Waiver Wire Targets For Week 4 – 2024 Waiver Wire Targets

A few notes from week 3 (and of course, this is written prior to the Monday Night games…) before the waiver wire prioritization:

• Juan Jennings looked incredible, but I don’t find that shocking.  If you read the Almanac, you’ll remember that I wasn’t as high on rookie WR Ricky Pearsall as some others were because of Shanahan’s general resistance to putting rookie WRs on the field and because Jennings has a bit of juice as the 3^rd 49er Wide Receiver.  When Aiyuk’s holdout ended, I thought that would ultimately hurt Pearsall AND Jennings.  Jennings looks like he could be a WR1 and I think he should be rostered and started until Deebo Samuel comes back.  But when Samuel comes back, Jennings isn’t likely to carry you through the entire fantasy season like Puka Nacua was able to last year.
• The Vikings are for real.  And my assertion has more to do with this defense flourishing under Brian Flores than it does about Sam Darnold’s QB play (though I think he will continue to perform well)
• Carson Steele looked good, but I do think Kareem Hunt will come in and find a role similar to the one Jerrick McKinnon held in recent years for the Chiefs
• The Bears offense is bad.  I’ve not been a believer in Swift historically.  He’s not the power back this system desires and that’s why you saw more of Roschon Johnson this week.  Expect the Bears to continue rotating backs and this could ultimately lead to another chance for Velus Jones, who to date, has looked the best of all Bear RBs.

NFL Waiver Wire Targets for Week 4:

Quarterback:  

1. Sam Darnold (84% available) – believe what you’re seeing.  He has a very good coach and when healthy his weapons in the passing game include Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, emerging Jalen Nailor, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones. 
2. Andy Dalton (98%) – The “Red Rifle” is back.  Bryant young isn’t going to get his job back this year.  Dalton breathed life into a decent pass catching group. 
3. Bo Nix (92%) – if you’re in a keeper lague, I’d elevate Nix pas Dalton to #2.  The Broncos (and Nix) took their lumps in weeks 1 and 2, but Nix looked confident and in command vs the Bucs in week 3.  He spread the ball around well, used his legs when he had to and honestly outplayed Baker Mayfield.  This could be a sign of things to come.
4. Aaron Rodgers (31%) – Darnold can be a weekly starter for you.  Aaron Rodgers is probably more of a matchup play, but this is a team with solid skill players.  The OL continues to concern me, though.
5. Daniel Jones (94%) – he’s put up a couple of decent games.  Brian Daboll is calling designed run plays too.  They really need one more pass catcher to emerge.  I wouldn’t want him to be the starter on my favorite NFL team.  Or my fantasy team.  But if you’re desperate and there’s a decent matchup, he could be ok for you.

Running Back:

1. Chuba Hubbard (33% available) – he’s a different back when the Panthers have capable quarterback play.  Jonathon Brooks should be back soon to eat into Hubbard’s snaps but for now, you can start him.
2. Braelon Allen (72%) – I had him on my list last week and I thought he looked better on Thursday Night.  He’s eating into Breece Hall’s snaps.  He’s the bigger back.  It’s impressive to me that he is getting snaps so early in the season considering Aaron Rodgers’ sway in the building.  Hall will score just fine, but this could wind up looking a lot like the Detroit Lions backfield share.
3. Bucky Irving (67%) – there’s not question he’s the better runner.  Tampa Bay is increasing his share of snaps and touches.  Rachaad White will continue to the “the starter” for a while, but Irving is the one you’re going to want here moving forward.  If you own White, I’d start making offers in the trade market.
4. Carson Steele (42%) – I thought he played well with Pacheco out.  Keem an eye out for Kareem Hunt’s game day status, though.
5. Emmanuel Wilson (98%) – MarShawn Lloyd found the IR.  Wilson continues to earn quality reps behind Josh Jacobs.
6. Alexander Mattison (70%) – this doesn’t excite me at all, but if you’re desparate for someone who plays on the goal line, plug your nose… close your eyes… and put in a claim. 
7. Tyler Badie (100%) – he has looked good in weeks 2 and 3.  Denver hasn’t had anything going int the run game.  There’s a bit too many RBs used in Denver and I think Audric Estime is more likely to be the eventual starter there given how the season is going. 
8. Roschon Johnson, Khalil Herbert and Travis Homer … ok, here’s the thing.  Khalil Herbert is the best running back of this group, but he has been for a few years and the coaching staff doesn’t put a lot of trust into him.  If you’re asking me to make a bet on who will be the best Bears RB to end the season, my guess is that it’ll end up as Herbert.  Johnson played primarily because Homer is on IR, so it’ll be Herbert vs Johnson to battle it out and try to wrestle first and second down snaps away from D’Andre Swift.
9. Kareem Hunt (800%) – I think we’ll see him start to produce for the Chiefs in the next few weeks. 
10. Tank Bigsby (91%) – he’s questionable for Monday Night Football.  He’s earning a lot of touches for the Jaguars when he’s on the field.    

Wide Receiver:

1. Alec Pierce (66% available) – I’m not a big fan of the Colts passing game, but Pierce is consistently playing well.  I think he’s emerged and I think he’ll keep Adonai Mitchell at bay for most of the year.
2. Rome Odunze (32%) – he’s getting more looks while Keenan Allen is out of the lineup, but I think the rookie took a step forward this week.  Now’s the time to grab him and stash him.
3. Jauan Jennings (64% available) – I think he’s going to be a part time play, but I said the same thing about Nacua last season.  Just pick him up and play him.  Worry about the workshare when Deebo returns.
4. Allen Lazard (66%) – Rodgers trusts him and he’s caught TDs in multiple games.  He won’t be a player to accumulate large target totals, but Rodgers does look for him in the red zone and that counts for a lot.
5. Jakobi Meyers (38%) – I like him more as long as Gardner Minshew is the starter for what that’s worth.
6. Wan’Dale Robinson (85%) – I’ve been avoiding him for a while because he fooled me a couple of years ago.  He has the talent and the Giants are throwing the ball to him plenty.  If that continues, he’ll be a worthwhile flex option in PPR formats.
7. Quentin Johnston (53%) – It’ll be interesting to see what happens in snap share when Joshua Palmer and D.J. Chark are both healthy but for now, Johnston looks like the player the Chargers thought they were getting when they spent a 2023 first round pick on him.
8. Jalen Nailor (96%) – Jefferson and Addison will be the top scoring guys, but Nailor has played well enough to be rostered in all league types.  TJ Hockenson will eventually eat into Nailor’s totals, but he should score well enough before then.
9. Tutu Atwell/Jordan Whittington (98%) – I was eager to see if the Rams would use preseason standout Jordan Whittington in place of injured Cooper Kupp, but most of those snaps went to Tutu Atwell.  Atwell is faster, but Whittington looks like the better prospect to me.  Either way, I think both will fall back to the bench once Nacua and Kupp are back in the fold.
10. Xavier Legette (80%) – Adam Thielen left week 3 and Legette got a boost in snaps.  With a better QB throwing in Carolina, this could be the opportunity Legette needed to emerge.

And a Trio of Monday Night WRs…

1. Noah Brown (99%) – I suspect his snap counts will increase vs the Bengals and Brown will emerge as a very good #2 WR for Washington.  Or maybe he falls flat on Monday Night and I look foolish.
2. Khalil Shakir (45%) – Josh Allen’s looked to him more than his other WRs at this point.  I think Keon Coleman will eventually be the #1 guy, but I would argue Shakir is currently the top Bills WR.  We’ll see what happens vs the Jags this evening. 
3. Andrei Iosivas (93%) – It’s pronounced “Yo-see-vas” if you’re wondering.  I have been high on him as the #3 option in Cincinnati for a while.  My theory is that Chase and Higgins will draw attention and Iosivas will be a quality-producing third option for the Bengals.  I’m very interested to see what happens with Higgins back in action.

Tight End:

1. Cole Kmet (74% available) – here’s the deal.  Kmet should be used quite a bit to help ease Caleb Williams into the NFL.  The Bears have instead largely ignored Kmet and created a rotation with the quality (but inferior) Gerald Everett.  Things changed vs the Colts in week 3.  If that’s a permanent change than Kmet should be a starting caliber TE.  There’s not much quality at the position, so Kmet is the #1 guy for me.
2. Zach Ertz (80%) – if you’re not grabbing Ertz because you think Ben Sinnott will take his job this year, I think you’re safe.  Sinnott is a 3^rd stringer and should only be a threat to Ertz if/when he’s injured.  For now, you can assume Ertz will command a large target share for Washington.  Jayden Daniels looked better to me in week 2 and we’ll see how things go for him on Monday Night Football.
3. Brenton Strange (87%) – The TEs in this offense should draw a lot of targets.  Strange was taken in the 2^nd round last season.  He’s buried behind a quality starting TE, but will get an opportunity to show what he can do.  If this sounds familiar, this is exactly what I would have written about Trey McBride last year.  If Strange has a couple of amazing games for Jacksonville, he could force his way into regular playing time.
4. Taysom Hill (70%) – pick him up and put him in an injury slot.  Hill looks to me like he’s actually the #2 or #3 RB for the Saints, but you’re getting him with a TE designation. 
5. Foster Moreau (98%) – I had the other two Saints TEs on this list last week, but after taking a deeper dive into the snap counts for both weeks, it looks like Moreau is always on the field.  Johnson might get more red zone attempts and Hill might get more overall touches, but play time in a good offensive system matters.  Though it is worth noting he managed 0 points in a game where the saints scored more than 40 points.

Defense:

1. Minnesota (80% available) – They dominated a very good Houston Texans offense.  Pick them up.  They are on “weekly start” status now.
2. Kansas City (51%) – they play the Chargers next week.  If Herbert plays, he’ll be hobbled.  If not, Kansas City should play well against the backup QB (though the Chargers run game will be better in week 4)
3. Chicago (64% available) – I don’t love the matchup vs the Rams in week 4, but the Bears DST grouping has been consistently strong this year.  Stafford has been know to throw a pick or two so while it may be a slightly average week for the Bears, I still think they’re a quality group and one that could be started more weeks than not.