Fantasy Football Week 3 Running Back and Wide Receiver FAAB Bids: Troy Franklin, Bhayshul Tuten, and More

Your FAAB strategy will change week to week. Early in the season, it's fine to be stingy with your available dollars and wait for a big fish to flop on the deck. As the year goes on, though, it's often better to start using your budget before getting stuck with no one to use it on or overpaying for mediocre players.

We're only in Week 3, so it's not time to start panic-spending yet, but be aware of places where you can upgrade your roster, especially for just a few dollars.

Let's look at some of the hottest running backs and wide receivers on the waiver wire and what reasonable FAAB bids might look like. These are just ranges; your roster and needs might push your number a little higher or lower. I'm basing all bids on a $100 budget.

Some insight on the terms used below:

• Conservative bids are for players you would expect to be bench guys who maybe factor in here or there.
• Need bids are for those you would consider most weeks and play at least half the time.
• Desperation bids are for the guys you would plug into your lineup and expect to be near-weekly fixtures.

Check out the FantasySP waiver wire tool to keep up with the players being added most ahead of each week.

Running Back

Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons

As a rookie, Allgeier ran for 1,035 yards. Then the Falcons drafted Bijan Robinson in the first round, and Allgeier was relegated to backup duty, averaging around 660 yards the past two seasons. There was a little opportunity, but not enough to be a steady fantasy presence when Robinson was on the field.

Over the past two seasons, Allgeier received double-digit carries in 13 of 34 games. He has received 10 and 16 carries, respectively, in the first two games of 2025. Atlanta pounded the rock against Minnesota on Sunday night, running 22 times with Robinson (for 143 yards) to go with Allgeier's 16 carries (for 76 yards). The Falcons' best bet is to rely on the run game, but it's unlikely that Allgeier will get that volume often.

Atlanta was winning and having success running the ball; there was no need to change. When the Falcons have to throw the ball, though, Allgeier's usage will go down, as Robinson is always going to lead the backfield pass-catching group.

Allgeier is a fine fantasy bench player, but don't get sucked into thinking he can be a weekly option even as a flex player. He should only be in your lineup in a very deep league or when he has the best matchups.

Conservative Bid: $1-2

Need Bid: $3-4

Desperation Bid: $5-6

Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars

Tuten got a boost after last week's game when the Jaguars traded backup running back Tank Bigsby to the Eagles. That moved Tuten into the secondary role behind Travis Etienne, and the rookie took advantage in Week 2, turning eight carries into 42 yards (5.3 per carry) and two receptions into 32 yards and a touchdown.

Etienne had 14 carries and two receptions of his own, also scoring a touchdown through the air. While the veteran led the way, Tuten was close in usage. After the Bigsby trade, I thought it would clear the way for Etienne as the leader in the backfield rather than benefitting Tuten. Turns out the rookie might force his way into the rotation.

We still have to treat Tuten as an RB2, and that's a player with a fantasy ceiling because he won't touch the ball as much. Even with expanded usage, Tuten will have inconsistent games, making him risky to put in except for as a flex in the best matchups.

If he keeps gaining a higher percentage of the touches, Tuten will graduate toward a more weekly status, but for now, he's a good bench player with a little upside, especially if Etienne were to suffer an injury.

Conservative Bid: $2-3

Need Bid: $4-6

Desperation Bid: $8-11

Wide Receiver

Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos

Franklin had a huge week, catching eight passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. No one else on the Broncos had more than three receptions or 24 yards. Bo Nix was OK, throwing for 206 yards at 6.9 per attempt, but Franklin is the only pass catcher who made a consistent impact throughout the game.

Courtland Sutton had an anonymous day, totaling just one catch for six yards. Sutton had four targets versus Franklin's nine. In Week 1, Sutton had nine targets and Frankin six targets, more of what we can probably expect most weeks. While Franklin is an interesting player, Sutton is the established top dog.

Bid on Franklin as if he were a second receiver who gets some volume. That's a worthy bench player who can be deployed in the right matchups, especially when bye weeks start.

Conservative Bid: $1-2

Need Bid: $3-6

Desperation Bid: $8-11

DeAndre Hopkins, Baltimore Ravens

Hunter Renfrow, Carolina Panthers

Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants

A lot of lightly owned names broke into the top 30 receivers, something that would make owners take notice. I broke them into two categories, and we'll start with the group that could conceivably be the WR2 on their team. Each player has a receiver clearly in front of him but could argue to be the next guy in line.

All three of the guys listed here were secondary targets on Sunday despite their good fantasy days:

• Hopkins had two catches for 64 yards and scored a touchdown for the second straight week, but Zay Flowers will always lead the Ravens (he had seven receptions and 75 yards).
• Renfrow caught seven passes for 48 yards and two touchdowns, while Tetairoa McMillan had six catches for 100 yards.
• Robinson's eight catches, 142 yards, and one touchdown were all somehow overshadowed by Malik Nabers, who went for nine, 167, and two.

Treat these players as if they could find WR2 volume, though none of the three are likely to turn into weekly starters. Instead, they will ebb and flow with the matchups and be fantasy WR3/4 types some weeks.

Conservative Bid: $0-2

Need Bid: $3-4

Desperation Bid: $5-6

Dyami Brown, Jacksonville Jaguars

Tyquan Thornton, Kansas City Chiefs

Devontez Walker, Baltimore Ravens

This second group also had good days in Week 2, but they don't really have the WR2 upside on their team that could sustain any type of consistency. I'm not excited about any of the three in a fantasy sense unless they show an extended stretch of production.

Brown has the best argument based on the first few weeks. Presumed top receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has been anonymous for the Jaguars, and Brown has filled some of that hole. He had three catches for 52 yards in Week 1 and five receptions for 57 yards in Week 2. Brown even ran the ball three times for 15 yards.

Brown leads the Jaguars in yards and is second in receptions but is third in targets behind Thomas and Travis Hunter. That is likely to be the pecking order, with tight end Brenton Strange and the running backs also part of the attack, so Brown's target share may waver. He might be worth an extra dollar or two more than the other guys here if you're really intrigued.

Thornton had two catches in Week 1, one for three yards and one for 38 yards. He had a similar distribution in Week 2, catching a 10-yard pass and a 49-yard touchdown for his two receptions. That's great when the big plays hit, but Thornton won't always get those chunks, and other Kansas City receivers will return to push him down even further in the rotation.

Walker had one reception as a rookie last year: a 21-yard touchdown. After not playing any snaps in Week 1, he had two receptions in Week 2: a 24-yard touchdown and a 12-yard touchdown. He really makes his receptions count! It's unlikely that he makes that sort of impact moving forward unless he starts hauling in a lot more passes.

Conservative Bid: $0-1

Need Bid: $2

Desperation Bid: $3