After two weeks of game action, anyone who drafted Leonard Fournette, Devonta Freeman, or Joe Mixon has already been confronted with having their early-round pick sidelined due to injury. That has automatically launched the unwanted process of monitoring a situation that is fraught with uncertainty for those of you who own Fournette and Freeman, while assessing the best plan for targeting a replacement. Meanwhile, Mixon owners are already aware that they are contending with an absence of at least 2-4 weeks. This serves as a reminder that there is often the viable rationale for handcuffing backs that you drafted in the first two rounds, regardless of what others who make declarations to the contrary may tell you. This can be dependent upon the specifics of your league's roster requirements, and the nuances surrounding your team. Still, any Mixon owner whose roster already contains Bernard has evaded a problematic situation. Of course, there are other issues that you may be facing with your rosters, and regardless of why you are now considering waiver wire options, this article will assist you in locating the best players to target. These recommended options will appear in three tiers - beginning with the most enticing, and progressing to runners that are available if you are contending with desperation. You will also find a group of backs that can be considered droppable in order for you to secure your replacements. Here are this week's most desirable waiver wire options at the running back position. All you early birds can get a full-season NFL Premium Pass. Exclusive access to our preseason Draft Kit, rankings and projections, 15 in-season lineup tools and over 150 days of Premium DFS tools and cheat sheets. Sign Up Now! Frontrunners - Week 3 Waiver Wire Running Backs These backs should be your top priorities among the runners that are available on most waiver wires. Some will be more beneficial in PPR formats than standard. All players have 50% or less ownership in typical fantasy leagues. Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati Bengals - 30% owned The sixth-year back was included in last week's waiver wire targets. However, he might have appeared to be the most questionable suggestion among the group after receiving just two touches in Week 1 compared to 22 for Mixon. But the workload distribution was vastly different in Week 2, as knee concerns for Mixon increased Bernard's involvement (10 touches) while resulting in a snap count that replicated Mixon’s (39/39). While that was also a byproduct of both backs sharing the field on certain plays, the lingering rationale toward rostering Bernard - particularly for those who already own Mixon- is his proven ability to deliver respectable numbers when he is given the opportunity. That scenario will now occur as Mixon recovers from the sudden surgery that transpired after a particle in his knee dislodged during last Thursday night’s matchup. Any Mixon owners who adhered to last week’s advice by adding Bernard have already avoided a massive issue. For everyone else, Bernard is now this week’s top waiver target at the running back position. Javorius Allen, Baltimore Ravens - 8% owned Allen remains an ongoing annoyance to Alex Collins owners, as the tandem has received identical touch totals (20) through Baltimore’s first two contests, along with matching snap counts in Week 2 (42/49%). Game script has played a significant role in the usage of both backs, as the Ravens immediately seized a commanding lead over Buffalo in Week 1, and fell behind quickly against Cincinnati in Week 2. Still, the Ravens’ coaching staff has displayed a definitive commitment to keeping Allen as a contributor to a much larger degree than Collins owners would prefer. But that does not prohibit you from adding Allen, who has also generated two rushing touchdowns, and will not face any threat from oft-injured Kenneth Dixon until after Week 8 (IR). This presents Allen with an unquestioned opportunity to collect touches, which provides further impetus for adding him to your roster. Jordan Wilkins, Indianapolis Colts - 32% owned While his 10 carries tied him for the team lead with Marlon Mack in Week 2, Wilkins amassed 61 yards with those opportunities (6.1 YPC) and has now manufactured 101 yards on the ground during his first two games. Even though he will continue to split carries with Mack and Nyheim Hines, the 6’1” rookie tied with Hines for the lead in offensive snaps among that trio in Week 2 (24/39%), and should remain an integral component in the Colt rushing attack. He has the versatility to deliver respectable numbers as he operates in his role, which should result in an adequate weekly floor, with the probability of desirable point totals during multiple weeks of the year. All of which should supply potential owners with the incentive to secure him while you can. Because his availability on the waiver wire could end abruptly. In The Running - Week 3 Waiver Wire Running Backs These backs remain available on the waiver wire but are not necessarily must-adds. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers - 42% owned The elusive second-year back was included with last week’s recommendations, and his ownership percentage has risen by 23% since that time. Still, even though Ekeler provides stand-alone value, and the potential for high-quality production if incumbent Melvin Gordon is forced to the sideline, he has not persuaded most of you to secure his services. Even last week’s reminder that he had generated 40 yards and a touchdown on six attempts against Buffalo in 2017 did not create massive interest before he shredded the Bills for 98 total yards on 14 touches in Week 2. But he has now accumulated 224 total yards through two contests, and Gordon owners should confiscate him while they can. This will help you avert the possible crisis of being unable to locate a serviceable replacement if Gordon is forced from the lineup. Ekeler can also supply other owners with a suitable replacement during bye weeks. Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts - 48% owned It is amazing how quickly he was mentally discarded by a sufficient number of owners for his ownership percentage to reach this level. Once it was clear that his problematic hamstring would keep him affixed to the sidelines as the regular season began, the collective overreaction coerced over 50% of potential owners to ignore him completely. Now, he has returned to the lineup and should commandeer a healthy portion of the opportunities that will be dispersed to the Colts’ stable of running backs. Mack was allotted 11 touches and 18/30% of the Colts' offensive snaps in Week 2, while Wilkins and Nyheim Hines (5 touches/1 receiving touchdown) remained firmly in the mix. Even though Wilkins remains an inviting option to target, and Hines will continue to siphon opportunities, the presence of both rookies will not keep Mack from sustaining an adequate workload. Nor should it dissuade you from securing him for your roster. Corey Clement, Philadelphia Eagles - 23% owned Here's a quick review of the fluctuations in Clement's potential value status during the past two weeks. First, he entered the season as the apparent RB2 behind Jay Ajayi, who nevertheless was a prospective candidate to capture a more sizable role. Then he degenerated to a viable drop option, after Darren Sproles joined Ajayi in commandeering a significantly higher snap count (29/40%), while Clement was relegated to just five touches and 13 snaps. But the appeal of owning Clement has re-materialized after he was allotted 11 touches, 42% of the offensive snaps, and generated 85 total yards and a touchdown against Tampa Bay in Week 2. That included his 55 receiving yards, which were amassed as Clement collected five of his six targets. Sproles' absence from the matchup (hamstring), and Ajayi’s back issue during the contest, boosted Clement’s level of opportunity. But he capitalized on the increased workload, and has resurfaced as a roster option. Dark Horses - Week 3 Running Backs Waiver Wire This group consists of running backs that can be added if you are willing to wait for the possibility of a larger role during the year, or consider your situation to be desperate due to injuries or byes.<doc-sep>We saw plenty of gaudy offensive performances this week that inflated fantasy point totals all across the board. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Patrick Mahomes continued making their very early-season MVP cases, while Matt Breida and Phillip Lindsay both staked their claim for a larger piece of their backfield’s pie. Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen proved that Minnesota can once again support two WR1s and no more questions linger about Travis Kelce‘s production with Kansas City’s new prolific quarterback. It wasn’t all fireworks and excitement, though. We witnessed Joe Mixon, LeSean McCoy, and Larry Fitzgerald suffer injuries this past week. Are the “next men up” in Cincinnati, Buffalo, and Arizona worth your attention? Also, which lesser-owned players made their argument for more touches or snaps during Week 2’s offensive explosion? Our featured experts share their thoughts on their favorite waiver pickups below and rank each widely unowned player with fantasy appeal as we head into Week 3. View your league’s top available players with My Playbook >> Featured Experts: Mike Tagliere – FantasyPros Bobby Sylvester – FantasyPros Jacob Gibbs – SportsLine Dan Harris – FantasyPros Jody Smith – FantasyPros *Ownership % derived from a consensus of Yahoo & ESPN leagues On a mobile device? Click here for rankings table >> Q1. How much are you willing to spend (FAAB %) on your favorite waiver wire target (or two) and why do you like him? Giovani Bernard (RB – CIN) “Bernard is what we save FAAB and the top waiver priority for. He may not be a starter the rest of the season, but three or four weeks of a workhorse is a rare opportunity. We saw Bernard in this role over a four-game stretch last year, and he finished as a top-10 fantasy running back in that time ahead of Alvin Kamara, Leonard Fournette, and Christian McCaffrey. I’d spend just shy of 30% of my FAAB to acquire a strong RB2 for the next few weeks.” – Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros) “If there’s an injury at the running back position, you’ll immediately look to his backup for production, especially if they’ve shown the ability to produce in the NFL. Giovani Bernard has shown that ability before, and there’s little competition on the roster for touches, outside of rookie Mark Walton, who is still very raw in his development. With Mixon being out two-to-four weeks, Bernard is someone worth spending 20 percent of your FAAB on.” – Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros) “I’d be willing to spend up to 35-40% of my FAAB on Giovani Bernard. His splits as Cincy’s sole RB are high-end RB2 type numbers, especially in PPR formats. You get a starting RB for 2-4 weeks, with the upside for more if there are any complications with Mixon’s knee.” – Jacob Gibbs (SportsLine) John Brown (WR – BAL) “Undoubtedly, Bernard will be a popular, and likely expensive commodity, but Brown has scored in back-to-back games to open the season and probably has more season-long value than Bernard, who will be relegated to a reduced role once Mixon returns in two-to-four weeks. Brown has a healthy 13 targets through two games and has been used downfield and in the red zone. He’s got WR3/flex value for the rest of the season and can be a sneaky under-the-radar add while others scramble for running backs. I’d spend up to 10-12 percent of my FAAB on him.” – Jody Smith (FantasyPros) Chris Godwin (WR – TB) “This isn’t a huge waiver wire week in my opinion, so I’d doubt I’d spend much more than 5% of my budget on anyone. That money, however, would be spent on Godwin, who is the clear top add for me off the waiver wire. He not only had a touchdown in both games, but he has caught eight of his 10 targets, showing an efficiency rate that suggests that he can do a lot even without a high volume of targets. DeSean Jackson’s presence limits his upside a bit, but with a home game on tap against a mediocre Steelers defense, he’s in play as a streamer for this week at least.” – Dan Harris (FantasyPros) Q2. For owners renting a D/ST in Week 3, what readily available option (under 40%) should they target and why? “It’s the Browns, who will be playing at home against the Jets on Thursday night. If you’d told someone that the Browns would play against Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees to start the year, but allowed just 42 points in the two games combined, what would you have said? They were crazy? With a young and upcoming defense, they were able to sack those two quarterbacks a combined 10 times in two games. Meanwhile, the Jets have allowed five sacks, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and one defensive touchdown through two games. Their left tackle Kelvin Beachum is going to have his hands full with Myles Garrett on primetime football.” – Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros) “The Cleveland Browns have executed failure to begin the season as well as any professional sports team, but the defense has been impressive. We know they’ve got the pieces, and when you throw in a matchup versus a young rookie QB who had interception issues even in college, I’ll buy the Browns D/ST all day as a top streamer for Week 3.” – Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros) “This is a gross week for streaming D/STs. I’d roll with Cleveland as home favorites against a rookie QB and hope Darnold throws a few picks.” – Jacob Gibbs (SportsLine) “The Browns have been a surprisingly effective D/ST unit thus far this season, but I’d target the other D/ST in Thursday’s game — the Jets. They dominated the Lions in Week 1, but they put up a surprisingly effective performance against the Dolphins, sacking Ryan Tannehill four times and recovering two fumbles. The Browns have allowed 10 sacks through two games already, and the Jets should be able to press him consistently. It’s a bit of a contrarian play, but I expect them to be a fine streaming option this week.” – Dan Harris (FantasyPros) “Nobody talks about the Miami Dolphins, but they are tied with the Jets for an NFL-high five interceptions and are at home against an Oakland offense that hasn’t been lighting up the scoreboard. The Raiders also must contend with flying cross-country for a 1:00 PM kickoff, which tends to be a difficult dynamic for West Coast teams.” – Jody Smith (FantasyPros) Thank you to the experts for naming their top waiver targets. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter if you’re not already doing so and check out our latest podcast below for more great advice. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | TuneIn | RSS<doc-sep>Injuries always create opportunities on the waiver wire, and this week’s top priority results from an injury in Cincinnati. Before we get to that, however, Michael Beller and 4for4’s John Paulsen discuss the sensation of the early season, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and a few other intriguing situations around the league. Michael Beller: Alright, John, another week of the NFL regular season is in the books, and I have one big question for you. How seriously should we take Ryan Fitzpatrick? It isn't often that we discuss quarterbacks on the waiver wire. In one-QB leagues, free agent quarterbacks are typically no more than streamers. In two-QB leagues, any quarterback with a modicum of value is already owned. Fitzpatrick is threading that challenging needle this season, turning himself into a regularly available quarterback with long-term value in one-QB leagues. At least in my estimation. I think he has played well enough to keep the starting gig when Jameis Winston returns, and that the Buccaneers passing game has shown surprising signs of life that suggest he'll be part of the fantasy picture all season long. How do you read this situation? We probably should have discussed Phillip Lindsay in some detail last week, huh? There's no avoiding it now after the undrafted free agent out of Colorado ran for 107 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries in Denver's come-from-behind 20-19 win over Oakland. In the process, Lindsay became the first undrafted free agent in NFL history to top 100 yards from scrimmage in both of his first two games. Royce Freeman, meanwhile, got just eight carries for 28 yards against the Raiders, and has yet to catch a pass. We have to assume that Lindsay is now atop the depth chart in Denver, right? I'll let you plant our wide receiver flag for the week. Who opened your eyes and will be getting your attention at the position on the waiver wire in advance of Week 3? John Paulsen: Fitzpatrick isn’t going to maintain his ridiculous numbers (13.43 yards per attempt, 13.1% TD percentage) but he’s taking full advantage of one of the most dangerous receiving corps in the league. Mike Evans is a legit No. 1 option, DeSean Jackson is showing that he still has speed to burn and Chris Godwin is one of the most talented young receivers in the game. Throw in O.J. Howard and his 4.51 speed at the tight end position, and it’s obvious that Fitzmagic has plenty of tricks up his sleeve. He’s definitely worth streaming in Week 3 at home against a Steelers defense that just got shredded by Patrick Mahomes. I do see a couple of speed bumps in Week 4 (at Chicago) and Week 6 (at Atlanta), which sandwich Tampa Bay’s Week 5 bye. If the Bucs drop either or both of those games against good defenses, the Bucs could quickly turn back to Jameis Winston. But if Fitzpatrick is 4-1 heading into Week 7, I would have a hard time seeing Winston immediately installed as the starter. Whatever fantasy owners spent on Lindsay after Week 1 was probably the right amount. He now has 32 touches for 213 yards and a touchdown through two weeks, while Freeman has 23 touches for 99 yards and a touchdown. At the very least, I think we have to view Lindsay as a Danny Woodhead-type in a committee situation. At best, he’s the lead back in that committee with extra value in PPR formats. And remember, there’s actually upside from here since the Broncos are still giving Devontae Booker 25%-33% of the snaps. Two young receivers emerged as possible waiver pickups this week: James Washington (one catch for 14 yards and a touchdown on five targets in Week 2) and Antonio Callaway (three catches for 81 yards and a TD on four targets). Both players saw more than 80% of the snaps, but I would favor Callaway given the Browns’ decision to release Josh Gordon. That move created quite a bit of opportunity in the Browns receiving corps, and Callaway is in position to take advantage. Washington is also worth a pickup given his ability to compete for 50/50 balls and the quality of his quarterback. Beller: We agree on both Fitzpatrick and Lindsay, and I agree that Callaway is one of the receivers to go after on the waiver wire this week. It’s impossible to ignore the opportunity available in Cleveland with the stunning soon-to-be resolution of the Gordon situation. Avoid the lag! If you want the latest episode of The Monday Morning NFL Podcast in your feed when you wake up Monday morning, then subscribe to The MMQB Podcasts. Running Backs Giovani Bernard, Bengals Joe Mixon will miss 2–4 weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, making Bernard the priority add in all leagues where he is available. Bernard ran the ball six times for 27 yards and caught four passes for 15 yards in the Bengals 34-23 win over the Ravens last week. More importantly, he handled all the work out of the backfield after Mixon left the game, and that’s a trend we can expect to hold true while the starter is on the shelf. Bernard started the final five games of last season for Cincinnati, getting at least 15 touches in all of them, twice toping 130 yards from scrimmage, and scoring two touchdowns. He’ll be a worthy starter as long as Mixon is out. Latavius Murray, Vikings This one applies more to Dalvin Cook owners than anyone else. The second-year player out of Florida State left Sunday’s tie with the Packers because of a hamstring injury, but it did not appear to be much of an issue after the game. Hamstring injuries are rarely minor, but the early indications are that Cook won’t miss any time. Cook owners will want to protect their investment, while fantasy owners who don’t have Cook would be wise to focus their waiver-wire attentions elsewhere. It doesn’t seem that there will be much payoff here from sniping the Cook owner on the wire by grabbing Murray. Jordan Wilkins, Colts Marlon Mack returned in Week 2, but it was Wilkins who again led the Colts’ backfield in carries, yards and snaps. Wilkins was on the field for 24 plays, running the ball 10 times for 61 yards. Mack got the same number of carries, but turned them into just 34 yards. What’s more, Wilkins spent some time getting checked out by the training staff after a minor ankle injury, which likely cost him a handful of touches. More likely than not, this backfield is going to be a fantasy headache all season. Wilkins, however, leads it and should be owned in all but the shallowest of fantasy leagues. Javorius Allen, Ravens Allen played the same number of snaps as Alex Collins in Baltimore’s 34-23 loss to Cincinnati in Week 2. That was largely driven by game script, with the Bengals scoring the first 21 points of the game. Still, what the game showed is that Allen will be a key weapon in the Ravens’ passing game, with the USC product catching five of seven targets for 36 yards. Just as importantly, he got his second short-yardage touchdown of the season, a critical piece of his long-term value. If he were just a goal-line back or just a receiving back, he wouldn’t be much of a fantasy option. With both, however, he can cobble together enough value to be a relevant depth back. Corey Clement, Eagles Clement got a little more run in Week 2, carrying the ball six times for 30 yards and a touchdown, and catching five passes for 55 yards. That owed largely to Darren Sproles being inactive and Jay Ajayi leaving the game with a back injury. Ajayi returned, and even with him missing a few possessions, Clement still got just six carries. He remains a valuable depth back who should be owned in most 12-team leagues, but he’s unlikely to be a regular starter without an injury creating more consistent opportunity. Chris Ivory, Bills This is all about LeSean McCoy’s injury.<doc-sep>
We asked our writers to name their top waiver wire targets at running back and wide receiver entering Week 3 of the 2018 fantasy football season. Here’s what they said. All players are owned in 30% or less of Yahoo leagues. Import your team to My Playbook for instant Waiver Wire advice >> Who’s your top running back pickup of the week? Giovani Bernard (CIN) This is a no-brainer with Joe Mixon set to miss between two and four games with a knee injury. Bernard is going to be the featured back in Cincinnati’s offense and will likely be involved on all three downs. He totaled 53 yards against the Ravens on Thursday with Mixon in and out of the lineup. And when Mixon was injured last season, Bernard averaged 16 touches per game. He can be an RB2 as long as Mixon isn’t playing. Jon Munshaw – @jon_munshaw Joe Mixon suffered a knee injury that will keep him out for the next two-to-four weeks, so Giovani Bernard will be close to a three-down, feature back while Mixon is sidelined. Bernard isn’t as good between-the-tackles as Mixon, but he is an effective pass-catcher and should see close to 20 touches against a Carolina defense that he had some success against, rushing 18 times for 137 yards and a touchdown the last time the Bengals and Panthers squared off. Bernard should be the top Week 3 waiver-wire add in all leagues. Jody Smith – @JodySmithNFL Just narrowly making the cut with a 28 percent Yahoo ownership rate, Giovani Bernard is the clear answer. The 26-year-old back registered 173 yards and a touchdown in two games without Mixon late last season. Mixon will miss at least two weeks after undergoing a knee procedure, so Bernard instantly jumps from afterthought to a solid RB2 who has averaged a career 4.2 YPC and 74.6-percent catch rate. Andrew Gould – @andrewgould4 Joe Mixon is expected to miss two-to-four weeks following a knee scope, making Gio Bernard this week’s top waiver wire add at the running back position. In four games as the Bengals’ lead back with Mixon hurt last December, Bernard averaged 20 touches and 109 yards per game, while scoring twice. Offensive coordinator Bill Lazor sure sounds like someone who believes Bernard can step up again, telling the Dayton Daily News that Bernard is a “warrior” and “pretty effective inside runner,” while explicitly noting that Gio had 30 touches in a game last year. Mark Walton and/or Tra Carson should also be sprinkled in, but even if Bernard isn’t a true workhorse, he should get enough work to be a viable RB2 for at least the next couple weeks. Andrew Seifter – @andrew_seifter From Week 12-16 last season, with Joe Mixon injured, Bernard averaged 19 touches and 18.1 fantasy points per game. The only other backs on the Bengals’ roster are pre-season dud Mark Walton and 2016 undrafted free agent Tra Carson, who has done literally nothing in his career. That sets up Bernard to be the short-term bell-cow for a Bengals offense scoring on 52% of its drives so far, second best in the league. His Week 4 matchup against Atlanta looks particularly juicy, as the Falcons tend to give up big receiving games to running backs and will be without S Keanu Neal and LB Deion Jones. Scott Cedar – @scedar015 Bernard is set to carry the load for the Bengals for the next two-to-four weeks with Joe Mixon missing time with a knee injury. He has little competition for touches and is an excellent receiver out of the backfield. Owners will get RB2 production from Bernard for the short term with added value in PPR formats. As a bonus in Week 4, he will face an Atlanta squad that just surrendered 14 receptions and 139 total yards to Christian McCaffrey. Justin Mackey Javorius Allen (BAL) Javorius “Buck” Allen is not just a disrespected third-down back — he is actually a disrespected satellite plus back. He’s bigger than Alex Collins. He’s 6’0″ and weighs over 220 pounds. Not only can he catch the best out of the Ravens backfield, but he can also vulture touchdowns from the fumble-friendly Collins. Now that the third breakout for Kenneth Dixon has been eliminated, look for Allen to be quite active as both a third-down specialist and a change-of-pace for Collins. The once crowded Baltimore backfield isn’t so crowded anymore. Allen is definitely worth spending a “Buck” on this week.