5 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Stashes to Add NOW Before Week 3 (Ep. 2223)
September 26, 2026
AI Summary
5 min readIn Week 2, Malik Nabers dislocated his right shoulder while fighting off coverage on Monday Night Football—and then popped it back in himself on the sideline. That's a striking image, but the data on playing through a shoulder dislocation in the NFL is sobering. According to Deepak Shona of Sportsman Analytics, the in-season recurrence risk is high, and a wide receiver's catch radius shrinks significantly because having the arm overhead or rotated out places the joint in its most unstable position. He cited Andy Reid shrinking Xavier Worthy's route tree after a similar injury. Nabers is a far better player than Worthy, but the mechanism is the same: the injury limits what he can do, which opens opportunity for the next man up.
That next man up is Malachi Fields, rostered in only 24% of leagues. Fields has played 72% and 81% of snaps through two games and drawn 10 targets, though his catchable target rate sits below 70%. Per Keith Cummings of CBS, he's one of two wide receivers with at least 10 targets and a catchable rate that low—meaning yards and fantasy points have been left on the table. The argument isn't that Fields suddenly becomes a star with James Winston at quarterback. It's that if Nabers' shoulder continues to hinder his performance, Fields has contingent upside that makes him worth a stash now, before the waiver wire run.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:48) **Introduction: Staying Ahead on the Waiver Wire** - Lucas Wentzel introduces the episode's focus: five waiver wire stashes to add before Week 3, targeting players rostered in 30% or fewer leagues.
- 2 (01:18) **Stash #1: Malachi Fields, WR, NYG (24% rostered)** - Fields is the primary beneficiary if Malik Nabers' shoulder injury limits his performance or leads to missed time.
- 3 (03:23) **Stash #2: Darren Waller, TE, CAR (23% rostered)** - Waller is a touchdown-dependent tight end who has already scored twice in Week 2 and is seeing an increasing snap share.
- 4 (04:59) **Stash #3: Pat Bryant, WR, DEN (16% rostered)** - Bryant is a bench stash who is already involved in the Broncos' offense and could eventually chip away at Courtland Sutton's role.
- 5 (06:22) **Stash #4: DeMon Clayborn, RB, MIN (7% rostered)** - With Aaron Jones (knee) and DJ Dallas (toe) both banged up, Clayborn is the only healthy Vikings running back entering Week 3.
- 6 (08:04) **Stash #5: Ted Hurst, WR, TB (7% rostered)** - Hurst has already overtaken Jalen McMillan as the primary X receiver in Tampa Bay, earning a team-high seven targets in Week 2.
- 7 (09:36) **Conclusion: Sprint to Your Waiver Wire** - The host urges listeners to check if any of these five players (all under 30% rostered) are still available and to add them immediately.
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Show Notes
Which fantasy football players should you stash before Week 3?
Lucas Wencl breaks down five high-upside waiver wire stashes who are still available in the majority of fantasy football leagues—and could become much more expensive once their opportunities grow.
Malachi Fields could see an expanded role if Malik Nabers’ shoulder injury continues to limit him. Darren Waller is already emerging as a red-zone weapon in Carolina. Also, find out why Buccaneers rookie Ted Hurst may be the stash to make before his first breakout performance sends fantasy managers rushing to the waiver wire.
Timestamps: (May be off due to ads)
Intro - 0:00:00
Malachi Fields (WR - New York Giants) - 0:00:44
Darren Waller (TE - Carolina Panthers) - 0:02:48
Pat Bryant (WR - Denver Broncos) - 0:04:24
Demond Claiborne (RB - Minnesota Vikings) - 0:05:47
Ted Hurst (WR - Tampa Bay Buccaneers) - 0:07:29
Closing - 0:09:02
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