Week four could be best described as ‘The Week of the Quarterback,’ with players like Mitch Trubisky, Jared Goff, and Derek Carr having Pro Bowl quality starts. If you had these three in your starting lineup, you won your Week 4 match-up. Leonard Fournette and TY Hilton, among others, may not be available this week for fantasy football team owners. Your waiver wire should still be filled with a few quality players if you need the help.
Last week,we advised to be cautious to add the Bills Josh Allen. After a breakout performance where he posted near 200 yards passing and three touchdowns, the Packers held him to 151 yards passing and zero touchdowns. This week, Seahawks running back Mike Davis is a player to be cautious of. Despite 124 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, the Seahawks boast a crowded backfield with Chris Carson and Rashad Penny. Davis’ value will be tied to the health of Chris Carson.
Don’t add a player to your fantasy football team if you don’t need one.
QUARTERBACKS
1 Jared Goff, Rams
2 Andy Dalton, Bengals
3 Joe Flacco, Ravens
4 Mitch Trubisky, Bears
Jared Goffis still available in some leagues and has thrown over 130 times through four games. The Rams offense just seems to be hitting its stride. He’s your top waiver wire grab if he is available in your fantasy football league.
The Bengals Andy Dalton continues to roll, this time for 337 yards and three touchdowns. He’s available in over a third of leagues and is likely in the top ten of fantasy football quarterbacks in your league.
Joe Flaccois now second in pass attempts with 171, or 42 per game. Flacco remains a decent option in fantasy football and is available in most leagues.
A dynasty league darling, Mitch Trubisky finally broke out with the week’s top fantasy football performance including six passing touchdowns. It’s easy to chase the points, but don’t. View him as a back-up with a bunch of upside. One fantastic performance a fantasy football career does not make. Besides, the Bears are on their bye week this week.
RUNNING BACKS
1 James White, Patriots
2 TJ Yeldon, Jaguars
3 Tarik Cohen, Bears
4 Nyheim Hines, Colts
5 Nick Chubb, Browns
6 Mike Davis, Seahawks
7 Frank Gore, Dolphins
8 Mark Walton, Bengals
Give these running backs a look if you need help. The running backs with a longer view are ranked higher.
With Rex Burkhead placed on the disabled list, James White made an impact in the Patriots offense with 112 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns on 16 touches. White is an RB2 or flex option in fantasy football. He’s still available on some leagues waiver wires.
The Jaguars Leonard Fournette left this past week’s game again with a hamstring injury. TJ Yeldon immediately made an impact with 100 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns on 21 touches. Yeldon should be owned in all fantasy football leagues and is available in approximately half. Fournette is expected to miss at least two games.
Tarik Cohenhad the video game performance many fantasy football team owners have been waiting for. On 20 touches, Cohen posted 174 all-purposes yards, most in the passing game, and put one of his receptions into the end zone. The hope is this establishes Cohen as a regular target each week going forward. Look at your waiver wire as Cohen is available in many leagues.
With TY Hilton out of the game, Nyheim Hines stepped up to haul in nine receptions on 11 targets for 63 yards and 2 touchdowns. There is a real good chance Hilton misses this week’s game on Thursday night. The Colts would do a disservice not to work Hines into the offense not just Thursday night but going forward.
The Browns Nick Chubb broke out for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns on three touches. It’s going to be hard for the Browns not to give him more looks. If you have the bench room, Chubb is a solid add off the waiver wire. He’s widely available in fantasy football leagues.
If you have Kenyan Drake on your fantasy football team, you’re highly disappointed. Each week, Drake’s workload has declined. In week 4, Frank Gore had 13 touches for 57 all-purpose yards and one touchdown. Adam Gase has been notorious for shifting workloads for motivational purposes when a player disappoints. Gore is a waiver wire option in only the deepest of leagues or for the most desperate of fantasy football team owners.
The BengalsMark Walton is a short term rent-a-running-back if both Giovani Bernard andJoe Mixon do not make it back from injury in Week 5. Walton is available on all waiver wires.
WIDE RECEIVERS
1 Alshon Jeffery, Eagles
2 Corey Davis, Titans
3 John Brown, Ravens
4 Calvin Ridley, Falcons
5 Tyler Boyd, Bengals
6 Jordy Nelson, Raiders
7 Geronimo Allison, Packers
8 Dede Westbrook, Jaguars
9 Chester Rogers, Colts
10 Keke Coutee, Texans
11 Taylor Gabriel, Bears
This week, there is a wide receiver for every fantasy football team owner that could help you whether you are in a deep sixteen team league or shallow ten team league.
Alshon Jeffery, Corey Davis, andJohn Brown where all players who should have been drafted. All three, especially Brown, are still available in some leagues and are top waiver wire adds in fantasy football.
Similarly,Calvin Ridley followed up an outstanding week three performance with another real good one (54 yards, 2 TDs). While the yards were much less, he remained a red zone target for Matt Ryan. Ridley is still available in some leagues.
These next four receivers have similar fantasy football profiles: Tyler Boyd, Jordy Nelson,Geronimo Allison, andDede Westbrook, on each of their respective teams, there is at least one other player supposedly “ahead of them,” but each has proven a regularly used offensive weapon. Targets for these four players range from eight to fifteen. They’re each solid waiver wire and their availability ranges from “available in some leagues” (Boyd) to “available in most leagues” (Westbrook).
With the Colts TY Hilton and the Texans Will Fuller likely unavailable at least this week due to injuries, both Chester Rogers and Keke Coutee should make for solid fantasy football fill-ins and could have longer term view value especially in deeper leagues.
Taylor Gabrielis strictly a deeper league waiver wire add. While he posted solid numbers hauling in 104 yards and 2 TDs on seven-for-seven receiving, the ears are on the bye this week and his value will depend on if Mitch Trubisky can maintain his fantasy football value.
TIGHT ENDS
1 David Njoku, Browns
2 Vance McDonald, Steelers
3 Geoff Swain, Cowboys
Unless Jared Cook, George Kittle, or Eric Ebron are on your fantasy football waiver wire, these three tight ends have established themselves as regular fixtures in their team’s offenses. Each is getting around five targets per week. However, they will likely need a touchdown to be fantasy football relevant.
DEFENSES
1 Jets
2 Titans
3 Packers
Three defenses with three solid match-ups this week who are top ten in most fantasy football formats.
Respectively, the Jets play the Broncos whose Case Keenum has struggled to put the football in the end zone the past three weeks. Similarly, the Titans play the Bills whose quarterback Josh Allen looked every bit the rookie against the Packers in Week 4. And last, the Packers play a tougher Lions team still giving up near double digit fantasy points through four games.