September 22, 2026
Colleen Claggett/For PhillyVoice
Tank Bigsby will be a hot commodity on the waiver wire this week for fantasy football owners.
Injuries keep piling up across the NFL as several of the league's most recognizable names – Jaxson Dart, Caleb Williams, Saquon Barkley and more – were banged up and exited early in their respective games.
Injuries also lead fantasy owners to scour the waiver wire in search of the next Wally Pipp, which is why several of our Week 3 waiver claim suggestions might be better in the short term than long haul.
But in a 17-game season – 16 usually for fantasy owners – it's all about doing whatever it takes to win each week.
We're here to help you find the best Week 3 waiver claims:
Bryce Young, Panthers: He's top five in passing yards, passing TDs, yards per attempt, and passer rating – and still available in 67% of Yahoo! leagues. It could just be a two-week flash against bad defenses or he could be poised for a 2024 Baker Mayfield-type season. Maybe something in between. With the bad defenses of the Browns and Lions up next, two weeks could easily become a month of good fantasy value football for him.
Geno Smith, Jets: If you're already struggling at QB, Smith could be intriguing. Don't let the 1 TD pass fool you; Smith is top 10 in pass attempts and the Jets have a bad defense, so they'll be in shootouts mostly every week. Smith will face a trio of bad defenses over the next two weeks – the Lions, Bears and Browns. While everyone zigs to Michael Penix, zag to Geno.
Jonah Coleman, Broncos: If you didn't take our Saturday recommendation to grab him as a sneaky late pickup, shame on you. Now you'll have to duke it out with the rest of your league on waivers. But there's still an opportunity. He's only rostered in 28 percent of Yahoo! leagues and could be RB1 for Denver with J.K. Dobbins and R.J. Harvey both nursing hamstring injuries. The rookie accrued 39 yards on 10 carries and a TD in his debut, adding three catches on three targets for 19 yards.
Tank Bigsby, Eagles: Deep league owners should already have Bigsby, one of the top NFL backups. With Saquon Barkley nursing a stinger, Bigsby could be in line for a larger workload – possibly even start if Barkley is out. He's only owned in 29% of Yahoo! leagues, but you can't wait until later in the week to snag him. He will be a hot waiver commodity.
Emmanuel Wilson, Seahawks: Rookie first-rounder Jadarian Price got his shoulder banged up, leading to Wilson getting 21 carries and producing 92 yards. The 225-pound halfback will also be Seattle's preferred red zone ball carrier, with a bad Commanders run defense up next. Even if Price plays, Wilson should see a decent workload.
Dontayvion Wicks, Eagles: If you were skeptical after his 73-yard, one-TD effort in Week 1 because he only had four targets, Wicks saw six in Week 2 and caught five for 74 yards. He has the trust of Jalen Hurts and with Dallas Goedert sidelined for a few weeks becomes the No. 2 weapon behind DeVonta Smith, with a bad Bears defense up next Monday night. He's available in more than 70 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
Rashod Bateman, Ravens: With impressive rookie Ja'kobi Lane sidelined by wrist surgery and star Zay Flowers shelved from a hamstring injury, Bateman cashed in as Lamar Jackson's top option with 88 yards and a TD on seven receptions and nine targets. Flowers could be back for Week 3 but Bateman should still see plenty of action.
Dalton Schultz, Texans: With Nico Collins sidelined, the veteran TE erupted for 12 receptions and 140 yards on 14 (!) targets. Schultz has always been a good pass catcher. He had more than 100 targets last season on a bad Texans offense. Collins will probably be out in Week 3, so look for Schultz to be a trendy pickup.
Kenyon Sadiq, Jets: At some point, the 16th overall pick will break out and fantasy owners will wish they had scooped him earlier as a bench stash. Do it now while you can. Sadiq is slowly being worked into the offense coming off core muscle surgery in the offseason, but he's the most explosive player the Jets have and very soon will see an uptick in snaps. He is available in 82 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
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