Week 3 Pickups: Eddie Royal takes the crown

It’s been another ugly week.

After there wasn’t much to do on the waiver wire in Week 1 and 2, I was disappointed that we really didn’t get any more talent bubbling up the top for Week 3.

I wouldn’t bet an eyebrow on any of these guys.

If you didn’t get Marlon Brown last week or if Joique Bell is still a free agent, clearly, you need to go after them this week, as their value only increased after their play in Week 2.

As for Week 3…

Eddie Royal, WR, San Diego Chargers
Unlikely as it seems, Royal has caught five touchdowns in two weeks. He’s revitalized Philip Rivers as well as the Chargers offense. I still think Vincent Brown has life as a fantasy sleeper, but Royal’s getting all the attention at the moment and scoring all the points. So Royal is worth adding this week.

As many have cautioned, his pace is unsustainable and the likelihood of him producing like this all year is very low. I’d spend at most a 10-15 percent portion of your FAAB budget to go after him and take him or leave him.

James Starks, RB, Green Bay Packers
Without Eddie Lacy to close out the game against the miserable Washington Redskins defense, the Packers turned to Starks…and he delivered. We still don’t know if Lacy will be able to suit up for Week 3, which would make Starks a must-add for all leagues.

Unfortunately, the Packers face the Bengals in Week 3, which is nowhere near as inviting as running against the Redskins. Expect Starks to struggle if he gets the start. With the Packers’ Week 4 bye, anything you pay for Starks is likely to only be for one week of production. If you just lost Steven Jackson, feel free to go big, but I’d stay close to 10 percent of your FAAB budget in acquiring Starks this week.

Jacquizz Rodgers / Jason Snelling, RB, Atlanta Falcons
With the news that Steven Jackson’s injury will sideline him for multiple weeks, possibly up to four weeks, Rodgers and Snelling became valuable commodities. Rodgers will be the “starter,” but this situation will likely turn into a timeshare with Snelling taking the work around the goal line.

Rodgers has never jumped into the spotlight when given opportunities, and it’s likely he’ll disappoint in this role as well. That’s why I actually like Snelling a little better. He’s a bigger back with a greater likelihood to score on a short-yardage touchdown run each week. As an added bonus, you can probably get him for just 5 to 10 percent of your FAAB budget since most of the attention will go to Starks and Rodgers this week.

It’s a short list this week. If you’re looking for running back help, keep your eyes on Danny Woodhead, Andre Ellington, and Isaiah Pead, as they are not very owned in many leagues but getting some looks lately. Otherwise, if you are in shallower leagues, you can dig through more waivers at Rotoworld, FantasyPros, The Hazean, Fantasy Football Librarian, and NFL Soup.

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By Jacob

Jacob founded Fantasy Football Fools in 2007 as a outlet for all the fantasy football conversations he couldn't have in-person. Since then...well, it's only gotten worse.

3 comments

    1. Snelling is definitely under-appreciated. And Royal is back for now, but I don’t know how long it will last. I managed to get him in a few leagues but am pairing him alongside Vincent Brown, who I was high on going into the season.

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