Fantasy Football Week 3 Waiver Wire Debate: Denzel Boston Vs. Tre Tucker
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As injuries continue to pile up around the NFL, fantasy football players are forced to monitor waiver wire activity, potentially bringing in contributors to fill short-term voids. Wide receivers Tre Tucker and Denzel Boston, two AFC pass-catchers who find themselves available in the vast majority of leagues entering Week 3.
Both Tucker and Boston notched 20-point performances in Week 2, and should be two of the more popular waiver claims this week. But who presents superior upside going forward, and which of the two will make the greater impact for your fantasy lineup? Let’s explore this in our waiver debate between Tucker and Boston:
The Case For Tre Tucker
After a quiet performance in Week 1, Tucker bounced back with a bang against the Los Angeles Chargers in the Las Vegas Raiders’ upset win on Sunday. Tucker hauled in five of his seven targets for 119 receiving yards and a touchdown. The former third-round pick recorded 22.9 points in PPR and notched a WR6 finish ahead of stars like Chris Olave (WR7) and Garrett Wilson (WR13). Entering a Week 3 matchup against the New Orleans Saints, Tucker should be slated to command significant volume after his big performance.
Tre Tucker this season
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) September 21, 2026
More targets (11) than:
Emeka Egbuka
Drake London
Brian Thomas Jr.
Rashee Rice
More yards (146) than:
Ja'Marr Chase
George Pickens
Drake London
Emeka Egbuka pic.twitter.com/1dwVG1MYS6
The Case Against Tucker
Without consistent volume, it’s hard to project a stable floor for Tucker in fantasy. In Week 1, he took on just four targets, mustering two catches for 24 yards against an inferior defense to that of Los Angeles. New Orleans’ defense is coming off a solid performance against the Baltimore Ravens, and a tough individual matchup against rising star Kool-Aid McKinstry could hamper his ceiling in Week 3.
The Case For Denzel Boston
Boston is rapidly climbing fantasy rankings after encouraging performances in back-to-back games, showing out once again in Week 2 after a memorable NFL debut. He outperformed projections in Week 1, racking up 13.9 points in PPR, and carried such momentum into a matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In an upset win, he tallied five catches for 95 yards and a touchdown in his second consecutive game, with 20.5 points and a WR11 finish to boot.
Denzel Boston rookie WR ranks
— PFF (@PFF) September 21, 2026
rec yards 1st
rec TD 1st
yards after catch 1st
longest rec 1st pic.twitter.com/LOp1Y1mLh2
The Case Against Boston
Despite encouraging performances in each of his first two professional games, it’s no secret the Browns’ passing game is hampered by quarterback play. Though that wasn’t the case in a strong performance from quarterback Deshaun Watson, fantasy players can’t rely on such consistency over the course of the season just yet. Matched up against a Carolina Panthers defense that’s coming off a stellar week, it could be hard for fantasy players to rely on Boston’s early success in Week 3.
The Verdict: Boston Over Tucker
Both Boston and Tucker are leading options in average passing attacks, which hamper overall consistency among projections. Rolling with the recent trend of production, I’m going to pick Boston over Tucker. The Browns’ rookie is quickly building his case to be the team’s long-term option at WR1, and currently ranks 13th in the NFL in receiving yards, and is tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns. Boston sets a higher floor with a more versatile role and greater RAC output, bolstering optimism among fantasy players.
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Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.