Week 3 of the 2022 NFL fantasy football season is already here, and we have you covered for all of your waiver wire questions. While most fantasy owners will stand pat after your fantasy football draft, staying flexible with your roster can swing a matchup.
Pay attention to the top names on the waiver wire all season long. Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Noah Brown is one of the top available players on most waiver wires right now. We’ll dive into Brown’s Week 3 waiver wire value against the New York Giants.
Should you add Noah Brown from the waiver wire for Week 3?
Available in 98% of Yahoo leagues and 99% of ESPN leagues, Brown is truly a deep sleeper. Yet, he’s been the No. 2 receiver in Dallas with Michael Gallup and James Washington out, catching five passes in each of his last two games. His Week 2 performance was his best yet, finishing with 91 yards and his first career touchdown.
Seeing Brown breakout with Dak Prescott sidelined with a thumb injury is promising that he’s been under the radar too long. Backup quarterback Cooper Rush has shown no issues being on the same page as Brown. It’s more surprising Brown didn’t win the outside receiver job outright in camp considering his level of production thus far.
With CeeDee Lamb entrenched as the primary target each week, there will be continued opportunities for Brown to win with 1-on-1 coverage. Brown’s shown great physicality and focus while fighting through contested catches. His big body and lack of suddenness means he’ll always need to win through contact and finish with a body draped around him.
I have no issues with that style as long as he continues to be fed targets. Currently 19th in fantasy points at WR, Brown’s been a consistent force within the offense. That should continue until Gallup is back in the lineup, whenever that may be.
The concern for fantasy managers is whether Brown’s efficiency can continue. He’s caught 10 of 14 targets thus far, doing more with less than what’s normal. A sudden drop in efficiency wouldn’t be surprising, or else Brown is an abnormally lucky playmaker with accurate targets.
There also seems to be a limited shelf life with Brown as we await more news in Gallup’s return. It’s possible we’ll see Gallup as soon as this week, but a full return and workload may take more than one game. That means Brown’s waiver wire value could last anywhere from a week to three, or none at all.
I believe Brown is worth picking up as a waiver priority or spending a low percentage of FAAB if you desperately need the help for Week 3. His matchup with the Giants this week is more concerning than originally thought since the G-Men have allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to receivers in the NFL. I still question the individual talent within that unit, but it further clouds projections for Brown.
Is it worth dropping a major underachiever for Brown? Yes, especially if the player in question has a limited target share in a less pass-friendly system. Brown may see another boost when Prescott returns to the lineup, so he’s not a simple add then drop.
