Waivers of the future will focus on making decisions that improve our odds of our dynasty championship. The back of your dynasty roster should be flexible, with preferences made for players you can use in your lineup during the season.
Quarterbacks
Among the quarterbacks, there are two types of waiver options: those moving up this week and veteran backups.
Moving Up This Week
Joe Burrow reported an aggravation of his calf injury during Week 2, and his status for Week 3 is uncertain. We like Burrow to play in Week 3, but there is a chance this is a longer injury. Browning warrants a small waiver add in the event this injury lingers.
Anthony Richardson suffered a concussion in Week 2, and has entered the concussion protocol. Richardson is questionable for Week 3 and Gardner Minshew would start in the event Richardson misses time. Minshew threw for 171 yards and a touchdown on 23 attempts in Week 2 in relief of Richardson and could be an option for dynasty teams in Superflex leagues. If he was not already rostered, Minshew warrants a small waiver add because the injury does not project to be a long-term absence.
Veteran Backups
As a general rule, you should have a limited amount of backup quarterbacks on your monitor list. With roster spots tight, optimized dynasty rosters under 25 spots in Superflex or quarterback premium. If you are in 25 to 35-man rosters and have a roster spot, these quarterbacks are the premium backups:
- Mike White, MIA
- Tyler Huntley, BAL
- Cooper Rush, DAL
- Jacoby Brissett, WAS
- Taylor Heinicke, ATL
- Teddy Bridgewater, DET
- Jameis Winston, NO
Continue reading this content with a ELITE subscription.
An ELITE subscription is required to access content for Dynasty leagues. If this league is not a Dynasty league, you can edit your leagues here.
Running Back
One of the keys to dynasty fantasy football is continuously optimizing your backup running back situation. The last five to ten roster spots on your roster should be very fluid, with little allegiance if the player does not offer the capacity to help your lineup. A constant churn on the back end of your roster is critical.
Moving Up this Week
The following running backs have improved this week and are available in more than 50% of MFL leagues.
- Jerome Ford (47% available)
Nick Chubb suffered a gruesome knee injury in Week 2, leaving Jerome Ford as the top running back on the Cleveland Browns roster. Ford had a near miss on a 70-yard touchdown in relief of Chubb and should get the first opportunity to take over the backfield. The team could add another back - and former Brown Kareem Hunt is still a free agent - but Ford has a chance to be the best running back on the roster. Ford warrants an aggressive bid in formats where he is available. Pierre Strong Jr also warrants a small addition as he projects to be an injury-away back behind Ford.
- Elijah Dotson (89% available)
Austin Ekeler has an ankle injury that held him out of Week 2, and head coach Brandon Staley said there is no timeline for his return. Josh Kelley got the spot start against a tough Titans defense and will continue to start for the Chargers in Week 3. Rookie Elijah Dotson was active in Week 1 ahead of Isaiah Spiller and played ahead of Spiller in Week 2, so he would be the primary injury away back in the event Kelley is injured. He warrants a small bid on the back of your roster.
- Matt Breida (75% available)
Saquon Barkley suffered an ankle injury, which is expected to keep him out for Thursday's matchup against San Francisco and potentially longer. Breida should get the first opportunity in a tough matchup against San Francisco in Week 3 and potentially Week 4 against Seattle. Breida is the type of back that warrants a roster spot before his starter gets injured, but if he is available, he warrants a 5-10% bid.
- Sean Tucker (60% available)
Sean Tucker has jumped over Ke'Shawn Vaughn on the depth chart and should be the primary injury away, with Chase Edmonds suffering what projects to be a multiple-week knee injury. Tucker went undrafted out of Syracuse as a result of a heart issue but has been cleared and would have been a top 100 pick in the NFL Draft. Tucker has outs to start this year if White struggles or suffers an injury and warrants a small bid.
- Tony Jones (98% available)
The New Orleans Saints running back corps is in a rough spot entering Week 3. Alvin Kamara is still suspended for Week 3. Kendre Miller is still nursing a hamstring injury that held him out for the first two weeks. Then Jamaal Williams suffered a hamstring that forced him out of Monday Night Football. Jones scored two touchdowns while managing 12 carries and 34 yards in relief of Williams in Week 2. Week 3 could be a single spot start for Jones before Kamara returns. New Orleans has a favorable matchup against Green Bay in Week 3 against a defense that has given up a rushing success rate of 41%, the 21st in the league through two weeks. Jones warrants a small waiver bid unless there is pre-waiver news on Kendre Miller playing in Week 3.
Other Backups
Other backups or free agents with high availability include:
- Kareem Hunt (50% available)
- Rico Dowdle (42% available)
- Ty Chandler (60% available)
- Leonard Fournette (60% available)
- Keaontay Ingram (71% available)
- Salvon Ahmed (89% available)
Wide Receivers
The odds wide receivers from the waiver wire will become big difference-makers on your dynasty roster are very small. For every Tyreek Hill, there are 100 Travis Fulghams. Your strategies on the wide receiver position should be to find immediate lineup help or a flip candidate.
- Tank Dell (60% available)
Tank Dell ran 45 routes on 55 dropbacks and had a team-high 10 targets in Week 2, taking over the starting job with Noah Brown on injured reserve. Dell was a very productive college receiver and has an open opportunity in a better-than-expected offense through two weeks.
Tight Ends
Tight end in changing circumstances who warrant waiver consideration include:
- Donald Parham (80% available)
Donald Parham took over the leading snap share and route share among the Chargers tight ends in Week 2. Parham was only targeted twice on his 19 routes, so he is not yet a trustworthy lineup option at present. In shallower leagues, he does not warrant a waiver bid, but in deeper or premium formats, Parham warrants a small waiver bid if he is available.
- Adam Trautman (68% available)
Greg Dulcich suffered a hamstring strain in Week 1 and was placed on injured reserve before Week 2. Adam Trautman saw the starter volume in Week 1, playing 46 of the 64 snaps and running routes on 23 of the 37 routes before running 29 routes on 42 dropbacks in Week 2. Trautman has not been productive yet, but he warrants a small bid and could be a weekly flex consideration in 2PPR formats for tight ends.