Denzel Boston, Rashod Bateman, and 5 Other Fantasy Football Week 3 Waiver Wire Wide Receivers
If you took to the waiver wire at wide receiver last week, you may have indulged in big results. Tre Tucker finished as the WR7, Rashod Bateman as the WR10, Denzel Boston as the WR12, and DeVaughn Vele as the WR29 in Week 2. Looking ahead to the third week of this NFL season, many high-upside options remain available. Let's take a look.
All availability data is per Sleeper.
All fantasy points data is per Fantasy Data.
Denzel Boston — 58% Available
Rookie Denzel Boston goes 55 yards for the TD!
— NFL (@NFL) September 20, 2026
CLEvsTB on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/nmkRtJNhIv
The Browns have managed to get their rookie to WR12 status in fantasy football. The name is not KC Concepcion, but rather Denzel Boston. He has the most routes run of any Browns player (63) over two games, and 10 more than the next-highest name on the list, Harold Fannin Jr. On 11 targets, Boston has 7 receptions at an ADOR of 22.0, plus 2 touchdowns.
Adonai Mitchell — 87% Available
Mitchell has only 3 fewer routes run all season long and the same number of targets (14) as Garrett Wilson. His PFF grade is only 1.2 points worse than Wilson. Mitchell has a total of 123 yards, or 61.5 per game, thus far.
With Omar Cooper Jr. out for at least another 3 games, Mitchell will maintain a high workload on par with any WR2 in fantasy football. The hope is now that the Jets continue to pass for competent volume. The take on Detroit this Sunday, who have allowed 35.5 points per game over their first two.
Tre Tucker — 71% Available
Tucker has taken the reins as the Raiders' WR1. He has run 11 more routes than Jalen Nailor, with 3 more targets and receptions each, and has scored a touchdown to begin his season. The Raiders do expect Brock Bowers to return in Week 3, which knocks Tucker's ceiling. Yet, the 2-0 Raiders look like they can support a viable wide receiver in fantasy football. Tucker is the WR17.
Dontavyion Wicks — 63% Available
It looks like Makai Lemon is beginning to rise above Wicks on the depth chart. He ran more routes than Wicks in Week 2. However, confidence can remain in this man. Dallas Goedert will miss some time, and thus, the Eagles lack any viable tight end. They signed Zach Ertz, but he will take a few weeks to find his form. I rank the Eagles as a top-5 passing offense through two weeks, and among the NFL's best overall offenses as it is.
Rashod Bateman — 76% Available
This is a precautionary move, especially if you own Zay Flowers. Minus Flowers in Week 2, Bateman finished as the WR10 in fantasy football. He had 9 targets, 7 receptions, 88 yards, and a touchdown. I have Bateman as a sure-fire WR2 in fantasy football when Flowers is off the field. With Flowers on the field, Bateman does fall to the bench, outside the top-40 with a high-teens target share.
Kalif Raymond — 88% Available
Raymond did not catch wind last week as he remains lowly owned. It seems that fantasy managers chalked up his Week 1 breakout to a fluke. Yet, Raymond remains extremely viable in Week 2, having caught all 5 of his targets for 40 yards.
.@RapSheet on Caleb Williams:
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) September 22, 2026
"It certainly seems like Caleb Williams is unlikely to start this week and next week we will see..
2-4 weeks is generally the diagnosis for these kind of hamstring injuries"
(@PatMcAfeeShow) pic.twitter.com/UwKxI2bnGO
Across two games, Raymond has only 3 fewer routes run to Luther Burden III and 6 fewer to Rome Odunze. Raymond does lead the Bears in yards (124) and targets (14). The concern now will be Caleb Williams' injury. If out, I would be very concerned that Tyson Bagent does not support Raymond well. Thus, I actually am not keen on adding Raymond at this very moment.
Malik Washington — 67% Available
The injury to Caleb Douglas is unconfirmed, but the initial concern is an ankle sprain. Douglas is expected to be out in Week 3, which raises Washington's target share.
Washington leads the Dolphins in targets (13) and routes (60). His target share is about 28% and is poised to exceed 30% in Week 3. Against Kansas City, the Dolphins will surely be trailing and thus enter a passing script.
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Thomas Carelli is a sportswriter based on Northern New Jersey. He is a massive New York Jets and Mets fan, but that is not where is sports fandom stops. He loves to watch and play golf, all things football, baseball, and much more. If he can watch it, he will. Thomas graduated from William Paterson University in 2018 with a Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management. He spent 4 years working at a local golf course, volunteered past PGA events, and spent some part-time experience with the New York Jets events team. His passions for sport runs deep and his articles show for it.