Injuries, disappointments, and surprise developments have been rampant over the two weeks of the 2023 NFL season, and while not every fantasy football owner can say they're lucky enough to have landed Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams, or Hunter Henry on the waiver wire, the majority of this column's readers know the value of being proactive with adds. Today, we will discuss our Week 4 waivers watchlist, which includes free agent sleepers and potential breakouts like Kendre Miller, Tutu Atwell, and Taysom Hill.
We've been telling you for two weeks -- and season after season before this year -- make the most of your open roster spots or one of your opponents will. Know who and what to target. Try to anticipate who will be Week 4's top pickups after a strong performance this weekend. By adding potential boom players as free agents before their breakouts, you find solid production without burning a valuable waiver claim or wasting FAAB money. Research and preparedness — these are two of the main keys to winning in fantasy.
Even if your Week 3 waivers already processed, there might still be moves and improvements you can make. Maybe an impatient owner dropped an underperforming player from Week 2. Perhaps you suffered injuries to a skill position and need some depth. Or, maybe you're just being proactive about a particularly tough matchup one of your positional players has in Week 4 or 5. Regardless, our waiver wire watchlist will shine a light on the sleepers that most leagues leave in the dark.
What types of players typically draw attention and wind up on our waiver wire watchlist ahead of Week 3? Like last week, we're still looking at young players and injury replacements, especially if they look good or command more targets and touches than the first couple of games of the season. Certain handcuffs will also be high on waiver lists, especially if the veterans in front of them look underwhelming. There will always be matchup-based streamers, too, especially at positions like QB, TE, and D/ST.
Most fantasy owners aren't playing matchups quite yet — at least at any position other than defense. If you are, it's smart to plan ahead and get your first choice before other owners jump into the frenzy after new information emerges. Our waiver wire watchlist helps you think about the future while the rest of your league is thinking about the present.
WEEK 3 FANTASY: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Some shallower leagues don't feature enough roster spots to really take advantage of "planning ahead," but for those in leagues that do, our week-ahead watchlist will be helpful all year long. Even though you won't pick up most (or all) of these players, it's worth watching their snap counts and target shares to file away for later.
Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watchlist
Reminder: This list was put together in the lead-in to Week 3, looking forward to the players who could be popular waiver wire targets ahead of Week 4. If you have a roster spot to play with, these are free agent options you could grab early to beat the waiver buzz.
All these players are below 50 percent ownership on Yahoo unless otherwise specified.
Week 4 Fantasy Waiver Wire Watchlist: QB
Matthew Stafford, Rams (45 percent rostered)
We featured Stafford here last week, and the veteran QB's rostership only jumped up 11 percent. What are you waiting for, people? He ranks third in the NFL in passing yards! The Rams are good, as you well know from everyone and their mom talking about Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams. With Cooper Kupp (hamstring) hopefully returning soon, this seems like a great time to stash Stafford before he rockets up to 75-percent owned.
Los Angeles has enjoyed a better offensive line, a more viable running game, and solid receivers on both sides. Stafford with Kupp, Pacua, and Atwell might win the NFC West — or at least take down the wild card (settle down, Niners fans...I know). You're looking at a Super Bowl-winning QB who has raised his floor since last season and has a massive ceiling moving forward.
The Rams' next four opponents — Cincy, Indy, Philly, and Arizona — all rank among the eight most generous pass defenses in the NFL this year. In leagues with six-point passing TDs, these defenses surrender 25.2 fantasy points per game to QBs. Go out and get some Stafford in your life, even if you don't need a QB. Somebody else will before you know it, which would give you trade leverage. Who knows — maybe you end up trading your current QB and promoting Stafford to your starting QB spot!
Sam Howell, Commanders (21%)
Howell continues to look comfortable in the pocket, and he has quietly put up over 42 fantasy points in the first two weeks of his second season as a pro. He has obvious chemistry with top Commanders wideout Terry McLaurin, and he has demonstrated a red-zone rapport with tight end Logan Thomas (although Thomas is dealing with a concussion at the moment). Washington faces Philly and Chicago, two of the more aimless secondaries through the first two weeks, in Weeks 4 and 5. In deep leagues or two-QB formats, make Sam your backup man.
Kyler Murray, Cardinals (24%)
No big writeup here — just putting it on your radar that Murray could be off the PUP list by Week 5 or 6 and should be stashed by any manager with vacant IR spots. Last season was a bit of a train wreck, for sure, but Murray is just two years removed from back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons. If you're unsure of your current upside at QB, stash him now.
MORE POTENTIAL QB PICKUPS: Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers (18%); C.J. Stroud, Texans (15%); Desmond Ridder, Falcons (6%); Jimmy Garoppolo, Raiders (15%, Vegas faces the Chargers in Week 4)
WEEK 3 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 4 Fantasy Waiver Wire Watchlist: RB
Kendre Miller, Saints (22 percent rostered)
We're big on the Saints role players this week, with Alvin Kamara still suspended and Jamaal Williams (hamstring) likely to miss New Orleans' Week 3 tilt in Green Bay. This could be Miller's time to shine, as he's technically the next man up on the Saints' RB depth chart.
The rookie out of TCU has size (6-0, 220 pounds), strength to fight through contact, and a sensational second gear once he breaks into the open field. He'll clearly split touches with Tony Jones Jr. and hybrid star Taysom Hill (who we'll get to in a bit), but Miller deserves to be added in all 12-team leagues now. If he breaks out and remains on your wire, he won't be cheap next Tuesday even with Kamara due back.
Jaylen Warren, Steelers (50 percent rostered)
In each of the past two weeks, we told you to pick up Kyren Williams and Zack Moss. Those two guys have singlehandedly pushed a ton of fantasy teams over the top with their increased roles. The next back we expect to enjoy increased usage and production is Warren.
Let's just face it at this point: Najee Harris stinks. We had a lengthy discussion about him in our Sporting News NFL meeting this week. It's partly because he's just slow (like AJ Dillon, another plodder) and partly because the stubborn Steelers refuse to throw him the damn ball (seriously — 95 targets in 2021 but just five through two games in 2023?).
Warren appears to be the pass-catching back in this offense now, and he also seems to be hitting holes with more authority. While Harris keeps dancing behind the line and failing to get to the corner like the old version of Le'Veon Bell, Warren offers some hope. The line still sucks, don't get us wrong, but we'll take Warren over Harris eight days a week. Pittsburgh draws the Raiders this week and Texans next week, so buy in now!
Matt Breida, Giants (30%)
The current starting RB on the Giants with Saquon Barkley (ankle) out for Thursday Night Football, Breida should be rostered just about everywhere in case Barkley isn't as quick a healer as Brian Daboll claims (that was a BS assertion — we all know 'Quon's history).
Breida won't inspire awe with his highlight reel, but he has sub-4.40 speed and a veteran understanding of how to read defenses and take what his blockers give him. New York faces the Seahawks and Dolphins in Weeks 4 and 5, so Breida yields value even if you don't have Barkley on your roster. Maybe sell him to the owner who does!
Roschon Johnson, Bears (44%)
We're not giving up. It's going to happen -- perhaps as soon as this week. Give the Bears fans something to be happy about, Matt Eberflus! They need hope!
MORE POTENTIAL RB PICKUPS: Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs (45%); Justice Hill, Ravens (43%); Elijah Mitchell, 49ers (40%); De'Von Achane, Dolphins (36%): Tank Bigsby, Jaguars (30%); Chuba Hubbard, Panthers (25%); Tony Jones Jr., Saints (13%)
WEEK 3 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Week 4 Fantasy Waiver Wire Watchlist: WR
Tutu Atwell, Rams (48 percent rostered)
Everyone's so busy adoring Puka Nacua and his cool name and flowing locks that they don't realize Atwell has been really good in his own right. The third-year wideout has hauled in 13-of-17 targets for 196 yards (15.1 YPR), and 12 of his 13 catches have moved the chains for the Rams.
Many believe the Tutu bubble will burst when Cooper Kupp returns from his hamstring injury, but why does that have to be case? Stafford clearly has a connection with Atwell, and he's throwing the deep ball as well as we've seen him throw it since the Rams' Super Bowl run a few years back.
When Kupp returns to the field, secondaries will be less focused on Atwell and more focused on Kupp and Nacua. Sharing targets with an All-Pro and a Rookie of the Year candidate is a good problem to have — and having Atwell as a wideout on your bench is quite a luxury.
Josh Reynolds, Lions (50%)
Maybe people are ambivalent about adding Reynolds because Amon-Ra St. Brown commands so much of Jared Goff's attention. Maybe they're worried when speedy wideout Jameson Williams' gambling suspension ends, he and rookie tight end Sam LaPorta will hog all the non-ARSB targets, or maybe it's a fear of rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs' imminent usage boost? Who knows? All we know is that Reynolds has been damn good.
Don't believe me? Check the stats. He's caught nine-of-13 targets for 146 yards and two TDs, All nine of those catches have moved the chains or put six on the board, so don't expect Goff to suddenly forget about Reynolds anytime soon. Guys with nearly 70-percent success rates don't grow on trees, and stud wide receivers don't stay on waiver wires for months on end. Act now!
Rashid Shaheed, Saints (49%)
We thought maybe Shaheed would be a one-hit wonder, but he keeps producing and we're starting to think he's the real deal. When defenses have to contain Chris Olave and Michael Thomas, it opens up a lot of space for Shaheed to showcase his 4.3 speed underneath and in the slot. His after-the-catch breakaway speed is a sight for sore eyes in the Bayou, and we're picking him up before the rest of the world catches on to the fact that he's a valuable fantasy asset.
MORE POTENTIAL WR PICKUPS: Kadarius Toney, Chiefs (45%); Adam Thielen, Panthers (43%); Romeo Doubs, Packers (43%); Zay Jones, Jaguars (42%); Darnell Mooney, Bears (35%)l Kendrick Bourne, Patriots (34%); Quentin Johnston, Chargers (34%); Rashee Rice, Chiefs (28%); Marvin Mims Jr., Broncos (28%); Tank Dell, Texans (24%); Jayden Reed, Packers (18%); K.J. Osborn, Vikings (9%)
WEEK 3 DFS:
DK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks
Week 3 Fantasy Waiver Wire Watchlist: TE
Jake Ferguson, Cowboys (45 percent rostered)
Hey, Ferguson did some things! The second-year tight end caught three-of-four targets against the Jets, including a short TD reception. That's something! With a Week 3 matchup against the Cardinals, a perennial dumpster fire when it comes to defending tight ends, we think Fergie ends up on a ton of fantasy owners' radars after this weekend. Take a shot if you need a higher ceiling at tight end. What do you have to lose?
Taysom Hill, Saints (15%)
Another year, another writeup in favor of adding Hill. He's basically a glorified running back with tight end eligibility! Good ol' Swiss Army Knife!
As we discussed when we talked about Kendre Miller, the Saints' backfield is looking a bit barren with Alvin Kamara suspended and Jamaal Williams dealing with a sore hammy. Hill garnered nine carries last week against Carolina and turned them into friggin' 75 yards. That's 8.3 yards per carry, folks — and this dude is available in 85 percent of leagues!
Look, it's quite possible that Hill doesn't materialize as a week-winner and turns out to be a mirage like the many times in the past we have fallen for him. However, if he rushes for 70-plus yards, catches a few passes, and finds the end zone once or twice this week in Lambeau Field, won't you be glad he's on your squad? At worst, he becomes an incredible trade chip. At best, he becomes your new tight end -- a bright-and-shiny RB with TE eligibility.
Zach Ertz, Cardinals (33%)
Just like we recommend stashing Kyler Murray, we also advise picking up Ertz if you need a tight end. Murray and Ertz have great on-field chemistry, so much so that we could see the veteran pass-catcher turn from a 3.9 points-per-week scorer to a consistent double-digit scoring threat. It's about as high an upside dart throw as you can make at tight end.
MORE POTENTIAL TE PICKUPS: Dalton Schultz, Texans (50%); Gerald Everett, Chargers (33%); Juwan Johnson, Saints (28%); Hayden Hurst, Panthers (27%)
Week 4 fantasy defense streamers and sleepers
Denver Broncos (46 percent rostered)
Don't let Denver's Week 2 shootout with the Commanders deceive you. This is a pretty good defensive unit, and the Broncos play the Bears and Jets in Weeks 4 and 5, so the sack and takeaway upside is basically through the roof. Think ahead and get yourself a mile-high fantasy D.
Cleveland Browns (44%)
The Browns aren't just a decent temporary stream in Week 4 against Baltimore — they're a super-solid perma-stash. Myles Garrett and the Cleveland pass rush have terrorized Joe Burrow and Kenny Pickett in the first two weeks, making Kevin Stefanski's team look much better than it actually is along the way. The Browns D/ST has allowed 17 offensive points — the rest is on Deshaun "Washed-up" Watson. Going even further, check out Cleveland's fantasy playoff schedule: vs. Chicago in Week 15, at Houston in Week 16, vs. Jets in Week 17. Choo-choo — the train's rolling in — get on it now or forever speak your peace.
Seattle Seahawks (38%)
They draw the Panthers in Week 3 and the Giants in Week 4 — need we say more? Consider them if you need them, leave 'em be if you don't.
Cincinnati Bengals (39%)
The Bengals face the Titans in Week 4, and basically every week is a must-win for Cincinnati at this point. There's enough upside and turnover potential to stream if your regular D has a tough matchup.
Los Angeles Rams (2%)
The Rams have become a shell of the dominant defense they were a few years back, but they're still capable of getting to QBs and causing turnovers. If Anthony Richardson (concussion) misses time for the Colts, Aaron Donald and company should have some fun chasing Gardner Minshew around in Week 4. Even if Richardson is back, the Rams can cause problems for a rookie QB. You could do much worse than a Rams stream here.
