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

FAAB Auction Bidding - Week 4 Waiver Wire Targets

Welcome back readers. We're through three weeks and you are starting to get a sense of your overall team's potential and what focal points to address on your roster. Luckily for you we've dedicated a whole section to finding the right pickups to help your team moving forward.

We had a few injuries in Week 3, including Jeremy Langford and Thomas Rawls reportedly out for at least a month.

Let’s look around the league at who is worth a bid going into Week 4. Each price recommendation will be based on a $100 FAAB budget. Be sure to also check out our weekly waiver wire analysis columns, with in-depth analysis for all Week 4 options.

Editor's Note: Once you're done here, be sure to read about more Week 4 waiver wire recommendations, for all other positions. Just click on any link: ALL - RB - WR - TE - QB - DEF - FAAB

 

FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Running Backs

Jordan Howard (CHI, RB) - $20-25

21% owned in Fleaflicker

The biggest injury news of the weekend was Jeremy Langford going down with an Achilles injury that will sideline him for 4-6 weeks. While it's a devastating blow for Langford owners, Bears fans and RB-needy lineups are salivating at the opportunity ahead for Jordan Howard. Howard finished the game and ran nine times for 45 yards and tacked on four catches for 47 yards.

Howard, a 5th round rookie from Indiana, has shown his explosive speed in the preseason and in limited snaps before Week 3. The coaches had mentioned Langford's inability to grind out yards after contact even before the Achilles injury, implying that Howard was due for an increased workload regardless. In fact, both backs had split the carries until Langford left the game. Howard has a favorable schedule ahead of him with the Lions, Colts, and Jaguars all on deck. With Langford expected to be out at least a month, Howard is the must-add of the week and worth a significant portion of your FAAB budget. He's an RB2 moving forward.

Orleans Darkwa (NYG, RB) - $6-12

3% owned in Fleaflicker

The second Giants running back to make this section, Darkwa was inserted for the injured Shane Vereen and made use of his time. Darkwa saw 10 carries for 53 yards and a score. He also added a nine-yard catch. Overall it was a solid performance, but not enough to run away with the job.

With Vereen and Rashad Jennings (potentially) out for Week 4, the Giants have stated they will use a committee consisting of Darkwa and Bobby Rainey. Rainey is a special-teams pass-catching back, leaving all the early down carries for Darkwa. This is good for owners looking for volume, but the matchup is horrible this week. Darkwa has a Monday night showdown with the Vikings, arguably the best defensive unit so far. Darkwa may just end up being a one-week stop gap option, so don't go too crazy with your bids.

Wendell Smallwood (PHI, RB) – FAAB Bid: $1-3

11% owned in Fleaflicker

You can go ahead and throw away your preseason plans for the Eagles running back situation. Those are dead and buried under Doug Pederson. Ryan Matthews was expected to be the lead back but saw his usage drop in Week 2 and then become nonexistent after injuring his foot on Sunday. This left the running back duties to Darren Sproles, Kenjon Barner, and Wendell Smallwood. And while Sproles did his thing in the passing game, it was Smallwood carving it up on the ground.

Smallwood saw the rock 17 times for 79 yards and a touchdown, with 64 of them coming in the second half to ice the game. More importantly, Smallwood got the first crack at goal-line touches instead of Barner of the smaller Sproles. This leads us to believe if Matthews is to miss any time, Smallwood will become the early-down back and handle all the goal-line touches, with Sproles handling the pass-game and Barner sprinkling in for relief. If you own Matthews, Smallwood is a must-own.

Also Consider: Dwayne Washington (DET, RB) - $10, Jay Ajayi (MIA, RB) - $1

 

FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Wide Receivers

Terrelle Pryor (CLE, WR) - FAAB Bid: $9-12

23% owned in Fleaflicker

For the record, this is why you need a Twitter account. Reports flooded in on Sunday that Pryor would be used in a variety of forms and we touted Pryor as a must-add before 1 PM. Pryor ended up doing more than even I expected, playing quarterback, wide receiver, and safety. Pryor ended up completing 3-of-5 passes for 35 yards, 21 rushing yards with a touchdown, and eight catches on 14 targets for 144 yards. That was enough to finish 5th among wide receivers, and he was available in over 85% of leagues before kickoff.

There are two main threats to Pryor keeping this up; Cody Kessler and Josh Gordon. Kessler was pedestrian on Sunday, accumulating 244 yards on 21 completions, but he cannot be trusted. Pryor himself was inefficient in the pocket and will not be the answer. Thankfully Josh McCown should return in 2-4 weeks, but by then Josh Gordon will be back. Gordon is a more athletic and polished version of Pryor who cannot seem to get out of trouble, but he will eat into Pryor's touches regardless.

Treat Pryor like a WR3/FLEX for Week 4 but he will need to continue to see QB-gadget plays to be relevant when Gordon returns, something I do not see occurring with McCown under center.

Steve Smith Sr. (BAL, WR) - FAAB Bid: $3-5

31% owned in Fleaflicker

If you need further proof Steve Smith has still got it physically and verbally, go ask Jalen Ramsey. Smith backed up his talk on the field with a productive game, turning 11 targets into eight catches for 87 yards. It was easily his best game of 2016 and is looking more comfortable with each game as he gets further away from the ACL injury that took away 2015.

While Smith was relatively quiet the first two weeks with Mike Wallace making his presence known, I expect Smith to be the focal point of the offense going forward. He is the vocal leader of the offense and is still ahead of Breshad Perriman and Kamar Aiken on the depth chart. The Ravens have a cupcake matchup with the Raiders next in which Smith will be in the WR3 consideration once more.

Also Consider: Jamison Crowder (WAS, WR) - $8, Kevin White (CHI, WR) - $3, Pierre Garcon (WAS, WR) - $2, Cole Beasley (DAL, WR) - $1, Anquan Boldin (DET, WR) - $1

 

FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Tight Ends

Zach Miller (CHI, TE) - FAAB Bid: $2-4

49% owned in Fleaflicker

Humming right along the Bears garbage time train takes us to the next stop, the safety valve. Miller has always excelled at that and was superb on Sunday, turning nine targets into eight catches for 87 yards and two touchdowns. He had a slow start to 2016, seeing only nine targets in the first two games for 47 yards. Yes, this has everything to do with Hoyer. Hoyer is known for two things; deep balls and check downs. If it isn't going long to Jeffrey, it's going to Miller or Jordan Howard.

Miller gets the Lions followed by the Colts. The Lions are stingy versus tight ends but they did allow a touchdown to one in Week 3, while the Colts have been atrocious in 2016.

Hunter Henry (SD, TE) - FAAB Bid: $2

14% owned in Fleaflicker

The second-round pick from Arkansas saw his first NFL start on Sunday and turned in a respectable performance, catching all five targets for 67 yards. By the way, if you had Week 3 as your date Antonio Gates goes down, please collect your prize!

Henry was considered a first-round talent and he showed it on Sunday, exuding soft hands and good route running. As long as Gates is out, Henry enters the TE1 consideration. We know Philip Rivers loves his tight ends, and Henry looks like the future in San Diego. He gets the Saints, Raiders, Broncos, and Falcons coming up. Aside from Denver, that's a cakewalk.

Also Consider: Cameron Brate (TB, TE) - FAAB Bid: $1

 

FAAB Waiver Wire Bids - Quarterbacks

Carson Wentz ($10) remains our No. 1 add this week and has further solidified his status as a QB1. Dak Prescott ($5) would be the No. 2 option at QB.

 

Alex Smith (QB, KC)  FAAB Bid: $1-2

58% owned in Fleaflicker

There's nothing sexy about rostering a game manager such as Alex Smith. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, you need to consider giving him a chance in Week 4. While Smith had a modest day versus the Jets in Week 3 (237 yards, TD), he gets a much cozier matchup with the Steelers. Here are the passing yards allowed by the Steelers in the first three weeks: 329, 366, and 301. Smith should have no problem amassing a safe floor and should have superstar Jamaal Charles back. Stream away.

Brian Hoyer (QB, CHC) - FAAB Bid: $1-2

7% owned in Fleaflicker

There hasn't been much to cheer for if you're a Bears fan. Jay Cutler and Jeremy Langford are both down and the defense has lost its two best players (Lamarr Houston, Danny Trevathan). Well brighten up Bears fans, I have good news for you. While your team is going pummeled we can benefit from the garbage time fantasy production! Hooray!

Hoyer showed a sample of that Sunday night, chucking it 49 times for 317 yards and two touchdowns as he attempted to lead the Bears back from a 24-3 hole. The loss of Langford hurt the running game, but as you'll see below (and most experts have noted) Jordan Howard is the better back and was healthy in the second half. With the Bears season in limbo, I expect them to be down and be forced to throw it often. Alshon Jeffrey remains a WR1 and Kevin White is starting to show flashes of promise, while someone has to chuck it to them. Hoyer gets the Lions this week, a defense that just allowed four touchdowns to Aaron Rodgers. Look for a shootout in this NFC North battle.

Also Consider: Trevor Siemian - $1-2

 


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

Jayden Higgins

Impresses During Minicamp
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

on the Move to Memphis
Cole Anthony

Dealt to the Grizzlies
Seattle Seahawks

DeMarcus Lawrence Making an Impression With his New Team
Isaiah Simmons

Being Used Exclusively as a Linebacker
Tyler Mahle

Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Travis Etienne Jr.

the Jaguars Lead Back?
Luis Robert Jr.

Scratched with Thumb Soreness
Desmond Bane

Traded to Orlando
Byron Buxton

Scratched from Sunday's Lineup
Daniel Jones

the Favorite in Colts QB Competition?
Brendan Donovan

Returns to the Lineup
Steven Adams

Rockets Agree to Three-Year Contract Extension
Royce Lewis

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Ty Dillon

Is a Respectable Cap Flexiblity-Focused DFS Option For Mexico City
Corey Perry

Produces 10th Postseason Goal
Connor McDavid

Scores First Finals Goal
John Hunter Nemechek

Is John Hunter Nemechek Worth Rostering In Mexico City DFS Lineups?
Shohei Ohtani

Blasts Two Homers in Win
Sam Bennett

Nets Another Road Goal in Game 5 Win
Eetu Luostarinen

Earns Two Points Saturday
Michael King

Not Making Progress
Brad Marchand

Pots Two Goals in Game 5 Victory
Jackson Merrill

Removed Early on Saturday
Sergei Bobrovsky

Ties NHL Record with 10th Road Win
Ross Chastain

Trackhouse Racing's Mexico Focus Makes Ross Chastain a Leading Contender for the Win
Kyle Busch

One of Two Past Mexico City Winners in the Field
Ryan Preece

Earns Surprising Front-Row Start
Austin Cindric

Not as Strong of a Road Racer as People Think
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Stronger on Infield Road Courses Than Purpose-Built Ones
Joey Logano

Seemingly Alternating Between Good and Mediocre Races
Brad Keselowski

One of the Few Drivers with Mexico City Experience
Denny Hamlin

Ryan Truex Makes First Cup Series Start Since 2014
Erik Jones

Mexico City Will Likely be a Struggle for Erik Jones
Noah Gragson

Front Row Motorsports' Speed May Make Noah Gragson a Decent DFS Option
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Road Courses Are Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s Worst Track Type
Riley Herbst

Surprisingly Outqualifies 23XI Racing Teammates at Mexico City
Cody Ware

a Very Experienced Road Racer but Still a Long Shot
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen the Heavy Favorite to Win in Mexico City
Christopher Bell

the Chalk DFS Play in Mexico City
Tyler Reddick

Has a Lot of Work To Do To Be Competitive in Mexico
AJ Allmendinger

Struggling to Find Speed in Mexico City
Chris Buescher

Says Car is "Bad Fast" Heading into Mexico City Race
Michael McDowell

Confident Heading into Viva Mexico 250
Giancarlo Stanton

Likely Returning Early Next Week
Spencer Strider

Registers 13 Strikeouts
Hunter Brown

s Records 12 Strikeouts
Emeka Egbuka

"the Talk" of Bucs Minicamp
Royce Lewis

to be Placed on Injured List
Byron Buxton

Exits Early on Saturday
Evander Kane

Drops to Fourth Line Saturday
Kasperi Kapanen

Won't Play on Saturday
Calvin Pickard

Starts Game 5 for Oilers
Jaxson Dart

Working as No. 2 QB During Offseason Workouts
Xavier Gipson

Roster Spot Could be in Jeopardy
Josh Reynolds

the Front-Runner for WR2 Duties
Garrett Wilson

Stock Up This Offseason
Breece Hall

Motivated Going into 2025 Season
Brandon Aiyuk

Making Good Progress From Knee Injury
Keon Coleman

Inconsistent at Minicamp
Mitchell Trubisky

Not a Lock for Backup Job
Dalton Kincaid

Adds Strength and Bulk
James Cook

a Full Participant in Mandatory Minicamp
Tyrese Haliburton

Struggles in Friday's Loss to OKC
Jacob Misiorowski

Expected to Make Next Start
Chet Holmgren

Dominates the Glass in Game 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads the Way in Game 4
Jalen Williams

Has a Quality Showing on Friday Night
Charlie Morton

Continues Good Work With 10 Strikeouts
James Wood

Homers, Drives in Four
Agustín Ramírez

Agustin Ramirez Homers Twice to Snap Skid
Isaac Paredes

Astros Hopeful Isaac Paredes Can Avoid the Injured List
Royce Lewis

Dealing With Hamstring Strain
Kodai Senga

Diagnosed With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain
Gleyber Torres

Goes Deep Twice on Friday
Anthony Richardson

Should be Fine for Training Camp
Russell Westbrook

to Decline Player Option
Kevin Durant

Trade Could Happen in the "Next Few Days"
Cam Akers

Joining Saints
Michael Mayer

to Get More Involved
Aaron Rodgers

DK Metcalf Building Chemistry with Aaron Rodgers
Colston Loveland

Likely to be Primary Tight End
Joaquin Buckley

Set For Main Event
Kamaru Usman

An Underdog At UFC Atlanta
Miranda Maverick

Set For Co-Main Event
Rose Namajunas

Looks To Bounce Back
Andre Petroski

Looks To Extend His Win Streak To Four
Edmen Shahbazyan

A Favorite At UFC Atlanta
Raoni Barcelos

Set To Take On Former Champion
Cody Garbrandt

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mansur Abdul-Malik

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Cody Brundage

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Alonzo Menifield

Opens Up UFC Atlanta Main Card
Oumar Sy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Connor Hellebuyck

Wins Vezina And Hart Trophies
Aleksander Barkov

Records Two Power-Play Assists Thursday
Sam Reinhart

Collects Three Points in Thursday's Loss
Matthew Tkachuk

Notches Three Points in Losing Effort
Calvin Pickard

Joins Exclusive List with Thursday's Win
Mattias Ekholm

Logs Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Leon Draisaitl

Delivers Victory in Overtime Thursday
Myles Turner

Playing Through Illness
Reed Sheppard

Will Play in the NBA Summer League
Kevin Durant

Deal Could Come Sooner Rather Than Later
Dorian Finney-Smith

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Anze Kopitar

Wins Third Lady Byng Trophy
Sergei Bobrovsky

Heading Out for Win No. 15
John Klingberg

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Panthers
Viktor Arvidsson

Sits Out Game 4 Against Panthers
Stuart Skinner

Remains in Oilers Crease Thursday
Jalen Williams

Leads Thunder in Scoring Wednesday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Settles for 24 Points in Game 3 Loss
Pascal Siakam

Does Everything for Pacers Wednesday Night
Tyrese Haliburton

Gets Close to Triple-Double in Game 3 Win
Bennedict Mathurin

Leads All Scorers with 27 Points Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Has Second Offseason Surgery
Jaylen Brown

Undergoes Successful Knee Procedure
Matt McCarty

Comes Off Season-Best Showing at RBC Canadian Open
Justin Thomas

Desperate to Continue Good 2025 Season
Jon Rahm

Seeks Revenge at U.S. Open
Tom Kim

Aiming for Improvement in U.S. Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Expects Solid Performance at Oakmont
Brian Harman

Aims to Rebound From the Memorial
Tony Finau

has Been Up and Down at U.S. Open
Patrick Cantlay

Hoping This is the Year at Oakmont
Akshay Bhatia

Improving in Time for U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Primed for Another Major Championship Run
Cameron Young

May Struggle at U.S. Open
Collin Morikawa

Eyeing Third Major Championship Title
Matt Fitzpatrick

Seeks to Avenge Oakmont Collapse
Jordan Spieth

Can Contend at Oakmont
Shane Lowry

a Strong Value Play at U.S. Open
Brooks Koepka

Seeks Another Major Win at Oakmont
Viktor Hovland

Still Can Improve at U.S. Open
Michael Kim

a Boom-or-Bust Value Play at U.S. Open
Russell Henley

Looking to Play the Weekend at Oakmont
Tyrrell Hatton

a Safe Option at U.S. Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Eyeing Third U.S. Open Title
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF