Week 3 Waiver Wire: Early Pickups and Breakout Fantasy Football Candidates

We're only two weeks into the 2017 NFL season, but injuries across the league are already beginning to wreak havoc on fantasy teams. 

From running back David Johnson being placed on injured reserve with the option to return after Week 1 as he receives wrist surgery through to tight end Rob Gronkowski injuring his groin on Sunday, first-round fantasy players seem to be succumbing to injury left and right. 

But that's where the waiver wire comes in. Winning your fantasy league isn't as much about the team you drafted as it is about the side you put together throughout the season, and that's all about waivers. 

When starting players leave due to injuries, there's always someone else waiting in the wings to show what he can do. Sometimes those players simply outplay the player ahead of them and claim the starting role for themselves. 

After most of Week 2 play, there are a handful of players at each skill position who are worth adding to your roster, whether you've got major injuries or are looking to overhaul your bench. 

Players were considered potential waiver-wire options if they were owned in less than 60 percent of Yahoo Fantasy leagues as of Sunday. Scoring stats are in PPR leagues.

Week 3 Waiver-Wire Pickups

Quarterbacks

Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs (18.14 pts; 51 percent own)

Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans (17.70 pts; 13 percent own)

Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens (18.58 pts; 24 percent own)

Running Backs

Javorius Allen, Baltimore Ravens (21.10 pts; 55 percent own)

Chris Thompson, Washington Redskins (25.60 pts; 27 percent own)

Jalen Richard, Oakland Raiders (18.90 pts; 4 percent own)

Wide Receivers

Marqise Lee, Jacksonville Jaguars (14.60 pts; 34 percent own)

Allen Hurns, Jacksonville Jaguars (20.20 pts; 26 percent own)

J. J. Nelson, Arizona Cardinals (23 pts; 18 percent own)

Tight Ends

Antonio Gates, Los Angeles Chargers (9.10 pts; 37 percent own)

Benjamin Watson, Baltimore Ravens (17.10 pts; 1 percent own)

David Njoku, Cleveland Browns (11.70 pts; 7 percent own)

Players to Watch

Javorius Allen, RB, Ravens

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

There are few running backs in football who could replace the hole David Johnson leaves on a roster, but if this is your predicament, consider the Ravens' Javorius Allen. 

Allen is already owned in 55 percent of leagues, so there's a moderate chance he's off the table in yours.

But the secret is finally out on this productive rusher, who led the Ravens in carries on Sunday and finished his day with 14 carries for 66 yards and added another five receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens' 24-10 win over the Browns. 

Part of Allen's success stems from the fact Danny Woodhead is out with a hamstring injury, so fantasy managers considering adding him to their squad will want to keep an eye on the latter's progress. And, of course, the Ravens will still go to Terrance West on the ground. 

But Allen got by far the most snaps of any Ravens back in Week 2, as Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus pointed out:

Allen is a double threat, with the ability to catch passes out of the backfield, so especially if you're in a PPR league, he could bring some big points your way in Week 3. 

Allen Hurns, WR, Jaguars

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Jaguars wideout Allen Hurns should not be available in 74 percent of Yahoo fantasy leagues. Frankly, that's just poor management. 

When Jacksonville's top receiver, Allen Robinson (the other Allen), went down with a knee injury in Week 1, astute fantasy owners should have been rushing to the waiver wire to put in a claim for Hurns. It doesn't matter how stacked your bench is; you likely don't have it stockpiled with No. 1 wideouts.

And that's what Hurns could become in Robinson's absence.

Right now, Marqise Lee (who also appears on this list), is higher on the depth chart, but as Jahnke pointed out, at halftime of the Jaguars' matchup against the Tennessee Titans, Hurns actually had significantly more snaps:

Hurns finished the game with six receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown, earning him 20.20 points in PPR leagues. 

Those are definitely high WR2/flex numbers. 

Benjamin Watson, TE, Ravens

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Another Raven? Indeed, and this time it's 36-year-old veteran Benjamin Watson, who put up 17.10 points on Sunday. 

It's not surprising that Watson is only owned in one percent of leagues. In addition to his age, he is coming back from an Achilles injury. 

As Alex Gelhar of NFL Fantasy pointed out, the Ravens used Watson like a No. 1 tight end against the Browns, playing him on the majority of the offensive snaps:

By the end of the game, he had accumulated 17.10 points thanks to his eight receptions for 91 yards. 

This is admittedly a bit of a deep dive; Watson is behind Nick Boyle on the Ravens' depth chart, and the team also has Maxx Williams, whom it drafted in 2015. 

But as Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun reported on Sunday, Williams left the game in a walking boot. That makes Watson an even more intriguing pickup, especially if you have had injuries at the tight end position and/or can use tight ends at your flex spot. 

Scoring stats and ownership stats via Yahoo and current as of Sunday, Sept. 17.