This WR should be first on your fantasy football waiver wire

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Josh Palmer Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

This wide receiver should be first on your fantasy football waiver wire

By Nicholas Nathanson | Last updated 9/26/23

Just three weeks into the 2023 NFL season, injuries have already become a nightmare for fantasy football owners.

In Cleveland, the Browns lost Nick Chubb to a devastating injury for the rest of the year. In New York, the Jets lost Aaron Rodgers after just four plays. Elsewhere, running backs Austin Ekeler and Saquon Barkley have already missed some time. Ekeler's teammate wide receiver Mike Williams was recently ruled out for the season after tearing his ACL in a Week 3 win against the Vikings.

If that still doesn't say enough, reliable names like Josh Jacobs and Derrick Henry, two running backs who ranked third and fourth respectively in total PPR standard points for running backs last season, have struggled to get going this year.

As such, it's time to hit the waiver wire, and look for wide receiver Josh Palmer.

4 "Must add" players meaning...

Andy Dalton: Superflex 360 yards last week
Achane: Buy high give Jacobs+
Palmer: 50% FAAB in 3WR leagues
Musgrave: Tier down from TJH pic.twitter.com/hyaOof3GLp
— Alan Seslowsky (@AlanSeslowsky) September 26, 2023

Palmer, a 24-year-old receiver in his third career season with the Chargers is coming off a career-best year with 72 receptions, 769 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Albeit a slower start this season, he has logged at least five targets in two consecutive games. Now, he might be in for more.

As mentioned earlier, Mike Williams is out for the season with a torn ACL, making way for Palmer to be the team's second receiver on the depth chart. For fantasy owners, this is great news. Much of Palmer's production last season came when Keenan Allen was out of the lineup for seven games. Palmer finished the season with 107 targets last year, tied for 34th best in the NFL.

On top of this, the Chargers have a top-three passing offense when it comes to yards, while quarterback Justin Herbert has a league-high 74.6% completion rate. Herbert is also tied for fourth in passing attempts this season.

Palmer should be in for a vast improvement in target shares, and with Ekeler's status still up in the air for Week 4, he becomes a must-add to fantasy owners looking for some depth at the wide receiver position.

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