Week 4 Waiver Targets

By: Tony Kneepkens (@tonytk44)

These are the top players to consider adding from waivers this week. Unless otherwise noted, all players below are available in greater than 50% of Yahoo leagues (as of Sunday evening). Priorities and FAAB recommendations are meant to differentiate between some of the options available and are assuming 12-team, single-QB, fantasy formats.

It’s a strong week for waivers with what looks like a potential league-winning RB pickup available in nearly half of leagues and several medium-priority targets at the other skill-positions. Remember that bye weeks start with four teams off in Week 5, so it might be wise to start to look ahead at where and when you will need coverage and at what positions.

QB Streamer of the Week

Geno Smith, LV, Week 4 vs CHI

• Geno had an efficient passing game throwing for 289 yards and tossing three TDs to WR Tre Tucker in last week’s loss to the Commanders. Things seem to be looking up for the Raiders’ offense with Tucker’s career day, rookie RB Ashton Jeanty rushing for a career-best 63 yards, and superstar TE Brock Bowers coming off of the injury report ahead of last week’s game after being questionable for the better part of two weeks. 

• Low-priority add. Geno has had two good games in the first three weeks and he’s is my favorite widely available streamer this week, home against the Bears, in a game with a solid (46.5) implied point total.

• 3% or less of FAAB.

Longer-term QB stash ::

• Jaxson Dart (NYG) - Giants’ starting QB Russell Wilson had his worst game of the young season in a primetime loss to the Chiefs on SNF. Wilson passed for 160 scoreless yards and threw two interceptions and HC Brian Daboll claims the team is “looking at everything” this week, stopping short of naming a starting QB for their next game against the Chargers. Dart might be a tough add with bye weeks starting to kick in next week, but if your bench is deep enough, Dart might be worth an early stash.

RB Pickups

Trey Benson, AZ, Week 4 vs SEA (52% rostered)

• Benson is set to take over a featured RB role for a solid Cardinals offense in the wake of veteran James Conner’s serious foot/ankle injury suffered last week. Benson was already being featured in the passing game and as a complementary runner this year. Now the former top-70 draft pick should have the opportunity for as much work as he can handle.

• High-priority add. Adding a talented RB on a good offense with limited competition this early in the season is about as impactful as a waiver addition can be.

• 100% of FAAB, top waiver priority, etc.

Blake Corum, LAR, Week 4 vs IND

• Corum had season bests with eight carries and 53 rushing yards in the Rams’ loss to the Eagles last week and now has 97 yards and a TD over the last two weeks. He remains the only Rams’ RB with a touch this season other than starting RB Kyren Williams.

• Medium-priority add. Corum is the right kind of bench stash as a primary backup RB on a solid offense. It’s a bonus that his team has shown it is willing to play him in various downs and distances. He’s my favorite of this next group of contingent-upside RBs based on the best overall offense of the three.

• 10 - 20% of FAAB.

Ollie Gordon II, MIA, Week 4 vs NYJ

• Ollie G handled nine of 21 Dolphins’ RB carries in their TNF loss to the Bills last week and scored his first career TD from two yards out. Gordon handled his largest role of the year despite second-year RB Jaylen Wright being active for the first time this season.

• Medium-priority add. Miami has been pretty intentional about featuring another RB alongside their star man De’Von Achane in his young career and Ollie looks like a natural complement. Gordon is a great bench stash for his combination of short-yardage role and contingent upside as a primary backup RB.

• 5 - 15% of FAAB.

Woody Marks, HOU, Week 4 vs TEN

• Houston removed veteran RB Dare Ogunbawale from their three-man RB rotation last week, which meant career bests in carries, yards, and targets for Marks as he operated as the primary backup to Nick Chubb. Marks handled 40% of the teams’ RB carries and 33% of their RB targets last week.

• Medium-priority add. The Texans appear to be intent on featuring Chubb as their primary RB. but they did make an aggressive move up in April’s draft for Woody and there’s no reason his role shouldn’t continue to expand as the season progresses. Another RB with some standalone value and massive contingent upside.

• 5 -15% of FAAB.

Priority RB stash ::

• Tyjae Spears (TEN) - Spears was placed on short-term IR before the season with a high-ankle sprain and will miss at least another week before he can be reactivated. Tony Pollard has 54 of the team’s 58 RB carries on the season and is averaging 3.6 yards per carry with a long run of 10 yards. I like adding Spears this week to stash him for his eventual return to his complementary role alongside Pollard, with upside for more.

Some additional lower-priority or deeper-league RB adds to consider ::

• Kenneth Gainwell (PIT) - Steelers’ primary backup RB has received fewer touches each consecutive week to start the year but did find paydirt in last week’s win over the Patriots.

• Jeremy McNichols (WAS) - Handled four carries for 78 yards, including a 60-yard TD scamper, in the Commanders’ first game without Austin Ekeler.

• Chris Rodriguez (WAS) - Handled the first, and most, carries in the new-look Washington backfield, with 11 carries for 39 yards.

• Brashard Smith (KC) - The rookie RB had just two carries and a single target last week, but being an unproven rookie in the least-inspiring RB room in the league is enough to be on my radar for now.

WR Pickups

Elic Ayomanor, TEN, Week 4 at HOU

• Ayomanor caught a TD for the second week in a row and now has two of the Titans’ three offensive TDs on the year. His rookie signal-caller, QB Cam Ward, is showing incremental progress, increasing his completions, attempts, yards, and Y/A in each of his first three career starts.

• Medium-priority add. EA has looked the part and has an exciting role to begin his career, but we need to continue to see more progress from Ward and out of the Tennessee offense as a whole before he can be trusted as a regular staple in fantasy lineups.

• 10 - 20% of FAAB.

Luther Burden III, CHI, Week 4 at LV

• Burden, a second-round pick in April’s draft, had his breakout performance last week, catching all three of his targets for 101 yards, including a 65-yard TD catch. Four other Bears were afforded more targets in a game QB Caleb Williams threw for 298-4.

• Medium-priority add. Burden still needs to pass veteran Olamide Zaccheaus to become a top-three WR on his own team, but he’s certainly on the success track so far in his rookie campaign. If Williams continues his strong play, Burden could be a top-two or top-three option on a great offense down the stretch of the fantasy season.

• 5 - 15% of FAAB.

Tre Tucker, LV, Week 4 vs CHI

• Tucker had an incredible 8-145-3 performance on his nine targets in the Raiders blowout loss to the Commanders last week, setting career bests in every category. This compares to Tucker catching just three of eight targets for only 12 yards in Week 2.

• Medium-priority add. Tucker is showing chemistry with new Raiders QB Geno Smith, catching all four of the quarterback’s TD passes this season. He appears to be in the midst of a breakout season, but needs to show more consistency to be viable for fantasy lineups in most formats.

• 10% or less of FAAB.

Some additional lower-priority WR adds to consider ::

• Darnell Mooney (ATL) - Team-high 11 targets in his second game back from a shoulder injury, but he only went 4-44 in the shutout loss to the Panthers. Would be a higher priority if Atlanta didn’t have a Week 5 bye, he’s probably already rostered in the leagues you’d likely hold him through that.

• Tory Horton (SEA) - Horton had an incredible breakout performance, catching a 32 yard TD and adding an electric 95-yard punt-return TD. 

• Parker Washington (JAX) - Caught four of a team-high 11 targets filling in for injured WR Dyami Brown in a game Trevor Lawrence completed just 20 of 40 passes in.

• Christian Kirk (HOU) - Second on the Texans with eight targets in his season debut, but caught just three for 25 yards.

TE Pickups

Isaiah Likely, BAL, Week 4 at KC

• Likely missed the first three games of the year with a foot injury but has recently returned to practice in a limited capacity. Although veteran teammate Mark Andrews broke out with a 6-91-2 line on MNF against the Lions, he’d produced all of two receptions for seven yards on four targets in the first two games. Likely therefore has a chance to still lay claim to a significant pass-catching TE role in a great offense upon his return.

• Medium-priority add. I think Likely is a good player to add and stash for future weeks to see how he looks coming off of his injury and to see how the Ravens’ TE roles shake out.

• 5 - 15% of FAAB.

Brenton Strange, JAX, Week 4 at SF

• Strange led the Jags with six catches for 61 yards in their win over the Texans, and he was second on the team with seven targets. He’s now caught 13 of his 16 targets this year, one of the few efficient pass catchers for a Jaguars team through three weeks.

• Low-to-medium priority add. Strange plays a full-time role and has been efficient with his opportunities, but his immediate matchup at SF is a tough one. I’d rather hold him for future matchups or bye-week coverage.

• 5% or less of FAAB.

Some additional lower-priority TE adds to consider ::

• Chig Okonkwo (TEN) - Led the Titans with five catches for 66 receiving yards last week. He’s caught 12 of his 16 targets this season and has been one of the more reliable targets for rookie signal-caller Cam Ward.

• Oronde Gadsden II (LAC) - Tied for third on the Chargers with seven targets in his NFL debut, catching five for 46 yards. Gadsden’s debut performance marked the first time this season a Chargers TE received more than two targets.

DEFENSE (Top pickups for Week 4)

1. Chargers (at Giants)

2. Patriots (home vs. Panthers)

3. Rams (home vs. Colts)