Fantasy football: top 10 waiver wire Week 4 pickups

7. Branden Oliver

This is very much an injury report-dependent waiver wire pick up this week, but it sounds like Melvin Gordon may miss some time with a knee injury he sustained in the Los Angeles Chargers Sunday loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Gordon was pulled out of the game, but the injury didn’t look too serious as he returned later to give it another go. However, Branden Oliver took over the backfield in Gordon’s absence and had 12 total touches for 34 yards (16 on the ground, 18 through the air).

Mostly, Melvin Gordon has been inefficient as a runner on the season, averaging only 3.3 yards per attempt despite racking up 146 so far. This might not mean that the Chargers backfield is the most fruitful one for a runner, but Oliver would likely see a lot of volume if Gordon does miss time and the small, shifty back is capable of breaking off a few big runs.

Oliver showed a flash in his rookie campaign in 2014, and has been a capable receiver throughout his career, but hasn’t had an extended period of time a starter. He’s purely a desperation play if Gordon is out and you need help, but he could save you for a short time.