Fantasy Football Today Express – Beat the Waiver Wire! MUST-STASH Players Before Week 3!
Date: September 12, 2025
Host: Adam Aizer
Guest Analyst: Dave Richard
Episode Overview
In this express edition, Adam Aizer and Dave Richard dive straight into “Beat the Waiver Wire” advice, preparing fantasy football managers to grab the best under-the-radar players before Week 3. The focus is on players who are widely available in most 10-team leagues and could have value soon—covering each position with actionable recommendations and strategy insights.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
The “Must-Stash” Headliner
[02:21 – 03:45]
- Adam and Dave agree the top must-stash player is Cedric Tillman (WR, Browns).
- Available in 57% of leagues.
- Averaging 18.1 PPR points per game over his last five starts, hitting at least 16 PPR points in four of those.
- Key Browns schedule: Green Bay, Detroit, Minnesota—all projection-friendly for pass-catchers.
- Quote:
“He’s a pretty big component of the Browns offense. I’d rather have him just for a random roster spot on the bench...than Harold Fannin.” — Dave Richard [02:42]
Quarterbacks to Stash
[03:45 – 05:33]
- Michael Penix (41% available) vs. Carolina in Week 3:
- Favorable matchup for streaming or as insurance.
- “Penix would be my favorite one...” — Dave Richard [03:56]
- Other QBs to consider:
- Aaron Rodgers at New England (Week 3)
- Daniel Jones at Tennessee (Week 3)
- Sam Darnold vs. Saints (“Don’t know how confident you’ll be in him, but...”)
Running Backs to Stash
[05:33 – 06:10]
- “This list stinks… there aren’t a lot of running backs I really love or want to stash.” — Dave Richard [03:56]
- Shallow leagues:
- Basil Tootin (26% available)
- Braylon Allen (27%)
- IR-eligible:
- Tajé Spears (63% available) — “He’s a good IR stash.”
- Marshawn Lloyd
- Deeper stashes:
- Rashard Smith (Kansas City, 94% available) — contingency if Pacheco struggles.
- Woody Marks (83%) — possible if Nick Chubb struggles or in case Joe Mixon is out long-term.
- Ray Davis (51%) as an important handcuff to James Cook, who’s already dealing with a minor injury.
"If he [Cook] aggravates it, then you're going to wish you had picked up Ray Davis." — Adam Aizer [05:33]
Waiver-Wire Philosophy (RBs vs. WRs)
[06:10 – 06:27]
- Adam notes it’s usually harder to find RBs than WRs on waivers unless injuries strike.
- “Every year it’s so hard to find running backs off the waiver wire...” — Adam Aizer [06:12]
Wide Receivers to Stash
[07:02 – 08:52]
- Beyond Cedric Tillman:
- Josh Downs (37% available) — more widely rostered but still a target.
- Rashid Shaheed (vs. Seattle, Week 3) — upside with Seattle's corner turnover.
- Wan’Dale Robinson (PPR vs. Kansas City)
- Romeo Doubs (available in ~66% of CBS leagues)
- Calvin Austin (Pittsburgh vs. NE, Week 3)
- Josh Palmer (Buffalo vs. Miami, Week 3)
- Eligeo Manor (Titans, 89% available, vs. Colts)
- Kayshon Boutte (stash for later, not for Week 3)
- Marvin Mims (IR stash)
- Potential returning/injured stashes:
- Brandon Aiyuk (44% available)
- Christian Kirk (43% available):
- Adam singles him out as a priority stash:
"That was the one I said. Yeah, I want to see if Dave gets to this guy. I was drafting him in a lot of leagues… I think they could desperately need him. I don’t know when he's coming back, but they got Jacksonville in Week three, baby." — Adam Aizer [08:52]
- Adam singles him out as a priority stash:
- Deep leagues:
- Isaac Tesla (83%)
- Kyle Williams, Patriots (86%)
- Isaiah Bond, Browns (97%)
Tight Ends to Stash
[09:23 – 09:52]
- Harold Fannin: mentioned as a more rostered stash (61%).
- Juwan Johnson: coming off a big game, 57% available.
- Favorable matchups next few weeks: Seattle, Buffalo, Giants, Patriots.
- "You could see Juwan Johnson have some decent games there..." — Dave Richard [09:23]
DSTs to Stash (“Defense/Special Teams”)
[09:57 – 10:38]
- Arizona Cardinals: 45% available; schedule of “quarterbacks to attack”:
- SF, SEA, TEN, IND, NYG (Weeks 3–7)
- “Could end up being really good for like the first half of the fantasy season.” — Dave Richard [09:57]
- Other DSTs with good future matchups:
- Seattle Seahawks
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Dallas Cowboys
- Indianapolis Colts
Memorable Quotes & Moments
- On Cedric Tillman:
“He’s a pretty big component of the Browns offense. I’d rather have him on my bench than Harold Fannin... Tillman’s averaged 18.1 in his last five games.” — Dave Richard [02:42]
- On how shallow the RB list is:
“This list stinks… there aren’t a lot of running backs I really love or want to stash.” — Dave Richard [05:33]
- On waiver wire running backs:
“It’s so hard to find running backs off the waiver wire… unless there’s an injury and in which case everyone’s going after the same running back and you’ll be lucky to get them.” — Adam Aizer [06:12]
- Friendly banter about Giants games:
“Just realizing now I’m gonna have to watch the first half of the Chiefs Giants game with Heath on the air. That’s gonna be tough.” — Adam Aizer [10:38]
“I got news for you, Giants fan. It’s gonna be tough whether he’s there or not.” — Dave Richard [10:47]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Cedric Tillman as headliner (Beat the Waiver Wire): 02:21 – 03:45
- Quarterbacks to stash: 03:45 – 05:33
- Running backs to stash: 05:33 – 06:10
- Waiver-wire philosophy (RBs vs. WRs): 06:10 – 06:27
- Wide receivers to stash: 07:02 – 08:52
- Christian Kirk stash discussion: 08:52 – 09:07
- Tight ends to stash: 09:23 – 09:52
- DSTs to stash: 09:57 – 10:38
- Memorable Giants banter: 10:38 – 10:53
Final Takeaways
This express episode is densely packed with actionable advice for fantasy managers wanting to get ahead of the competition. The strongest stashes are Cedric Tillman, Michael Penix, and secondary pieces at WR and TE with upside and opportunity due to injuries or schedule. The analysts reiterate the unpredictability and scarcity of RBs on waivers and recommend stashing smartly, especially prioritizing depth at running back if you can.
Bottom line:
Jump on these widely available players and DSTs before everyone else realizes their value—giving yourself the best shot at season-long bragging rights!