As September nears it’s close, fantasy football managers are preparing for Week 4, the last slate of games before bye weeks begin. The weekly add/drop decisions will become that much more difficult as the season progresses. The silver lining, however, is that the sample sizes for each team and players will continue to grow. As of now, our three game sample size thus far provides us with better insight as to who is worth adding from the Week 4 waiver wire.
You may be dealing with injuries, bye weeks, or just need to cycle out players from your bench. Whatever the case may be, the waiver wire is there to help. There’s not always a need to put in a claim for players each week, but if you do, make it count. Below, we’ll look at players at each position, who are on 50% or less of most fantasy football rosters, that could be considered on the Week 4 waiver wire.
Week 4 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire By Position
Running Back
Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
We now have a three-week sample size of the Buccaneers’ backfield usage. Albeit a rookie, Bucky Irving is very much a thing. He needs to be on rosters in all formats and league sizes regardless of if you have Rachaad White. Week-to-week, Irving has logged nine, seven, and nine carries in each game. However, those numbers account for 37.5%, 41.2%, and 56.3% of the backfield’s rush attempts each game. Bucky Irving is averaging an eye-opening 6.2 yards per carry through three games. Including his five receptions for 28 yards, Irving is averaging 6.06 yards per touch.
Compare that to Rachaad White. He has yet to log more than 2.8 yards per carry in any game this season. White has just 66 rushing yards on 31 attempts. White still gives the Bucs juice in the passing game, logging 98 yards on 12 receptions, but it’s time to see more of Bucky Irving running the ball. Head coach Todd Bowles is now on record claiming that Bucky Irving needs to see more snaps.
Fantasy managers should be picking up Bucky Irving on the Week 4 waiver wire, but could play him in a home bout against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday if need be. The Eagles have allowed the lead back from each of their first three opponents’ backfield to average 14.6 fantasy points per game. Philly’s defense also ranks ninth in rush yards allowed (134.7) per game to opponents. After a brutal loss at home to the Denver Broncos, the Buccaneers need to lean on what works in Week 4. What works is Bucky Irving.
Braelon Allen, New York Jets
Though I believe Allen to be on a significant amount of fantasy rosters already, I’m still going to make mention of him on the Week 4 waiver wire just in case. Allen is arguably a higher priority add than Bucky Irving. However, Allen still has Breece Hall in his way to commanding the majority of touches in his respective backfield. Regardless, Allen enters Week 4 as the RB30 on a fantasy points-per-game basis. That’s ahead of players like Josh Jacobs (RB31), Najee Harris (RB32), Javonte Williams (RB40), and D’Andre Swift (RB43).
Allen remains significantly behind Breece Hall in snaps (135 to 52), total touches (62 to 25), and total yards (290 to 141). However, Allen has just one less touchdown than Hall and just two fewer opportunities in the red zone. It’s hard to imagine starting Braelon Allen in anything other than a deeper league where running backs thin out quickly. If Hall were to miss time for any reason, however, Allen should be considered a top-10 option each week. If he’s still out there, he shouldn’t be three weeks into this season.
Carson Steele and Samaje Perine, Kansas City Chiefs
In one game without Isiah Pacheco, we now have a sample of how this backfield is going to work moving forward. First of all, Carson Steele and Samaje Perine may not be available on the Week 4 waiver wire after being such popular adds last week, but let’s talk about them anyway. Steele out-snapped Perine 46 to 28 in a tight game with the Atlanta Falcons. He also led the Chiefs’ backfield by a heavy majority with 17 carries for 72 yards. Meanwhile, Perine carried the ball just six times drawing three targets to Steele’s two. It’s very much worth noting that Steele had 11 of 12 touches between the two in the second half of the team’s Sunday Night Football win. I think both belong on rosters, but Steele is a clear volume-based starter who runs hard on an efficient offense.
Rico Dowdle, Dallas Cowboys
Slowly, but surely, Rico Dowdle is gaining momentum as the lead back for the Dallas Cowboys. In Week 3, Dowdle led all Dallas running backs with 37 snaps played. Ezekiel Elliott finished third at the position with just 15 snaps. Even worse for Zeke, he had just three carries in a comeback effort that ended in a three-point loss to the Ravens. Still, Dowdle turned just 13 opportunities (8 carries + 5 targets) into 56 scoreless yards. He has yet to hit 10.0 fantasy points in a single game this season. The usage is coming around and the production should follow. A Week 4 Thursday Night Football matchup with the New York Giants will provide much more clarity.
Emmanuel Wilson, Green Bay Packers
There are two teams averaging over 200 yards rushing per game this season: The Baltimore Ravens (203.3) and the Green Bay Packers (204.0). Emmanuel Wilson is firmly behind Josh Jacobs as the number two back on the Packers’ offense. Whether Jacobs is on your roster or not, Wilson is nearly as much of an asset on the Week 4 waiver wire as the players above him here. If you do have Josh Jacobs, he should be your top add just in case. Wilson rushed 12 times for 50 yards adding two receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown in Week 3. The Packers offense is averaging 22.6 points per game this season. With a lot of football left to play, Wilson is, as of now, a high-quality stash that could emerge as a flex option if not more.
Other Running Backs to Consider
Cordarelle Patterson elevates to a higher priority on the Week 4 waiver wire if we get worse news about Najee Harris and/or Jaylen Warren. Harris is reportedly in a sling due to a shoulder injury while we await MRI results for Jaylen Warren’s knee. If neither are available in Week 4, and you need a plug-and-play option, Cordarelle Patterson gets a juicy matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Their defense has allowed the second-most rush yards per game (179.0). There isn’t another running back currently on the Steelers’ depth chart. There isn’t a legitimate threat to Patterson’s potential touches on the practice squad, either. Najee Harris has yet to miss a game so we’ll see if he toughs this one out. Add Patterson on the Week 4 waiver wire just in case.
Cam Akers may be on the Week 4 waiver wire or end up getting dropped by a disappointed manager after Week 3. If he is or becomes available, I’m still adding Akers. He did command 66% of the Texans’ running back opportunities in Week 3, but it amounted to just nine carries for 21 yards in addition to one reception for an eight-yard touchdown. In a game in which Houston fell behind and ultimately lost 34-7, Akers played just one more snap than Dare Ogunbowale. This might be more of a committee than a situation where Akers sees the same workhorse role that Joe Mixon did before his Week 2 ankle injury.
Ty Chandler still interests me despite how great Aaron Jones has been to start the season. Chandler is nothing more than a handcuff heading into Week 4, but a high-priority handcuff given Jones’ injury history. Justice Hill just signed an extension with the Baltimore Ravens before Week 3 and is mixing in behind 30-year-old Derrick Henry. He remains the primary pass-catching back and, of the two, more likely to be on the field for two-minute drills.
Alexander Mattison rushed three times to Zamir White’s 10 carries, but Mattison did score a short-yardage touchdown. He also caught all three of his targets for 37 yards. If White continues to lack efficiency week-to-week, Mattison’s role could grow. Roschon Johnson logged 62 yards on 13 total opportunities while D’Andre Swift logged 42 yards on his 17. Nothing about the Bears backfield interests me right now, but their upcoming schedule is fantasy-friendly.
Wide Receiver
Jauan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers
To no surprise, the highest-scoring player in Week 3, and of any week so far this season, tops the wide receiver list on the Week 4 waiver wire. If for whatever reason your league overlooked Jennings on last week’s wire, don’t make the same mistake twice. Did we see the best game of the season from Jennings already? Probably. However, you can’t ignore his 44% target share in addition to leading all 49ers’ receivers in snaps. Jennings was a top playmaker in the 49ers’ Super Bowl loss back in February. There’s an already-established rapport with quarterback Brock Purdy. Especially if Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey all continue to miss time, Jennings isn’t going anywhere.
Wan’Dale Robinson, New York Giants
It’s hard to look beyond Malik Nabers and his brilliant start to his rookie campaign. However, somewhat quietly, Wan’Dale Robinson is the WR37 on a fantasy points-per-game basis thus far. He has no less than 9.8 points per game over the first three weeks, though no more than 13.1. His 16 total targets trail Nabers’ 25, but no other New York Giant has more than eight. Robinson has two games with a 23% or greater target share, including Week 3. As bye weeks begin to trickle in, Robinson can serve as a high-floor flex play. Even in weeks where all 32 teams are active, Robinson holds value.
Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons
Mooney has 15 targets to Drake London’s 16 over the last two weeks. That’s the second-most on Atlanta’s offense in the span. He’s caught 11 of his 15 targets in Weeks 2 and 3 for 154 total yards and a touchdown. London, Mooney, and Ray-Ray McCloud have all played 119 or 120 total snaps of a possible 122 over the last two weeks, as well. The Falcons now have three straight divisional games against the Saints and Buccaneers at home followed by the Panthers on the road. All three games could be competitive providing an opportunity for both Mooney and McLoud to yield a flex-worthy return on a Week 4 waiver wire investment.
Other Wide Receivers to Consider
Romeo Doubs is second in targets on the Green Bay Packers’ offense behind only Jayden Reed. However, he was first in targets in Week 1 with Jordan Love under center, but tied for third in targets in Weeks 2 and 3 with Malik Willis under center. Either way, Doubs has led all Packers in routes run in each of their first three games. He’s worth stashing for when Jordan Love returns.
Xavier Legette could finally have his time to shine. Unfortunately, Adam Thielen is going to miss time with a hamstring injury. Legette figures to be the next man up behind Diontae Johnson in the Panthers’ passing attack. Legette logged a season-high snap count in Andy Dalton’s first start under center in Week 3. He’s a first round pick with the ability to make plays after the catch.
Allen Lazard has scored three touchdowns this season. Including the reception on each touchdown, his three scores account for 47.9% of his total fantasy points thus far. He is a go-to guy for Aaron Rodgers, tied with Malik Nabers for the second-most red zone targets (5) this season. Rodgers did has targeted eight different Jets pass catchers in each of the last two games, however, making Lazard a bit touchdown dependent.
Tutu Atwell ran 24 routes in Week 3. That’s just four behind Demarcus Robinson who led Rams wide receivers with 28 in the absence of both Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. Atwell ran 10 more routes than Tyler Johnson and 12 more than Jordan Whittington while playing more snaps than the two of them, as well. Tied for a team-high five targets, Atwell caught four of them for 93 yards including a late-game 50 yard catch. He may be hard to trust week-to-week, but Atwell is probably more valuable than Johnson and Whittington for now.
Demario Douglas also logged a season-high number of snaps in Week 3 with the New England Patriots. his 37.5% target share on Thursday Night Football was by far a season-high. Unfortunately, the Pats are averaging just 25.7 pass attempts per game, the eighth-lowest average in the league. Douglas is a high-upside stash that hopefully instills a bit more confidence in fantasy managers during a tough Week 4 matchup in San Francisco against the 49ers.
Quentin Johnston caught another touchdown but on just one of his two total Week 4 targets. The Chargers are second to last in pass attempts per game (22.0) this season. Above all else, quarterback Justin Herbert is battling an ankle injury. Buyer beware if you’re eyeing up Johnston on the Week 4 waiver wire, or if he gets dropped.
Tight End
Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders
The tight end position in 2024 fantasy football is a lot sadder than anyone expected. However, Zach Ertz is quietly having an extremely efficient start. Through three games, Ertz has hauled in 12 of his 13 targets with at least four targets in each game. Though he has yet to find the end zone, he’s still the TE11 on a fantasy points-per-game basis and the TE8 amongst those that have played in all three games. Up next for Ertz is a return to Arizona, where he played from 2021-2023. Commanders offensive coordinator, Kliff Kingsbury, is making his return to Arizona, as well, having spent four seasons there as head coach. This Week 4 matchup could be a sneaky shootout, especially after what we’ve seen some rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels so far. If you’re desperate for a tight end, I think Ertz provides a higher floor than most.
Other Tight Ends to Consider
Cole Kmet is starting to dominate the snap share amongst Bears’ tight ends. He’s played no less than 77% of Chicago’s offensive snaps in Weeks 2 and 3 after falling behind Gerald Everett in Week 1. Kmet also caught 10 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in Week 3 after just five total receptions for 31 scoreless yards in the first two games. It’s hard to put faith in the Chicago Bears’ 2024 offense, but investing in their top tight end, given the state of the position everywhere else, should do more good than bad. We’ve seen success from Cole Kmet plenty of times before.
Mike Gesicki now has at least four targets in each of the Bengals’ first three games. He also has 14 total in their last two. It’s encouraging to see Gesicki log five targets in Week 3 with both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins playing together for the first time this season. Rookie Erick All has four targets in each of the last two games, as well, muddying this situation a bit. Gesicki, however, ran 22 routes to All’s 10 in Week 3 and played 10 more snaps, as well. Despite an 0-3 start, the season is not completely lost for the Cincinnati Bengals. They can get right against the Carolina Panthers in Week 4.
Tyler Conklin is one of eight different players that Aaron Rodgers has targeted in each of the Jets’ last two games. It’s cool that he caught five of his six Week 3 targets for 93 yards, but he had just one catch for 10 yards the week prior. All the while tight end Jeremy Ruckert has drawn five targets of his own in Weeks 2 and 3. There’s just too much inconsistency and risk in plugging a Jet not named Garrett Wilson or Breece Hall into fantasy lineups right now.
Quarterback
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Though he has exactly one passing touchdown in each of the first three games, Geno Smith is averaging over 300 yards passing in each of his last two. Seattle is one of the league’s last undefeated teams remaining and heads to Detroit in Week 4 to face the Lions and keep the win streak alive. This matchup opens with an Over/Under of 46.5 which is one of the higher totals of the week. Seattle already ranks 10th in pass attempts per game. They should maintain a high volume in Week 4 to keep up with a Lions offense that, too, can put up points. Smith is a must-start in 2QB and Superflex leagues but may be worth a waiver wire add if, say, you’re nervous about starting Anthony Richardson against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense in Week 4.
Other Quarterbacks to Consider
Sam Darnold is the QB4 on a points-per-game basis. He has at least 20.9 fantasy points in each of his last two games as the Minnesota Vikings’ starting quarterback. Albeit at home, after handling both the 49ers and Texans’ defenses respectively in Weeks 2 and 3, I’m not as worried about suggesting Darnold as a Week 4 waiver wire head as the Vikings head to Green Bay to face the Packers. They’ve allowed the sixth-most passing yards (742) and fifth-most passing touchdowns (5) through the first three weeks of the season. The Packers defense does have seven interceptions already, but against Jalen Hurts, Anthony Richardson, and Will Levis, all of which have at least six turnovers this season.
Justin Fields can run the ball. We know that. He may take off running much more in Week 4 especially if both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren are unavailable out of the Steelers’ backfield. Otherwise, Fields offers little upside. Prior to Week 3, he had just 30 total completions for 273 total yards and a touchdown in his first two games. It’s hard to chase the ceiling with Fields, in regards to his rushing ability, when you know the floor is as low as 11 or so points any given week.
Andy Dalton gets the “revenge game” narrative in Week 4. In his second start of the 2024 season, Dalton will host the team that drafted him back in 2011, the Cincinnati Bengals. Dalton completed 26 of 37 pass attempts for 319 yards and three touchdowns in Week 3. I don’t know if the ceiling exists again in Week 4, but there should be enough of a floor to start him at home if you need a plug-in player in 2QB or Superflex leagues.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 4 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!