Jalen Nailor Week 3 Waiver Wire: Should fantasy managers add Vikings WR?

Jalen Nailor opened his 2024 fantasy football season by recording just one reception in his first game. He was completely off of the radar for fantasy lineups, but the circumstances have changed. After an impressive WR22 finish last week and a path to additional playing time going forward, he has emerged as an intriguing wide receiver to target on the Week 3 Waiver Wire.

Should you add Vikings WR Jalen Nailor in Week 3 Waiver Wire?

Jalen Nailor

Jordan Addison was inactive for the Minnesota Vikings' Week 2 game against the San Francisco 49ers with an ankle injury. This allowed Jalen Nailor to step into the starting lineup and he responded with a solid performance. He played in 93% of the offensive snaps ands turned that into three receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown.

It's unclear when Addison will be ready to return for the Vikings, so for now, Nailor should continue serving as their WR2. It's also important to note that Justin Jefferson suffered a quad injury last week, so if he is forced to miss any time, Nailor would likely become their WR1. All of this equates to him being a solid player to add in fantasy football from the Week 3 waiver wire.

Jalen Nailor fantasy outlook for 2024 NFL season

While Nailor recorded just one reception in Week 1, it was a for 21-yard touchdown pass from Sam Darnold. This means that he already has four receptions for 75 yards and two touchdowns through his first two games, which surprisingly ranks him as the overall WR26 in fantasy football so far this year.

The biggest issue for Nailor when the Vikings' wide receivers are eventually back to full strength is going to be his target share. Jefferson's workload is extremely safe, while Addison's solid rookie season last year has likely secured the WR2 spot for him upon his return. Nailor may find it difficult to establish a reliable role, but he has succeeded in doing so through two games so far.

Is Jalen Nailor a good waiver wire pickup in fantasy football?

The best strategy for determining which players to target on the fantasy football waiver wire is to look for upside and favorable situations. Nailor qualifies as an ideal player to add with his path to significant playing time in the short term for the Vikings.

For as long as Addison is out, Nailor holds standalone value, as proven by his WR22 finish last week. The fact that Jefferson could be dealing with an injury as well further improves Nailor's potential outlook. This gives him two different scenarios where he could be the Vikings' WR2 and a realistic possibility of temporarily servicing as their WR1.