Welcome to Week 3 of last-minute moves to make. This article is intended to give you late-week waiver and free-agent advice based on late-week news and gameday inactives. Injuries and other late-week developments can have a huge impact on lines and rosters, and being up-to-date on these, especially before waivers and free agency locks before kickoff is a huge advantage.
Cut Deon Jackson/Stash Trey Sermon
The Indianapolis Colts released Deon Jackson, and Trey Sermon was activated from the team’s practice squad yesterday. The Colts will enter Week 3 with the trio of Zack Moss, Jake Funk, and Trey Sermon. Sermon warrants an addition as a Zack Moss injury away from a starting role in the absence of Jonathan Taylor.
Short week plays
With two Monday night football games again this week and a Thursday game in Week 4, there are a lot of opportunities to stash players for short turnarounds. Last week, we mentioned Matt Breida as a stash in the event of a Saquon Barkley injury. Starting in place of an injured Saquon Barkley on Thursday Night, Breida found the end zone and scored double-digit fantasy points. Some options to explore this week include the following.
Stash Trayveon Williams
Trayveon Williams is the injury-away running back in Cincinnati. The team is playing Monday Night Football, so Joe Mixon would have one less day to recover if injured on Monday Night Football.
Stash Ronnie Rivers
The Bengals play the Rams in Week 3 and the Rams backfield is going through a major transformation. Kyren Williams took over the starting running back duties from Cam Akers in the first two weeks of the season, with the takeover of the job so thorough that Akers was then traded to the Vikings earlier this week. Rivers is the primary injury away player behind Williams. Rookie Zach Evans has disappointed throughout the offseason but could also get an opportunity. He warrants a deeper league stash after Rivers.
Stash Sean Tucker
Tampa Bay also plays on Monday Night Football, and Sean Tucker warrants an addition. Tucker has been a weekly feature of this article, and has consolidated the injury-away role behind Rachaad White. Tucker went undrafted out of Syracuse because of a heart issue, but he has been cleared and would have been a top-100 pick in the NFL Draft. Tucker has outs to start this year if White is injured or struggles.
Stash Craig Reynolds
David Montgomery is dealing with a leg injury, which should create the opportunity for Jahmyr Gibbs to start in Week 3, with Craig Reynolds expected to step into an injury-away role in the backfield. Detroit plays on Thursday Night Football in Week 4, and Reynolds could see a spot start in the event Gibbs is hurt today.
Stash Cole Turner
Logan Thomas suffered a concussion and will miss Week 4. Cole Turner and John Bates will take over the tight end duties. Bates has a limited profile, but Turner has an intriguing profile that could be useful in future weeks if Thomas’s injury lingers or struggles later in the season.