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Fantasy Football Week 3 presents lots of opportunities with so many injuries, quarterback controversies, and position battles. The waiver wire is full of some serious sleepers in Week 3. I love the upside of several guys available this week on most waiver wires.

Keep in mind a few things with these waiver wire recommendations. Not all of these guys are players I’d recommend sticking in your lineup this week. Some of these guys are based on situations, while others are based on schedules. The idea here is to grab a guy or two now in the early weeks of the fantasy season that you can hold on your bench and use when you are starters have bye weeks or when you have injury concerns. Some of these guys have brutal schedules in the next few weeks but play a fantasy owner’s dream schedule for the rest of the season which makes them a player worth grabbing.

Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Proceed with caution here. I love Freeman throughout the season. But Tampa Bay has a real tough schedule the next few weeks, so you don’t want to grab Freeman if you need a quarterback now. He is 2-0 and the gambler in me may even consider playing him against Pittsburgh this weekend. However, if you are like me and in need of a bye-week filler in a few weeks than Freeman is your man. He has great chemistry with rookie sleeper Mike Williams and has a very fantasy friendly schedule in mid-season. As a matter of a fact, after week 5 the only top defense he has on schedule is Baltimore in week 12.

Louis Murphy, Oakland Raiders – This is a tough one here. Murphy has tremendous chemistry with Raiders quarterback Bruce Gradkowski. The problem is that the Raiders traded for Jason Campbell in the offseason and thus ladies and gentleman, welcome to another quarterback controversy. It was obvious quickly that Gradkowski has the team playing at a much faster tempo than Campbell. If Gradkowski sticks around, Murphy could be a solid touchdown-a-game fantasy player.

Jason Snelling, Atlanta Falcons – Poor Michael Turner. There were plenty of skeptics that questioned whether Michael Turner could remain healthy as a starter when he hit free agency. Sadly for Turner owners, they are being proven correct. Snelling came in for an injured Turner this week and tore it up for 35 points (in my league). The Falcons aren’t just going to bench Snelling after that kind of production and with Turner on the field he is only a few snaps away from being the starter. Once again like with many waiver wire pickups, patience is the key. If you have room for Snelling on your bench, grab him, stash him, and trade him to Michael Turner’s owner for a king’s ransom when Turner goes down in another week or two.

Kevin Walter, Houston Texans – You really can’t go wrong with many players in the Houston Texans offense, especially when you have a quarterback that throws as much as Matt Schaub and a defense that gives up as many passing yards to opposing teams. Walter had 144 yards and a TD Sunday and with Andre Johnson touch and go with an injury, Walter could slide into a starting position for a few weeks. The Texans don’t play a top flight defense until Week 11 against the New York Jets which means that Walter is going to get some looks.

Austin Collie, Indianapolis Colts – Before I jumped off the Pierre Garcon bandwagon, I wanted to give the Colts another week to see exactly how they’d continue to use Collie. It is obvious that he has earned Peyton’s trust, while Garcon is in the Manning dog house. Yes he is the third option after Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, but in that offense even the third option is going to get his points. I have officially dumped Garcon in one of my leagues and picked up Collie. I’d recommend the same.

Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos – Okay I am convinced. I heard all of the “Kyle Orton is a sleeper” talk all preseason but I didn’t buy it. I was wrong. The Broncos are throwing like they have John Elway back there, pre-Terrell Davis. In two weeks Orton has over 600 yards combined passing yards and 3 TDs. He does have a hell of a tough schedule in Weeks 4-6 but is golden the rest of the way. Just remember, you will be picking up a QB facing the Titans, Ravens, and Jets in three consecutive weeks. Hell, by Week 6 half the Jets could be suspended for one reason or another. If you need a QB now, pass on Orton and grab Matt Hasselbeck. If you need a QB in a few weeks for a bye-week filler, Kyle Orton is your man!

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