It feels like this will be a revolving introduction each week when it comes to our waiver wire rankings. (Insert name here) was hurt over the weekend and now it’s time to see who is available on the waivers to replace him. Sadly, when it comes to football, injuries occur frequently. As for “insert name here”, the big story is Greg Olsen, Mr. Consistency, who broke his foot and will miss a significant amount of time. There’s also Rob Kelley (ribs). No, I don’t mean he ate a bunch of ribs, he fractured one of his own. We could talk about all the other players too like Corey Coleman (broken hand), Tyler Eifert (knee/back), or Jordy Nelson (thigh), but this isn’t an injury recap article.

Instead, you’re here to find out who the best options are on the waiver wire. The quick answer is to take a look at our table below. Based on general availability, Week 2 performances, and injury-related bumps in playing time, we’ve put together a list of players that should be on your radar during this upcoming waiver period and asked the experts to rank them. We’ve also got quick-hitting analysis from our featured pundits listed below on which readily-available defenses you should consider streaming.

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Featured Experts:

Joe Bond – Fantasy Six Pack

James Hatfield – Hatty Waiver Wire Guru

Mike Tagliere – FantasyPros

Bobby Sylvester – FantasyPros

*Ownership % derived from a consensus of Yahoo & ESPN leagues

On a mobile device? Click here for rankings table >>

Q1. Give us your thoughts on a waiver wire target (or two) you especially like as a pickup.

“Chris Carson has to be the guy to own after this week. Rawls returned but was ineffective with his five touches, rushing for a measly four yards. Carson, on the other hand, carried the ball 20 times for 93 yards. Also not to be overlooked is the Seahawks made Eddie Lacy inactive for this game. This sends a clear signal that Carson is now the No. 1 back in Seattle and even though the offensive line won’t make things easy for him, he needs to be owned in 100% of leagues.”

– Joe Bond (Fantasy Six Pack)

“We knew that Samaje Perine would eventually take over as the starter, but that was expedited when Robert Kelley went down with an injury. Even before the injury, Perine was getting some snaps in the backfield during their game against the Rams. While he didn’t do anything special in that game, he has a lot of traits that are similar to Michael Turner. It’s rare that you find a running back on waivers like this, so be willing to spend up in order to secure him – he’s a better running back than Kelley.”

– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

“Chris Carson and Samaje Perine are the two RBs that everyone needs to prioritize for waiver wire selection this week. Even if you are not in need of a RB and have the space on your bench, it’s a good idea to keep these RBs away from other owners. Many times the waiver wire and your bench usage can be a way to play defense against the rest of your league.”

– James Hatfield (Hatty Waiver Wire Guru)

“You can always find targets off the waiver wire, be it from Rashard Higgins and Marqise Lee this week or a few other guys next week. What you can’t always find, however, are starting running backs, but this week, we have several opportunities. Samaje Perine seems to have taken over the Redskins job with 21 carries and Rob Kelley’s rib injury. Both Perine and Chris Carson are my top two adds, as Carson appears to be Seattle’s new top back.”

– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

Q2. For owners renting a D/ST in Week 2, what readily available option should they target and why?

“You immediately have to look at who is playing the Jets and this week that is the Miami Dolphins. The Jets are going to get steamrolled in just about every game this season and the Dolphins should be no different, who also handled themselves well against a good Chargers offense this past Sunday. A close second for me would be the Bucs who face the Vikings. This is only going to be a good play if Sam Bradford is out, but if he is, they are a good play if you miss out on the Dolphins.”

– Joe Bond (Fantasy Six Pack)

“Every single week, just seek out the defense who is playing the Jets, and they are likely a solid streaming option. That is the case once again in Week 3 as the Miami Dolphins will head out to New York to take on the potential No. 1 pickers. Through two weeks, they have scored just 32 points, allowed five sacks, and have turned the ball over four times. The combination of Suh and Wake will be too much for the talent-deprived Jets. If you need a different option, look to snag the Jacksonville Jaguars, who were likely dropped in a lot of leagues. They have a solid matchup with the Ravens, who just lost their best offensive lineman for the year.”

– Mike Tagliere (FantasyPros)

“Miami had a stout run defense last season and made some improvements to the rest of their defense this off-season. They could be a top half DST unit this season, and this week, they draw the Jets, who are clearly offensively challenged. We should expect a few points allowed and they are a safe bet for multiple turnovers.”

– Bobby Sylvester (FantasyPros)

“The Green Bay Packers are the safe streaming defense against the Bengals (who are having a hard time scoring) and if you are looking for more upside, then streaming the Colts against the Browns is a team you can select to maximize points but the Colts are a real gamble.”

– James Hatfield (Hatty Waiver Wire Guru)

Thank you to the experts for naming their top waiver targets. Be sure to give them a follow on Twitter if you’re not already doing so and check out our latest podcast below for more great advice.



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