With three weeks of NFL games complete, fantasy managers are starting to get a full picture of which teams and players will be legitimate fantasy options for the remainder of the 2020 season.
The New York Jets and New York Giants are looking like teams to completely avoid. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers are taking the league by storm, making even lesser-known players potentially enticing fantasy pickups.
Injuries are also a major factor this season, with superstars like Saquon Barkley, Michael Thomas and Christian McCaffrey suffering serious ailments. These injuries around the league are opening up more opportunities for other players.
The following waiver-wire suggestions are rostered in less than 60 percent of ESPN.com fantasy leagues as of 1 p.m. ET on Monday.
Free-agent budgets based on leagues with $100 for a whole season.
QB Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (15.5 Percent Rostered)
DraftKings DFS Value: $5,800
A freak injury to veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor opened the door for rookie quarterback Justin Herbert to prove himself the past couple of weeks. So far, the Los Angeles Chargers have to like what they've seen from their first-round pick.
Herbert was thrust into the starting lineup at the last moment in Week 2 against the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite almost no time to get ready, Herbert made the most of the situation, completing 22 of his 33 passes for 311 yards, a touchdown and an interception. His poise and solid play helped force overtime, although the Chargers eventually fell to the defending Super Bowl champions.
From a fantasy perspective, Herbert is already looking like a legitimate option and at the very least a QB2 who can be kept on the bench. Based on his workload alone, Herbert should warrant a look, as he's thrown 82 passes in two games while adding another seven rushing attempts.
Now that Taylor is unlikely to play in Week 4, Herbert will have another opportunity to secure the starting job for the rest of the 2020 season with a big outing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At the very least, Herbert will likely be asked to keep airing it out for the Chargers to keep up with Tom Brady and Tampa Bay's high-powered offense.
The upside for Herbert if he's the permanent starter is appealing, but even those desperate for a starting quarterback in Week 4 should consider picking up the Chargers rookie.
Free-Agent Budget Offer: $2
RB Carlos Hyde, Seattle Seahawks (9.8 Percent Rostered)
DraftKings DFS Price: $5,300
The Seattle Seahawks have one of the most high-powered offenses in football right now, so any skill-position player on that team has some fantasy value. For running back Carlos Hyde, that value has gone way up after last week's series of events.
Starting running back Chris Carson suffered a knee sprain in Sunday's win over the Dallas Cowboys that was the result of a dirty play by Trysten Hill, which head coach Pete Carroll did little to hide his displeasure about on an ESPN radio spot (h/t NFL.com). Although Carson avoided serious injury, it puts his status for Week 4 in jeopardy, opening the door for Hyde to see an increased workload.
Hyde has seen only 19 touches in Seattle's offense this season, but he's coming off his first career 1,000-yard rushing season with the Houston Texans in 2019. That's a good indicator there are still some miles left on Hyde's legs, and he has a great matchup against the Miami Dolphins.
There's still the chance that Hyde doesn't get as many touches as fantasy managers are hoping for, but considering all the injuries at running back this year, he's worth picking up this week.
FAB Offer: $6
WR Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers (39.0 Percent Rostered)
DraftKings DFS Value: $5,500
The Green Bay Packers desperately needed someone to come through against the New Orleans Saints in the absence of superstar wide receiver Davante Adams. Fortunately for the coaching staff and Aaron Rodgers, Allen Lazard was ready to have his name called.
Lazard played a huge role in Green Bay's 37-30 win over the Saints. He finished the game with six receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown, hauling in a pair of deep passes from Rodgers.
There were signs that Lazard might be the real deal in 2019 when the Packers were playing without Adams, but the offense was struggling to consistently put up points. Now, that doesn't seem to be the case at all, as the Packers have set a franchise record for most points through their first three games.
Even with Adams expected to return soon, the fact that Lazard has earned Rodgers' trust as both a deep-ball threat and receiver to get the offense a first down is promising. Don't expect a massive share of the targets, but Lazard should continue to stay involved in the offense and could get some easier looks once Adams is back to drawing the attention of opposing defenses.
FAB Offer: $7
WR Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings (33.5 Percent Rostered)
DraftKings DFS Value: $5,200
The passing game continues to be inconsistent for the Minnesota Vikings, but that might change now that the team knows what it has in rookie receiver Justin Jefferson.
Jefferson's first two weeks in the NFL were fairly quiet, as he caught five passes for 70 yards. It wasn't until this past week that the Vikings started to get Jefferson involved. He finished the Week 3 matchup against the Tennessee Titans with seven receptions for 175 yards and a touchdown, with the score a 71-yard catch-and-run that included shaking a couple of defenders.
Nine of Jefferson's 15 targets this season came on Sunday, which indicates that the Vikings and Kirk Cousins are ready to get the rookie more involved. That's great timing for Jefferson heading into this week's matchup against a Houston Texans defense that is allowing more than 30 points per game.
Wide receiver is a deep position, but those looking for a high-upside flex option should try to grab Jefferson as quickly as possible given his big-play potential.
FAB Offer: $12
WR Brandon Aiyuk, San Francisco 49ers (16.6 Percent Rostered)
DraftKings DFS Value: $5,000
There are a lot of wide receivers to consider adding this week. For PPR league fantasy managers, San Francisco 49ers rookie Brandon Aiyuk might be the best long-term pickup.
Aiyuk's NFL debut was delayed after a hamstring injury kept him out of the team's Week 1 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. He was eased back into things in Week 2, catching a pair of passes for 21 yards.
Even with starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo inactive this past week, Aiyuk had his breakout game. Along with a respectable five receptions for 70 yards from Nick Mullens, he added a 19-yard rushing touchdown on an end-around for his first career NFL score.
Eight targets in a blowout win is a good sign for his fantasy value the rest of the season. The 49ers were focused more on running the ball and maintaining possession in the second half, so he could have gotten more opportunities had the game script been different.
As Garoppolo returns and the 49ers are forced into more passing situations, Aiyuk will likely see an increased workload. Given his versatility and ability to make plays with his legs, expect Kyle Shanahan to keep finding ways to get the ball in Aiyuk's hands.
FAB Offer: $13
TE Mo Alie-Cox, Indianapolis Colts (8.6 Percent Rostered)
DraftKings DFS Value: $3,900
Tight end can be such a tricky position in fantasy if you don't have an elite player like Travis Kelce or George Kittle. That makes waiver-wire pickups even more vital for the position, and right now Indianapolis Colts tight end Mo Alie-Cox looks like an ideal pickup.
A week after a career game (five catches for 111 yards), the Colts tight end picked up where he left off by hauling in another three passes for 50 yards and a touchdown. That was even more impressive considering that Jack Doyle was active for the game after missing Week 2 with an injury.
With how well Alie-Cox is been playing, the Colts have no choice but to keep feeding the hot hand. The group at wide receiver isn't that deep behind T.Y. Hilton, and even he is off to a much quieter start than he's accustomed to.
While he isn't a household name, Alie-Cox should keep getting targets from new quarterback Philip Rivers, and that should make him one of the most valuable fantasy tight ends in fantasy.
FAB Offer: $4
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