Fantasy Football: Waiver wire pickups for week 3

Week 2 was quite the mess. There’s a very good chance that you’ll need to replace one, if not two players from your fantasy roster. Here are some names to search for on your waiver wire.

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Kirk Cousins (QB, Washington Redskins)

RG3 is hurt… again. Kirk Cousins once again showed why he’s one of the most valuable backups in the entire league by throwing for 250 yards and 2 TDs. Okay, maybe it helped that he was facing Jacksonville, but he has shown that he’s very capable of starting. RG3 has been diagnosed with a dislocated ankle and he could be out for a long time, if not the entire season. If you own RG3, Cousins is a must pickup.

Beware, Washington doesn’t play Jacksonville every week, and teams will have time to develop a game plan for Cousins.

Matt Asiata (RB, Minnesota Vikings)

While Matt Asiata didn’t wow anyone with his rushing totals, he did show an ability to catch balls out of the backfield. Asiata isn’t flashy, nor does he have the game breaking speed like Adrian Peterson, but he’s going to get the majority of the touches while Peterson is out. Asiata had 18 touches compared to 4 by the rookie Jerick McKinnon. Also, if the Vikings ever get near the goal line, it’s expected that the bigger Asiata will get the carries to punch it in, which increases his value. Who knows when Adrian Peterson will return? It could be a soon as this week. Still, if you’re a Peterson owner or if you need some short term (for now) RB help, Asiata’s your man. Even when Peterson returns, he could be a goal-line back.

Kelvin Benjamin (WR, Carolina Panthers)

The rookie out of Florida State had a bit of a dud against Detroit after a stellar debut against Tampa Bay, recording only 2 catches for 46 yards on 8 targets. So why am I including him in this list? 8 targets is why. Benjamin’s 8 targets tied for the team lead with Greg Olsen. While Benjamin couldn’t cash in on those targets, it’s clear that he’s a focal point of the passing game. Benjamin will be inconsistent this year because he’s a rookie, and the fact that he’s not as polished of a route runner. However, his size and strength give him great upside, especially near the goal line.

Bobby Rainey (RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

22 carries for 144 yards and 3 catches for 30 yards. Those are Bobby Rainey’s numbers from this past Sunday against the St. Louis Rams. Rainey looked fresh and spry, which is more than what I can say about Doug Martin’s performance last weekend. Martin will be the starter once he returns from his injury, but Rainey clearly has shown that he needs to be involved in the game plan. Remember, Rainey had two 100 yard rushing performances in 2013 while subbing for the injured Martin. If Doug Martin can’t bring his performance up, there’s a small chance that Rainey could take over the starting role.

Travis Kelce (TE, Kansas City Chiefs)

Boy, the hype on this guy during the preseason was unreal, but deserving. While Kelce’s debut against Tennessee was nothing to write home about (3 catches for 27 yards), so a lot of people immediately wrote him off. This Sunday against the Broncos, Kelce showed off his talent by leading the Chiefs in receiving yards with 81 yards on 4 catches. The Kansas City receiving corps isn’t spectacular by any means and Kelce has the opportunity to be a force down the field.

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