Fantasy football week 3: Top 10 waiver wire running backs

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Sep 20, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson (31) runs for a touchdown with Chicago Bears cornerback Terrance Mitchell (20) pursuing during the second half at Soldier Field. Arizona won 48-23. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

Running backs are the key to a good season of fantasy football, and a key injury to a back you’re counting on can quickly send your team spiraling out of control. If injuries or early-season uneven production are forcing you to look for an upgrade at the position, check out my top 10 waiver wire running backs on the following slides.

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Running backs can be the hardest position to upgrade in the course of the season since quarterbacks are fairly replaceable in most fantasy football leagues (although not the NFL, I get it) and wide receivers draw from an extremely deep pool of players. To help you get the waiver wire running backs you need, check out my top options on the following slides with a brief analysis of each option and their strengths and weaknesses.

All running backs listed in this post are owned in less than 60% of ESPN leagues as of Wednesday morning and may be available in your league. Depending on how deep your league is, you may need to scroll through to the end of the slideshow to find some options who are still available, but I tried to spread my pickup recommendations out to ensure someone on this list on the waiver wire in your league.

Make sure as you make your roster adjustments, you don’t go too crazy. You definitely don’t want to dump an established option after just a few bad weeks, but that doesn’t mean you should never react and make changes. If you’re not sure what moves to make, I’m always happy to give you my opinion on Twitter @FansidedFantasy.

If you are in need of a waiver wire pickup at another position, check out my top ten waiver wire targets for week 3. There is also expanded coverage of each position available on our fantasy football hub.

As you make your move for the right running back from the waiver wire, make sure to consider your team’s specific need. If you need a player to start right away, then there are some options who make more sense than others who may have higher ceilings but may not get playing time this week. On the following slides, I’ve listed the widely available running backs in the general order I would pick them up. Each league’s scoring and roster structure can vary, so make sure you know your team’s needs and your league’s rules. Feel free to drop any question you have about your specific roster in the comments below or reach out on Twitter.

Let’s get started with the top 10 waiver wire running backs headed into week 3:

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