Quick, who was the most impactful player you added off waivers last fantasy season?
Based on final scoring, it may have been RB24 Kenny Gainwell, RB30 Kareem Hunt, or WR21 Parker Washington. WR13 Michael Wilson may have hit your wire at some point. Maybe WR33 Troy Franklin, WR35 Tre Tucker, or TE6 Harold Fannin Jr.
If it was not one of those players, you may have simply answered: “I do not remember.”
I do not blame you.
Nearly every other Top 40 running back, Top 50 wide receiver, and Top 12 tight end was routinely drafted in even shallow leagues.
Week 3 hit the running back position. De'Von Achane’s season is over. Travis Etienne Jr. landed on IR. Breece Hall will miss some time.
As a result, we saw the FAAB Wars.
“Ollie Gordon II went for how much?!” “My leaguemates went crazy for Braelon Allen!”
Free Agent Auction Budget (FAAB) has spenders and savers.
Savers are very concerned about spenders.
The saving attitude is rooted in a reality we left long ago.
Experienced fantasy players remember The Before Time. Nearly 20 years ago, managers would routinely roster two kickers and two defenses. “Have to cover for bye weeks.” That mindset created a waiver flush of running backs who became starters overnight. You had to preserve money and pick your spots with potential immediate production.
That time is over.
Allen scored a touchdown in a tight Week 2 game. He is a young back loaded with potential. Any leagues shallow enough to see him on the wire likely have other good available options.
The Dolphins running back situation is unique to deep leagues. Achane is as much a Bellcow as you will see. Miami’s offense is one to avoid. Between Gordon and Jaylen Wright, there's no clear option right now. Rostering a handcuff there was reserved for the deepest leagues. Achane’s season is over. Teams blew their FAAB because they recognized how bare the waiver wire will be through the season.
In reality, there are only so many shots on the wire. The perfect spending opportunity is rare. Those players are already rostered. Most all of us recognize the value Blake Corum could hold if he had the backfield to himself.
No bonus points for Week 18 remaining FAAB. Points can hit your lineup. Take the swing.
Number Watch
Derrick Henry, Baltimore
3 Touchdowns - Marshall Faulk, 136 Touchdowns, 7th All-Time
Henry would need a huge day to reach Faulk’s mark, but a revenge game against Tennessee creates the opportunity. His next rushing milestone is 343 yards away, where Jerome Bettis sits in 8th on the all-time list. LaDainian Tomlinson is just 22 yards past Bettis.
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans
40 Receiving Yards - 5,000 Receiving Yards
12 Receptions - LaDainian Tomlinson, 624 Receptions, 4th most by a Running Back
Kamara is on the verge of becoming the 6th player in NFL history to crack the 5,000 rushing and 5,000 receiving yard club. Current members include McCaffrey, Marshall Faulk, Tiki Barber, Marcus Allen, and Lenny Moore.
Kamara will be featured more with Travis Etienne Jr. out of Week 4. He’s not likely to hit 12 receptions this week, but he is closing in on passing Tomlinson.
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco
1 Receiving Touchdown - Marshall Faulk, 36 Receiving Touchdowns, most by a running back
McCaffrey has been sitting on this number all season and has yet to record a receiving touchdown.
Josh Allen, Buffalo
1 Touchdown - Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed, 87 Touchdowns, 1st in Bills history
12 Passing Touchdowns - Jim Kelly, 237 Passing Touchdowns, 1st in Bills history
165 Rushing Yards - 5,000 Rushing Yards
Allen’s next touchdown will tie Thomas and Reed, giving him sole possession of the Bills franchise touchdown record.
A rushing touchdown will tie him with Priest Holmes for 16th on the career list. Two passing touchdowns will tie Jay Cutler for 40th.
He is approaching a significant rushing milestone. At 4,835 rushing yards, he ranks 6th among quarterbacks. He needs 93 to catch Randall Cunningham. Only four quarterbacks have hit 5,000 career rushing yards: Lamar Jackson (6,646), Michael Vick (6,109), Cam Newton (5,628), and Russell Wilson (5,568).
Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati
79 Receiving Yards - Isaac Curtis, 7,101 Receiving Yards, 3rd in Bengals history
Chase passed Carl Pickens in Week 3, moving into third in Bengals career receptions. Hitting these marks would move him off the tracker; Chad Johnson (751 receptions, 10,783 yards) and A.J. Green III (649 receptions, 9,430 yards) are well ahead. Chase is 4th in touchdowns at 57; Pickens has 63, Green 65, and Chad Johnson 66, as the top of the board could happen in 2026.
A quartet of receivers is making its way into the Top 10 of the career boards, with the ability to pass NFL legends most weeks. Each week we will see who is next.
Travis Kelce, Kansas City
7 Receptions - Cris Carter, 1,101 Receptions, 6th All-time / Marvin Harrison, 1,102 Receptions, 5th All-Time
62 Receiving Yards - DeAndre Hopkins, 13.233 Yards, 18th / Torry Holt, 13,703 Yards, 17th
Kelce sits tied with Tim Brown for seventh in receptions; an eight-catch game could jump him into the Top 5. Jason Witten is 4th, with 134 receptions. Kelce needs one receiving touchdown to move from a tie for 27th to a tie for 19th.
Mike Evans, San Francisco
5 Receptions - Keenan McCardell, 883 Receptions, 30th All-Time
9 Receiving Yards - Andre Reed, 13,198, 20th All-Time
1 Receiving Touchdown - Tony Gonzalez, 111 receiving touchdowns, 9th All-Time
Evans is on the verge of cracking significant thresholds, potentially moving into the Top 30 in receptions and Top 20 in yards. He is currently working through an injury, which may stall his climb.
Davante Adams, LA Rams
55 Receiving Yards / 98 Receiving Yards - Jason Witten, 13,046 Receiving Yards, 23rd All-Time / Steve Largent, 13,089 Receiving Yards, 22nd
2 Receiving Touchdowns - Larry Fitzgerald, 121 Receiving Touchdowns, 6th All-time
Adams has been on fire over the last two weeks, totaling 332 receiving yards. He is 198 yards behind Evans and has significantly closed the gap. Two touchdowns will pull him even with Larry Fitzgerald.
Long Term Tracker
These numbers will not fall this week unless it is a record, but the significance of these numbers is worth counting down.
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia
5 Rushing Touchdowns - Steve Van Buren, 69 rushing touchdowns, 1st in Eagles history
Hurts is nearing the all-time Eagles franchise record for rushing touchdowns. He provided the Eagles' only touchdown in Week 3, a Tush Push just before halftime.
Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh
5 Passing Touchdowns - Peyton Manning, 539 passing touchdowns, 3rd All-Time
Rodgers has cooked the last two weeks with six touchdowns in a five-day span. Rodgers is live to threaten this standing as soon as Week 5 against the Colts ' 28th-ranked pass EPA defense.