Fantasy
9/23/24
3 min read
Fantasy Football 2024: Week 4 Waiver Wire Targets
Sometimes, information bears repeating. Many players from waiver articles past are popping up in this week’s edition.
Hopefully, managers across the fantasy-verse will be savvy enough in Week 4 to get these guys above Yahoo and ESPN's 50 percent rostership threshold to qualify for a write-up.
Sure, combing through similar names isn’t particularly fun for variety’s sake. Still, it does mean that a handful of players league-wide are building out track records at a sample size we can actually feel good about.
Help is out there, folks.
With that in mind, let’s talk through who these players are and why they must be picked up off the waiver wire and onto your roster in anticipation of Week 4.
Fantasy Football Week 4 Waiver Wire Adds
Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings
- ESPN Rostership: 16.2 percent
- Yahoo Rostership: 29 percent
You have five guesses to name the quarterback who leads the NFL in passing touchdowns through Week 3.
[dramatic pause]
How long did it take until you said Sam Darnold? Did you guess his name at all?
Well, you probably figured it out based on obvious context clues, but if you didn’t know, the Minnesota Vikings signal-caller is absolutely lighting up scoreboards these days.
Darnold stands tall with a league-leading eight touchdown passes, 657 passing yards (10th best at the position entering Sunday night), and a robust average of 19.4 fantasy points per game (four points per passing touchdown scoring).
Even more impressive is that the former third overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft has notched back-to-back upset victories against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2 and the Houston Texans in Week 3.
Many prospective fantasy managers out there worried this early season surge would be a fluke, perhaps leading to some hesitation and low rostership numbers, but now it’s time to put some respect on Darnold’s name.
His next two matchups against the Green Bay Packers and a Week 5 revenge game against the team that drafted him, the New York Jets, should be solid opportunities to see QB1-level production until the Vikings’ bye in Week 6.
Justin Fields, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
- ESPN Rostership: 24.1 percent
- Yahoo Rostership: 16 percent
Initially planned to be the backup for veteran Russell Wilson, the likelihood that Justin Fields keeps the Steelers’ starting gig is growing by the week.
The former Ohio State standout recorded season-highs in pass attempts (32) and passing yards (245) in Week 3’s victory against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Fields also continues to add value with his legs, currently standing as one of only nine quarterbacks with at least 90 rushing yards on the season as of Sunday night’s action.
Aside from a third-quarter interception, Fields appeared more confident operating Arthur Smith’s offense and even completed his first 10 pass attempts to open the contest. These signs of growth are enough to feel optimistic about the speedster ahead of Week 4 vs. the Indianapolis Colts.
Get in now before Fields wins the job outright from Wilson and becomes too trendy of a pickup.
Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- ESPN Rostership: 32.8 percent
- Yahoo Rostership: 35 percent
What more does Bucky Irving need to do to prove he belongs on your fantasy team?
Through three weeks, the rookie leads the Buccaneers in rushing yards (154) on six fewer carries than teammate and starter Rachaad White, per FantasyData.
The gap in usage between the two players is also slowly narrowing, given that Irving now receives 41.3 percent of the team’s touch opportunities (carries + targets).
At some point, we will either see a reasonably clean 50-50 split, or Irving will win the RB1 job outright. Buccaneers' offensive coordinator Liam Coen is already beginning to play this scenario a bit, as evidenced by Irving and White getting 11 touches in Week 3's surprise loss vs. the Denver Broncos.
It’s not about buying in on the 7.7 point per reception (PPR) points per game that the ex-Oregon runner is posting now — you’re getting the promise of impactful double-digit performances later.
The waiver wire is a little thin on impactful running backs, but Irving stands out as chief among them.
It’s a slam-dunk, no-brainer.
Alexander Mattison, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
- ESPN Rostership: 29.6 percent
- Yahoo Rostership: 31 percent
The word that perhaps best describes Alexander Mattison’s role in the Raiders’ backfield is irritating.
The former Vikings plodder almost made it into last week’s article, but that inclusion would’ve been on the back of vulturing a goal-line carry that converted for a touchdown from his teammate Zamir White.
It’s usually good to avoid players who feel like one-offs, but after Sunday’s bout against the Carolina Panthers, it might be time to start paying attention. Mattison punched in a red zone rushing score for the second time in as many weeks and recorded a season-high six touches for 44 scrimmage yards.
It’s not a ton of box score production to hang your hat on, but the case for Mattison becomes even more interesting when you look at his usage in Week 3:
The ultimate lesson through three weeks might be that there isn’t a single usable running back on the Raiders, but the prospect of picking up a team’s future starter early doesn't happen on waivers often.
Mattison should only be considered an option for those in 14-team leagues or larger. He is, admittedly, a bit of a dart throw.
Jauan Jennings, WR, San Francisco 49ers
- ESPN Rostership: 36 percent
- Yahoo Rostership: 31 percent
This section shouldn’t take too long.
Unless you avoided the internet this weekend, word of Jauan Jennings’ 11-catch, 175-yard, and three-touchdown performance against the Los Angeles Rams likely reached you.
The fourth-year veteran’s 46.5 PPR points on Sunday stand as the highest of the season, and that will be one hard for anyone to beat. Although this was an outburst of production, Jennings’ future prospects come with a couple of snags.
He greatly benefitted from TE George Kittle and WR Deebo Samuel Sr. being ruled out due to injuries. As soon as at least one of them returns to the lineup, Jennings will descend to the passing game's third option, at best.
Even so, Jennings registered a 53.3 percent route participation with at least four targets in his last two contests, as noted in my weekly rankings.
There still might be one more game of value to squeeze out of Jennings. The New England Patriots and their band of not-so-great defenders will travel to the West Coast to take on the 49ers in Week 4.
Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, New York Giants
- ESPN Rostership: 14.8 percent
- Yahoo Rostership: 20 percent
The Giants’ offense might not be good for real-life purposes, but they have delivered fantasy managers reasons to be happy through the air.
Not to be overshadowed by rookie sensation Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson has now seen 24 targets through Week 3, a total that matches CeeDee Lamb and Stefon Diggs. Talk about a surprising fact!
As long as the shifty 5-foot-8 slot receiver continues to achieve such a high volume of looks from QB Daniel Jones, Robinson will remain an intriguing flex option or emergency injury replacement player in fantasy.
It’s understandable not to want to trust a Giant, but 11.6 PPR points per game is nothing to shake a stick at. Go ahead and grab Robinson now before the secret gets out.