Fantasy Football Week 3: Waiver Wire Targets to Pursue

After two full weeks of games, your fantasy team is either riding high and having you feel good right now, or it is slowly falling apart at the seams and you are desperate to find answers wherever you can. 

Thankfully, you have the waiver wire to give your roster an immediate boost. Now that we have some evidence to base our information on, it makes it easier for you to understand why we like a player for at least one more week. 

So without further ado, here are the electrifying early-season performers you need to add to your roster as soon as possible. 

Quarterback

Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams

2012 Stats: 43-for-60, 508 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT

Remember two years ago, when Bradford was the hot rookie on the block? It is a very small sample size, but it appears that last year's disastrous season was just an anomaly instead of a sign of things to come. 

This week, Bradford goes up against a Bears defense that has struggled to stop the pass so far this season. They have allowed 508 yards combined in two games. They aren't completely breaking, as they have only allowed two touchdown passes. 

Danny Amendola, who had 15 receptions last week against Washington, has a nice rapport going with Bradford. 

As long as the offensive line is giving him time in the pocket to find his receivers, Bradford could maintain his performance all year long and be a valuable fantasy asset for your team. 

Running Back

Shaun Draughn, Kansas City Chiefs

2012 Stats: 11 Carries, 85 Yards, 1 TD

If there is one thing you can count on, it is the Chiefs running the ball. They currently rank fifth in the NFL in rushing yards with 302 total after two weeks. 

Jamaal Charles is the incumbent starter and will play as long as he is healthy. However, therein lies the dilemma facing head coach Romeo Crennel. 

According to Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star, Charles is battling a sore knee even though he will be in the lineup on Sunday. 

"

Crennel says Charles had sore knee yesterday but would play vs Saints

— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) September 17, 2012"

Whenever you hear a player has soreness in a knee a year after undergoing ACL surgery, your ears perk up. 

Draughn has performed very well in limited action so far this season, so you have to figure the Chiefs are going to start giving him more opportunities, if for nothing else than to take pressure off Charles. 

Wide Receiver

Danny Amendola, St. Louis Rams

2012 Stats: 20 Rec., 230 Yards, 1 TD

After teasing his appearance earlier, we dive into what will make Amendola a viable fantasy receiver for you in 2012. 

First, his emergence as a PPR superstar last week is going to have owners salivating at the possibilities going forward. While 15 receptions every week is unrealistic, there are reasons to be optimistic. 

For starters, Amendola does have a track record of success in the NFL. It may not be great success, but it is better than nothing. He caught 85 passes for the Rams in 2010.

The Rams use Amendola as a slot receiver who is going to catch a lot of short passes and use his legs to make plays, so you shouldn't expect a lot of touchdowns or yards per reception. But if you need someone to catch the ball, you could do a lot worse than him. 

It also helps Amendola's fantasy value that there really aren't a lot of other options for Bradford to throw to. The team's second-best receiver, Brandon Gibson, has just six catches for 104 yards. 

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