Geno Smith and Carson Steele are among UPI senior sports writer Alex Butler's fantasy football waiver wire priorities for Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season.

Through Week 2, there are very few quarterbacks playing better than Seahawks' Geno Smith. The numbers prove it.

Seattle Seahawks starting quarterback Geno Smith is thriving under the tutelage of new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. Smith completed 33 passes for 327 yards and one touchdown in a Week 2 overtime victory over the New England Patriots.

At one point this summer, Geno Smith’s representatives reached out to the Seattle Seahawks wondering if they wanted to start discussions on a contract extension. Understandably, the Seahawks wanted to wait.

In Week 2 against the New England Patriots, Smith dropped back 48 times and threw for 327 yards and a touchdown. If the Seahawks keep that volume up, which they should, then Smith becomes a much more viable fantasy quarterback. The Kansas City Chiefs may have signed Kareem Hunt this week but that shouldn’t impact veteran Samaje Perine too much.

The Seattle Seahawks have a quality signal caller leading their offense, and he does not get the proper respect he deserves. We are going on Year 3 of the Geno Smith era in Seattle, and the Seahawks starter routinely proves he is not just a capable quarterback,

Smith had two receivers surpass 100 receiving yards (DK Metcalf, 129, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba 117). Metcalf dropped two passes, but Smith still targeted him 14 times. Smith-Njigba saw a game-high 16 targets. With Tyler Lockett playing through an injury, it was Seattle’s other two receivers that handled the volume.

Geno Smith has been a bargain for the Seahawks over the years, and his play since replacing Russell Wilson means, as receiver DK Metcalf insists, he's no longer underrated.