This article is part of our NFL Waiver Wire series.
This column is geared toward "standard" 12-team leagues and based upon a $100 free-agent budget. Please, please adjust for your league based upon both the number of teams (I'm in a 24-team league, for example) and budget. This column is posted every Tuesday to, hopefully, accommodate the various waiver schedule. I'll update it in the comments section during the week; please keep in mind a lot can change from Tuesday to Sunday.
Week 2 probably seemed like it had a plethora of injuries, but looking closer it wasn't a crazy number of injuries, just that they happened to significant fantasy players early in games. Jamaal Charles and A.J. Green were the most significant of the week, and depending on how long they're out it will open opportunities for potentially the next few weeks to add new players to starting lineups. This week, with many of those attractive options available, examine your roster before bidding. You should consider going on the high range of the recommendations (or even more) if you own Jamaal Charles. Is your team 0-2 with holes to fill for players who aren't producing? Again, go more aggressive. The price ranges here are a guide but shouldn't be set in stone based upon your individual team and league.
QUARTERBACK
Primary Targets
Geno Smith, NYJ - Smith looked sharp Sunday and would have had an even better fantasy game had he not been a victim of a poorly called time out. Smith is an intriguing fantasy option due to his scrambling ability, a quality few quarterbacks possess. To put that in perspective, Smith had 8.6 fantasy points with his legs against the Packers with 26 rushing yards and a touchdown. Converting those stats to passing yards (one point per 25 passing yards), that's adding more than 200 passing yards to Smith's line when comparing his numbers to immobile quarterbacks. The offseason addition of Eric Decker (who is dealing with a hamstring injury) gives Smith a legit No. 1 wide receiver, something he didn't have last season. Looking ahead, Week 4 has six teams on byes (including Peyton Manning), so now might be a good time to stash Smith, who is home that week vs. the Lions, rather than miss out on him or pay more next week. FAAB: $5-10
Kirk Cousins, WAS - There were probably a few calls to the Redskins during the offseason checking on the availability of Cousins. The third-year signal caller looked more than comfortable Sunday during Washington's victory, finishing with a respectable 7.6 YPA, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He has some weapons to target, and it's not a surprise that he and Niles Paul connected on eight passes after practicing together a lot as backups. Pierre Garcon had two monster weeks last season with Cousins under center, and a week of reps together will help Garcon's fantasy prospects for Week 3. Cousins is unlikely to start on many fantasy squads (though this week's matchup vs. the Eagles looks decent) in standard 12-team leagues, but he has enough upside that he may be better than the backup on your bench and is useful in two-quarterback leagues. FAAB $4-8
Hail Mary
Drew Stanton, ARI - Stanton is in a nice setup with the Cardinals and has two 1,000-yard receivers in Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd. The severity of Carson Palmer's shoulder injury is unknown, but one report said he was nowhere close to playing against the Giants. Stanton adds some fantasy value with his legs and averaged more than six yards a carry in limited action last season with the Lions. FAAB: FCFS or $1-2
RUNNING BACK
Primary Targets
Knile Davis, KC - The status of Jamaal Charles is up in the air with the team referring to his injury as a high ankle sprain. Davis is already owned in about a third of fantasy leagues and was drafted because of the scenario that played out Sunday with Charles going down early. Davis has enough talent to start for some teams in the league and had more than 100 yards from scrimmage with two touchdowns against the Broncos. It's tough to figure out the route the Chiefs will take handling Charles' injury. On one hand, the smart path to take would be to allow him as much time as needed to let the ankle heal. On the other hand, at 0-2 they may press Charles back into action in to get back to winning. Davis is easily the top running back add this week with the potential we don't see Charles for multiple weeks. FAAB: $25-40
Donald Brown, SD - One of the players who got hurt Sunday, Ryan Mathews, probably received "good news" as he only sprained his MCL and didn't suffer a season-ending injury like a torn ACL. Brown has upside with 15-20 touches every week until Mathews returns, probably in 4-to-5 weeks. Brown averaged 5.3 yards per carry last season, and it says something that Chargers' GM Tom Telesco brought Brown over from the Colts where the two were together two seasons. He's a great consolation prize if someone already owns Davis or outbids you. FAAB: $25-40
Khiry Robinson, NO - It's pretty disappointing to be a Mark Ingram owner given that it appeared he was in the middle of a breakout season. Fortunately for owners, Ingram played through the broken hand that will sideline him for a month and finished Sunday's tilt with the Browns with 83 rushing yards and a touchdown. Both Pierre Thomas and Robinson will split his touches with Travaris Cadet (FCFS-$1) getting a bigger role as well. Robinson will pick up Ingram's goal-line work and get double-digit carries until Ingram returns. Watch his ability to hang onto the football as he coughed up a fumble against the Browns Sunday. FAAB: $15-20
Hail Mary
Matt Asiata, MIN - It's surprising how quickly the Vikings changed their stance on Adrian Peterson, and Asiata ends up in the "Hail Mary" section with him unlikely to see substantial work in the short term. It's hard to figure out what the team will do with Peterson given that the legal process could last for months, but the NFL could suspend him anyway. There have also been rumblings that Minnesota could trade him, opening playing time for Asiata. He's a power back who has more size than speed and won't average huge yards per carry. With the Vikings behind Sunday, Asiata was heavily involved in the passing game with five catches for 48 yards and a touchdown. FAAB: $1-2
WIDE RECEIVERS
Primary Targets
Davante Adams, GB - While there was a little sleeper buzz and upside with Jarrett Boykin after he won the third wide-receiver job, Adams appears to have moved ahead of him on the depth chart. Boykin had a bad drop early in the game and was replaced in three-WR sets by Adams as the Packers made their second-half comeback. Adams was drafted in the second round to replaces James Jones and is an ideal fit to play the slot in Green Bay. Adams played in a wide-open system in college, leading the nation with 131 catches for 1,709 yards and 24 touchdowns. Playing with Aaron Rodgers is an ideal fit, and the Packers lack a true pass-catching tight end, leaving Adams to be the third option in the passing attack. This is a good example of getting ahead of the curve before Adams goes off and triples his FAAB price in the coming weeks. $8-12
Secondary Targets
James Jones, OAK - Jones has turned into a garbage time hero to start the season scoring in the final two minutes of his first two games with his new team. He looks like he's the top receiving option for rookie Derek Carr with 17 targets, and the Raiders will play from behind a lot this season. Find the highlights from Week 2 against Houston for one of the more comical plays this year -- Jones fumbling twice on the same play. FAAB: $4-8
Mohamed Sanu, CIN - Sanu made two excellent plays Sunday, completing a beautiful 50-yard pass to Brandon Tate and outrunning the defense on a 76-yard touchdown catch. His value is tied directly to the health of A.J. Green (injured toe) whose status should become clearer as the week goes on. If Green were to miss Week 3, Sanu would be a strong flex or low-end WR2 play against the Titans at home Sunday. Toe injuries tend to linger and the injury could bother Green for the rest of the season. That would increase Sanu's role in the Bengals offense, until Marvin Jones returns (likely out another three weeks). FAAB: $4-8
Hail Mary
Miles Austin, CLE - With Jordan Cameron missing Sunday's game dealing with a shoulder injury and Josh Gordan missing another eight weeks, at best, on suspension, Brian Hoyer turned to Austin as his primary target, throwing his way 10 times. One of those targets was a three-yard touchdown, and Austin played a critical role on the Brown's game-winning drive. Austin is a sneaky waiver target especially if Cameron misses more time. FAAB: $2-4
TIGHT END
Primary Targets
Larry Donnell, NYG - Donnell was discussed a little in the comments sections last week and will be the most sought after tight end on the waiver wire. Donnell clearly has a good rapport with Eli Manning, who has made tight ends with lesser athleticism than Donnell household names (think Brandon Myers and Jake Ballard). With the Giants struggling, it looks like Eli will throw a lot this season, and there's a good chance Donnell finishes as a top-10 tight end. FAAB: $8-12
