Fantasy football sleepers to play in Week 3

Here are some sleepers to consider playing in Week 3 of fantasy football.

Fantasy football managers are only entering the third week of the NFL season, but it already feels like a midseason grind given the significant injuries and unexpected performances.

Regardless of whether you started out hot with a 2-0 record or are still looking to grab that first victory of the season, hitting on the right sleepers brings a massive advantage.

Whether it’s selecting the right streaming option at the quarterback and tight end positions or finding a flex option who boosts the entire lineup, the search for sleepers is endless.

We will be using The Huddle’s weekly PPR projections and rankings as a reference to find some potential boom games this week. Don’t forget to check out our start/bench list either.

Fantasy football waiver wire: Week 3 free-agent forecast

Here are the top targets on the waiver wire for fantasy football in Week 3.

The fantasy football season is in full effect and between the injuries and surprise breakouts, the waiver wire will be extremely active in Week 3.

We’ll be taking a look at the top available players rostered in Yahoo, using the 75% rostered mark as the threshold. If you have any questions about prioritizing a certain player over another, don’t be afraid to hit me up on X, formerly Twitter, (@KevinHickey11). Your questions and comments are always welcome!

We also will be taking a look at some deeper players to stash and the top streaming options for the upcoming week.

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Fantasy football waiver wire: Week 2 free-agent forecast

Here are the top waiver-wire targets in fantasy football entering Week 2.

The first week of fantasy football is now behind us, and it’s time to scour the waiver wire entering Week 2 of the season.

We’ll be taking a look at the top available players rostered in Yahoo, using the 75% rostered mark as the threshold. If you have any questions about prioritizing a certain player over another, don’t be afraid to hit me up on X, formerly Twitter, (@KevinHickey11). Your questions and comments are always welcome!

We also will be taking a look at some deeper players to stash and the top streaming options for the upcoming week.

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Fantasy football preview: New Orleans Saints aerial attack

Do the Saints offer fantasy draft picks behind their standout WR1?

In analyzing any team’s passing game for fantasy football talent, everything starts with who is throwing the ball. If you have don’t have an elite quarterback, everyone’s value takes a hit.

The New Orleans Saints do not have one.

In most ADP rankings, Derek Carr is on the cusp of being left off drafted rosters. Do you take Carr over someone like Geno Smith, Will Levis, Daniel Jones or Bryce Young? There isn’t a lot of confidence that Carr can get the job done as anything but a one-week plug-in for a desperate fantasy roster.

One certainty is that Carr has locked in on his primary target – wide receiver Chris Olave, who was targeted 138 times in 16 games last season, catching 87 passes for 1,123 yards and five touchdowns. He’s on the border of a WR1 or WR2 in 12-team fantasy leagues. The rest of those in the Saints’ passing game are a different story. They’ll be fighting for what’s left beyond Olave.

The best fantasy football gamble of Week 17

Will this vertical threat come through for brazen gamers in Week 17?

Every week, at least one player becomes my fascination of whether he’s worthy of a fantasy football start as a streamer. The decision can be a mental wrestling match, but for the purpose of brevity, only one player can be chosen as the fantasy football gamble of the week.

The best fantasy football gamble for Week 17

Tracking my predictions: 4-11-1
Win: Player produces ≥ 75% of projected fantasy points
Loss: Player produces >75% of projected fantasy points
Tie: Player is ejected, leaves with an injury, or lands on COVID-19 list after publishing

2021 record: 8-9-1
2020 record: 5-10-1

New York Giants wideout Darius Slayton occupied this space last week but fell about 15 percent short of the winning threshold. He didn’t hurt anyone who played him, but the parameters for a win or loss weren’t met, so it gets chalked up as yet another “L” on the year.

A similarly skilled receiver is the recommendation this week, and the risk really comes from the perception of the matchup itself.

WR Rashid Shaheed, New Orleans Saints at Philadelphia Eagles

The 24-year-old’s first offensive touch as a pro went into the end zone on a 44-yard run in Week 6, and he followed it up with a 53-yard TD grab the next week. It took a passing month’s worth of action before Shaheed would return to relevance in fantasy, and even then it was just barely.

In the past three games, the Weber State product has collected 11 of 13 targets. He has just three fewer looks than Chris Olave (hamstring) over the last five weeks, though it’s three games played by Olave vs. four, due to a bye week and injury absence. No Saints receiver has more receiving yards than Shaheed’s 280 or his 11.5 PPR points per game in that time. His five targets last week marked a career high, and Shaheen’s floor in the last month has been 7.9 PPR points, so it hasn’t been a total loss when he has been at his recent worst.

Andy Dalton has shown enough respect for what the largely untested Shaheed does in the long-ball game, therefore even a low-volume target tally still makes the young receiver a viable gamble thanks to his downfield skill set. He has averaged a hearty 19.7 yards per catch in 2022, which ranks second among receivers with at least 20 targets and first among wideouts with 15-plus catches.

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On the year, Philadelphia checks in as the ninth-worst matchup for wide receivers, which may be a daunting sight for interested gamers. Rest assured, however, this secondary has fallen on hard times of late as nine of the 15 total WR touchdowns have come in the last five weeks — and at an alarming rate. No team has permitted scores at a higher frequency than the once every 5.3 grabs the Eagles have surrendered. The sixth-lowest weekly volume of receptions produced the 11th-fewest yards, which suggests, in conjunction with Shaheen’s profile, a low-volume, TD-necessary performance should be expected.

The Saints will have to keep pace with Philly’s offense, regardless of whether Jalen Hurts (shoulder) or Gardner Minshew is on the field. If Olave sits out again, Shaheed is the top target for Dalton, and all it takes is one long play for the pass-catcher to live up to a flex spot. A return of Olave may lower the ceiling of Shaheen’s opportunities, while it also allows him to see less defensive attention. Win-win.

My projection: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 66 yards, 1 TD (16.6 PPR fantasy points)