With the third week of the NFL season coming to a close, some fantasy football players, myself included, are quite upset with the way that some of their players have performed in the opening stanza this year. Often people will take to the waiver wire at this point to try and pick up that underrated sleeper or unproven rookie who is ready to explode in the coming weeks and lead you to a long-awaited fantasy football championship. The waiver wire is hit or miss usually, but if you need add s spark to your team right away, then here are the top five fantasy football must-add players at the moment:
6. Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons, available in 21 percent of ESPN Leagues
If you didn't catch the Falcons vs. Cowboys Sunday afternoon game, you missed a great contest that saw Atlanta score 22 unanswered second-half points en route to a 39-28 victory. What you also missed is the explosion of second-year running back and Florida State product Devonta Freeman. He certainly took advantage of being the next man up after starting rookie Tevin Coleman's injury, rushing for 141 yards on 30 carries and tacking on three TDs, as well as five receptions for 51 yards against a stout Cowboy's defense. Freeman is getting carries even when Tevin Coleman is healthy, and he will certainly continue to get carries throughout the year behind a decent offensive line, making him a great RB2 or Flex option.
5. Tyrod Taylor, QB, Buffalo Bills, available in 66 percent of ESPN Leagues
Raise your hand if you predicted Tyrod Taylor to be in the top five fantasy quarterbacks three weeks into the season. Nobody? Okay. Everybody remembers watching how electric Tyrod Taylor was during his college days at Virginia Tech, and until the beginning of this season, that was the last time he was relevant on a football field, at least from a fantasy perspective. Tyrod has racked up 714 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns, 96 rushing yards and a TD in just three games. He's accumulated 64 fantasy points against legitimate defenses in Indianapolis, New England and Miami. He has a great offensive line, a good rushing attack so that defenses can't overpay the pass, and great weapons on the outside in Samy Watkins and Percy Harvin. Get him before he's gone.
4. Travis Benjamin, WR, Cleveland Browns, available in 30 percent of ESPN Leagues
The Browns are without starting quarterback Josh McCown, leaving Johnny Manziel under center. Through the first three games of the season, Travis Benjamin is looking like Johnny Football's new Mike Evans, as he is targeting him more than any other Browns receiver. Benjamin has scored a touchdown in every game this season, including a monster 115-yard, two-touchdown effort last week against Tennessee. He's currently second in fantasy points amongst all receivers, and the return of McCown will benefit his scoring, as McCown is a much better passer than Manziel. If he's available in your league, he's definitely worth grabbing.
3. Robbie Gould, K, Chicago Bears, available in 72 percent of ESPN Leagues
I know week three was a bad one for Robbie Gould, as he didn't even get to attempt a kick against a Seattle defense that came out firing on all cylinders after a shocking and disappointing 0-2 start. But that wasn't his fault, given that the Chicago Bears offense was abysmal. Kickers are the most overlooked fantasy position, yet are a great way to rack up points. In weeks one and two, Gould was 6/6 on field goals and 4/4 on extra points, racking up 28 fantasy points, the most of any kicker in the league. The Bears offense is often stagnant, but if they can get in field goal range, you can bet Robbie Gould will be able to split the uprights.
2. Arizona Cardinals D/ST, available in 20 percent of ESPN Leagues
The Cardinals Defense has at least one interception in every game this year, with a total of seven, including four against San Francisco this past Sunday, and has four TD's in just three games. Those are great numbers for any defense, and their ability to change games at the drop of a hat with their phenomenal return game makes them a solid start every week no matter who they are facing. They have 50 fantasy points through three games, including 30 against a proven San Francisco offense. They are constantly a threat to score on either defense or special teams because of players like David Johnson and Patrick Peterson. Look out for this unit on the waiver wires this week.
1. Matt Jones, RB, Washington Redskins, available in 32 percent of ESPN Leagues
Everybody remembers how great Alfred Morris was his rookie year, and the scary part about Matt Jones is that he looks equally if not more dangerous than Morris. The Redskins currently have the number-one rated rush offense in terms of yards, and Jones is getting more carries than Morris. Against a very capable Rams defense in week two, Jones had a field day with 19 carries for 123 yards and two touchdowns. With an unpredictable Kirk Cousins as their QB, Washington wants to run, and Jones has proven early on that he can get hot in a hurry behind a revamped offensive line. If you're in one of the 32 percent of leagues that he is available in, he is a great RB2 or Flex option.
