If you’re like me, you’re in full-tilt mode after the second week of Fantasy Football. With multiple injuries and strange offensive schemes for big players, the waiver wire might be your saving grace this week! As always, Fantasy In Frames has you covered!
I will use Sleeper HQ roster percentages for this Week 4 Waiver Wire (2024) article, as it is one of the more popular platforms. The percentages may be off for those using Yahoo and ESPN as their fantasy platforms, but there were no significant discrepancies.
Quarterback:
Geno Smith – Sleeper roster 25%
- Geno Smith is the QB9 through three weeks, averaging 16.70 PPR points each game. That puts him one spot ahead of Patrick Mahomes, averaging 16.15 points per game.
- This is a pass-friendly team with plenty of options. Smith has passed 103 times so far this year and has found ten different players to pass to.
Justin Fields – Sleeper roster 24%
- We are once again bringing up Justin Fields. While he isn’t blowing people away with his stats this year, he has been solid and finding ways to win games. He completed 17/23 passes for 156 yards and committed to turnovers.
- Through the first three games as a starter, Fields is averaging 3.2 yards per carry. Compared to starting running backs, that puts his stats better than Zamir White, Rashaad White, and Kyren Williams.
Andy Dalton – Sleeper roster 0%
- Dalton brought life into the Panthers in a single game. He completed 70% of his passes and threw for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns.
- Compare that to former starter Bryce Young. During his time as an NFL starter for the Panthers, he has hit the 70% completion rate three times and threw for more than 300 passing yards just once. Dalton may be the change the team needs moving forward.
Running Back:
Alexander Mattison – Sleeper roster 10%
- Mattison has played 42% of all snaps through three games so far, compared to Zamir White’s 41%. He is considered the Raiders RB1 at this point.
- He has also been their leader in the red zone. He has scored in all three games, two on the ground and one through the air. Zamir White has had a single touch inside the red zone for just six yards, while Mattison has scored his two rushing touchdowns on his three touches inside the red zone.
Bucky Irving – Sleeper roster 25%
- Head Coach Todd Bowles said Irving has earned more snaps moving forward. This week, he had 56% of all rushing attempts and 58% of all passing routes as well. He averages 6.2 yards per touch, compared to Rashaad White’s 2.1.
- Fantasy-wise, Irving is averaging 7.7 PPR points per game. That is less than Rashaad White, but it puts Irving only four spots behind White on the overall leaderboard through three games.
Roschon Johnson – Sleeper roster 9%
- After missing the first game and taking zero snaps in game two, Johnson was finally set to lose. He had a total of 62 yards on eight carries and four receptions.
- D’Andre Swift has struggled so far this season, averaging an abysmal 1.8 yards per carry. With just a single game, Johnson is 3.8 yards per carry. The Bears rank last in run efficiency, and the team may turn to Johnson (or Khalil Herbert) to overcome their lack of a run game.
Wide Receiver:
Jauan Jennings – Sleeper roster 3%
- The waiver wire pick-up of the week! Jennings exploded this week with 11 receptions for 175 yards and three(!) touchdowns, earning him the number one fantasy PPR receiver with 45.5 points.
- Yes, this was a week without Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey. However, with the health of those players in question for next week and possibly longer, Johnson looks to build on his resume.
Quentin Johnston – Sleeper roster 18%
- Johnston currently leads all Chargers receivers in total routes run with 63, receiving touchdowns with three, and total yards with 133 yards. The health of Justin Herbert is in question, but Johnston has proved he is their number one receiver on the year.
- At this point, Johnston is out snapping all other receivers and on the field for 80% of snaps. Compared to last year, he has only dropped one ball on the season that was deemed catchable.
Darnell Mooney – Sleeper roster 32%
- Once again, we are bringing up Darnell Mooney, who is proving to be a go-to target for Kirk Cousins. He is averaging 14.1 yards per reception on 12 total receptions. He has more yards this season than Drake London on one less target.
- Mooney is averaging 11.6 fantasy PPR points on the year, and is the number two receiver for Cousins. He is outscoring a lot of the other “second” wide receivers on other teams, including Calvin Ridley, Xavier Worthy, and both Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Tight End:
Cole Kmet – Sleeper roster 24%
- While the tight end position has been questionable so far this season, Kmet put up a 10-reception, 97-yard game this week, which landed him as the number two tight end on the week and already top three overall.
- Kmet is the third most targeted player on this team, behind DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. With Keenan Allen’s injury, Kmet has benefited. He has the second most receptions on the team behind Moore and saw three targets inside the red zone this week.
Brenton Strange – Sleeper roster 0%
- After recording zero stats in week one, Strange is already the number 14 tight end on the year. This week, he had just two receptions for 12 yards and a touchdown but saw his snap count rise significantly since week one.
- With the Jaguars being consistently in a losing situation and the run game very stagnant, they have turned to the passing game. Strange has seen a 12% target share and 60% of all snaps. He’s the fourth receiver on the team moving forward.
Cade Otton – Sleeper roster 33%
- Otton isn’t known as a consistent tight end, but honestly, who is this year? But so far on the season, he has been on the field for an average of 92% of snaps, more than any other player on the team.
- Otton has seen 12 total targets through three games. This week, he caught 7/8 for 47 yards. That stat put him at the number 7 tight end on the week. Tampa Bay looks to bounce back against Philadelphia next week.
D/ST:
Tennessee Titans – Sleeper roster 5%
- The Titans are facing a sub-par Miami team this week. With starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa still on concussion protocol, backup Skylar Thompson (or second backup Tim Boyle) will be the starter.
- A week ago, Thompson was sacked six times and Miami only scored three points against versus the Seattle Seahawks.
Houston Texans – Sleeper roster 30%
- The Jaguars are a struggling team, and the Texans can take advantage of that this week.
- Houston has three interceptions on the year, as well as four sacks. Trevor Lawrence has already taken 11 sacks and has one interception on the season.
Green Bay Packers – Sleeper roster 5%
- The Packers have a tougher test this week facing a Minnesota offense that is on a three game win streak. But the defense stepped up when they played Tennessee this week.
- The Packers have scored the second most fantasy points through three weeks, recording seven interceptions, including one for a touchdown, and ten sacks.