Fantasy Football Week 4 Waiver Wire Pickups

Is your fantasy team in need of new blood? Each week I’ll bring to you the best pickups to make ahead of the waiver deadline. All the players I list will be owned in fewer than 50 percent of leagues, with the ownership percentage coming from Yahoo.com.

Quarterbacks

Tyrod Taylor, Bills (41% Owned): The Bills may look like they stink on paper, but they are 2-1, with a win over the Broncos, and Tyrod Taylor has been better than a lot of QBs that are almost universally owned. Taylor has thrown two touchdown passes in two of his three games, and has rushed exactly eight times in each of his three tilts. The explosive rushing game hasn’t happened yet, and he’s holding his own through the air. With matchups vs. Atlanta, Cincinnati and Tampa Bay upcoming, he’s not a bad option at all for, say, frustrated Cam Newton owners.

DeShone Kizer, Browns (9% Owned): Kizer has warts. The rookie’s best pass-catching option is RB Duke Johnson, and he’s thrown seven interceptions in just three games. With that said, Kizer has also thrown for 200+ yards twice, and scored a rushing touchdown in two of Cleveland’s first three games. Kizer is reminiscent of prime Tim Tebow in fantasy terms; laugh if you want, but Tebow helped fantasy owners.

Deshaun Watson, Texans (15% Owned): Watson is basically Kizer, with a better top receiving option (DeAndre Hopkins). Watson finally has a big day through the air Sunday, lighting up New England for 301 yards and two touchdowns. You’ll have to eat some interceptions, and he will have weeks where his passing yardage is ugly, but you can count on him every week to run, with big-play potential.

Running Backs

Wendell Smallwood, Eagles (9% Owned): I’m not a big believer in Smallwood’s talent, but with Darren Sproles out for the season Smallwood is likely to see the most work of Philly’s RBs. Last week he saw 12 carries, racking up 71 yards, and adding a catch for nine yards. Smallwood and LeGarrette Blount each saw 12 carries; Smallwood is the clear choice on passing downs, and that’s what makes him the back to own in a pretty solid offense.

Chris Johnson, Cardinals (46% Owned): Chris Johnson might be shot, but for now he’s clearly the back to own in Arizona. He’s seen 11 and 12 carries in the last two weeks, and even though Andre Ellington was much more explosive, the Cardinals don’t trust him to hold up to a bellcow workload. He’s no longer an exciting player to own, but if you are hurting for startable RBs, Johnson is someone you can plug in and get something.

Alvin Kamara, Saints (40% Owned): I’m not projecting a big breakout for Kamara, but he’s seen at least five targets in all three of New Orleans’ games, and he fits Sean Payton’s system much more than Adrian Peterson does. As the season wears on, I’m expecting Peterson to fade into oblivion, with Kamara splitting Peterson’s snaps with Mark Ingram. In PPR formats especially, Kamara will eventually be a regular FLEX.

D’Onta Foreman, Texans (17% Owned): Foreman’s numbers don’t jump out as overly impressive, which is why he isn’t topping this list, but he’s clearly eating into Lamar Miller’s work more than anyone expected. Foreman caught everyone’s eye last week with 65 yards on two catches, which could open the door for him to vulture passing-downs work in an effort to get him on the field. Foreman’s increased usage, combined with Miller’s allergy to the end zone, is making Houston’s backfield a bit of a minefield.

Giovani Bernard, Bengals (19% Owned): It looks like I was wrong in the preseason to bank on Jeremy Hill continuing to be a touchdown machine. His role is clearly shrinking in favor of Joe Mixon’s, so kudos if you bought into Mixon more than I did. However, Mixon is still sharing quite a bit. Bernard rushed for 27 yards on three carries last week and caught a touchdown pass. Mixon has obviously become the best back to own in Cincinnati, but Bernard remains an explosive, two-way player worth rostering, especially in PPR formats.

C.J. Prosise, Seahawks (18% Owned): Prosise isn’t someone you can just blindly start with confidence, but he’s an interesting kind of boom-or-bust option in PPR. Chris Carson has the Seattle backfield on lock, but on passing downs Prosise is the guy. He’s caught three passes in each of his last two games, and he totaled 65 passing yards this past week. He probably isn’t an impact player in anything but deep leagues, but this ownership percentage is way too low.

Wide Receivers

Allen Hurns, Jaguars (38% Owned): Fantasy owners have been slow to embrace Hurns, and I’m not sure why. Allen Robinson is gone, and Hurns is the likeliest bet for TDs in this offense. He’s scored in back-to-back games, and just two years ago racked up 10 touchdowns with only 64 receptions. Sure, he’ll turn in the occasional dud; he’s a free agent pickup that is going to happen. He’s also the top receiver for an offense that, for now, looks like it’s better than anyone anticipated.

Corey Davis, Titans (41% Owned): Davis is a freak athlete, and he was dropped by too many people because of his hamstring injury. This is the perfect time to stash him, because he will be an impact player upon his return. In Week 1 Marcus Mariota targeted the 6’3, 209-lb. rookie 10 times, and he responded with a six-catch, 69-yard performance. With Eric Decker looking like he’s past his prime, Davis could overtake Rishard Matthews as the top option in the passing offense. Grab him now, while he’s cheap.

Sterling Shepard, Giants (36% Owned): The Giants’ offense showed signs of life in Week 3, and Shepard saw seven targets for the second time in three games. He should have scored twice in this one, and he continues to receive more attention from Eli Manning than Brandon Marshall. Shepard is a high-quality option on your bench, and someone you can feel okay slotting in when you have to start dealing with bye weeks.

Jermaine Kearse, Jets (46% Owned): Kearse wasn’t the beneficiary in the Jets’ first win of 2017, but he did catch all three of his targets for 42 yards, which isn’t a death knell if you started him. Kearse is the best bet for targets and touchdowns in the Jets’ passing game; that passing game won’t do much this year, but he is going to be more consistent than lots of higher-ceiling options.

Tight Ends

Charles Clay, Bills (23% Owned): I don’t know what’s taking so long for people to get on the Clay bandwagon. He’s scored twice in three weeks, and he is still the best pass-catcher in the Bills offense. There’s no doubting that he will get fed targets, so he’s even better in PPR, but Clay will help your team in any format unless you are a Gronkowski owner.

Evan Engram, Giants (39% Owned): Engram has been consistently targeted by Eli Manning, who is forced to throw like crazy because of the Giants’ pathetic running game. So far Engram hasn’t been breaking big plays, but a TE who can consistently deliver 50 yards as a floor isn’t easy to find. Get Engram now, especially if you drafted Jordan Reed, Tyler Eifert or Greg Olsen.