Fantasy Football Week 3 Rankings: Waiver-Wire Targets for Players on Injury List

Depending on how the fantasy football gods have treated you so far, it might seem like the 2018 NFL season is moving at ludicrous speed.

While two games don't make or break a fantasy campaign, the difference between a 2-0 sprint or an 0-2 stumble can feel astronomical.

But there's a ton of race left to run—and, sadly, more health-related obstacles the deeper we get.

We're here to help navigate around those roadblocks. After laying out our standard-scoring rankings, we'll highlight the relevant injury news at each position and identify a potential replacement—available in more than half of Yahoo Sports leagues—to pluck from the waiver wire.

QB Rankings

1. Patrick Mahomes, KC (vs. SF)

2. Tom Brady, NE (at DET)

3. Aaron Rodgers, GB (at WAS)

4. Drew Brees, NO (at ATL)

5. Cam Newton, CAR (vs. CIN)

6. Kirk Cousins, MIN (vs. BUF)

7. Carson Wentz, PHI (vs. IND)

8. Deshaun Watson, HOU (vs. NYG)

9. Ryan Fitzpatrick, TB (vs. PIT)

10. Matthew Stafford, DET (vs. NE)

11. Jimmy Garoppolo, SF (at KC)

12. Ben Roethlisberger, PIT (at TB)

Injury Report

Mark Zaleski/Associated Press

Marcus Mariota is just 16 passes into his season, due to an elbow injury that forced him off the field in Week 1 and never allowed him to see it in Week 2.

While he practiced Friday, he has drawn the ominous questionable label for Sunday's matchup with the vaunted Jacksonville defense.

"It is probably going to take the next 24 hours to make a decision," Titans coach Mike Vrabel said Friday, per the team's official website. "It is pretty much the same as it's been since Wednesday. A little bit of improvement since last week."

If Mariota can't go, that will put Blaine Gabbert back under center for his second consecutive start. Even if Mariota can go, though, owners have to worry whether he's fully healthy or equipped to solve the Jaguars.

This defense has only yielded 430 yards and two touchdowns so far—numbers that grow even more impressive when considering it's already gone up against Tom Brady.

Waiver-Wire Target: Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals (32 Percent Owned)

Bryan Woolston/Associated Press

While we aren't banking on another four-touchdown performance from Dalton, we are taking notice of the statistical impact that offensive coordinator Bill Lazor has made on this passing attack.

"The Red Rifle has now played 16 games under offensive coordinator Bill Lazor," ESPN's Matthew Berry noted. "Here's the list of players with more touchdown passes in that time frame: Russell Wilson and Tom Brady. That's it."

The Panthers are up next for Dalton and Co. The same Panthers just allowed Matt Ryan to connect on 23 of his 28 attempts for 272 yards and two touchdowns—and add two more scores on the ground.

Dalton isn't the most trustworthy option week-to-week (hence the low ownership), but he looks good to go in this one.

RB Rankings

1. Todd Gurley, LAR (vs. LAC)

2. Alvin Kamara, NO (at ATL)

3. Ezekiel Elliott, DAL (at SEA)

4. Saquon Barkley, NYG (at HOU)

5. Melvin Gordon, LAC (at LAR)

6. Kareem Hunt, KC (vs. SF)

7. Christian McCaffrey, CAR (vs. CIN)

8. David Johnson, ARI (vs. CHI)

9. Dalvin Cook, MIN (vs. BUF)

10. James Conner, PIT (at TB)

11. Jordan Howard, CHI (at ARI)

12. Leonard Fournette, JAX (vs. TEN)

13. Kenyan Drake, MIA (vs. OAK)

14. Giovani Bernard, CIN (at CAR)

15. Tevin Coleman, ATL (vs. NO)

16. Matt Breida, SF (at KC)

17. Lamar Miller, HOU (vs. NYG)

18. Chris Thompson, WAS (vs. GB)

19. Dion Lewis, TEN (at JAX)

20. Alex Collins, BAL (vs. DEN)

Injury Report

Rich Barnes/Associated Press

Expect plenty of health-related roster scrambling at this position, although most of it might have been done by now. While a number of notable fantasy backs appear on the injury report, the majority have already been ruled out for Sunday: Jay Ajayi, Devonta Freeman, Joe Mixon, Dalvin Cook, Marlon Mack and Darren Sproles.

The biggest question mark is Leonard Fournette, who ranked eighth in rushing yards (1,040) and tied for third in rushing scores (nine) as a rookie last season.

A hamstring injury kept him out of Week 2, and it will likely lead to him being a "game-time decision" this weekend, per ESPN's Michael DiRocco.

LeSean McCoy is questionable with damaged rib cartilage. It might be best to stay away. He's done virtually nothing this season (16 carries for 61 yards, zero scores), and if he goes, he'll be up against a Vikings defense that has yet to yield either a rushing score or a run longer than 16 yards.

Waiver-Wire Target: Theo Riddick, Detroit Lions (28 Percent Owned)

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

Are we ever comfortable recommending a Lions running back? No, assuming Barry Sanders hasn't quietly assembled a time machine and unretired.

But there are reasons to be intrigued by Riddick in a likely shootout with New England.

Sure, he might only have four carries through two games, but that's not the number to examine. Rather, it's the 19 targets (and 14 receptions) Riddick has received already. For context, he's been targeted more often than teammate Marvin Jones Jr., plus A.J. Green, Brandin Cooks and Larry Fitzgerald.

There's so much to like about the volume with Riddick, and when combined with what looks like it will be a sizable opportunity, it's enough to confidently slot him in as an injury replacement.

WR Rankings

1. Antonio Brown, PIT (at TB)

2. Michael Thomas, NO (at ATL)

3. Julio Jones, ATL (vs. NO)

4. Odell Beckham Jr., NYG (at HOU)

5. DeAndre Hopkins, HOU (vs. NYG)

6. A.J. Green, CIN (at CAR)

7. Tyreek Hill, KC (vs. SF)

8. Mike Evans, TB (vs. PIT)

9. Keenan Allen, LAC (at LAR)

10. Davante Adams, GB (at WAS)

11. Adam Thielen, MIN (vs. BUF)

12. JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT (at TB)

13. T.Y. Hilton, IND (at PHI)

14. Golden Tate, DET (vs. NE)

15. Stefon Diggs, MIN (vs. BUF)

16. Allen Robinson, CHI (at ARI)

17. Emmanuel Sanders, DEN (at BAL)

18. Amari Cooper, OAK (at MIA)

19. Brandin Cooks, LAR (vs. LAC)

20. Demaryius Thomas, DEN (at BAL)

Injury Report

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

The injury report at receiver is less about quantity than quality. Only one notable wideout for sure won't be suiting up: Doug Baldwin, who continues to recover from a knee injury suffered in the season opener.

But Marquise Goodwin is questionable with a quadriceps injury also picked up in Week 1. He has big-play, big-point potential any time he steps on the field, but it's not a given that he will.

"He's not there yet," 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said, per Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle. "Hopefully, he will be by Sunday."

Staying in the NFC West, Larry Fitzgerald also drew the questionable designation. A hamstring problem kept him out of practice Wednesday, then restricted him to limited work Thursday and Friday, per The Athletic's Scott Bordow.

For all the problems the Cardinals have encountered on offense—six total points so far, the league's lowest total by 17—Fitzgerald has found a way to remain productive. The 35-year-old hauled in seven of his 10 Week 2 targets for 76 yards.

Waiver-Wire Target: Dante Pettis, San Francisco 49ers (12 Percent Owned)

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Consider this a Hail Mary, as rookie wideout Pettis has just three catches through two weeks. But if Goodwin can't go or is limited, Pettis might be San Francisco's primary deep threat in a game that should see points tallied early and often.

The total score of Kansas City's first two contests is a whopping 145 points—with 65 of them coming from the opposition. The Chiefs have already allowed four different players to reach 100-plus receiving yards and have surrendered six touchdown receptions (tied for second-most).

Pettis doesn't need a ton of targets to have an impact. His three receptions have gone 96 yards—none shorter than 22 yards—and he scored in his first NFL game.

"His 20.1 average depth of target only trails Baltimore's John Brown thus far," Yahoo Sports' Brad Evans wrote. "Likely to line up often against DB Orlando Scandrick (79.2 passer rating, 0.29 yards/snap allowed) or hobbled Steven Nelson (99.3; 1.30) and with Kendall Fuller draped on Pierre Garcon, Pettis has top-30 appeal."

TE Rankings

1. Rob Gronkowski, NE (at DET)

2. Travis Kelce, KC (vs. SF)

3. Zach Ertz, PHI (vs. IND)

4. Jimmy Graham, GB (at WAS)

5. Jordan Reed, WAS (vs. GB)

6. Evan Engram, NYG (at HOU)

7. George Kittle, SF (at KC)

8. Kyle Rudolph, MIN (vs. BUF)

9. Trey Burton, CHI (at ARI)

10. Jack Doyle, IND (at PHI)

11. Jared Cook, OAK (at MIA)

13. O.J. Howard, TB (vs. PIT)

Injury Report

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

It looks like Rob Gronkowski will, in fact, get a chance to follow-up his monstrous seven-catch, 123-yard, one-score performance in Week 2. He was taken off the injury report Friday after an ankle injury limited him the day before.

There will be no encore for Jack Doyle (seven grabs, 60 yards), though. Colts coach Frank Reich dubbed the tight end "week to week" with a hip injury, per The Athletic's Stephen Holder.

Greg Olsen remains sidelined with a broken foot, and rookie Hayden Hurst is still down with a stress fracture in his. An illness has Antonio Gates listed as questionable, while Jermaine Gresham is labeled the same as he continues working his way back from a torn Achilles.

Waiver-Wire Target: Jesse James, Pittsburgh Steelers (45 Percent Owned)

Joe Sargent/Getty Images

James turned in his first career 100-yard effort last weekend—a five-catch, 138-yard performance to be precise. He also delivered his first touchdown reception since November.

If you're cautious about buying too high on a one-week breakout, that's understandable.

But understand this—he's clearly the preferred tight end target in Pittsburgh, the NFL's No. 2 team in passing yards.

He's been targeted five times each of the first two weeks and could potentially bump that number given that he's produced eight receptions on those 10 looks. Plus, he's likely playing in a shootout for the second straight week, as the Buccaneers are the only team with more passing yards than the Steelers.

Statistics used courtesy of ESPN.com. Fantasy ownership percentages via Yahoo Sports.