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We had a clear frontrunner for top waiver priority and FAB burner this week before Sunday even began. Christian McCaffrey is expected to miss time with a hamstring injury suffered Thursday night, which means rookie Chuba Hubbard will be added everywhere by frustrated C-Mac stakeholders or sniped by others looking to spite their league mates.
It's always advisable to proceed cautiously this early in the season because seemingly serious injuries are quickly forgotten when that stud player is back before midseason and that hot waiver wire add is back on the chopping block. Let's go through all the important positions (sorry, still no kickers) to find the best options to consider adding in Week 4.
All rostered percentages are taken from Yahoo and players are listed in descending order, not in order of priority. Only players who are rostered in approximately 40% or fewer leagues are considered.
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Running Backs - Waiver Wire Options
Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers - 25% rostered
Christian McCaffrey's hamstring injury will raise doubt for many as to how well he can hold up throughout the course of the season after missing 13 games last season. For now, his hamstring strain has been ruled as less than Grade 1 which means he is effectively week-to-week. That means a start or two for Hubbard, who was a fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma State and has served as the primary backup so far. In just over a half of action on Thursday night, Hubbard ran 11 times for 52 yards and caught three passes for 27 yards. He was explosive as a sophomore in college, running for over 2,000 yards, but had a disappointing follow-up as a junior with just 625 rushing yards in seven games. He's no CMC but he certainly has value as the RB1 in Carolina. Just don't empty the proverbial wallet for someone who may head back to the bench in a couple of weeks.
Giovani Bernard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 16% rostered
It would be impressive if Bernard even makes it to the stadium next Sunday. He seemingly got hurt on about five different plays against the Rams, including the garbage time touchdown he scored late.
#GioBernard #Bucs
By video, seems to have taken a direct blow on the left knee and hyperextended it. Hope ligaments spared but worry for bone bruise. https://t.co/7pynloMU2T— David J. Chao - ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) September 26, 2021
If he does play, Bernard now demands interest in PPR leagues because he's doing what was expected when signed to be "the next James White." He tied for a team-high with 10 targets in Week 3 and led the Bucs with nine receptions, turning in 51 yards and the aforementioned TD. Ronald Jones is being phased out of the offense since his opening-week fumble but was never a pass-catching threat to begin with. If Bernard is good to go for Week 4, he's a smart pickup.
Peyton Barber, Las Vegas Raiders - 6% rostered
It seems as if Jon Gruden prefers preseason camp casualty and last-minute roster addition Peyton Barber over $11 million man Kenyan Drake. Maybe he's onto something. Josh Jacobs sat out Week 3 and it was Barber getting the bulk of the work, not Drake. Barber took 16 carries for 64 yards in regulation and got an all-important goal-line carry which he converted into a touchdown. Then overtime came and Barber owned it. He wound up with 111 rushing yards on 23 carries in a Raiders victory he helped to seal. Drake, on the other hand, saw a third as many carries and only managed 24 yards. Even more surprising is that Barber had as many receptions (three) as Drake. If Jacobs returns next week, Barber is still more of an insurance policy than a fantasy starter but he appears to have usurped Drake.
Royce Freeman, Carolina Panthers - 1% rostered
Hubbard is where the FAB will fall but Freeman has a shot to be just as important for fantasy teams. The former Bronco hasn't panned out so far but Carolina will likely ride the hot hand. The downside is that Freeman might not be a factor on passing downs as the team seems content with Hubbard in that role. Freeman is worth a buck of FAB as a what-the-heck stash.
Others to consider: J.D. McKissic, Washington Football Team (39% rostered); Kenneth Gainwell, Philadelphia Eagles (34% rostered); Tony Jones Jr., New Orleans Saints (18% rostered); Jacques Patrick, San Francisco 49ers (9% rostered)
Wide Receivers - Waiver Wire Options
Marquez Callaway, New Orleans Saints - 37% rostered
After two duds, maybe the stud we saw in the preseason is reappearing. Callaway was a complete non-factor in Weeks 1 & 2 but led the team in targets (five) and receptions (four) in Week 3 and cashed in on his first touchdown. The game plan remains conservative and no Saints wideout may be worth starting outside of favorable matchups but Callaway currently has the most point potential in that passing offense (not counting Alvin Kamara of course).
Emmanuel Sanders, Buffalo Bills - 25% rostered
Sanders had gotten a fair amount of targets the first two games with 14 but had a lowly 42.9% catch rate. In their latest romp, the Bills supported multiple fantasy assets but Sanders was the one who found the end zone twice. On top of that, he caught five of six targets for 94 yards. There could be even more fantasy goodness to go around when the team hosts Houston next week. Sanders isn't a sure bet to hit but there will always be weekly upside here.
Sammy Watkins, Baltimore Ravens - 23% rostered
Funny how Watkins is getting more passes thrown his way in Baltimore, the team with the lowest number of passing plays last year, than he ever did in Kansas City. Watkins has seen eight, seven, and seven targets in his three games as a Raven and caught four passes in each one. He's yet to reach the end zone but it'll happen at some point and he's always one step away from a big play.
Tim Patrick, Denver Broncos - 22% rostered
While Courtland Sutton's stakeholders weren't too thrilled, Patrick rewarded those who added him on waivers yet again. He didn't score a touchdown but came away with a team-high 98 receiving yards. Jerry Jeudy is still out which means Patrick still deserves a spot on fantasy teams.
Bryan Edwards, Las Vegas Raiders - 17% rostered
There are suddenly three Raiders receivers delivering this season, so it might be hard to know which one to prefer. In standard leagues, it's likely Henry Ruggs because of his ability to deliver big chunks of yardage. In PPR, it's probably Renfrow (below). That leaves Edwards as the middle child as he hasn't scored yet or caught more than four balls in a game yet is averaging a respectable 70 yards per game. He'll reach the end zone at some point but is more of a desperation flex as things stand.
A.J. Green, Arizona Cardinals - 15% rostered
Almost nobody wants to admit Green still has relevance but it's hard to ignore a 112-yard day. Granted, it was against Jacksonville, but Green continues to get targeted regularly in this prolific passing offense. He's a hard fade in Week 4 when they face the Rams but someone to monitor in deeper leagues.
Hunter Renfrow, Las Vegas Raiders - 11% rostered
"Third and Renfrow" is now a meme in Vegas. The go-to slot receiver on critical plays has caught at least five passes in all three games this season with at least 57 yards in each. He doesn't have game-breaking ability but there seems to be a double-digit floor in PPR leagues.
DeSean Jackson, Los Angeles Rams - 2% rostered
D-Jax is back and doesn't look anywhere near his age of 34. He was quiet the first two weeks but exploded for 120 yards on three catches against a banged-up Bucs secondary. The deep-ball ability is still there but guessing when it will resurface is hard to call.
Josh Gordon, Free Agent - 2% rostered
Gordon has been reinstated by the league and is eligible to play immediately upon signing with a team. You know what to do.
James Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers - 1% rostered
First Diontae Johnson, now JuJu Smith-Schuster. If the Steelers are still short-handed entering Week 4, Washington is a flier to consider in leagues with 14+ teams. They might need to go for the home run ball when facing Green Bay next week. Washington didn't see a jump in targets this past week but he was on the field for a season-high 60 snaps. Hey, that's a start.
Kendrick Bourne, New England Patriots - 0% rostered
The injury to James White seemed to benefit Bourne the most, interestingly enough. He led the team with 96 receiving yards and scored an impressive touchdown tiptoeing along the sideline. The Pats don't have a true pass-catching RB beyond White so a prolonged absence might force wideouts like Bourne and Jakobi Meyers into action more.
Collin Johnson, New York Giants - 0% rostered
The former Jag was targeted out of necessity once both Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton left Week 3 early. He came away with five receptions for 71 yards in a choice matchup with the Falcons. It's unclear how much action he'll see next week but the competition will be tougher when the Giants face the Saints. Johnson might be added in dynasty leagues but not redraft just yet.
Others to consider: Quintez Cephus, Detroit Lions (29% rostered); K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings (29% rostered); Terrace Marshall Jr., Carolina Panthers (14% rostered); Braxton Berrios, New York Jets (3% rostered); Quez Watkins, Philadelphia Eagles (2% rostered); Cedrick Wilson, Dallas Cowboys (1% rostered)
Tight Ends - Waiver Wire Options
Evan Engram, New York Giants - 40% rostered
A total of 21 yards on two catches doesn't make for an impressive season debut but that's what we got out of Engram after missing the first two games with a calf injury. The positive is that he was targeted six times and might see more action now if either Sterling Shepard or Darius Slayton miss time after suffering injuries in Week 3. Engram won't be on the streaming radar in a road contest with New Orleans next week outside of deeper leagues but could be stashed.
Dawson Knox, Buffalo Bills - 9% rostered
Back-to-back weeks with a touchdown is good enough to put Knox among the top tight end pickups these days. Knox has a total of 10 receptions on 12 targets over the first three games and he'll never be a target magnet in Buffalo but his growing role in the red zone is encouraging.
Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers - 8% rostered
It looks like the Eric Ebron experiment is over in Pittsburgh. The veteran was held without a catch for the second straight game despite Diontae Johnson not playing and JuJu Smith-Schuster leaving early in Week 3. Meanwhile, rookie tight end Pat Freiermuth scored his first NFL touchdown. He wasn't heavily involved, catching three balls for 22 yards, but prolonged injuries to any of Pittsburgh's receivers could leave the door open for an expanded role.
Dan Arnold, Jacksonville Jaguars - 3% rostered
It looks like the Darnold-to-Arnold connection wasn't meant to last. This converted receiver who had flashes of success in New Orleans and Arizona is being traded to the Jags to fill a void left by James O'Shaughnessy now that he is on IR. Arnold isn't on the field to block and O'Shaughnessy saw a surprisingly high eight targets in Week 1, so the fact the team is making a move for him could mean something. Then again, this team is so bad it might be best to take a wait-and-see approach.
Tyler Conklin, Minnesota Vikings - 1% rostered
There weren't many fantasy points on Conklin's resume entering 2021 and he did little to inspire confidence the first two weeks with a total of 56 yards and no scores. The target share was there, however, as he saw 10 targets through two games. In Week 3, he saw a career-high eight targets and seven receptions, coming away with 70 yards and a score. The Vikes won't always be in shootout mode without their bell-cow back but Conklin is making a mark nonetheless and warrants some attention.
Tommy Tremble, Carolina Panthers - 0% rostered
The aforementioned trade of Dan Arnold came on the heels of rookie Tremble scoring his first NFL touchdown. Coincidence? Probably not. The Panthers selected Tremble in the third round because of his athletic profile and certainly not his college production; he totaled 401 receiving yards in two years at Notre Dame. Tremble isn't likely to attract a ton of targets but his utilization in the money zone last week is noteworthy and now a bigger snap share has opened up.
Others to consider: Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys (2% rostered); Maxx Williams, Arizona Cardinals (2% rostered);
Quarterbacks - Waiver Wire Options
Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers - 21% rostered
It's official - Sam Darnold isn't a bust. Three games into his post-Jets career, he's 3-0 with a 68.2% completion percentage and 85.1% on target percentage. He's only thrown three touchdown passes in three games but it's OK because he has three rushing touchdowns. Darnold isn't quite a must-start in single-QB leagues but he warrants adding as a high-end backup and should be the most popular streaming option in Week 4 with the Cowboys defense on deck. The absence of Christian McCaffrey just means more opportunities for him to use his arm and legs in the red zone.
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions - 14% rostered
Goff had put up nice fantasy numbers with garbage time stats after the Lions had to play from behind the first two weeks. They kept it surprisingly close against Baltimore which meant only 30 pass attempts, 10 of which went to running backs. Detroit had a pretty thin receiving corps to begin with and the injury to Tyrell Williams makes it even thinner so expect a lot of dump-offs and targets to T.J. Hockenson all season long. That makes Goff dependent on volume and game script for fantasy relevance. It's unclear if he'll get it in Week 4 against Chicago based on how Justin Fields looked but it's possible. Goff is a better option in Week 5 and 6 when he gets the Vikings and Bengals.
Taylor Heinicke, Washington Football Team - 6% rostered
Week 3 was far from a repeat of last week's impressive 336-yard performance but it also could have been worse. Going on the road against Buffalo, Heinicke wound up with just 212 passing yards, two TD, and two INT. Heinicke wasn't particularly sharp, completing 14 of 24 pass attempts but he ran in a touchdown and brings that element to his game which is a bonus for fantasy. Heinicke will have a much easier time in Atlanta in Week 4 and enters the streaming conversation for 14-team leagues.
Others to consider: Teddy Bridgewater, Denver Broncos (17% rostered); Carson Wentz, Indianapolis Colts (12% rostered)
Team Defense - Waiver Wire Options
New Orleans Saints Defense - 47% rostered
New Orleans finally gets a true home game as they return to the dome in Week 4 to square off with Daniel Jones and the G-Men. Jones has taken care of the ball much better this year, not throwing an interception yet in three games. He's still prone to sacks and fumbles, though. The Saints are coming off a three-INT game and have six so far. Bet on the defensive side of this battle for New Orleans.
Chicago Bears Defense - 28% rostered
The offense is downright ugly right now but the Bears still have a decent defensive unit. While they couldn't keep their own QB off the ground, they also dished out five sacks for the second straight week. Even better, they face the Lions in Week 4 so start this unit with confidence.
Miami Dolphins Defense - 17% rostered
Make it 25 straight games with a turnover. The Dolphin D paid off with a pick-six but also gave up over 500 yards of offense and 28 points. If turnovers are the basis of your league's DST scoring, they are worth streaming. Miami will face Indy next week, who is averaging 19 points per game on the young season so they aren't liable to yield a ton of points either.
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