Waiver Wire Pickups Week 4
The first three weeks of the 2024 NFL season have come and gone, and the fantasy football landscape looks as chaotic as ever. The QB3 is Sam Darnold, the WR1 is Malik Nabers, and the TE1 is Dallas Goedert. In other words, it is not what most people predicted. But the season is still young, and there is plenty of time for everyone’s fantasy team (even if you are 0-3). Finding gems on the waiver wire can turn your season around or add depth to an already-stacked roster. Here are the top waiver wire pickups heading into Week 4.
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Quarterback
Andy Dalton – Carolina Panthers
It is hard not to be impressed with the Andy Dalton-led Carolina Panthers in Week 3. Dalton stepped into that offense and had them looking like one of the best units in the NFL. He threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns en route to a 36-22 win for the Panthers. Dalton turned back the clock with this performance and has vaulted himself into fantasy relevance. The Panthers have already committed to him as their starter for Week 4, and he faces his former team, the Cincinnati Bengals. Dalton should be owned in all Superflex leagues and is an excellent option as a spot starter. Use around 5% FAAB in 1QB leagues if you need a backup while going up to 15-20% FAAB on the veteran in Superflex leagues.
Running Back
Bucky Irving – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
There may be a change of guard at running back in Tampa Bay. Rachaad White has been the starting running back and has done an admirable job over the past two seasons. However, rookie Bucky Irving has outplayed White over the first three weeks and has played himself into a more prominent role. On the season, Irving has 25 carries for 154 (6.2 yards per carry), while White has 31 carries for 66 yards (2.1 yards per carry). While White will likely remain the pass-catching back through the season, it should not surprise anyone if they have a 50/50 carry split the rest of the year. With Irivng’s effectiveness, that is enough for him to become fantasy-relevant. Do not be afraid to use 15-20% FAAB on Irving, especially if you are desperate for a running back.
Cam Akers – Houston Texans
If you are looking for a starting running back, Akers will likely fill that role again in Week 4. He took over as lead back in Week 3 with injuries to Joe Mixon and Dameon Pierce. If those players are not back next week, Akers will receive a significant workload again. In a game where they got blown out, Akers rushed the ball nine times for 21 yards and an added eight-yard receiving touchdown. It is hard to take much from the Texans’ abysmal performance in Week 3, but a more competitive performance in Week 4 should allow Akers more rushing opportunity. Akers is a short-term fill-in worth 10-15% FAAB if you are desperate for an RB.
Emanuel Wilson – Green Bay Packers
The Packers decided to have an interesting backfield share in Week 3. After giving Josh Jacobs 32 carries in Week 2, the Packers made rookie Emanuel Wilson a focal point of their offense in Week 3. Wilson rushed 12 times for 50 yards while adding two receptions for 35 yards and one touchdown. Wilson played 26 snaps to Jacobs’ 33 and had 15 touches to Jacobs’ 15. The Packers want the rookie to have a role in their offense and take some of the workload off Jacobs. Wilson is worth around 5-10% FAAB and should be a bench stash until further clarity on the backfield usage.
Wide Receiver
Jauan Jennings – San Francisco 49ers
The top scorer of Week 3 was one that no one saw coming. San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jauan Jennings had a career day against the Los Angeles Rams. He caught 11 passes on 12 targets for 175 yards and three touchdowns. We may not see a better game from a wide receiver this season, and it came from a player who is not owned in most fantasy leagues. Injuries to Deebo Samuel and George Kittle have allowed Jennings to be more involved in the offense. His 84.5% snap share in Week 3 ranked first amongst 49ers wide receivers. Jennings should be owned in all leagues and is a high-end flex play while Samuel is out. Feel free to spend up to 20% FAAB on Jennings, but beware, he will never have another game as good as the one we saw in Week 3.
Darnell Mooney – Atlanta Falcons
Through three games, Kirk Cousins has dramatically improved the production of the Atlanta Falcons’ offense. He has spread the ball to multiple players, and there seem to be many solid fantasy options on the offense. One player who is flying under the radar is Darnell Mooney. He played 93.4% of the snaps in Week 3 and caught eight passes for 66 yards. He has become the number two receiving option in the offense and seems to have chemistry with Cousins. Mooney is not a must-start player, but he is worth around 10% FAAB if you need some bench depth or a low-end flex play.
Tight End
Cole Kmet – Chicago Bears
Getting good production from a tight end has been almost impossible for three weeks. All of the top picks at the position have struggled, and if you can get double-digit points from the position, you should be thrilled. Cole Kmet had a significant breakout in Week 3, catching 10 passes on 11 targets for 97 yards and one touchdown. This performance was good enough for 25.7 PPR points and the TE1 spot for Week 3. More than likely, Kmet will come back to the pack in Week 4, but he is still worth adding and starting in all leagues, given how bad tight ends have been for fantasy. Go ahead and spend up to 15% FAAB on Kmet, and hope he will continue to be featured in the Bears’ offense.
