Fantasy Football Week 4 Waiver Advice

It wouldn’t be a week of football without injuries, breakout performances and players separating themselves from time shares now, would it? Week 4 of the NFL season begins the first round of byes with the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles getting the week off.  With all of that said, how bout we get right to it?  Here are the top players to add heading into Week 4 of the fantasy football season.

-FAAB bids based off of $100 budget

Quarterback

Dak Prescott, DAL- Prescott did it all against a beat up Bears defense on Sunday night, throwing for 248 yards and touchdown while adding four carries for 36 yards and another score.  He has now rushed for a touchdown in two straight games much to the dismay of Ezekiel Elliot owners everywhere and he has yet to turn the ball over which is even more important.  In Week 4 the Cowboys will travel west to face a 49ers defense that has allowed over 300 yards passing and six combined touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks over the last two weeks.

FAAB Bid- $5-$10

Ryan Tannehill, MIA- I personally don’t think Ryan Tannehill is that good of an NFL quarterback but once again the Dolphins are without an effective running game and therefore their offense will move through the air which gives Tannehill some value heading into a Thursday matchup against a Bengals defense that just allowed 312 yards and four touchdowns to Trevor Siemian of all people.  Tannehill does have weapons in the passing attack with Jarvis Landry, Devonte Parker and even Kenny Stills all producing at the moment so if you need a bye week fill-in Tannehill could be the play this week.

FAAB Bid $5-$10

Joe Flacco, BAL- There is no doubt that Flacco’s Week 3 performance was a total dud as he failed to take advantage of a Jaguars defense that had been getting torched in recent weeks but It is still hard to ignore that the Ravens offense will need to move through the air if they hope to win games and Baltimore has some real threats in that passing attack.  Week 4 brings about a matchup against a Raiders defense that was fortunate to play the Titans last week without Delanie Walker or they might not have had such success in stifling the Titans passing attack.  Prior to Week 3 the Raiders had allowed seven passing touchdowns over the first two weeks so Flacco should be in a good spot for a bounce back performance.

FAAB Bid $5-$10

Running Back

Christine Michael, SEA- Michael was a very popular pickup heading in Week 3 with Thomas Rawls being injured and he did not disappoint as he rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns against the 49ers.  He is currently available in about 25 percent of standard leagues and may have done enough to unseat Thomas Rawls as the Seahawks starting running back.  Seattle has a tough matchup against the Jets in Week 4 and then go on a bye so Michael is more of a stash play until Week 6 against the Falcons.

FAAB Bid- $15-$20

Jordan Howard, CHI- Howard as a popular handcuff pick this draft season as there were rumblings early that he could overtake Jeremy Langford as the Bears starting back.  Langford has struggled to this point in the season and found himself getting injured in Week 3 which has him doubtful to play and opens the door for Howard to get a start and a chance to overtake him as the starting back.  In Week 4 the Bears will face off against the Lions who have allowed over 100 yards rushing in each of the last two weeks and while the Bears will likely find themselves passing to keep up with the Lions offense Howard is certainly worth the grab.

FAAB Bid-$15-$20

Dwayne Washington, DET- I said last week that Washington was likely going to see upwards of 10 carries in Week 3 with Ameer Abdullah out of the lineup and Theo Riddick much more suited as a pass catcher than a runner and Washington saw exactly those 10 carries which he ran for a meager 38 yards.  Fortunately for Washington Detroit lacks another option as an early down back so the job is his until further notice.  In Week 4 the Lions will face a Bears defense that has allowed two rushing touchdowns in each of the last two weeks which bodes well for Washington’s chance of putting up some points.

FAAB Bid- $10-$15

 

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Wide Receiver

Terrelle Pryor, CLE- I will be honest here, I am not completely sold on Pryor’s Week 3 performance as his coming out party but the man showed he might very well be the most talented player on the Browns roster and his 24 targets over the last two weeks prove that the Browns are doing all they can to get the ball in his hands.  Pryor did it all in Week 3 as he played QB, RB and WR for the Browns which resulted in him catching eight passes for 144 yards, rushing four times for 21 yards and a score and completing 3-of-5 passes for 35 yards.  In Week 4 he faces a Redskins defense that can’t stop a nose bleed at this point so while the Browns roster on a whole may not be too intimidating Pryor is worth adding.

FAAB Bid- $10-$15

Michael Thomas, NO- I have been all in on Thomas since draft season as he offered Drew Brees some real size in the passing game and with Willie Snead out of the lineup in Week 3 due to injury that faith paid off as he caught 7-of-11 targets for 71 yards and a touchdown.  Thomas had caught 10-of-11 targets coming into Week 3 as the Saints No.3 receiving option and Monday night’s performance should only boost his usage going forward.  Snead is currently considered questionable for Week 4 and if he again finds himself out of the lineup Thomas is a must start.

FAAB Bid- $10-$15

Tyrell Williams, SD- For the last few weeks I have been on the Travis Benjamin train as the Chargers No.1 receiving option but Williams finds himself on this list heading into Week 4 as he is averaging about seven targets a game and has been a solid downfield threat for Philip Rivers.  In Week 3 his six catches and nine targets were both team highs as he found himself as Rivers top target against the Colts.  In Week 4 the Chargers will face off against a Saints defense that is allowed the eighth most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers in what figures to be a high scoring affair.

FAAB Bid- $5-$10

Tight End

Coby Fleener, NO- Boy I hope you did not cut bait on Fleener after his dismal first two weeks with New Orleans because you are likely kicking yourself this morning after he torched the Falcons for 109 yards and a touchdown on 7-of-11 targets.  Fleener has now been targeted 19 times over the past two weeks and that type of volume in the Saints high powered passing attack will lead to production.  In Week 4 the Saints will face a Chargers defense that is currently allowing the fourth most fantasy points to opposing tight ends and with the possibility that Willie Snead is again out of the lineup it’s easy to assume another big week for the Saints tight end is coming.  Fleener’s ownership levels dropped nearly 10 percent last week so check your waiver wire and scoop him up because he has the upside to be one of the top five tight ends in fantasy this season.

FAAB Bid $10-$15

Jimmy Graham, SEA- Well hello there Mr. Graham!  Graham’s time in Seattle has been far less productive than his tenure in New Orleans but that talent is still there and after a few slow weeks to begin the year as he returns form injury we finally saw the ability that once made him the league’s top tight end as he torched the 49ers for 100 yards and a touchdown.  Graham was targeted a season high nine teams in Week 3 and if truly healthy he could find himself once again becoming a sure fire TE1 in a Seahawks offense that no longer has Marshawn Lynch.  The Seahawks have a tough matchup in Week 4 and then head into a bye week but coming out of the bye they have a string of favorable matchup that Graham should have little trouble exploiting.

FAAB Bid- $10-$15

Dennis Pitta, BAL- I’ve been telling everybody to pick up Pitta for a few weeks now yet he finds himself owned in just about 50 percent of standard leagues.  The tight end position is extremely shallow and as long as Pitta is healthy he is a definite TE1 option as he is Joe Flacco’s favorite target.  In Week 3 he caught 6-of-8 targets for 42 yards and has now been targeted 20 times over the past two weeks.  In Week 4 the Ravens face a Raiders defense that ranked among the league’s worst last season against opposing tight ends and has allowed the ninth most fantasy points to opposing tight ends this season so far.

FAAB Bid- $5-$10