In an already crazy fantasy football season, week 4 will continue to test fantasy owners skills in building depth on their roster as we hit the first wave of bye weeks. There are some very fantasy significant teams on byes this week which will leave owners scrambling to fill in their rosters with some help from the waiver wire.
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In week 4, the Bengals, Browns, Broncos, Rams, Cardinals, and Seahawks will all take their bye week. With all those big-time players out as well as a number of significant injuries in the last couple weeks, expect a rush to the waiver wire this week so get your claims in and make sure to prioritize your areas of need for this week and for the long term.
Each Tuesday, you can find the top ten to target on the waiver wire right here on Fansided. To help keep the list realistic, it is limited to those players available in over half of ESPN leagues. That means nice options like Donald Brown, Knile Davis, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Terrance West aren’t on this list even though they should be your first pickup if they’re floating out there in your league. If you have any league-specific questions the fastest and best way to get them answered is to ask us @FansidedFantasy on twitter.
All references to points are based on ESPN standard scoring unless otherwise noted, so that we have a common benchmark for comparison. The percentages included after the players team is their ownership percentage as of Monday. To help as many owners as possible, I’ll include at least one player from each primary position-QB, RB, WR, TE, and team defense. Stay tuned to our Fantasy football hub for more coverage throughout the week as we delve deeper into each position.
This week there are a lot of returning members of our top ten from last week meaning these players continue to contribute even though they’re still available. Depending on your team need and scoring system, your team’s needs will vary, but the players on the following slides are the top ten to look for as you race to the waiver wire this week.
Kelvin Benjamin-WR-Carolina Panthers (35.5%)
Kelvin Benjamin was the second-most dropped receiver last week. Why he’s so unowned makes no sense to me. He was a sleeper I highlighted in preseason and he’s been on every top ten waiver wire list I’ve done. To make it clear, I’m all in on Benjamin. He leads my week 4 pickups virtually regardless of team need because his role is so well-established and he should continue to be a valuable asset. Even if you’re stocked at WR, you should add him and look to move him or another piece if possible.
Benjamin finished Sunday night’s game with a mostly meaningless TD, but continued to show he is the clear #1 option in the Carolina passing game. He finished with 115 yards on his eight catches, and had led the team in targets each of the first three weeks. Cam Newton and the Carolina offense isn’t ever going to be considered pass-happy, but he is a quality QB which makes his top option in the passing game worth owning in almost all formats.
This week, Cam and the Cats head to Baltimore to face old friend Steve Smith (now Sr.) and the Ravens. Look for the Panthers to get the ball to Benjamin early and often against the Ravens defense which will continue his emergence as a solid WR2.
Lorenzo Taliaferro-RB-Baltimore Ravens (0.9%)
Taliaferro looked like the answer to the Ravens running back issues on Sunday running for 91 yards and a touchdown on his 18 carries against the Browns. Those numbers look even better when compared to Bernard Pierce’s 96 yards the week before on 22 carries. Pierce sat out the Ravens week 3 contest which opened the door for Taliaferro to emerge as one of our Week 4 pickups.
In the short-term Taliaferro may lose some carries if Pierce returns from his minor injury and takes back over the majority of carries, but there’s little question that Taliaferro offers more sizzle and upside in his rookie year out of Coastal Carolina. Taliaferro has a ways to go in the passing game, but the Ravens have an answer to that with the presence of Justin Forsett who will also be part of the backfield picture for the Ravens.
If Pierce is active and resumes his starting role, Taliaferro may be a difficult pickup-and-play option this week, but he’s definitely worth a waiver claim if you’re looking for more long-term upside. At some point this season whether due to injuries, ineffectiveness, or recurring fumble issues, I think Taliaferro will get a shot at the primary running back job in Baltimore.
Kirk Cousins-QB-Washington Redskins (28.1%)
If you need a QB for a spot start this week, Cousins is probably the top player to target. He lived up to all the hype around his first start of the season throwing for 427 yards on 28-48 passing while totaling three touchdowns, but also throwing a costly interception.
Unfortunately for his owners, he can’t play against the Eagles in a shootout every week, but I do think he can be a productive QB in this Washington offense. This week, he and Washington will take on another division foe as they return to FedEx Field to take on the Giants. New York isn’t going to run up the score like the Eagles did, but they are vulnerable in the secondary making Cousins a fringe QB1 with all the bye weeks.
I’m not as all in as some on Cousins for the long term, but Cousins is a good one-week addition if you are a Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson, or Andy Dalton owner and are not confident in your backup filling in. In dual-QB leagues, Cousins is an every week starter at least until RG3 returns.
Brian Quick-WR-St. Louis Rams (25.6%)
If you can’t get Benjamin, the next-best receiver available is Brian Quick. Quick’s situation is similar in many ways being the leading receiving option on his team. The Rams will probably have to play many of their games from behind which should lead to plenty of targets for Quick no matter who the quarterback is.
This week, Austin Davis got the start for St. Louis and found Quick for his first touchdown of the season on a 51 yard bomb in the first half. Unfortunately for his owners who started him, he only managed one other catch all game finishing with his low point for catches and yards with two catches for 62 yards. The previous two weeks, Quick was targeted nine times each game with seven catches in each for 99 and 74 yards.
This week isn’t the week to pick up Quick for a shot-term solution since he and the Rams are on their bye week, but when they come back expect he and Shaun Hill to get on a nice role. He returns in week five to a very favorable matchup against the Eagles , so plan accordingly if week 5 is when you need a WR fill-in.
Matt Asiata-RB-Minnesota Vikings (44.2%)
Asiata is the rare lead back on the waiver wire, and is probably the best pickup-and-play option in our Week 4 pickups. He doesn’t have the upside that Jerick McKinnon does long term, but for now he’s the feature back in the Vikings offense.
In his two-game stint as the main back since Adrian Peterson was removed from the picture, Asiata has totaled 71 yards rushing, 84 yards receiving (on eight catches), and a receiving touchdown.
If you need a fill-in at a running back spot this week, Asiata has to be one of the names you consider especially since he and the Vikings will be at home against the Falcons. Atlanta’s defense was amazing last Thursday night against the woeful Bucs, but looked vulnerable to the run in their first two games against the Bengals and Saints. Asiata has some play-making ability, and with Teddy Bridgewater in at QB the Vikings offense is likely to start taking steps in the right direction.
Jordan Matthews-WR-Philadelphia Eagles (2.9%)
Unlike the earlier WR listed in our Week 4 pickups, Matthews isn’t the top option on his team, but he’s part of an offense that is effective enough to create fantasy points for multiple receivers. The rookie from Vanderbilt has huge upside.
Matthews had a season-high nine targets in the Eagles win finishing with a pair of touchdowns on his eight catches for 59 yards. Even in the first two games, the Eagles WR was targeted four times each although with less impressive results.
It looks like Matthews has stepped into the #2 WR role for the Eagles passing Riley Cooper. As a red zone target and a slot option, Matthews has an extremely high ceiling in the Eagles high-flying offense. He’s more of a long-term option for steady production, but he has huge upside in case of an injury, and you can roll the dice on any week that he’ll pull in scores from Nick Foles.
Travis Kelce-TE-Kansas City Chiefs (12.2%)
Another multiple-returner to our list, Kelce is starting to realize his pass-catching potential in Alex Smith and Andy Reid’s offense which both tend to create opportunities for tight ends to excel. Kelce pulled in his first touchdown of the year against the Dolphins as part of his three-catch, 36-yard effort on Sunday.
Kelce has been growing more involved in the offense each week, and his star is on the rise. He didn’t play at all his rookie year, but offers the Chiefs offense a vertical threat that their wide receivers haven’t been able to consistently give them.
Look for Kelce’s role to continue to grow as the season progresses, and with bye weeks, he’s a low-end TE1 against the Patriots on Monday Night Football. He’s the best available fill-in for Julius Thomas or Jordan Cameron owners, and a solid streaming option as well if he’s available.
San Diego Chargers D/ST (3.5%)
The Chargers D has stepped up and been impressive the last two weeks as the team got a huge win at home against Seattle and avoided a letdown on the road in Buffalo. In their three games this season, the San Diego defense has allowed no more than 21 points and forced three turnovers. Last week they added a safety against the Bills in Buffalo as well.
San Diego returns home this week to sunny Southern California as they host the hapless Jaguars who have been the best team in the NFL to start a D/ST against. The Colts put up a huge week against Jacksonville last week with three turnovers and a defensive TD.
San Diego’s defense isn’t among the league’s elite in most matchups, but they have a nice string in their next four games against the Jags, Jets, Raiders, and Chiefs before they have to travel to Denver. They’re the top pickup for the near future even though their yards allowed per play is fairly high.
Bobby Rainey-RB-Tampa Bay Buccaneers (22.2%)
Rainey and the Bucs looked horrible on Thursday night, and he was benched for a short time due to a lost fumble. He returned to the game but did lose another fumble which could be costly if the trend continues. His overall numbers ended up being pretty solid. He rushed for 41 yards on 11 carries while adding 64 yards on seven catches. He’s totaled over 100 total yards in each of Tampa’s last two games which is what makes him an attractive pickup.
Even with all that production, Rainey’s future role is in doubt with Doug Martin possibly set to return this week. Martin and Rainey will likely be in some kind of timeshare which is fantasy football quicksand until some clarity comes after a few games.
Rainey will have a role in the Bucs game this week against the Steelers, but grabbing him and starting him will be a risky proposition. If you are desperate for a starter and Matt Asiata if off the board, Rainey is probably your next best option although there’s no guarantee how involved he’ll be this week. It’s a better option to grab him and wait until the situation is more established if your roster can carry an extra RB for a longer period of time.
Niles Paul-TE-Washington Redskins (7.6%)
Paul has been a big part of the Redskins passing attack in the first three weeks of the season in place of the injured Jordan Reed. He’s shown a great connection with Kirk Cousins and could get another shot this week as Washington plays on a short week against the Giants on Thursday night.
If Jordan Reed remains sidelined Paul is again a top ten tight end, and seeing Reed come back on such a quick turnaround when he hasn’t come returned to practice would be tough. Paul finished this week’s shootout against the Eagles with 68 yards on six catches which was his lowest output of the season so far.
The Giants defense has struggled against the pass, so Kirk Cousins should be able to continue his hot start in primetime. Paul is a low-end TE1 and will probably be ahead of Kelce in my starter rankings later this week. However, because his long-term contributions are potentially limited by Reed’s return, he ranks lower as a pickup since he’s a sure thing for only another week.
Here are some of the other available players worth considering if the top ten are gone or you are playing in a deep league where more players belong on rosters. They are listed in the general order I would consider adding them as week 4 pickups, but stay tuned for more in depth looks at the best options position-by-position as the week goes on.
Other Options
QB: E.J. Manuel-Buffalo Bills, Drew Stanton-Arizona Cardinals, Mike Glennon-Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Derek Carr-Oakland Raiders
RB: Justin Forsett-Baltimore Ravens, Isaiah Crowell-Cleveland Browns, Alfred Blue-Houston Texans, Jerick McKinnon-Minnesota Vikings, Joe McKnight-Kansas City Chiefs, Denard Robinson-Jacksonville Jaguars
WR: Stevie Johnson-San Francisco 49ers, Andrew Hawkins-Cleveland Browns, Markus Wheaton-Pittsburgh Steelers, Mohamed Sanu-Cincinnati Bengals, John Brown-Arizona Cardinals, Jeremy Kerley-New York Jets, Eddie Royal-San Diego Chargers
TE: Niles Paul-Washington Redskins, Larry Donnell-New York Giants, Ladarius Green-San Diego Chargers, Owen Daniels-Baltimore Ravens
D/ST: Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins