Week 4 Waiver Wire: Options Well-Worth Weighing

Week 4 Waiver Wire: Well-Worth Watching

Week 3 has come and gone. With it has come some great performances, awful duds, and poorly timed injuries. Luckily, there are some players available who might be able to help you out in Week 4 and beyond! Let’s get to it:

Quarterbacks

Matthew Stafford, Lions

No longer a lock to throw for 5,000 yards, Stafford nonetheless remains a relevant option to start at QB if you like the matchup or are hurt by injuries. Stafford ranks 10^th in passing yards, is tied for 5^th with six passing touchdowns, and has only thrown two interceptions. He doesn’t offer much value on the ground but has been one of the steadier passers in the league thus far.

Additionally, he’s benefited from improved pass protection and has only taken three sacks. Owned in only 38% of leagues on ESPN, Stafford probably won’t win you a championship by himself, but he’s a serviceable option with a matchup approaching against the Chiefs in Week 4. Stafford should have to air it out to give the Lions a fighting chance.

Jacoby Brissett, Colts

The announcement of Andrew Luck’s retirement sent a shockwave through Colts fans and caused a panic attack amongst owners who own players on the Colts. My position all along is that while Brissett is not Andrew Luck, the situation is not that dire because he’s actually pretty decent. And lo and behold, Brissett has thrown for 646 yards with seven touchdowns and only one interception in three games as the Colts have jumped out to a 2-1 record. He just went toe-to-toe with Matt Ryan in Week 3 and emerged as the victor, passing for 310 yards with two touchdowns and no turnovers.

Don’t expect Brissett to pass for 350 yards each week, but if you want a solid floor of 13-15 points on a weekly basis, you won’t be disappointed. Only owned in about 19% of leagues, Brissett takes on an Oakland defense that has severely struggled to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks (only five sacks in three games) and has allowed 859 yards through the air (tied for 8^th-worst) without generating an interception. He’s a solid streaming option for Week 4.

Case Keenum, Redskins

I’m not a big believer in Case Keenum, but there’s no arguing with the results to this point and there’s no arguing with his Week 4 matchup. Keenum has passed for 933 yards (4^th in the NFL) with seven touchdowns (tied for 4^th) and three interceptions. I believe he will get replaced by Dwayne Haskins at some point in the near future. But in Week 4, Keenum takes on a Giants defense that has surrendered 997 passing yards, tops in the NFL, to go along with eight passing touchdowns (tied for 3^rd-worst) and only has one interception. The Giants defense is a disaster, and there are far worse options than Keenum to stream in Week 4.

Running Backs

Wayne Gallman, Giants

Gallman will be one of this week’s top pickups, due to Saquon Barkley suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 3 that’s expected to sideline him for at least 6-8 weeks. Gallman should serve as the lead back for the foreseeable future and gets a Week 4 matchup with a Redskins rush defense that has allowed 426 rushing yards (4^th-worst) through three games. From volume alone, he’s worth a pickup and strong consideration as a Flex play. Owned in only 2% of leagues, Gallman will be a hot commodity heading into Week 4.

Ronald Jones, Bucs

Jones has led the Tampa backfield in carries in two of the first three weeks. Among running backs with at least 10 carries, he ranks 13^th in yards per carry at 5.3. The Bucs will need to score to keep up with the Rams in L.A., and Jones could be in line for a big day. He’s owned in only about 40% of leagues and could be worth considering for a Flex spot over the next few weeks.

Rex Burkhead, Patriots

Burkhead quietly has put together a top-15 season at the position through the first three games of the year. He leads a dynamic New England offense with 74 scrimmage yards per game. There are risks involved with starting Burkhead this week, namely the possible return of James White and a plethora of options in the rushing and passing game. In addition, the Bills feature a solid run defense, allowing an average of 88 yards per game to this point. However, Burkhead’s usage to this point suggests that he’s a worthy Flex consideration moving forward. He’s only owned in about 22% of leagues, so if you need a body to fill in, you could do a lot worse.

Wide Receivers

DJ Chark, Jaguars

I’ve been very hesitant to trust any players on the Jaguars, mostly due to my lack of trust in Gardner Minshew. However, Minshew has played surprisingly well so far and seems to have developed a healthy amount of trust in DJ Chark. Chark is the 8^th-ranked wide receiver over the first three weeks and has hauled in 15 passes for 277 yards and three touchdowns in that span. The Broncos have yet to intercept an opposing quarterback and Minshew has shown an ability to protect the football up to this point. Denver’s defense is unspectacular, and Chark should be a safe Flex play in Week 4. He’s owned in only about 41% of leagues, so scoop him up if you can.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Packers

In a Week 3 victory over the Denver Broncos, Valdes-Scantling was targeted 10 times (the next closest was Davante Adams with four) and hauled in six passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. He’s received a healthy 21 targets on the year (tied with Adams for most on the team) and seems to have emerged as Aaron Rodgers’ number two target.

In Week 4, the Packers will take on an Eagles defense that has excelled against the run but has been brutal against the pass. In three games, the Eagles have allowed 881 passing yards (4^th-worst in the NFL) with seven touchdowns (tied for 4^th-worst). Valdes-Scantling should see a target share healthy enough to pencil him in as a viable Flex play this week, at the very least. He’s still only owned in about 49% of leagues, so he might be available for you to pick up and play this week.

Mohamed Sanu, Falcons

I’ve been on the Sanu bandwagon all year long, and this week is no different. When I say “bandwagon,” I say it in a measured way. You’re not plugging Sanu in as your WR2 and hoping for 150 and a touchdown. However, if you’re looking for a good streaming option for the week and want a wide receiver who is a near-lock to rack up at least four or five passes and give you an acceptable floor as a Flex play, Sanu is your guy.

In Weeks 1-3, Sanu has been targeted six, seven, and six times, and has caught five, four, and six of these passes. He’s often overlooked and isn’t flashy but he’s about as consistent as it gets. Week 4 presents a decent matchup against a Tennessee defense that has allowed six passing touchdowns on the year. Sanu is only rostered in about 38% of leagues, so if you’re in need of a decent option, take a good long look.

Tight Ends

Will Dissly, Seahawks

Dissly’s rapport with Russell Wilson seems to grow by the game. He’s now scored five touchdowns in seven career games with Wilson at the helm and has scored three times in his last two games. Also, his use hasn’t been touchdown-dependent, as Dissly has been targeted 12 times over these two games. With Seattle’s trade of Nick Vannett, even more targets may emerge.

The matchup this week is about as favorable as it gets. The Arizona Cardinals have allowed 319 receiving yards and five touchdowns to tight ends in three games, so Dissly could be poised for a big game. He’s only owned in about 28% of leagues, so strongly consider picking him up and playing him this week, if not down the road.

Jason Witten, Cowboys

The snap count isn’t what you’d want to see, but Witten has emerged as a reliable option in a vastly improved Dallas passing attack. The longtime veteran has scored twice over the first three games and is a decent play against a suspect Saints pass defense that has allowed 957 receiving yards (2^nd-worst in the NFL) to go along with six touchdowns. In what should be a high-scoring affair, Witten is a decent bet to get some red-zone targets. He’s rostered in about 46% of leagues, so if you need a viable TE option for this week, Witten is a fair play.

Dawson Knox, Bills

This one is just a gut feeling, but I think Knox builds on his excellent Week 3 and breaks out over the next few weeks. Josh Allen seems much improved this year, but no option in the Buffalo passing game has truly broken out on a consistent basis. Knox caught three passes for 67 yards and a touchdown in Week 3. The Patriots have a solid pass defense, but the game is in Buffalo and I just can’t shake this feeling that Knox breaks out. He’s rostered in less than 1% of leagues, so if you don’t pick him up, I can’t say I blame you. But, if you’re in desperate need of a streaming option and can afford to take a risk, consider looking here.

D/ST

Chargers

I’m cheating a little bit because the Chargers are owned in about two-thirds of leagues. However, that still means that they’re available in one-third of leagues, and they shouldn’t be available in any this week. They travel to face the dumpster fire that is the Miami offense and are a good bet to wreak havoc. Anyone going against Miami is a viable starting option, but especially the Chargers, who still possess a wealth of talent on defense despite some early-season struggles. Stream them this week with confidence.

Colts

The Colts were rather unspectacular in Week 3, allowing 24 points and generating one turnover in a home game against Atlanta. This week, they get a home game against a weaker Oakland offense. Further, the potential return of Darius Leonard could further boost Indy’s defensive prospects for the week. The Colts racked up eight sacks in their first two games before a Week 3 letdown but could be a good bet to rediscover some defensive firepower in Week 4. They’re only rostered in about 21% of leagues and are a viable streaming option for the week.

Panthers

To be clear, I don’t love this option. However, I’m trying to go with options owned by 50% of leagues or less. Thanks to eight sacks against the Cardinals in Week 3, the Panthers are now tied for 3^rd in the NFL with 12 sacks on the year. They did pick off Kyler Murray twice as well. I expect this to be a high scoring contest in Houston, but if you’re desperate for a streaming option, the Panthers should be able to generate a few sacks against a weak Houston offensive line. They’re owned in about 25% of leagues, so they should be available.