Week 4 Early Pickups and Waiver Wire Adds

If De’Von Achane is available in your league, well, that won’t be the case for much longer.
Week 4 Early Pickups and Waiver Wire Adds
Week 4 Early Pickups and Waiver Wire Adds /

Here’s an early look at the fantasy players you’ll be targeting off the waiver wire this week. None of these players are rostered in more than 50% of Yahoo! leagues. The actual Yahoo! ownership percentage is included in parentheses. Players are listed from the most owned to the least owned after Sunday’s games. Be sure to check out Jen Piacenti’s expanded list of waiver-wire players every Tuesday!

Romeo Doubs, WR, Packers (41%)

Doubs has been on this list before, but he’s still a free agent in more than 50% of Yahoo! leagues. That should change this week, as Doubs posted five catches and his third touchdown of the young season in a win over the Saints. He has now put up 18-plus points in two of his first three games, and he’ll draw the Lions on Thursday night next on the slate. With Christian Watson out, Doubs is a viable flex.

De’Von Achane, RB, Dolphins (40%)

Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY Sports

Achane was non-existent in the first two games of the season, but he had his big breakout party in Week 3. The rookie went off against the Broncos, posting 203 rushing yards, four catches for 30 yards and four total touchdowns. That was all good for 51.3 fantasy points! This will very likely be Achane’s high-water mark on the season (maybe his career), but he showed off big-time potential. Go get him.

Tank Dell, WR, Texans (31%)

Dell made his presence known against the Colts last week, catching seven passes for 72 yards with one touchdown. The rookie was even better this week, posting five catches for 145 yards with a touchdown in a surprisingly easy win over the Jaguars. All told, Dell recorded 25.5 fantasy points. He was on this list last week but remains a free agent in more than 60% of Yahoo! leagues. That will change soon.

Marvin Mims Jr., WR, Broncos (26%)

Mims didn’t have a massive stat line this week, but he did post 70-plus yards for the second straight game. He’s now scored a combined 30.9 points in his last two games, and if Week 3 is any indication, the Broncos are going to have to throw the ball a bunch this season. Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy remain ahead of him on the depth chart, but Mims is still worth a look even as just roster depth.

C.J. Stroud, QB, Texans (20%)

Stroud, who was on this list last week, posted his second straight strong stat line in a win over Jacksonville. The rookie threw for 280 yards with two scoring strikes and scored 20.6 points, and he didn’t throw an interception for the third time in his first three NFL starts. Stroud should not only be owned in super flex formats, but he’s now a viable matchup-based option in one-quarterback leagues too.

Luke Musgrave, TE, Packers (18%)

Musgrave had a tough matchup against the Saints this week, but he still recorded six catches on eight targets in an 18-17 win. He’s playing a high number of snaps and continues to run enough routes to be useful in fantasy leagues at a position that is difficult to navigate. Musgrave will face Detroit on Thursday night in what is a nice matchup on paper, so get him off the wire if you’re in need this week.

Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Chiefs (15%)

Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire runs the ball in a game vs. the Bills.
Jay Biggerstaff/USA Today network

Edwards-Helaire looked good against the Bears, rushing for 55 yards and a score in what was a blowout win. He also carried the ball 15 times, which was due in part to the second-half game script that saw the Chiefs way ahead. Still, he’s second behind Isiah Pacheco on the depth chart and is worth a look as depth (if for no other reason) at what has become a difficult position to fill this season.

Josh Downs, WR, Colts (2%)

Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should consider adding Downs off the waiver wire. The rookie was targeted 12 times in a win over the Ravens, catching eight passes for 57 yards for a respectable 13.7 fantasy points. Downs appears to have passed Alec Pierce for fantasy appeal among the Colts receivers, and the passing game hasn’t been as bad as some projected at the start of the season.

Joshua Palmer, WR, Chargers (2%)

The Chargers might be down a wide receiver for a few weeks, as Mike Williams suffered an injured knee in a win over the Vikings. If he’s forced to miss time, the Bolts could push Palmer into a more prominent role in what is a highly-productive Chargers passing game. Palmer looked good against the Vikings, posting 66 yards and a touchdown. He’s available in most leagues heading into Week 4.

Jameis Winston, QB, Saints (0%)

The Saints lost quarterback Derek Carr (shoulder) in their loss to the Packers, and his status for future games is a question mark. If Carr were to miss time, Winston would be next in line to start in an offense that has talent (and will get Alvin Kamara back). In what is an interesting twist, Winston’s first start (assuming Carr is out) would be against his former team, the Buccaneers.


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Michael Fabiano
MICHAEL FABIANO

Michael Fabiano is a fantasy football analyst for Sports Illustrated. His weekly rankings and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em articles are must-reads for fantasy players. He is also the co-host of the Fantasy Dirt Podcast on SI. Before joining SI in August 2020, he worked for CBS Sports, NFL Network and SiriusXM. He also contributes to Westwood One Radio. Fabiano was the first fantasy analyst to appear on one of the four major TV networks and is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame.