In Week 2, we saw more key players go down with injuries, which creates openings on your roster. Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion. He's doubtful to play this weekend. Kansas City Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco is now on IR due to a fibula injury and Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp left Sunday's game because of an ankle injury and will miss an extended amount of time.
Regardless of your league size, I have options for you, starting with multiple targets at the quarterback position. There's a group of wide receivers in here, too, some with big-play upside. I'll even give you a defense that is taking the ball away.
It's time for Week 3, so let's find some streaming options to plug into your lineup.
Players listed below are deeper-league targets, rostered in less than 50% of ESPN leagues entering this week's waiver period. Although you might notice overlap with Eric Moody's waiver wire column that publishes on Mondays, an important distinction is that the options mentioned in this column are solely for this week's matchups and not based on the players' values for the remainder of the season.
Roster percentages are updated each Friday and players from Thursday's night game have been removed. All references to fantasy points are for PPR leagues.
Quarterbacks
Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints (63.2% rostered; vs. Eagles)
Carr dropped 21.82 points on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2 -- his second straight game with at least 21 points -- and we are seeing the impact of new play caller Klint Kubiak in the Saints' passing game. Through the first two weeks of the season, Carr has thrown five touchdowns (compared to only one interception) and Kubiak is setting him up with play-action throws. Carr has now completed 75% of his passes off play-action, with four throws of 20-plus yards. Those are scripted shots down the field. With two big-play targets in Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed, Carr is a solid streaming option for the Week 3 home game versus the Philadelphia Eagles. He's been added in more than 50% of ESPN leagues already this week, but it's worth seeing if he's still there in yours.
Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings (15.1% rostered; vs. Texans)
The injury to WR Justin Jefferson (quad) needs to be monitored this week, as that will impact Darnold's ceiling heading into the Week 3 matchup versus the Houston Texans. If Jefferson can go, however, I really like Darnold as a streaming option, given his recent production and overall fit in the Vikings' passing game. In the Week 2 win over the San Francisco 49ers, Darnold had 268 yards passing and two touchdowns, with one that went to Jefferson for 97 yards on a big-time throw. He also added 35 yards rushing, and has thrown for multiple touchdowns in back-to-back games.
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks (25.8% rostered; vs. Dolphins)
Smith is throwing the ball very decisively on tape, and the emergence of second-year WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba creates even more upside for the Seahawks quarterback. Smith, who scored 17.88 points in the Week 2 win over the New England Patriots, targeted Smith-Njigba a team-high 16 times, connecting on 12 passes for 117 yards. While I would like to see more TD production from Smith (only two scoring throws so far this season), he's had at least four rushing attempts in each game and has completed 70.8% of his throws versus the blitz. There's a lot to like here, and with DK Metcalf on the field, the Seahawks can always dial up some vertical passes.
Wide receivers
Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills (53.8% rostered; vs. Jaguars)
Shakir has posted at least 10 points in both games this season, so he feels like a safer play if you are looking for a deeper-league WR3 option. Shakir caught a touchdown in Week 1, and he caught all five of his targets in the Week 2 win over Miami, finishing with 54 receiving yards. I don't see big upside here, especially in a Bills offense that can be more run-heavy under coordinator Joe Brady, but Shakir has the open-field instincts to create after the catch. Plus, he's caught all eight of his targets from Josh Allen to start the season.
Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers (30.3% rostered; vs. Rams)
With Deebo Samuel Sr. now down with a calf injury, managers can pivot to Jennings for the Week 3 home game versus the Rams. Jennings has caught seven of nine targets for 101 yards this season. He's a chain mover in Kyle Shanahan's system, and he can be schemed as a short-to-intermediate target for quarterback Brock Purdy. He fits here as a WR3 with a potential bump in volume.
Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers (40.8% rostered; at Steelers)
Johnston's 22.1 points versus the Carolina Panthers were a career best for the second-year wideout, and he led the team in targets (6), receptions (5) and yards (51), while catching two touchdowns from QB Justin Herbert. The first? That was what we expected to see from Johnston in the league, using his straight-line speed to separate over the top on a fade-ball throw. While the matchup versus a subpar Carolina defense has to be mentioned here, Johnston did flash potential upside on a team lacking a true No. 1. I want to see more here, but Johnston is a deeper-league flier for this week's matchup at the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Jalen Nailor, Minnesota Vikings (2.8% rostered; vs. Texans)
If Jordan Addison (ankle) is still out, take a look at Nailor for the Week 3 game versus Houston. Nailor has caught a touchdown in both games this season -- each coming on throws in scoring position -- and he posted 14.4 points in the Week 2 win over the 49ers after catching 3 of 4 targets for 54 yards. Nailor also registered an explosive-play reception in that one, grabbing a seam route versus Cover 2, which is what Darnold will see from the Texans defense. Nailor is a WR3 option with scoring upside.
Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts (34.1% rostered; vs. Bears)
For the second straight week, Pierce caught a touchdown from QB Anthony Richardson, while he finished the day against the Green Bay Packers with five catches for 56 yards. That was good for 16.6 points (just one week after posting 21.5 points on just three receptions). We know Pierce has the vertical stretch ability to pair with the arm talent of Richardson, and if Josh Downs (ankle) is still out for the Week 3 game versus the Chicago Bears, he will have more volume opportunities. He's a deeper-league WR3.
Demarcus Robinson, Los Angeles Rams (50.5% rostered; vs. 49ers)
With both Nacua and Kupp out for this Sunday's game at San Francisco, fantasy managers will have streaming options at wide receiver on the Rams roster. Tyler Johnson (12.9% rostered), Jordan Whittington (1.3% rostered) and Tutu Atwell (0.2% rostered) should all see a bump in volume here, but I'm sticking with Robinson as my top choice. The veteran wideout caught 2 of 4 targets for 50 yards in Sunday's loss to the Arizona Cardinals, after posting 42 yards receiving, catching 4 of 7 targets in Week 1. Those numbers don't exactly jump off the page, and the matchup versus the 49ers is shaky, but Robinson will get an opportunity as one of the featured targets for QB Matthew Stafford.
Running backs
Carson Steele, Kansas City Chiefs (55.5% rostered; at Falcons)
The injury to Pacheco opens the door for both Steele and veteran Samaje Perine (3.6% rostered). While I do see Perine being utilized more in Andy Reid's offense as a receiving option out of the backfield, Steele projects as an early-down runner. The rookie might lack high-end traits, but he can play downhill (with very good contact balance) in both zone and gap schemes. Steele totaled 24 yards on seven carries in the Week 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals and could see a boost in volume for the Week 3 game at the Atlanta Falcons. There's plenty to monitor here, as the Chiefs could add a running back to the roster this week.
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings (47.3% rostered; vs. Texans)
Chandler saw a team-high 10 carries in the Vikings' Week 2 win over the 49ers, and he was much more efficient (8.2 YPC) than starter Aaron Jones (3.6 YPC). While Chandler didn't factor into the passing game on Sunday, he can produce as a receiver, as he had three receptions for 25 yards in Week 1. Chandler, who has now logged 18 carries on the season, is a deeper-league option only for the Week 3 game against the Houston defense.
Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (32.6% rostered; vs. Broncos)
Irving has seen at least seven carries in each of his first two games as a pro, and he's been much more efficient on the ground than starter Rachaad White. Irving also added two receptions in the first game of the season. He fits as a deep-league play, and his value could jump on Sunday as White has been limited in practice with a groin injury.
Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys (37.7% rostered; vs. Ravens)
Dowdle got the start in the Cowboys' Week 2 blowout loss to the Saints, and he will continue to play in a backfield rotation with Ezekiel Elliott. However, Dowdle clearly has more short-area and perimeter speed than Elliott, plus he out-touched the veteran, 11-8, on Sunday. Dowdle, who finished with 9.9 points, caught four passes for 29 yards against New Orleans, and he's had at least seven carries in both games this season. He's a deeper-league option if you are in major need of a running back for the Week 3 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
Tight ends
Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals (21.2% rostered; vs. Commanders)
Gesicki caught seven out of a team-high nine targets in the Week 2 game at Kansas City, finishing with 91 yards receiving and 16.1 points. Back in Week 1, Gesicki totaled just 18 yards receiving, so I want to temper expectations here. However, with the potential of Tee Higgins (hamstring) remaining out for the Monday night game against the Washington Commanders, deeper-league managers might want to take a shot here after Geiscki was a deployed as a flex/isolation target for QB Joe Burrow versus the Chiefs.
D/ST
Green Bay Packers (20.4% rostered; at Titans)
Titans QB Will Levis has struggled to protect the ball to start this season, and his overall decision-making has been poor. Levis has turned the ball over multiple times in both games thus far, and now he gets a matchup versus a Green Bay unit that has already recorded five interceptions. It's a good week to roll with the Packers defense after they posted 10 points in the win over Indianapolis.