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Alex's fantasy football WR waiver wire pickups for Week 4 of the 2025 NFL season. Free agent wide receivers to add, stream, and stash off waivers.
Welcome back, RotoBallers, to Week 4's edition of our fantasy football wide receiver waiver wire pickups of the 2025 NFL season. If you were lucky enough to escape unscathed by injury, then kudos to you, because it felt like all the fortuitous injury luck graced upon us through the first two weeks came back at us two-fold this past weekend.
As we close out the first month of the season, some NFL teams are still making adjustments (as noted below). On that note, it's the perfect time for you to assess and do the same regarding your fantasy teams. Overreacting is ill-advised, but underreacting is equally problematic. Be it through trades or on the wire, our squads are ever evolving. Below, we've got you covered on the latter.
There are some retreads this week -- which is a good and a bad thing -- but all assets here are still available in at least 50% of leagues. The receivers highlighted are in order of priority; however, please consider your unique league settings when deciding who among them to target. With that said, let's dive into this week's adds at the wide receiver position. Side Note: This is your PSA to buy Emeka Egbuka everywhere if the price hasn't already gotten out of hand.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
- Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
- Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
- Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Kicker (K) fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups
Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos - 43% rostered
The Chargers stymied Denver's passing offense -- aside from Courtland Sutton (6/118/1) -- in their 23-20 defeat, but your waiver wire is still worth scouring for second-year pro Troy Franklin. The 22-year-old couldn't build off a career-best eight-catch, 89-yard performance his last time out. However, he still ranked second on his team in targets (four), even if he only caught half of them for a total of eight yards.
Better days are ahead for Denver, and when they arrive, Franklin still projects to make an impact. Despite minimal production in Week 3, he again ran right with Sutton in terms of snap count (42-41). Furthermore, they won't always have one of the league's top secondaries lined up across from them.
The Oregon product's involvement in the offense is superb, and it's only a matter of time before his output follows suit. In addition to being a strong waiver add, Franklin presents as a cheap acquisition in dynasty formats.
Elic Ayomanor, Tennessee Titans - 21% rostered
Titans' wide receiver Elic Ayomanor's chemistry with rookie QB Cam Ward continues to grow, as the former has caught the latter's first two touchdown passes in the pros. The Stanford product hasn't posted gaudy yardage totals -- as expected with a 23-year-old first-year quarterback under center. However, Ayomanor has been reliable when targeted, unlike teammate Calvin Ridley, who continues to put the ball on the turf.
The 22-year-old has yet to lead his team in receiving, although he's placed second two weeks in a row now. Additionally, he trails only Ridley in playing time and has accrued just three fewer targets than the veteran on 27 fewer snaps.
It's only a matter of time before Ward grows more comfortable. With that, not only should Ayomanor's target quality increase, but his volume should, too. Until then, he'll be more of a boom/bust WR4 play, and should see a solid number of looks with Tennessee airing it out at the seventh-highest rate (61.96%).
Calvin Austin III, Pittsburgh Steelers - 17% rostered
I was hopeful that Calvin Austin III would finally see a steady diet of targets after garnering six looks back in Week 1, but he bottomed out in Week 2 with just one catch and 22 yards. In retrospect, maybe that had more to do with Seattle's defense than the fourth-year pro's intended usage. Either way, he was back at it this weekend, nabbing his second touchdown of 2025 and bringing in three of his five targets (34 yards).
It'd be nice to see all those marks increase. However, it's worth noting that he and running mate DK Metcalf are essentially the only Pittsburgh wide receivers to see the field. The two are nearing 150 total snaps apiece, with the next closest wideout being Roman Wilson (41). Austin will be subject to some low-floor efforts, but there aren't too many other threats at the skill positions here aside from Metcalf and running back Jaylen Warren.
Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders - 3% rostered
Whoah. I'll admit Tre Tucker should have made the "deep" portion of this column in last week's feature, but his three catches for 12 yards on eight targets had me second-guessing him. Well, the third-year pro made his opportunities count in Week 3, lighting up the scoreboard in their loss to the Commanders. Tucker was the entire offense on Sunday, hauling in 8-of-9 receptions for 145 yards -- accounting for half of Geno Smith's passing yardage and all three of his touchdowns.
That's Tre for Tre! 🔥#LVvsWAS | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/71B7lW8ecv
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 21, 2025
Sunday marked the first time this season that one of wideout Jakobi Meyers or tight end Brock Bowers failed to lead the team in receptions, targets, and yardage, so Tucker isn't likely to do so more often than not. Still, he's always been a solid deep threat, and he operates in a different area of the field than the aforementioned duo.
This could be subject to change, but the Raiders are currently attempting a pass at the fifth-highest rate in football (62.43%). If that keeps up, Tucker will have his weeks.
Tory Horton, Seattle Seahawks - 2% rostered
I was all in on Tory Horton this offseason as a speculative dynasty stash, but I didn't foresee him becoming an asset in redraft. At least, not so soon, anyway. Seattle's fifth-round pick of April's draft, Horton broke out in college after transferring to Colorado State with a 71/1,131/8 line, and essentially replicated that with an additional 25 receptions in his senior season.
He'd return for one more go in 2024, but sustained a knee injury that'd force him to miss the final seven games.
The 22-year-old announced himself in Week 3, coralling a touchdown catch for the second consecutive week, and breaking free for a 95-yard punt return score -- Seattle's first of such in a decade.
Flew past 'em! 🗣️
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/YyqtYu14S5
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) September 21, 2025
There's a lot to like here, not only from an athletic standpoint, but from a usage standpoint as well. Cooper Kupp clearly leads the Seahawks' WR room in snaps, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba behind him. Through the first two weeks, Horton was a distant third, but he closed the gap in Week 3, logging the same figure as Smith-Njigba (28) and just three behind Kupp.
That may not be prescriptive moving forward, but the rookie presents with a skill his teammates don't have: his 4.41 speed.
Deeper Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Pickups
Parker Washington, Jacksonville Jaguars - 0% rostered
Parker Washington was a candidate for this section last week, but highlighting two Jacksonville wideouts (Dyami Brown) seemed redundant. Moreover, Washington participated on a limited basis over the first two weeks, firmly fourth in the Jags' WR pecking order. However, that changed in Week 3 when he trailed only Brian Thomas Jr. in playing time.
A week after catching five passes for 76 yards on five targets, the 23-year-old paced the team in their victory over the Texans, boasting 11 looks. Despite the uptick, Washington could only scratch out four catches and 34 yards, but the opportunity is there. The official target per route run numbers aren't in yet, though he figures to be near the top.
Jacksonville has done quite a bit of shuffling in its wide receiver room over the season's first month, so if you want to steer clear of this situation, I don't blame you. That said, Washington has been a target hog when on the field, and Thomas Jr. hasn't quite synced up with Trevor Lawrence yet. There's some PPR appeal here.
Alec Pierce, Indianapolis Colts - 4% rostered
Daniel Jones and the Colts kept rolling in Week 3, so maybe it's time to take them seriously? I'm hesitant to believe anything this early on ever again after the Saints bamboozled us at the beginning of the last campaign. Still, while Jones is playing well, Indianapolis' wide receivers are interesting, and Alec Pierce (concussion) has emerged as a name to consider.
Known for his ability as a vertical threat, the 25-year-old has transitioned into a more possession-receiver role in 2025, working in the intermediate area more frequently, providing a higher fantasy floor. Pierce has played well ahead of teammate Josh Downs, and even out-snapped Michael Pittman Jr. in Week 2. That may not be the case every week, but Jones has undoubtedly raised the floor of this entire offense.
The one hang-up here is that he exited Week 3 with a concussion. It's unclear if Pierce will be available for next weekend's bout with the hosting Los Angeles Rams, so you may have to wait a week to use him.
Luther Burden III, Chicago Bears - 11% rostered
Chicago solidified what we had all but concluded in Week 3 -- that targeting the Cowboys' defense is a fortuitous endeavor. Second-year signal-caller Caleb Williams erupted to tie a career-high with four TD passes, and Luther Burden III got in on the fun. The rookie showed off his speed on Sunday, blowing by the defense on a flea-flicker as Williams hit him in stride for a massive 65-yard score.
He pulled in both of his other targets on the day and added a seven-yard carry to total 108 scrimmage yards.
.@CALEBcsw with a BOMB to @lutherburden3 💣
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/7oO8CNRN1V
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 21, 2025
I'd be remiss not to note that the University of Missouri alum is essentially fourth amongst his teammates regarding playing time, slotted behind Rome Odunze, DJ Moore, and Olamide Zaccheaus. Moore and Odunze are locked in atop the depth chart, but it isn't out of the realm of possibility that Burden eclipses Zaccheaus in due time. Considering his role, he's more of a stash until he gets more playing time.
Tyquan Thornton, Kansas City Chiefs - 3% rostered
Tyquan Thornton would garner a higher priority if he weren't likely to lose his job when teammate Xavier Worthy (shoulder) returns from his absence. For now, though, let's focus on the positives. Thornton has clearly been Kansas City's deep threat, and he led the team in targets (nine), catches (five), and yards (71) in their 22-9 win over the Giants.
Furthermore, he caught his second touchdown in two weeks and had another one called back after a review overturned the call.
With not much juice in the Chiefs' pass attack, Thornton may retain his spot even when Worthy makes his way back to the field. That can't be counted on, so he'll land farther down the list priority-wise until the situation becomes clearer in a week or two. I want pieces of Kansas City's offense, but be wary that his role could shrink.
Thanks for reading, and happy hunting!
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