Fantasy Football: Week 3 Best Waiver-wire Targets

If the risk ahead of Week 2 is too draw conclusions too soon, the dilemma ahead of Week 3 is whether it's sensible to hop on the bandwagons that have started rolling in the opening games of the season.

While a complete roster overhaul might be counterproductive, scouting the waiver wire is always sensible.

Here are some valuable players to keep an eye on ahead of Week 3.

Wide Receiver

John Brown—Baltimore Ravens (16.4 fantasy points on average; Owned by 24.1% of ESPN Fantasy Football teams)

Brown has scored two touchdowns in the first two games of the season, receiving seven of 14 targets for a total of 136 yards. Yet, he somehow remains owned by less than a quarter of fantasy football players. He's just outside the top-20 of highest-scoring wide receivers in fantasy football points and definitely worth adding.

Mike Williams—Los Angeles Chargers (11.9 fantasy points on average; Owned by 35.3% of ESPN Fantasy Football teams)

Williams remains third in the pecking order in Los Angeles but has already scored one touchdown this season and received seven of its eight targets. Now fully fit after a rookie season curtailed by injury, he is a good option to add to any roster.

Antonio Callaway—Cleveland Browns (8.9 fantasy points on average; Owned by 3.8% of ESPN Fantasy Football teams)

With Josh Gordon out of the picture, expect Callaway to see his volume increase over the next few weeks. The former Florida student was the Browns' main target in week 2, receiving three passes for 81 yards and one touchdown.

Quarterback

Ryan Fitzpatrick—Tampa Bay Buccaneers (36.1 fantasy points on average; Owned by 31.7% of ESPN Fantasy Football teams)

Fitzpatrick has had a great start to the season, becoming the first quarterback to post two 400-yard, four-plus touchdown games in the first two weeks of the season in NFL history. He tops the scoring for quarterbacks and the fact his roster percentage jumped 29.8 percent after Week 1 speaks for itself. Hop aboard the bandwagon.

Andy Dalton—Cincinnati Bengals (21.6 fantasy points on average; Owned by 18.2% of ESPN Fantasy Football teams)

Two 200-yard plus games with a combined six touchdowns speaks volumes for how well Dalton's season has started. Carolina, the Bengals' opponent in Week 3, saw its defense torn apart by Atlanta in Week 2 and will be eager to rectify their mistake but Dalton remains worth adding for depth. Despite his impressive start, his roster percentage has declined by 6.3 percent.

Blake Bortles—Jacksonville Jaguars (22.9 fantasy points on average; Owned by 10.2% of ESPN Fantasy Football teams)

Bortles threw for 377 yards and four touchdowns as the Jaguars beat the Patriots in the rematch of last season's AFC Championship game. Despite an interception, his figures were worth 32.6 fantasy points. With the Titans and Jets due next in Jacksonville, Bortles is a shrewd addition.

Running Back

Giovani Bernard—Cincinnati Bengals (5.1 fantasy points on average; Owned by 39.5% of ESPN Fantasy Football teams)

With Joe Mixon set to be missing for up to four weeks, Bernard is expected to fill in the featured role for the Bengals. The fact he averaged 4.4 yards per catch last season—4.2 in his career—shows he's not just a stop-gap solution either.

Austin Ekeler—Los Angeles Chargers (18.2 fantasy points on average; Owned by 43% of ESPN Fantasy Football teams)

Ekeler featured in this column last week by virtue of being the most reliable pass-catcher for the Chargers in Week 1 and his roster percentage has since rocketed by 31.6 percent. The sophomore had 77 rushing yards against the Bills on Sunday and added three receptions for 21 yards.

Javorious Allen—Baltimore Ravens (14.8 fantasy points on average; Owned by 18.8% of ESPN Fantasy Football teams)

Allen's inclusion might seem hard to justify given he's carried for only 25 yards this season, for a paltry 2.5 yards on average. However, the former USC student has also added two rushing touchdowns and 51 receiving yards and could be a smart addition.

Tight End

Eric Ebron—Indianapolis Colts (13.4 fantasy points; Owned by 35.6% of ESPN Fantasy Football teams)

Ebron has scored a touchdown in both of the first two games of the season, receiving seven of its nine targets for an average of 11 yards. He provides a good alternative in a position lacking depth.

Jesse James—Pittsburgh Steelers (16.9 fantasy points on average; Owned by 3.3% of ESPN Fantasy Football Teams)

James caught all five of his targets for 138 yards and a score in Week 2 and is the second-highest scoring tight end. While he's not one of Pittsburgh's primary receivers, he has upset the depth chart and eclipsed Vance McDonald so far this season.

Austin Hooper—Atlanta Falcons (11.2 fantasy points on average; Owned by 17.5% of ESPN Fantasy Football Teams)

Hooper caught all his five targets for 59 yards and a touchdown on Sunday and now comes up against a Saints defense that has allowed 663 passing yards in the first two games. He's a good depth option.