Welcome to our fourth Waiver Wire article at Fantasy In Frames for the 2023 fantasy football season!
In Fantasy Football, the waiver wire is the difference maker where savvy managers use their skill to change the direction of their season. Those of you smart enough to pick up Puka Nukua, Kyren Williams, and Jerome Ford, to name a few, have undeniably helped your teams avoid fantasy disasters. If you still have some FAAB money left after the first two weeks’ waiver runs, I’ve got a few names that should be on your radar. From emerging rookies to overlooked veterans, Fantasy In Frames has you covered with insights and recommendations to help you dominate your league’s waiver wire.
Here are my recommendations for waiver wire pickups for heading into week four. Some players are more suitable as streaming options, while others will have more season-long potential. All recommendations are for players who, according to Sleeper HQ, are rostered in under 50% of leagues.
Here are my recommendations for your Fantasy Football Waiver Wire for Week 4 (2023)
CJ Stroud
C.J. Stroud is holding his own in the NFL three weeks into his rookie season. His 906 yards passing ranks him as fourth overall at the position only behind veteran players like Kirk Cousins, Tua Tagovailoa, and Justin Herbert.
In weeks two and three, Stroud has racked up 24 fantasy points. He’s only getting more comfortable with the offense and has a great connection with his offensive weapons, one of whom I’ll discuss later in this article. He easily looks like the best of the rookie quarterbacks and should not be available in your leagues for much longer.
Jameis Winston
It appears that Derek Carr has a sprained AC joint which will cause him to miss some time. While the exact amount is unknown at the time this article is being published, we do know he will likely miss multiple games. Enter Jameis Winston. Just when you thought you were out of the Jameis Winston business, he pulls you right back in.
He completed 10 of 16 pass attempts for 106 yards on Sunday after coming in after Carr left the game. It won’t always be pretty but Winston is in his third year in New Orleans and has experience with this offense and its weapons.
One other thing not to forget is that Alvin Kamara should be back on the field next week, giving Winston yet another weapon in an already talent-filled offense.
Baker Mayfield
The bar was low going into the season for Mayfield and the Pewter Pirates, but he has pleasantly surprised with consistent fantasy production in weeks one and two, posting over 20 fantasy points in each week.
Baker has guided the Bucs to a 2-0 record going into Monday night against the Eagles. Even with this record, it is expected that Tampa will likely play from behind in a majority of their games this season. Their run game can only be described as lackluster so far, which gives hope to the idea that Mayfield will have to throw and keep throwing if the Bucs want to have a chance to get the W.
Godwin and Evans have shown they can be trusted to get downfield and get open. Their consistency only helps the case for Mayfield to be on your bench as a streaming option or second quarterback in SuperFlex leagues.
De’Von Achane
Although Achane was a preseason darling, I don’t think anyone expected him to go off for 51 points in his second active game this season. Now that he’s been unleashed, he won’t be available in leagues for long.
He posted an incredibly impressive 203 rushing yards and another 30 receiving along with four touchdowns.
My advice to you is to spend the FAAB money on him if you have it. Odds are that his Sunday performance will be his best all season but he is absolutely capable of putting up flex-worthy numbers in the Miami offense.
Elijah Mitchell
While Mitchell’s production has been lower than expected, he is a “must-have” handcuff if you have McCaffrey, and he is available in your league.
Should McCaffrey go down, Mitchell will immediately inherit the backfield on one of the league’s best teams.
Matt Brieda
While Saquon Barkley remains week to week, Brieda becomes the lead back for the Giants.
Breida has shown himself capable of putting up significant rushing yardage; however, those years came when he was with San Francisco from 2017-2019. While his total yardage amounts may be on the lower end, he is effective when he gets the chance, averaging 4.4 yards per attempt.
It will undoubtedly be ugly, but with so many injuries to key running backs this early in the season, Brieda may be one the best of what’s available.
Tank Dell
Over the last two games, Dell has shown to be the exception to the rule that rookies don’t become fantasy-relevant until the later part of the season.
Dell is easily one of Stroud’s favorite targets, hauling in 145 yards on five receptions and a touchdown.
His snap percentage and target share have increased significantly since week one, as it should, given his obvious talent and ability to separate from defenders and make himself a serious downfield threat.
Marvin Mims
In week three’s blowout loss, Mims saw more than double the targets he’s seen in each of the following two games.
Mims posted double-digit fantasy points in his last two games, with 20 in week two and 16 points in week three.
Mims is definitely a flex consideration, even on a bad offense like Denver. Garbage time points still count in fantasy.
Joshua Palmer
It’s official: Mike Williams has a torn ACL, and his season is over. Palmer is the clear favorite to take the number two role at wide receiver for the Chargers, especially with Quentin Johnston having a less-than-impressive rookie season thus far.
Palmer was on the field nearly all last season, only missing one game for a total of 74 receptions, 799 yards receiving, and three touchdowns. Palmer was second overall in target share, accounting for 15% of the total targets on the Chargers offense.
If you drafted Williams, I’d advise you to throw a good amount of FAAB Palmer’s way this week.
Jake Ferguson
Dallas plays New England next week, and Belichick is known for taking away the opposing team’s best player, so you can count on Lamb having lower fantasy production, which could/should/would open the door for Ferguson to play a larger role.
Historically, Dak Prescott has been a quarterback who loves throwing to his tight end and the numbers show it. Accounting for 17.5% of the target share for the Cowboys, Ferguson is second only to CeeDee Lamb. Those numbers also tie him for 11th overall at the position. Not bad in a landscape as bleak as the tight end position in the NFL.
Dawson Knox
If you looked at ADP (average draft position) following the Bills drafting Dalton Kincaid, you would immediately think that he was the incoming tight end one and replacement for Dawson Knox. You would be wrong. At least for now.
Did you know there is only a 0.6 difference between Kincaid and Knox’s fantasy production in PPR leagues?
Buffalo is an elite offense, and Josh Allen specifically looks to Knox as one of his trusted red zone targets. Knox has posted over 600 yards and accounted for 18 touchdowns in 2021 and 2022. Don’t expect him to go quietly into the night.
3. Cade Otton
Otton has been on the field for 97% of the snaps in weeks one and two, giving him plenty of opportunities in the Tampa Bay offense.
Otton is also tied for 15th among tight ends (of those with more than 20% of the target share) for targets with nine and has also racked up 60 yards, which puts him in the top 20 at that position.
Cleveland Browns
How are the Browns still under 50% rostered? If they are available in your league, stop reading this article and go right now to put in a waiver bid.
Each week, Myles Garrett and crew have multiple sacks, kept their team in the game, and posted flex-worthy fantasy points.
They match up with Baltimore in week four. How are they going to stop Lamar Jackson, you ask? Likely the same way they stopped King Henry and held him to a measly 20 yards in week three.
Seattle Seahawks
It might sound surprising, but Seattle is currently the third-best run defense behind Cleveland and Tennessee, only allowing 2.9 yards per attempt to opposing teams.
They provide a great streaming option as they play the Giants in Week Four, who are likely to miss Barkley for another week.
Tennessee Titans
As stated above, Tennessee’s run defense is legit. And they get a reeling Cincinnati Bengals team who will likely be relying on their run game to keep them afloat while Burrow’s injured calf muscle heals.
Cincinnati hasn’t played at the time I’m writing this article, but I don’t believe it matters. The fact is that Burrow’s injury is not one that heals overnight. So even by the time week four (a short week, I might add) rolls around, Mixon will be the focal point of that offense.
If you are streaming defenses based on matchup week to week, this is one you should be targeting.
