got keyed by Bernard’s 15 totes for 80 yards. Earlier that year, they escaped the Chargers in 24-19 fashion while Bernard went for 123 on 20. And then there was this from last season: Bernard is a complete back who could start on a handful of NFL teams, easily. It’s just easy to forget because he had the injury in 2016 and the Bengals spent most of last year protecting him while he recovered — until that 168-yard outburst on Christma Eve. Marvin Lewis and his coaches have consistently kept guys like Jeremy Hill or otherwise involved simply because they like the idea of backs staying fresh for an entire season. It makes sense in the modern NFL, sure. But when Lewis doesn’t have a choice but to feature Bernard heavily, No. 25 uplifts the entire attack. This isn’t always going to equate to a win. But with Mixon expected to at least miss road games against the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons, Bernard has the skill set necessary to keep those defensive units honest and won’t have to come off the field at any point while contributing in all facets. The Bengals are a dramatically better offense with Mixon on the field this year, undoubtedly. But a few tweaks here and there over an extended break to better tailor the offense to Bernard’s workhorse-like task and it wouldn’t be too much of a surprise to see the above number blossom to 15-3-1.<doc-sep>After two weeks of football, fantasy owners may need to hit the waiver wire. Some fantasy owners have given up on some players they drafted (Robby Anderson, Duke Johnson?) while others have been hit by the injury bug. None of the players on this list are “must add” for all owners in all formats; rather, the waiver wire adds depend on individual team needs. Week 3 Positional Rankings: QB I RB I WR I TE I DST I K I Flex Quarterbacks Blake Bortles, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (28 percent owned) While his Week 1 start wasn’t spectacular, in Week 2, Bortles threw for 377 yards and four touchdowns. He did have one interception, but in the absence of Leonard Fournette, he looked good. While Fournette’s availability shouldn’t affect Bortles’ success, it is positive that he can thrive without a solid running game. The Jags face the Titans in Week 3, and Bortles is a high QB2. Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (23 percent owned) After Week 1, Fitzpatrick’s performance was written off as a fluke. After all, Fitzpatrick’s resume shows a history of a solid performance followed by some mediocre ones. Now, it is quite possible that still happens, however, while he’s hot, start him. In two games, Fitzpatrick has 819 passing yards, eight TD passes, one rushing touchdown and one interception. He faces the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3 and it’s clear that their defense can be thrown on (see: Patrick Mahomes, Week 2). It’s weird to say, but Fitzpatrick may just be a QB1 for Week 3. Running Backs Giovani Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals (28 percent owned) Following the Bengals' Thursday night game, the news broke that Joe Mixon needed a knee scope and would be out for 2-4 weeks. Bernard would immediately step up to take over the No. 1 running back duties. When Mixon has been out in the past, Bernard has done well. He’s going to be a RB2 while Mixon is out, but fantasy owners need to be aware that Mixon will likely be back in a few weeks. Bernard is worth holding onto as a fantasy handcuff, however. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers (44 percent owned) Even though Ekeler is typically the pass-catching back, in Week 2, he had 11 carries for 77 yards. He also caught three passes for 21 yards. Melvin Gordon had three touchdowns (two of them receiving) in Week 2, but there clearly is a place for Ekeler as well. The Chargers will lean on Gordon, but Ekeler will still be involved. He’s a Gordon handcuff, but Ekeler also has RB3 value on his own. Wide Receivers John Brown, WR, Baltimore Ravens (25 percent owned) Brown only had four targets in Week 1, but he had 10 in Week 2. He only caught four of those passes for 92 yards and a touchdown, but it is clear that he is part of this offense. Brown will play behind Michael Crabtree, but he is an option for Joe Flacco. Brown has a history of injuries, but when he’s healthy, he’s one of the fastest receivers on the field. He’s a solid WR3 as long as he’s active. Antonio Callaway, WR, Cleveland Browns (7 percent owned) When the Cleveland Browns surprisingly announced that they would be releasing Josh Gordon, fantasy owners scrambled to add the next man up. Callaway is a rookie, and he didn’t record a catch in Week 1, but he certainly started to shine in Week 2. He had three receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown. Some weeks he will likely take a backseat to Rashard Higgins, but Callaway has potential to be a low WR2/high WR3. James Washington, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers (3 percent owned) When the Steelers are home, Ben Roethlisberger plays better. In Week 1, when the Steelers were away, Washington was non-existent. However, in Week 2, he was targeted five times. He only caught one of those passes, but it was for a touchdown. Washington is worth an add in deeper leagues, as it is possible he'll have a more defined role moving forward. He’s not worthy of being started just yet, but could be seen as depth on fantasy benches. Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (2 percent owned) After Boyd caught three passes for 26 yards on five targets in Week 1, fantasy owners weren’t exactly scrambling to pick him up. However, in Week 2, he had nine targets. He caught six of them for 91 yards and a touchdown. Both Boyd and John Ross are fighting for targets behind A.J. Green, and it may come down to game flow. Boyd at this point is a speculative add, but the No. 2 receiver in Cincinnati will have some fantasy value. Tight End Jesse James, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers (10 percent owned) The tight end landscape is tough, as the replacements for Greg Olsen and Delanie Walker did not prove to be fantasy relevant in their first game as the starting tight end. James will share time with Vance McDonald, which will hurt both of their values. However, James has shown that he is a decent option in the passing game. In Week 1, he had three receptions for 60 yards. In Week 2 (with McDonald active), he had five receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown. He’s a TE2 but some fantasy owners are desperate. Defense/Special Teams (DST) New York Jets (34 percent owned) The Jets play the Cleveland Browns on "Thursday Night Football" this week. While the Browns have looked better on offense, they still haven’t won a game since late December 2016. The Jets didn’t look great against Miami, but they certainly did against Detroit in Week 1. Not many fantasy owners are streaming defenses at this point, but the Jets are worth a spot start in Week 3. — Written by Sarah Lewis, who is part of the Athlon Contributor network and lives, eats, and breathes fantasy football. Have a fantasy football question? Send it to her on Twitter @Sarah_Lewis32.<doc-sep>
This early in the season, fantasy owners scanning the waiver wire might have a tougher time figuring out which players to cut than they do which players to pick up. Two games isn't a great sample size and there's a fine line between players with upside and those who just haven't had a chance to produce. We'll attempt to make some of those distinctions as we scan some potential waiver wire adds for Week 3. Recommended bids based on a free agent acquisition budget (FAAB) of $100 for the season. BEST BETS RB Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals ($19). After suffering a knee injury Thursday night, starter Joe Mixon will be out for at least a couple weeks. Bernard steps into the lead role after rushing for 27 yards on six carries and catching four passes for 15 more against the Ravens. Bernard has more value in PPR leagues because of his pass-catching ability -- and he has shown he's able to be a workhorse back when Mixon is out. You can milk a few good games out of him, but he'll go back to being a third-down specialist once Mixon returns. RB Corey Clement, Philadelphia Eagles ($18). Clement quietly had a top-10 performance among running backs in Week 2, rushing for 30 yards and a touchdown, and catching five of six targets for 55 yards. Now, it looks like starter Jay Ajayi's back injury might keep him out of Sunday's game against the Colts. With one of the NFL's best offensive lines paving the way, Clement has tremendous upside for Week 3 and possibly beyond if Ajayi's health issues persist and Darren Sproles remains limited. Week 3 rankings: How players stack up at each position WR John Brown, Baltimore Ravens ($16). Brown showed his big-play capability against the Bengals with 92 yards and a score on four receptions. However, QB Joe Flacco targeted him 10 times and has looked for him over Michael Crabtree when the Ravens have been in the red zone. Health has been a constant issue for "Smokey," but he looks fine so far. WR Antonio Callaway, Cleveland Browns ($13). No more Josh Gordon in Cleveland permanently opens up targets for this talented rookie. He caught a miracle fourth-down TD bomb against the Saints in Week 2 and also had a couple of rushing attempts. The Browns figure to be throwing the ball often this season, so Callaway's value should only increase as he adjusts to the pro game. REPLACEMENTS WR Josh Gordon, New England Patriots ($11). Speaking of Gordon ... Is there a better possible landing spot for the talented but troubled wideout? The comparisons to Randy Moss instantly dominating upon his arrival in New England are inevitable, but Moss had an entire offseason to learn the playbook. There inevitably will be at least one owner in every league willing to take a chance on Gordon's upside. Admittedly, it's a low-percentage play because of all the variables that need to fall into place for him to be successful. If you can afford to be patient, the reward might be worth the risk come playoff time. WR Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals ($9). Another Thursday night breakout, Boyd caught nine passes for 91 yards and a TD. With Mixon out, Boyd could see more targets as the offense looks to pass more often. And he should have more staying power than Bernard as he solidifies his spot as the team's No. 2 receiver. TE Jesse James, Pittsburgh Steelers ($8). James is this week's version of Jared Cook -- a tight end coming off a career day. Fantasy owners still looking to replace Greg Olsen or Delanie Walker can feel free to take a flyer on James. However, Vance McDonald might ultimately take over as the Steelers' top pass-catching tight end. TE Austin Hooper, Atlanta Falcons ($5). Hooper also fills the bill at the position and might be a better long-term buy than James. He caught all five of his targets Sunday for 59 yards and a touchdown. Take him over Tampa Bay's O.J. Howard, who put up better stats, thanks to a fluke 75-yard TD reception. SPECULATIVE PICKUPS WR Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons. The rookie had a quiet first week, but caught a TD pass and finished with 64 yards in Week 2. He's the Falcons' third receiver for now, but could see more action if RB Devonta Freeman's absence forces the team to throw more. RB Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers.