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Andy's must-have fantasy football bench stashes and waiver-wire sleepers ahead of Week 4 (2024). He picks high-upside NFL players to stash on your fantasy teams.
Mastering the waiver wire is a crucial skill that can lead you to a fantasy football championship. It's not just about strategically placing your FAAB budget on specific players but also about knowing when to stash players. This dual strategy keeps you engaged and focused on your ultimate goal of winning a fantasy championship.
As the season progresses, injuries occur or rookies begin to break out. Many of these NFL players are often drafted but dropped after the first handful of weeks due to impatient league managers. This article will pinpoint which players we’d want to stash on our bench as fantasy football waiver-wire pickups to power us down the stretch.
Earlier in the season, we examined some must-have handcuffs and upside players who already showcased their upside in the opening weeks, such as Jalen Tolbert, Jordan Mason, and Braelon Allen. This week, we will discuss some more rookies and a few veteran players who could eventually grow into starting roles and who you should consider stashing before Week 4 kicks off. All players will be below a 25% Yahoo! roster percentage.
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.
Emanuel Wilson, RB, Green Bay Packers
11% rostered
After seeing a hefty 32 rushing attempts in Week 2, Josh Jacobs took a step back in Week 3, which allowed Emanuel Wilson to see a high of 12 rushing attempts.
Wilson did not disappoint as he ran for 50 yards and added 35 yards and a score through the air.
Emanuel Wilson
47 yards, 7 touches and TD.
Outshining Josh Jacobs today who has 9 touches for 21 yards. pic.twitter.com/UcBPjJ2phl
— Elite Drafters (@Elite_Drafters) September 22, 2024
With rookie MarShawn Lloyd (hamstring) on the IR, Wilson has cemented himself as the primary backup to Josh Jacobs. Seeing him flash upside in a limited role is a great sign, and it shows that Wilson could be a solid fantasy contributor if Jacobs were to miss any time.
While the Packers are not likely to run the ball as much when Jordan Love (knee) returns to action, the lead runner on this offense will have ample scoring opportunities every week.
Wilson is a high-upside handcuff that still remains quite under-rostered.
Isaac Guerendo, RB, San Francisco 49ers
3% rostered
After seeing just one rushing attempt across the first two weeks, the fourth-round pick earned five chances in Week 3 and tallied 19 yards.
While fantasy managers should expect Jordan Mason to see most opportunities while Christian McCaffrey (calf) remains sidelined, the rookie was the only other running back to log a snap behind Mason in the past two weeks.
The Louisville product does not have any standalone value and is a pure handcuff behind Mason. With McCaffery's uncertain timeline, Guerendo is a solid hold in deeper formats, as he could be the league winner in the second half if he gets the starting job.
Kimani Vidal, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
2% rostered
The final running back I want to discuss is Kimani Vidal of the Los Angeles Chargers. Vidal was getting a lot of buzz during training camp but was put towards the bottom of the depth chart.
He has not made his professional debut, as he has been a healthy scratch through the first three weeks.
However, No. 2 running back Gus Edwards is averaging a mere 3.2 yards per carry and has begun to lose some attempts. This past weekend, he carried the ball only three times, whereas he had double-digit touches throughout the first two weeks.
While fantasy managers should still expect Edwards to be the No. 2 option for now, he has not proven he should keep that role.
As time goes on, Vidal should get an opportunity in the lineup and could eventually take over the backup role if Edwards continues to struggle.
Other RB stashes: (Cordarrelle Patterson PIT, Blake Corum LAR, Roschon Johnson CHI)
Xavier Legette, WR, Carolina Panthers
13% rostered
The former first-round pick is likely to see a significant increase in snaps as No. 2 wide receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring) was placed on the IR earlier this week.
Legette typically logs the third or fourth most snaps each week behind Thielen, Diontae Johnson, and Jonathan Mingo.
Seeing how sound veteran Andy Dalton looked in his first game in the new Dave Canales’ system, Legette could begin to find his footing in the pros.
Just this past week, the South Carolina product caught his first pass for 20+ yards, suggesting that brighter days are ahead. Legette is a fine low-end flex option in deep leagues for now but remains a high-upside stash in standard leagues as he should get better as the season progresses.
Legette could be a popular waiver-wire target in a week. He is a high-priority stash.
Noah Brown, WR, Washington Commanders
1% rostered
Brown made my column last week and continued to establish himself as the No. 2 wideout in the Washington passing attack. On Monday evening, Brown saw the second-highest snap count at the position (only behind Terry McLaurin), which was a great sign as he logged the least amount the previous week.
Although he has played in only two games in the DMV, he has caught three passes in both of them and has a strong aDOT of 13.7 yards.
Daniels to Noah Brown at the goal line - but LOOK at the block by the rookie Brandon Coleman here 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 pic.twitter.com/MDjuHb2f5i
— Mark Tyler(Hogs Haven) (@Tiller56) September 24, 2024
Brown could enter low-end flex territory heading into Week 5 with another strong performance.
Roman Wilson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
2% rostered
The 23-year-old has yet to make his professional debut, but that should not scare you from stashing the former Wolverine.
Wilson injured his ankle during camp and missed the first two games of the season and was a healthy scratch this past weekend.
However, Wilson should be expected to make his NFL debut this weekend as the Steelers could use another wide receiver opposite George Pickens.
No. 2 wideout Van Jefferson has caught just three passes so far and left Sunday’s game with an eye injury. Calvin Austin III caught only two passes in the first two games but enjoyed a nice performance this past weekend, totaling 95 yards and a score on four catches.
Wilson could easily emerge as the No. 2 wideout in this offense as he gets a few games under his belt. He is a long-term play, but could eventually become a solid WR3, as he finished his college career with a strong 789-yard and 12 TD campaign.
Other WR stashes (Ja'Lynn Polk NE, Mike Williams NYJ, Luke McCaffrey WAS)
Tucker Kraft, TE, Green Bay Packers
3% rostered
The tight end position has been nothing short of a disaster through the early part of the season. Top options like Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews have fallen flat, and others have been bitten by the injury bug.
If you are looking for an upside option, check your waiver wire for Tucker Kraft. Kraft has caught only two passes in the first three games and is nowhere near a TE1 yet.
However, he has taken most snaps in Green Bay, with Luke Musgrave logging almost half as many. With Jordan Love (knee) on his way back to game action, the entire Packers offense should see a boost, and Kraft should benefit well from it, given how often he is on the field.
Other TE stashes (Noah Fant SEA, Tyler Conklin NYJ)
Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
2% rostered
The reigning third-overall pick made his NFL debut last Thursday in the fourth quarter and went 4-for-8 for 22 yards. He added 12 yards on the ground off two carries.
Head coach Jerod Mayo said Jacoby Brissett will remain the team’s starting QB. However, given how much he has been sacked and struggled to move the ball down the field, Maye’s time could be right around the corner.
Drake Maye’s 14% career designed rush rate and 11% scramble rate ranked second behind Jayden Daniels.
He is going to run once he takes the starting job.
— Dwain McFarland (@dwainmcfarland) August 16, 2024
With an offensive line that will still be subpar when Maye eventually gets the nod, he is still worth stashing, especially in 2QB formats.
Other QB stashes (Gardner Minshew II LVR, Tyler Huntley MIA)
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