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. Washington Commanders rookie wide receiver Jahan Dotson has quickly become a fantasy star. We’ll dive into Dotson’s Week 3 waiver wire value against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Should you add Jahan Dotson from the waiver wire for Week 3?
Available in 56% of Yahoo leagues and 39% of ESPN leagues, Dotson has quickly become a popular play for managers. He’s the ninth-best fantasy receiver in the league right now thanks to his three touchdowns in two games. But is that sustainable considering Dotson’s the only receiver in the top 10 with less than 12 targets?
There’s no question we’re seeing a much-improved and efficient start out of the Commanders’ offense. They’re utilizing more 11 personnel now that they have capable playmakers to surround Carson Wentz with.
The trio of Dotson, Terry McLaurin, and Curtis Samuel has been phenomenal, totaling 28 receptions, 365 yards, and six touchdowns through two games. Tight end Logan Thomas has also looked closer to his usual self as well, which is massive for a quarterback who has utilized the position effectively since entering the league. Commanders offensive coordinator Scott Turner deserves credit for producing the league’s No. 2-ranked passing attack.
Each of these three receivers ranks within the top 21 of fantasy receivers. Dotson has the third-fewest receiving yards (99) and second-fewest targets (10) of his peers in that range. It’s fair to say his value thus far is exclusively tied to the red zone.
With five targets in each of his first two games — netting three catches in Week 1 and four in Week 2 — it’s concerning that Dotson is set for a regression. He’s played 93% of snaps, though, meaning Turner is rarely removing him from the field. But Dotson is clearly the third option amongst the receivers and possibly No. 4 when considering the competition from Thomas and running backs J.D. McKissic and Antonio Gibson.
Is Jahan Dotson a good play against Philadelphia?
Washington’s Week 3 foe, the Eagles, has an average defense against receivers in fantasy points. They performed better against Justin Jefferson in Week 2 than they did against the Lions in Week 1. Philadelphia’s individual talent is impressive, but Dotson can be a mismatch because of his quickness. Darius Slay and James Bradberry are faster than they are quick, and therefore not great 1-on-1 defenders against Dotson.
I certainly recommend picking up Dotson if you can land him off the waiver wire. I wouldn’t spend a ton of your FAAB or spend top waiver priority on him since he’s not a locked-in starter for any given week, but he’s a better depth piece than what’s on the end of most rosters. Don’t be afraid of cutting underperformers for Dotson.
It’s also possible Dotson sees an increased role at some point in 2022. Samuel has struggled with injuries throughout his career, and while we don’t want him to miss any time, the Commanders selected Dotson in part because they couldn’t afford to lose Samuel without another playmaker who could fill his role.
