10 Gutsy Fantasy Waiver Wire Pickups

In fantasy football, most owners are actually a week late to the waiver wire. A few gutsy ones, however, are occasionally rewarded for taking chances on lesser-known players. 

Every week, there are a few players who come seemingly out of nowhere and have big games. Finding these gems before they break out can make your season.

Heading into Week 3, we have already seen a number of these kinds of performances. It's still very early though, so owners should continue to be proactive.

Here are 10 gutsy waiver wire pickups for Week 3.

To be eligible for this list, players had to be owned in under 35 percent of leagues, per Yahoo Fantasy Football statistics.

Cordarrelle Patterson

There is a reason Minnesota spent a first-round pick Cordarrelle Patterson. He has just three receptions so far this season, but there is hope for the rookie wideout.

Head coach Leslie Frazier said that they needed to get Patterson more involved in the offense, which is a good sign.

Patterson averaged nearly 17 yards per reception at Tennessee and could be a game-changer for the Vikings.

Coby Fleener

Coby Fleener caught just 26 passes as a rookie last season, but there is some reason to have faith in the big tight end. 

First off, he has undeniable chemistry with his former college roommate and current quarterback Andrew Luck.

But more importantly, Fleener will now be the primary tight end target with the unfortunate news of Dwayne Allen's season-ending injury. Fleener had eight targets with Allen out in Week 2, and should have a lot more games like that now.

Terrelle Pryor

After a dicey end to his college days at Ohio State, a lot of people are hesitant to trust Terrelle Pryor as an NFL (and fantasy) quaraterback. But he has some real fantasy upside as Oakland's unquestioned starter.

This article by Bleacher Report's Christopher Hansen breaks down why Pryor took a big step back in Week 2 after a big season debut.

The fact is, even if you average out Pryor's stats from the first two games (172 pass yards, 81 rush yards), you still get a serviceable starter with immense upside.

Robert Turbin

It may seem odd to pick up a clear-cut backup running back at this stage in the season when the starter in front of him has not had any health concerns, but Robert Turbin is a special case.

The Seahawks are an extremely run-heavy team, and Turbin is an impressive runner who has a 4.5 YPC average in his two-year career.

Marshawn Lynch also has a history of injuries, and Seattle will want to keep him healthy for the playoffs, so Turbin could average as high as 10 carries per game as the season wears on.

Robert Woods

Robert Woods had a bit of a disappointing final season at USC and his draft stock dropped accordingly. But the rookie wideout is a really talented receiver who could improve a lot as the year goes on.

He has overtaken T.J. Graham as Buffalo's second starting receiver, and was targeted six times in Week 2, converting four catches. If he keeps getting that kind of volume of work, he'd be a heck of a waiver wire pickup.

Zach Sudfeld

Remember this guy? Zach Sudfeld was all the rage in the preseason, and then put up a goose egg in Week 1 and missed Week 2 with an injury.

But here we are heading into Week 3, and the Patriots offense looks as bad as it has in a decade with no reliable offensive weapons.

The Boston Globe says Rob Gronkowski is unlikely to play on Sunday, so Sudfeld still has the potential to fall into favor with Tom Brady and get a ton of targets. 

Daniel Thomas

On the outside, this situation may look a little like Turbin's, but Daniel Thomas actually has the potential to steal carries from the current starter instead having to wait and receive them.

In Week 2, Lamar Miller took a big step up from his awful opening performance, but there's no guarantee that he will stay consistent.

Thomas, who scored a touchdown in Week 1, averaged over 10 carries per game in his first two seasons and that number could rise this year.

Marlon Brown

With Jacoby Jones out for the foreseeable future, rookie Marlon Brown is making his case to be considered a legitimate fantasy weapon even though nobody seems to be paying attention.

The Ravens have no reliable targets outside of Torrey Smith, and Brown catching a touchdown in each of the first two games is encouraging, as is his 12 targets and 13.8 YPC average.

E.J. Manuel

People may have been surprised when E.J. Manuel was the first quarterback taken in the draft, but everyone needs to finally catch on to just how good he really is.

Considered a dual-threat quarterback, Manuel has really proven how good of a passer he is through two games.

446 total yards and three touchdowns is impressive, but his 68.2 completion percentage is what really stands out. Rookie quarterbacks are always risky, but this risk will be worth it.

Jacquizz Rodgers

I'm not a fan of relying on 5'6" running backs to carry the workload, but Jacquizz Rodgers is a gamble worth taking with Steven Jackson possibly being out two-to-four weeks, per Ian Rapoport.

Rodgers' explosiveness makes him an intriguing fantasy option as the Falcons number one back. He may not get the short-yardage carries, but he had 53 catches last year and he should get a lot more touches now with Jackson out.