Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watch List for Week 4: Streaming targets, free agent sleepers

Billy Heyen

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watch List for Week 4: Streaming targets, free agent sleepers image

Fantasy football waiver wires will start to be especially active when Week 4 hits because that's when the bye weeks. There are only two teams ideal in Week 4 -- the Jets and the 49ers -- but the byes will start to come in full force soon after. We're back with the fantasy waiver watch list to help you with potential free agents to add ahead of Week 3 who could be priority pickups and sleepers by the time the Week 4 waiver period rolls around.

If this is your first time reading this, the premise is simple: We try to find QB/RB/WR options with low ownership who have the potential to break out or be looking at a bigger role by next week. At TE and D/ST, we mostly look at matchups to see who you could potentially stream next week. Then, if you have a roster spot to play with, you can snag one of these guys as free agents before your leaguemates are even thinking about them on the waiver wire.

WEEK 3 NON-PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker

Our watch list last week was ahead of the game on Carlos Hyde and Raheem Mostert, both of whom saw their ownership rise after good Week 2s. We also got ahead of ownership growth for Mecole Hardman and Deebo Samuel.

Both Mostert and Samuel are still on the list this week, though, as they're below the 50 percent threshold in Yahoo leagues and should only continue to rise in value and ownership. They're joined by a couple of new starting quarterbacks, Daniel Jones and Mason Rudolph, along with veteran WR Randall Cobb and second-year wideout James Washington. Check out the rest of the options and why we believe in them below.

Week 3 DFS Lineups: 
FD cash | FD GPP | DK cash | DK GPP | Y! cash Y! GPP

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Watch List

Reminder: This list was put together in the lead-in to Week 3, looking forward to the players that could be waiver-wire targets in Week 4. If you have a roster spot to play with, these are options you could pick up early to beat the waiver buzz.

All these players are below 50-percent ownership on Yahoo unless otherwise specified. 

Week 4 Waiver Wire Watch List: Quarterback

Daniel Jones, Giants (12 percent ownership)

I've already made the case for Jones as a potential fantasy sleeper here. A lot of it centers around his ability to run and the potential for being a better passer than many are expecting. Once his weapons are all healthy and back from suspension (Golden Tate, Sterling Shepard, Cody Latimer), Jones will have more to work with that you might think. As bye weeks begin in Week 4, Jones has a tasty matchup with the Redskins, and the hype train could get moving quickly if Jones happened to shine while throwing to the likes of Bennie Fowler in Week 3.

Mason Rudolph, Steelers (11)

Rudolph has strong weapons around him, just like Jones, and his third-round selection in 2018 with Big Ben still around suggests the Steelers were very high on Rudolph. He has more arm talent than Teddy Bridgewater, and he's also basically guaranteed to start for the rest of the season. There's a chance, even if it's a small one, that Rudolph has success.

Gardner Minshew II, Jaguars (6)

Minshew ran for 56 yards in Week 2, a total that I'm not sure anyone knew he had in him, and he didn't waver in the face of pressure on a nearly game-winning drive. Minshew plays on Thursday Night Football in Week 3, so he'll be locked in basically every league format ahead of the weekend. No matter how he performs against the Titans, I'd expect him to go through next week's waivers unclaimed and be worth a potential add if he shows the rushing ability for a second straight week.

Taysom Hill, Saints (2)

The Saints are keeping who will start in Week 3 under wraps, but, yeah, it will probably be Bridgewater. Unless Bridgewater exceeds expectations, I'd be shocked to not see Hill get a start at some point in Brees' estimated six-week absence. The Saints would probably have to shift their offensive scheme to account for Hill, but he's averaged more than five yards per carry in his career and throws a decent deep ball. He'd have solid upside as a bye-week fill-in if he became the Saints starter.

MORE WEEK 3 DFS: StacksTop values | Lineup Builder

Week 4 Waiver Wire Watch List: RB

Raheem Mostert, 49ers (49)

I'd expect Mostert to perform similarly to Week 2, showing utility as both a rusher and a receivers, and for his ownership to rise near 75 percent by the conclusion of Week 4's waiver period. You might as well get in while you still can. Kyle Shanahan won't stop using multiple backs, Mostert outsnapped Matt Breida by double-digits in Week 2, and he's shown to be an explosive player in all facets of the game. The only worry is Jeff Wilson Jr. stealing goal-line touches (more on him below).

Ronald Jones II, Buccaneers (26)

Jones' Week 3 could go a long way to determining whether he's a popular add or never even worth being in the watch list article again. He was outcarried 23-4 in Week 2, and Peyton Barber seems to have Bruce Arians' favor. But we saw what Jones can do in an efficient Week 1, looking more explosive than Barber ever has. We're still hopeful Jones might get this job back, and if he does, we'd like him more than we currently like Barber.

Ito Smith, Falcons (19)

Frankly, Devonta Freeman looks washed up. Two weeks is a terribly small sample size to know that that's permanent, but if Freeman can't look good in a Week 3 matchup with a Colts team potentially missing Darius Leonard, his arrow will be pointing straight down. Smith has already gotten a lot of work in the early season, and if he were to leapfrog Freeman, he'd be getting a lot of action in an explosive offense.

Jeff Wilson Jr., 49ers (3)

Shanahan hinted earlier this week that Wilson may be the preferred option for the 49ers in the red zone. He ran for two short-yardage touchdowns in Week 2 and received 10 carries overall (although he was the least efficient San Francisco rusher by far and took advantage of garbage time for the extra work). In deeper leagues, the touchdown potential makes Wilson a good flier, and a Matt Breida injury could make Wilson the new Mostert.

Ty Johnson, Lions (1)

The speedy rookie from Maryland obviously has some believers in Detroit because the Lions released C.J. Anderson to promote Johnson to Kerryon Johnson's top backup. Most likely, Ty Johnson would need an injury to be truly relevant, but there's a chance he steals third-down work and becomes a PPR sleeper even with Kerryon healthy.

WEEK 3 PPR RANKINGS: Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end

Week 4 Waiver Wire Watch List: WR

Golden Tate, Giants (37)

Tate has two games left to serve on his four-game suspension for PEDs, so now's the time to stash him. He's only owned in 37 percent of Yahoo leagues and could be a viable WR3 upon returning.

Deebo Samuel, 49ers (31)

Three weeks of the watch list, and three weeks of Deebo Samuel. His ownership still hasn't risen how I would've expected despite No. 1 WR snaps in Week 1 and meeting that level with leading WR numbers for San Francisco in Week 2. Jimmy Garoppolo needs to throw to someone besides George Kittle, and all indications are that is Samuel. Rookie wide receivers can be inconsistent, but both Calvin Ridley and D.J. Moore were useful in fantasy in 2018 -- that could be Samuel this season.

Randall Cobb, Cowboys (28)

Michael Gallup should miss more than just Week 3, making Cobb the Cowboys' No. 2 WR for multiple weeks. They've already tried to involve him in the passing and running games each of the first two weeks, and his temporary promotion should lead to even more action. He might go off against the putrid Dolphins this week, so if you think Cobb can revitalize some of his Green Bay numbers, you should add him before that big game happens. Devin Smith is also in play here if he can score for a second straight week.

James Washington, Steelers (26)

Mason Rudolph and Washington have had a great connection at both Oklahoma State and in the preseason. Maybe, just maybe, that can translate to the NFL regular season. Even if it doesn't do it on a huge level, Washington should be close to taking Donte Moncrief's No. 2 WR job since Moncrief has been awful. Pittsburgh's No. 2 WR has fantasy value, even if Washington didn't already have the fun QB-WR relationship.

Taylor Gabriel, Bears (3)

One more week of being the Bears' No. 2 WR over Anthony Miller would make Gabriel an intriguing PPR add. He finished the 2018 season as the No. 41 PPR wide receiver, just a spot behind teammate Allen Robinson. That's certainly a player that should be owned, so if his role looks more similar to last season than we might've expected, he's worth a roster spot.

David Moore, Seahawks (1)

Moore might return from injury for Week 3, and he'll probably be eased into action. Maybe D.K. Metcalf would've started the season as Seattle's No. 2 WR with Moore healthy, too, but that wasn't a sure thing. If Moore overtook Metcalf for that job, he'd be a player to own in all formats.

Week 4 Waiver Wire Watch List: TE

Will Dissly, Seahawks (32)

Dissly had a good start to the 2018 season, too, before going quiet, but it's hard to totally ignore a 5-50-2 game from a tight end in the position's current fantasy state. Dissly got the Week 2 snaps and targets to make him fantasy relevant with a good quarterback like Russell Wilson. Seattle will have to prove it wants to consistently involve its tight end, and if the Seahawks do that, Dissly could be a fantasy starter.

Vernon Davis, Redskins (21)

Davis plays the Cardinals in Week 4, the team that's been worse against tight ends in fantasy points allowed in the very early going. That has room to regress to the mean a bit, but the Cardinals have a bad defense in general, too, so it's not shocking that they've struggled against tight ends. (If Jordan Reed were to return from his concussion, he's currently owned in 32 percent of Yahoo leagues and would fit the same bill if he recaptures the starting job).

Chris Herndon, Jets (12) | Benjamin Watson, Patriots (1)

Herndon and Watson both have their four-game suspensions nearing their ends. Herndon actually won't be back until Week 6, since the Jets have a Week 4 bye, but he's the more talented player than Watson at this point. Herndon might be back just in time to join Sam Darnold. If you have a bench spot in which to stash someone for a few weeks and don't like your TE, one of these guys could be worth an add now (and the same will be true in a week's time).

Virgil Green, Chargers (0)

Green's been pressed into Chargers' starting duty with Hunter Henry out, and he's got a tantalizing matchup with the Dolphins in Week 4. This might just be playing the touchdown-or-bust game, but in deeper leagues, that's often what the tight end spot is.

Week 4 D/ST streamers and sleepers

Broncos (39) | Week 4 opponent: vs. Jaguars
Chiefs (29) | Week 4 opponent: @ Lions
Steelers (18) | Week 4 opponent: vs. Bengals
Colts (14) | Week 4 opponent: vs. Raiders
Redskins (2) | Week 4 opponent: @ Giants
Giants (1) | Week 4 opponent: vs. Redskins


You'll have a chance to see what Gardner Minshew does on Thursday Night Football before deciding just how much you want to stream that Broncos' matchup in Week 4. The Chiefs and Colts are both good defenses with slightly above-average matchups, and the Steelers, despite struggling this year, are talented and get Andy Dalton at home in a prime-time game. The Redskins-Giants game has the potential to be an ugly, turnover-filled contest -- or one where the below-average defenses could get burned. That's only one to touch in deep leagues.

Billy Heyen