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

Week 4 Waiver Wire Overview & Free Agent Sleepers

Waiver Wire Adds for Week Four

The third Sunday of the season is through, and the wackiness continues. The Cardinals dismantled the 49ers hopes and dreams, while the Bills rebounded from a big loss against the Patriots while sticking it to the Dolphins. And there's still another big matchup on tonight's Monday Night slate.

Week 3 was filled with some star-studded fantasy performances like matchup swinging games from A.J. Green and Steve Smith, some unfortunate injuries, and an unexpected breakout game (at least unexpected for some people) from Falcons RB Devonta Freeman.

In turn, there are some waiver wire pickups and sleepers for Week 4 that can have a potential impact for your teams. My piece won't cover all waiver wire adds and targets each week, as there are just too many with all the league types out there, but I'll be highlighting and prioritize the biggest impact players. Additionally, be sure to check out many more great RotoBaller articles and waiver wire analysis pieces at each position throughout the week, including risers/fallers, deeper league sleepers, rankings and more.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Week 4 Quarterback Waiver Wire Pickups

Tyrod Taylor (QB, BUF) - 43% Owned on Fleaflicker

Look, I'm going to keep putting him in here until his ownership beats 50%. This man is a QB1 right now. He's the 3rd highest scoring QB this week (at time of writing) after finishing last week as the 6th highest scoring. The only leagues where he even has a shot at not being rostered is an eight man league or smaller - otherwise he's not only startable, but he's a QB1. Once again, this man is a QB1 and he's 43% owned. He's surrounded by a talented set of receivers that he's been able to consistently get a lot of value from, even if it's not resulting in a lot of value for them. However, that's good news because it means he's not relying on his supporting cast to carry him. Don't let him sit on your waivers any longer.

Derek Carr (QB, OAK) - 35% Owned on Fleaflicker

Derek Carr started the season poorly with an injury in Week 1 that led to his Raiders getting completely romped by the Bengals. Three weeks in and that's a game of the past, with Carr demoralizing what should have been a dominant Ravens defense, and then putting out a strong performance against the Browns this week. With weapons like Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, along with the running of Latavius Murray, Carr's got the right kind of support to potentially be putting up a top five game next week as he faces the incredibly weak Chicago Bears.

Other Quarterback Options: Blake Bortles - 24% owned, Joe Flacco - 56% owned, Kirk Cousins - 14% owned

 

Week 4 Running Back Waiver Wire Pickups

Karlos Williams (RB, BUF) - 31% Owned on Fleaflicker

LeSean McCoy is stating that he may have to miss a game right now. That's huge for Karlos Williams. Although pegged as a back who didn't have a true role in the NFL and was more of a swiss-army-knife than a feature back, Williams has been playing well every week in fantasy. The Bills have clearly been fans of his goal line abilities, since they've given him one touchdown every week. He's broken off two big touchdown runs so far on limited carries - and although that's not going to be expected, he's looking like he's very good at what he does. The added ability to catch and block makes him a true three-down option this upcoming week - and if he shows up well, maybe he'll demand a bigger role in this offense moving forward. Either way, he's definitely taken up the part of the vulture, and need to be added off the Week 4 waiver wire.

Thomas Rawls (RB, SEA) - 4% Owned on Fleaflicker

For the first time in a long, long time - here is a Seahawks running back that has received a lot of positive off-season hype, and might actually pay off. Thomas Rawls was a UDFA that the Seahawks coaches just would not stop talking about over the off-season. His performances in training camp and the preseason were the catalyst that led to Robert Turbin and Christine Michael's releases, and both had their own hype trains over the last couple of years. Now, Rawls might get the chance to really show up with Marshawn Lynch injured. But in his first real game seeing NFL action, Rawls had 16 carries for 104 yards - a great show of efficiency, and he played far ahead of veteran Fred Jackson.

Other Running Back Options: Antonio Andrews - 5% owned, Dion Lewis - 65% owned, Lance Dunbar - 38% owned

 

Week 4 Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Pickups

Marvin Jones (WR, CIN) - 36% Owned on Fleaflicker

Sometimes you see a player on the waiver wire and you go, wait, what? What are they doing there? Marvin Jones is one of those players. Somehow he has less ownership than Rueben Randle, despite already breaking out just over a year ago. Finally healthy and regaining chemistry with Andy Dalton, Jones is coming off of two back-to-back weeks with touchdowns - and he could continue to be a significant part of this resurgent Bengals passing offense going forward as it keeps clicking. Small, fun fact - back when he broke out in 2013, Jones was amongst the league's best in fantasy points per snap.

Rishard Matthews (WR, MIA) - 23% Owned on Fleaflicker

There's always a great feeling that comes from picking a player with less than 5% ownership, watching them explode the following week, and then being able to write about that player again. After a six catch 115 yard game against Jacksonville, Matthews punched in another six catch / 113 yard game this week - and he added two touchdowns onto it. As of right now, he's the 6th highest scoring WR this week in a standard league. Matthews has become part of the main rotation for Ryan Tannehill's progressions and could still see his role grow in this offense as he becomes more accustomed to it. Keep in mind, the Dolphins haven't stopped talking him up for the past two years, so he may be here to stay for fantasy owners. Be sure to grab him off the Week 4 waiver wire if he's still available in your leagues.

Other Wide Receiver Options: Reuben Randle - 46% owned, Kenny Britt - 14% owned, Dorial Green-Beckham 42% owned

 

Week 4 Tight End Waiver Wire Pickups

Jordan Reed (TE, WAS) - 55% Owned on Fleaflicker

I don't know if Reed has just been ignored due to his heavy injury history, but he's always shown that when he's on the field he will produce. Well, that's what's been happening the last three weeks. Reed has yet to have a game under eight points in standard, and is averaging six receptions and 79 yards per game with one touchdown across three games. Those are solid, startable TE numbers - and doesn't even mention that Reed's amongst the highest targeted TEs in the league right now. Reed has already shown that he's able to have a big game when it's called upon him to, so there's a lot of upside to be had too. He should be owned across all leagues.

Other Tight End Options: Eric Ebron - 48% owned, Owen Daniels - 45% owned, Jared Cook - 25% owned

 

Week 4 Defense (D/ST) Waiver Wire Pickups

San Diego Chargers - 6% Owned on Fleaflicker

This isn't anyone's first choice as far as defenses go, but the Cleveland Browns aren't very good. With Josh McCown as the starter, the Cleveland Browns are basically a time bomb for a three interception game. The Chargers have one of the most underrated (and sort of underperforming) secondaries in the league with Brandon Flowers, Eric Weddle, and Jason Verrett all being either amongst the top of their positions, or on their way there. The Browns don't have a receiver that's scary enough to actually beat this defense - and although their run game can be very good, without a passing game they are not much of a threat to put up a big game. The floor here is high.

Other Defense (D/ST) Options: Dallas Cowboys - 13% Owned

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]




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

Jonathan Taylor

Exits Game With Apparent Injury
Jayden Reed

Dontayvion Wicks Both Suiting Up Sunday
Christian McCaffrey

Officially Active for Week 1
Chris Godwin

Targeting Week 5 Return
Jayden Reed

Expected to Play in Week 1
Quinshon Judkins

Could be Facing Multi-Game Suspension
Zach Charbonnet

Expected to Have Larger Role Than Usual in Week 1
Nick Chubb

to be Texans Bell-Cow Back in Week 1?
Chris Rodriguez Jr.

a Healthy Scratch for Week 1
Darnell Mooney

Inactive for Week 1
Christian McCaffrey

Will Play in Week 1
Quinshon Judkins

Likely to Make NFL Debut in Week 2
Christian McCaffrey

a Big Part of Saturday's Walkthrough, Trending Toward Playing
Xavier Worthy

Suffers Dislocated Shoulder
Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Gateway
Denny Hamlin

Fastest in Qualifying, the Favorite to Win at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption at Gateway
Joey Logano

Has Been Elite at Gateway
Austin Cindric

Should Be On Your Radar at Gateway
AJ Allmendinger

Could Be a Sleeper Again at Gateway
Tyler Reddick

Southern 500 Near-Miss Makes Tyler Reddick a Stronger Option for Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace a Likely Gateway Contender
Alex Bowman

a Long Shot to Advance in Playoffs
Austin Dillon

Richard Childress Racing Looks Slower at Gateway, Which Will Hurt Austin Dillon
Shane Van Gisbergen

Starts 18th in Gateway Debut
Ty Gibbs

Toyota Speed May Help Ty Gibbs at Gateway
Brad Keselowski

Probably the Best DFS Place-Differential Option
Chris Buescher

May Have Qualified Too Well to Start for DFS
Kyle Busch

If Kyle Busch Contends Anywhere, it Could be at Gateway
NASCAR

John Hunter Nemechek Could Benefit From Toyota Speed Like he Did at Darlington
Michael McDowell

Slow Hendrick Setups Will Likely Slow Michael McDowell at Gateway
Jameson Williams

Extending Tenure in Motor City
Pittsburgh Steelers

Cameron Heyward, Steelers Reach Agreement on Revised Deal, Will Play in Week 1
Bubba Chandler

to Make First Start on Sunday
Samuel Basallo

Exits Early with Hand Injury
Jeremy Swayman

Ready to Get Back on Track
Travis Hunter

to be Every-Down Wide Receiver
Connor McDavid

Aiming for More Goals
Shedeur Sanders

Unlikely to Play in 2025
NJ

Luke Glendening Signs Tryout Deal With Devils
Pete Crow-Armstrong

Leaves Early on Saturday After Fouling Ball Off his Knee
Dylan Harper

Hoping to be Ready for the Opener Versus Dallas
Christian McCaffrey

Signs Pointing Towards Christian McCaffrey Playing in Week 1
Quinshon Judkins

Signs Fully Guaranteed Deal with Cleveland
EDM

Derek Ryan Retires From Hockey
Connor Zary

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Flames
Carey Price

Canadiens Trade Carey Price to Sharks
Quentin Johnston

Scores Twice in Brazil
Bobby Witt Jr.

Dealing With Back Spasms
Bobby Witt Jr.

Exits Early on Friday
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Placed on Injured List With Quad Strain
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched on Friday With Back Tightness
Rasmus Hojgaard

Finishes Tied For Second at Omega European Masters
Tyrrell Hatton

Finishes Tied for 32nd at LIV Indianapolis
Matt Fitzpatrick

Finishes Fifth at Omega European Masters
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied For Second in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Xander Schauffele

Finishes 42nd in 2025 FedEx Cup Standings
Tyler Glasnow

Scratched From Friday's Start for Undisclosed Reasons
Shohei Ohtani

Returning to the Mound on Friday
Kyle Finnegan

Lands on Injured List With Adductor Strain
Aaron Judge

Returns to Right Field on Friday
Willson Contreras

' Suspension Reduced, to Start Serving it on Friday
Kodai Senga

Mets Send Kodai Senga to Triple-A to Get Right
Caio Borralho

Set For A Title Eliminator Bout
Nassourdine Imavov

Looks To Earn A Title Shot
Mauricio Ruffy

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set For UFC Paris Co-Main Event
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Paul Craig

In Dire Need Of Victory
Mason Jones

Set for Main-Card Bout
Bolaji Oki

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Rhys McKee

Set To Open Up UFC Paris Main Card
Axel Sola

Alex Sola Set To Make His UFC Debut
Pablo López

Pablo Lopez Expected to Return on Friday
Jazz Chisholm Jr.

Exits With Knee Contusions
Will Smith

Unlikely to Play This Weekend
Shohei Ohtani

to Pitch on Monday
Jon Rahm

Looks to Prove His Importance on European Ryder Cup Team
Tommy Fleetwood

Among Leaders of European Ryder Cup Team
Brandon Sproat

to Start for Mets on Sunday
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Close to Triple-Double Versus Serbia
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Fills Box Score Against Turkey
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Shakes Off Minor Injury
E.J. Liddell

Inks Two-Way Deal With Nets
NBA

Ben Simmons Reportedly Considering Retirement
P.J. Washington

Agrees to Four-Year, $90 Million Extension
Mike Trout

Plans to Return on Thursday
Will Smith

X-Rays Negative on Will Smith's Hand
Will Smith

Exits With Hand Contusion
Sepp Straka

Gets Captain's Pick to Join Team Europe
PGA

Victor Hovland to Make Third Ryder Cup Appearance for Team Europe
J.J. Spaun

Set to Represent Team USA for First Time at Bethpage
Russell Henley

Makes First Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Harris English

Named to Ryder Cup Team for Second Time
Justin Thomas

Making Fourth Ryder Cup Team Appearance at Bethpage
Ben Griffin

Making First Career Ryder Cup Appearance at Bethpage
Bryson DeChambeau

Set to be Part of Team USA at Bethpage
Santi Aldama

Bags Double-Double in Losing Effort
Guerschon Yabusele

Erupts for 36 Points Against Poland
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Leads Slovenia Into Next Round at EuroBasket
San Antonio Spurs

Stanley Umude Signs Training Camp Deal With Spurs
Reece Beekman

Joins Magic for Training Camp
Justin Minaya

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Magic
Alexandre Sarr

to Miss Rest of EuroBasket
Jared McCain

"On Pace" for Training Camp
Luke Hughes

Devils Optimistic About Signing Luke Hughes
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Dylan Holloway

Good to Go for Start of Season
Josh Morrissey

Fully Healthy for Start of Season
Dennis Hildeby

Signs Three-Year Extension With Maple Leafs
Franz Wagner

Collects Double-Double in Blowout Win
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Achieves Rare Numbers at EuroBasket
Nikola Vučević

Nikola Vucevic Dominates Against Sweden
Kristaps Porzingis

Finding Form at EuroBasket
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Suffers Minor Injury at EuroBasket
Victor Wembanyama

Looking "Quite Stellar"

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP