X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Deeper Sleepers Heading Into Week 4

Frankie Soler takes an look at some deep PPR sleepers heading into Week 4 of the fantasy football season with players owned in 20% or fewer of fantasy leagues that should be available on the waiver wire.

While it wasn't the prototypical "oh my god we're all gonna die" week for fantasy injuries, there were enough scares this week to make us hold our breath more than we would have liked. The big loss coming out of Week 3 was that of Jimmy Garoppolo tearing his ACL. An absolute brutal blow to the 2018 season, not just for fantasy, but for real life NFL enjoyment. Fortunately, a dozen other players were able to escape without suffering a similar fate.

Whether you're combating injuries or flat out disappointing performances, the waiver wire is the cheap relative version of the gift that keeps on giving. You might not always like what you get, but you appreciate the thought nonetheless. I say that now because it appears as if it's a down week for waivers. Most of the big names were scooped up last week, and there weren't a ton of surprises. At least not from the non-quarterback positions anyway.

Remember, the rule of thumb here is that players cannot be owned in more than 15% of Yahoo fantasy leagues. It's a shallow list this week with just four players making the cut. They don't call it deep sleepers for nothing.

Editor's Note: Discover RotoBaller’s top Fantasy Football Sleepers to gain an edge in your drafts. Our free who to draft tool and expert picks spotlight undervalued players, breakout candidates, and late-round gems for all league formats.

 

Deeper Sleepers For Week 4

Paul Richardson - WR, WAS (7% Owned)

Coming off a game in which he found the endzone against the Packers, Paul Richardson has now put up at least 10 fantasy points in back-to-back games. That isn't the greatest feat in the world, but there is some additional context that puts him on the fantasy radar. Richardson actually leads all Washington receivers in targets with 14, ranking him third on the team overall behind Jordan Reed and Chris Thompson. He's also the only Redskins receiver who has amassed 100+ yards thus far with 131, with the next closest being Jamison Crowder at 79. He won't become a superstar in your lineup, but it's looking like Paul Richardson is the only Redskins receiver worth owning right now.

Albert Wilson - WR, MIA (1% Owned)

Ah yes, the ever so rare player who is owned in just ONE percent of leagues. Albert Wilson now has a touchdown in two straight games, showing big playmaking ability in the process. He scored on a 74 yard reception so he doesn't necessarily need to soak up targets to contribute. That said, it certainly helps that Devante Parker is nowhere to be found on the Dolphins. There is still plenty of room for more playmakers within the offense. As an added bonus, the offensive coordinator is drawing up trick plays to where Wilson even cashed in on a passing touchdown. Hey, take the points however you can get them.

Ito Smith - RB, ATL (6% Owned)

Admittedly, this could very well be a short-term lease but sometimes that's all you're looking for on the waiver wire. With Devonta Freeman still recovering from a knee injury, Tevin Coleman continues to operate as the lead back. That leaves room for Ito Smith to step in as a change-of-pace player out of the backfield. Smith didn't do much on the ground in Sunday's loss to the Saints, but he did haul in four receptions for 49 yards. He's an elusive, agile back who does his damage in quick bursts through the passing attack. The Falcons have had success utilizing two running backs simultaneously so if Freeman ends up missing extended time, Ito Smith would be locked into a more recurring role.

Rhett Ellison - TE, NYG (0% Owned)

If you thought the one-percenter was rare, how about a big fat zero? Rhett Ellison will fill in for the injured Evan Engram as the Giants primary tight end over the next few games. The severity of Engram's MCL sprain is considered to be a week-to-week injury so Ellison could net long-term value. He managed six receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Texans, providing a much needed spark to the Giants offense. This team has been a question mark on offense for years now but production is production, especially at the fluky position that is TE. My only concern with Ellison from a fantasy perspective is that the Giants have such a terrible offensive line that they may decide to leave Ellison on blocking duty. That would free up Engram's missing targets to the receivers rather than the tight end position.

More Waiver Wire Adds and Pickups


Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

A.J. Dillon

Not a Lock for a Roster Spot?
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Cooper Flagg

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
LeBron James

Hasn't Requested a Trade
Quinshon Judkins

Following Quinshon Judkins Arrest, NFL Declines Comment
Travis Hunter

Earning Praise in Jaguars Camp for Work Ethic
Memphis Grizzlies

Cole Anthony, Grizzlies Agree to Contract Buyout
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Lars Nootbaar

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Jake Burger

Scratched on Sunday
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Back in Action on Sunday
Sean Manaea

Reinstated From Injured List
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Julius Chestnut

Kalel Mullings Competing for RB3 Role
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
Carlos Correa

Returns to Twins Lineup
Connor Norby

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Kimani Vidal

Fighting for No. 3 Job
Cam Hart

Recovering From Shoulder Surgery
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
Quentin Johnston

Might Not Get Many Chances to Prove Himself
Tre Harris

Officially a Holdout
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

. Should Move Up on Sunday
Ross Chastain

is a Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Josh Berry

Should Be Avoided in Fantasy at Sonoma
Chris Buescher

is A Great DFS Option to Consider for Sonoma Lineups
Riley Herbst

a Deep Sleeper at Sonoma
Joey Logano

May be A Sneaky DFS Option Who Can Pay Off for Sonoma Lineups
Austin Cindric

Could Austin Cindric Work for DFS Lineups at Sonoma?
Carson Hocevar

Is Carson Hocevar Worth Rostering For Sonoma DFS Lineups?
John Hunter Nemechek

Is John Hunter Nemechek A Sneaky DFS Play for Sonoma?
AJ Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger Probably More Valuable for DFS If He Doesn't Flip the Stage
Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Wan'Dale Robinson

Wants More Downfield Opportunities this Season
Quinshon Judkins

Arrested on Saturday for Battery and Domestic Violence
Terry McLaurin

Could be a Holdout at Training Camp
Roger McCreary

a Candidate for a Contract Extension?
Mike Evans

Buccaneers Could Have Difficult Time Retaining Mike Evans
Charles Cross

Could Sign Extension Before Training Camp
Xavier Restrepo

One to Watch Going into Training Camp
Calvin Ridley

Appears Re-Energized
Mark Andrews

Still a Key Piece in Ravens Offense
Ndamukong Suh

Officially Announces his Retirement
Jaylen Waddle

Motivated After Disappointing Season
Tre Harris

Still Unsigned
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Dalton Knecht

Avoids Serious Injury
Javon Small

Signs Two-Way Deal
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Set To Open Up UFC Nashville Main Card
Junior Tafa

Set For Light-Heavyweight Bout
Jalen Williams

Signs Contract Extension With Thunder
Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
NHL

Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

Fits the Mold for Success at The Renaissance Club
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF