Week 3 Waiver Wire: Knile Davis and Kirk Cousins Highlight Pickups to Know

Did injuries to some of your biggest stars decimate your lineup in Week 2 of fantasy football? Don't worry; you're not alone. We're here to help.

Injuries prior to games hurt, but they can be dealt with by finding replacements. When a star such as Jamaal Charles or Robert Griffin III goes down early in their games, there is no recovering.

If those ailments derailed your fantasy team in Week 2, there's reason for optimism in their replacements. Kirk Cousins, Knile Davis and several others should be worthy of waiver-wire pickups this week after strong performances.

Here's a look at some of the best players to target ahead of Week 3 in fantasy football.

Kirk Cousins, QB, Washington Redskins

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The loss of Griffin might be tough to recover from for owners, but Cousins showed flashes of what he can do in RG3's absence. Griffin went down with a dislocated ankle, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, and Cousins is looking to step up.

Cousins didn't quite put up the rushing numbers owners hoped to get from RGIII, but excelling in the passing game is crucial for the Redskins. In fact, Cousins' numbers overshadowed what Griffin mustered before his injury, per ESPN Stats & Info:

Granted, Cousins' numbers were posted against a porous Jacksonville Jaguars defense. But with two weeks coming up against the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants, owners can rely on him in the short term.

Nothing is guaranteed in fantasy, but Cousins faces those NFC East opponents again in Week 15 and Week 16. If the numbers continue and Griffin misses considerable time, Cousins might be a sneaky waiver-wire pickup to carry fantasy teams all the way through the playoffs.

Knile Davis, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Like Cousins, Davis made the most of his opportunity following an injury to Charles. Unlike Cousins, Davis' fantasy impact might be hampered by Charles returning soon and taking back those carries.

Charles suffered an ankle injury that took him out of the game against the Denver Broncos, per the Kansas City Chiefs' official Twitter account. Following the game, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports and Terez Paylor of The Kansas City Star passed along the most recent news on Charles:

If Charles is forced to miss more time, Davis is the man in the backfield for the Chiefs.

He served a similar role as Charles, rushing the ball for 79 yards and two touchdowns along with 26 receiving yards. In fantasy terms, that's good for 22.5 points and enough to carry a team any week.   

In fact, Michael Fabiano of NFL Network believes Davis will be a hot commodity:

Much of the production for the former Arkansas running back will rely on Charles' health. But if Charles remains on the sidelines, Davis will have more opportunities to put up monstrous numbers.

Niles Paul, TE, Washington Redskins

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If it seems like a position was skipped, that's because not many unknown receivers showed flashes to warrant pickups. Sure, James Jones had another consistent week, but the touchdown came in garbage time, and his quarterback is rookie Derek Carr.

Owners who need a tight end, however, might have found treasure in Niles Paul. Jordan Reed suffered a hamstring injury in Week 1, which caused him to sit out Week 2. Paul has more than stepped up in his absence.

Cousins stepped in and found Paul multiple times, targeting him 11 times for eight catches with 99 yards and a touchdown. That comes after a week in which he posted 86 yards but lost points due to a fumble.

The looming return of Reed could be costly for Paul in the passing game. But with the chemistry shown between Cousins and Paul, this might be a tight end to grab if the numbers for your No. 1 or No. 2 player have been underwhelming.

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