Week 3 of the NFL season didn’t bring the crushing injuries that week 2 did, but there were still players who regressed and others who stepped up and took bigger roles on some teams. The fantasy season is about a quarter of the way done, and this is when you need to tighten up those rosters and get some depth. There are only two ways to accomplish this, trades and waiver adds.
Justin Jefferson WR Minnesota Vikings 31% Owned
Justin Jefferson was a popular deep sleeper in bigger leagues but now has become the add of the week. Most teams didn’t have him rostered, and those that did, had him benched. The Vikings finally started to utilize their replacement for Stefon Diggs this past week, and he looked good. Jefferson (9 Targets 7REC 175YDS 1TD) had the most receiving yards and scored the second-most points at the wide receiver position.
The Vikings looked bad in their first two games and didn’t take the opportunity to use Jefferson. This week, there was a huge change in the Vikings’ game plan, and ended as their closest game to date. Going forward, I see Jefferson as a big part of this offense and he could emerge as a weekly wide receiver or an extremely valuable flex play. Jefferson should only get better and more consistent as the season moves forward.
Jimmy Graham TE Chicago Bears 9% Owned
Jimmy Graham hasn’t been a fantasy asset for the past three seasons, but this year it looks like he has been rejuvenated. The Bears used Graham (10 Targets 6REC 60YDS 2TD) all over the field, running 42 pass routes in their thrilling comeback win against the Falcons. The Bears won’t always be in a come-back situation, but the ten targets show that the coaching staff and quarterback are looking for the TE.
Mecole Hardman WR Kansas City Chiefs 31% Owned
Last season, Mecole Hardman showed off his world-class speed in moments and bursts. The Chiefs were hoping for some consistency in his sophomore season. Up until his breakout on Monday, he looked like a forgotten player in this explosive Chiefs’ offense. Monday night, Hardman (6 targets 4REC 81YDS 1TD) took over the third receiver role and was behind Travis Kelce in total targets for their showdown with the Ravens. Hardman should be picked up before the Chiefs have another huge game. If Hardman can become more consistent, he will jump Sammy Watkins and become a regular part of the Chiefs’ offense.
Extra Pickups: Tee Higgins WR Bengals-9 Targets 5REC 40YDS 2TD; Brandon Aiyuk WR 49ers-8 Targets 5REC 70YDS 3RA 31YDS 1TD; Carlos Hyde RB Seahwaks-4RA 12YDS 1 Target 1REC 11YDs; Rex Burkhead RB Patriots-6RA 49YDS 2TD 10 Targets 7REC 49YDS 1TD; Nick Foles QB Bears-188YDS 3TD 1INT; Tee Higgins WR Bengals-9 Targets 5REC 40YDS 2TD.