Week 3: Waiver Pickups - 2011 Fantasy Football

Week 3 Wavier Pickups - Start & Sit Advice. If you are looking for a free agent or waiver wire pickup for your fantasy football team in Week 3, here are a couple of the best options likely available in your fantasy league. Week 3 Waiver Wire Pickups at each starting position are listed, including QB - RB - WR - TE - D. The number before each players name is their overall ranking at their position for week 3 according to my custom position rankings.

If you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comment box below and I will reply back.
- Hawk Michaels @ Hawk Fantasy Sports Blog - www.hawkfantasysports.wordpress.com

Early Week 3 Waiver Pickups - Player Profiles and Stat Projections Will Be Posted Throughout the Week

Week 3 --- QB Rankings --- RB Rankings --- WR Rankings --- TE Rankings --- D Rankings --- Waiver Pickups --- Matchup Picks

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QUARTERBACK

10. Cam Newton - Car = Jac --- 78%
With two consecutive weeks of passing for over 400 yards, Newton has all the makings to be the real deal for fantasy football teams this year. Still available in over 20% of 10 team yahoo public leagues, Newton is a must add waiver claim if he is still available in your league right now. Add in a matchup against the Jaguars defense this week, and Newton should be considered a top 10 starting QB option in all fantasy football leagues for week 3.

12. Ryan Fitzpatrick - Buf = NE --- 63%
The brainiac in Buffalo, Fitzpatrick is absolutely worthy of a roster spot in nearly all fantasy football leagues right now. With the Bills clicking on nearly all cylinders to begin the season, Fitzpatrick should continue to lead the passing attack while Fred Jackson keeps the defense honest with a solid running game. A matchup against the Patriots could easily result in a very high scoring game, with a plethora of passing opportunities for Fitzpatrick to exploit the Patriots so-so secondary.

18. Chad Henne - Mia = @Cle --- 41%

19. Mark Sanchez - NYJ = @Oak --- 63%

20. Kyle Orton - Den = @Ten --- 60%

21. Matt Hasselbeck - Ten = Den --- 18%
Whenever you have a running back like Chris Johnson keeping defenses honest, and a star in the making with young WR Kenny Britt, Hasselbeck definitely needs to be considered a solid spot starter this season. If Champ Bailey is out for the Broncos again this week, then the Hasselbeck to Britt connection could easily be hitting the 100 plus receiving yard and 1-2 touchdown plateau in this game.

24. Andy Dalton - Cin = SF --- 5%
The rookie who hasn't received much attention is making his presense felt in leading the Bengals offense after just two weeks. It would not be surprising to see Dalton continue to get better as a starting QB throughout the season. Now could easily be the best buy low time to get Dalton in deep sized and keeper leagues.

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RUNNING BACK

20. Daniel Thomas - Mia = @Cle --- 54%
Just when you think Reggie Bush is finally a starting caliber NFL running back, Thomas breaks out with a 100 yard rushing performance in his NFL debut. Available in nearly 50% of 10 team leagues after week 2, there is no reason for this rookie to not be owned in 80+ percent of leagues for week 3. The matchup this week against the Browns definitely makes Thomas flex starter worthy, and likely even RB2 worthy in most leagues.

27. Jonathan Stewart - Car = Jac --- 58%
This could be the year that Stewart overtakes DeAngelo Williams as the featured RB in Carolina. After racking up 100 receiving yards last week against a tough Green Bay defense, it looks like Stewart has become one of Cam Newton's top targets.

31. Dexter McCluster - KC = @SD --- 26%
In the same mold of the guy who he could replace, McCluster has all the potential to be a mini version of Jamaal Charles this season, if Charles is indeed out for the year with a torn ACL. Expect Thomas Jones to continue seeing carries, but McCluster is the RB that fantasy football teams will want on their roster if they have to choose between these two Kansas City running backs.

32. Thomas Jones - KC = @SD --- 35%

33. Darren Sproles - NO = Hou --- 73%
Still available in nearly 30% of leagues, Sproles needs to be owned in about 90% of leagues.

34. Ben Tate - Hou = @NO --- 61%
Arian Foster's hamstring issue keeps surfacing, and Tate keeps putting up yards when given the ball.

35. James Starks - GB = @Chi --- 67%
Starks is clearly more valuable to fantasy football teams than Ryan Grant so far this season, and I would absolutely expect to see that trend continue over the course of the season.

44. Deji Karim - Jac = @Car --- 17%

51. Roy Helu - Was = @Dal --- 22%

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WIDE RECEIVER

22. Devery Henderson - NO = Hou --- 64%
With Colston out, Henderson has taken the reins has one of the favorite targets of Drew Brees. Another solid game is likely from Henderson this week, as he is a solid WR3 starting option and boardline WR2 option in all fantasy football leagues for week 3.

23. AJ Green - Cin = SF --- 77%
After tallying 10 receptions for 100 plus yards and 1 touchdown in last weeks game, Green is showing that he could easily be the exception to the rule of fantasy football teams starting rookie WRs. The matchup for the Bengals passing attack this week is favorable, and the Dalton to Green connection could easily loom large once again.

24. Jordy Nelson - GB = @Chi --- 81%

28. Malcom Floyd - SD = KC --- 77%

29. Dexter McCluster - KC = @SD --- 26%
In the same mold of the guy who he could replace, McCluster has all the potential to be a mini version of Jamaal Charles this season, if Charles is indeed out for the year with a torn ACL. Expect Thomas Jones to continue seeing carries, but McCluster is the RB that fantasy football teams will want on their roster if they have to choose between these two Kansas City running backs. McCluster's duel RB/WR eligibility is just an added bonus for fantasy football teams to have this guy on their roster.

37. Nate Burleson - Det = @Min --- 57%

38. David Nelson - Buf = NE --- 5%
Nelson is playing the role opposite of Stevie Johnson to a tee right now. With a smart QB like Fitzpatrick feeding him the ball, Nelson could easily continue to excel this season in his second fiddle role, as he should receive single coverage on nearly every passing play.

39. Eric Decker - Den = @Ten --- 15%

40. Early Doucet - Ari = @Sea --- 35%

41. Jerome Simpson - Cin = SF --- 20%

44. Nate Washington - Ten = Den --- 10%

54. Andre Roberts - Ari = @Sea --- 6%

56. Brandon LaFell - Car = Jac --- 2%

67. Denarius Moore - Oak = NYJ --- 12%
Moore broke out with a huge game in week 2, and even though the matchup this week for Moore and the Raiders passing attack is awful, now is the perfect buy low week to pick up Moore and stash him if you can afford the roster spot.

68. Titus Young - Det = @Min --- 2%

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TIGHT END

5. Dustin Keller - NYJ = @Oak --- 73%
12. Fred Davis - Was = @Dal --- 19%
Whether it is Davis finally putting all the pieces together, or the fact that Grossman loves passing to his TE, it looks like Davis should continue to be an excellent top 15 TE option for fantasy football teams this season as long as Grossman is under center.

13. Jared Cook - Ten = Den --- 37%

17. Scott Chandler - Buf = NE --- 29%
Another week, and another touchdown in the books for Chandler. It looks like Fitzpatrick will continue to feed his TE the ball, and anytime you have a target who is 6-7.…well I would feed him the ball too.

19. Greg Olsen - Car = Jac --- 66%

21. Ed Dickson - Bal = @StL --- 16%

27. Jeff King - Ari = @Sea --- 2%
The underrated and unknown pass catching target in Arizona continues to make a name for himself. If you are in a deep league and looking for TE help, King is absolutely the guy you want to target this week.

29. Evan Moore - Cle = Mia --- 2%

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DEFENSE

4. San Diego Chargers = KC --- 73%
7. Arizona Cardinals = @Sea --- 19%
8. Atlanta Falcons = @TB --- 45%
12. Miami Dolphins = @Cle --- 12%
13. San Francisco 49ers = @Cin --- 57%
18. Cincinnati Bengals = SF --- 2%