Week 3 Fantasy Football FAAB: Which Players are Worth Spending Big on Early?

FAAB is kind of like playing a game of chicken. You want to go as far as you can (pay as little as possible) without going too far (overpaying) while also not pulling away before your opponent (missing out on your target). There's no way to know if you played it the right way until it's too late.

The best thing you can do is trust your own process and bid what seems like a reasonable amount for a player, careful not to blow your whole budget until a guy who will really make a difference shows up. Maybe that guy will never appear, and that's why it makes sense to be somewhat aggressive early if there's someone who can improve your roster.

Let's look at two players at each offensive fantasy position who are hot names on the waiver wire heading into Week 3 and what reasonable FAAB bids look like for each. Your numbers might vary based on your league and roster needs, but these are good ranges for most owners. Most stats are from NFL.com, and fantasy points and rankings are from FantasyPros.

Use FantasySP's waiver wire tool to find the players who are being added to fantasy rosters most often!

Quarterback

Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders

Cousins didn't have a great first game, throwing for 160 yards on just 5.3 per attempt, but he did find the end zone three times (to go with two interceptions), making it a decent fantasy day. He threw three more touchdowns on Sunday against the Chargers, and this time he added 253 yards on 8.7 per attempt, a fantastic outing as the Raiders beat up on a division opponent on the road.

Cousins is going to have a lower ceiling than many other players because he doesn't run, but we could see him continue to play at least average fantasy football, making him a guy worth considering when the matchup is right (especially when byes start). This week, he goes up against a Saints defense that has been decent so far, so Cousins might be a little lower on the streaming list, but there's a little intrigue here if you're in a deep league and just lost Caleb Williams or Jayden Daniels.

Recommended Bid: $1

Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Young is QB2 after two weeks, sitting behind only Josh Allen. While we expect Allen to keep dealing, Young's case is a little more uncertain, as a guy who is a former top overall pick but also struggled hard for most of his first three seasons. He's not going to average 320 yards and three touchdowns per game all year, but Young could continue to put up good numbers, making him at least a streamer-worthy QB.

If you're one of those owners in a deep league who just lost Daniels for an unknown amount of time, you might be looking at Young as your savior. He definitely has upside to go with the risk; Young is a worthy pickup who could do enough to keep your fantasy team in it until your star comes back.

Recommended Bid: $3-5

Running Back

Kaleb Johnson, Green Bay Packers

There aren't many backfields more unsettled than Green Bay's right now. We don't know when (or if) Josh Jacobs will be back this season, and there are three inexperienced players trying to fill the void in the meantime.

MarShawn Lloyd was expected to be the guy and is owned in pretty much every fantasy league, but he has averaged just 3.0 yards per carry on 19 attempts, though he did catch a touchdown last week (but has just two catches for six yards). Johnson was acquired late in the offseason and didn't play in Week 1 before leading the team in rush attempts on Sunday (eight carries versus six for Lloyd and four for Chris Brooks).

I don't want to trust any of these backs, especially as Green Bay has struggled hard to start the season. Johnson is available in essentially every league, though, so if you're hurting at running back or just hoping for a lottery ticket that could pay off, there are worse options than a third-round pick last year who just led the team in carries. It's a low-risk move if you don't pay much for him and could be a value play if Johnson keeps getting the rock.

Recommended Bid: $1-3

Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

Kamara missed Week 1 before leading the team with 14 touches in Week 2. He was terribly inefficient, gaining just 15 yards on nine carries and seven yards on five catches, but getting the ball is at least half the battle for a running back, and Kamara looks like he could get at least as many touches as Travis Etienne Jr., if not more.

He is especially valuable in PPR leagues, as Kamara has always been a volume pass catcher. Don't get it confused, though: Kamara is a low-ceiling player who hasn't been efficient in years and will have to rely on finding the end zone to have a good fantasy score while splitting touches with Etienne. This is more of a move to make if you are in a super-deep league or just hurting for backs, but there's a little PPR intrigue.

Recommended Bid: $1-2

Wide Receiver

Denzel Boston, Cleveland Browns

Boston has combined for seven receptions, 154 yards, and two touchdowns in his first two NFL games. A lot of that production came from two long scoring plays, but Boston has shown the promise that made him a top-40 pick in April and has been far more efficient than fellow rookie KC Concepcion (10 catches, 71 yards).

While we can probably expect Concepcion to keep touching the ball more, Boston has shown that he can be productive, and he's probably worth a roster spot in most leagues. He's not going to score every game; he won't even approach his current average of over 75 yards per game. Boston will be a threat, though, and will be worth consideration when the matchup is right.

Recommended Bid: $2-4

Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders

Tucker entered the season as the Raiders' WR1 by default, especially after Brock Bowers had minor meniscus surgery right before Week 1. Bowers is going to be back soon (as early as this week), but there are still going to be targets to go around, and Tucker seems most likely to command looks on the outside.

After a mostly anonymous first game (two catches and 27 yards), Tucker had a big day in Week 2, turning five receptions into 119 yards and a touchdown. Tucker is more likely to be a guy who has good games and bad rather than a weekly performer, but that's just fine; that's worth a roster spot in many leagues. He's a guy you can play when the matchups dictate and hope for more production with a decent quarterback under center.

Recommended Bid: $2-5

Tight End

Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans

Schultz had the biggest raw volume day among tight ends in Week 2, hauling in 12 passes for 140 yards. There are a few caveats: Schultz had one of the best tight end matchups available against the Bengals, and C.J. Stroud threw the ball 55 times, as the Texans struggled to get anything going offensively. Oh, and Nico Collins was out, leaving plenty of available targets.

Schultz is generally a very middling fantasy player, and that's fine. He's worth considering when the matchup is right, but he probably had his best matchup of the season in Week 2 and won't come across many games in which so many things are in his favor. Someone in your league might see those big numbers and run to throw extra money down on Schultz, but he is likely to leave you wanting more if you than you get in return if you shell out for him off a huge performance.

Recommended Bid: $1-2

Darren Waller, Carolina Panthers

Waller just keeps coming back for more. He came out of retirement last year to join the Dolphins, and though he found a little success when on the field, he dealt with more injury issues. Now 34 years old, no one would have blamed Waller for going back into post-career mode rather than putting more stress on his body.

When someone wants to keep giving you millions of dollars, though, you take it, and Waller joined on with an improved Carolina offense with a chance to help a weak position and make a real difference. A momentary touchdown was wiped off the board by a penalty in Week 1, but Waller made up for it by finding the end zone twice on Sunday against Atlanta.

Both Tommy Tremble and Mitchell Evans played more snaps than Waller in each of the first two games, and it wouldn't be surprising to see that trend continue. Neither guy is much of a threat in the passing game, though, and Waller will be the one who is looked to more often to catch the ball, especially in the red zone. There will be plenty of quiet games, but Waller will also get looks when the Panthers are close to the end zone.

Recommended Bid: $1-3