RADIO
Kendrick Bourne Still Has Some PPR Appeal
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Kendrick Bourne still has some value in deeper PPR formats, even though his production has cooled considerably since Week 1. Bourne caught eight passes for 75 yards in the opener, but he has managed only four receptions for 33 yards over the last two games. That includes two catches for 22 yards in Sunday's loss to San Francisco. He remains Arizona's preferred option from the slot, which gives him a path to useful reception totals when the passing volume is there. The problem is that the targets have not stayed anywhere near his Week 1 level. Bourne enters Week 4 with 12 catches for 108 yards and no touchdowns through three games. RotoBaller currently lists him as a 14-team PPR add, which fits his role much better than the standard-league waiver conversation. He is not a player to chase aggressively, but the slot usage keeps him relevant as depth if the targets pick back up.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ryan Flournoy's Target Volume Keeps Him Interesting
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy remains worth watching in deeper PPR leagues after drawing a season-high eight targets in Sunday's loss to Baltimore. He caught only two of them for 22 yards, so the production still has not matched the opportunities. Flournoy now has nine receptions for 67 yards on 18 targets through three games while continuing to work behind CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in the Dallas passing game. That makes him difficult to trust as an immediate starter, but 18 targets through three weeks is enough to keep him in the conversation. Flournoy ranks 44th overall among RotoBaller's Week 4 waiver options, with the recommendation geared toward 14-team PPR formats. He is a reasonable bench stash in deeper leagues if the targets continue, while managers in standard 10- or 12-team leagues can still wait to see if the production starts to follow.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kevin Gausman Good to Go for Wild-Card Series
Chicago Cubs veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman (shoulder) is on the team's Wild-Card roster for the series against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park this week, which would indicate that his left-shoulder injury is no longer an issue, according to Jared Wyllys of CHGO Sports. Gausman injured his left (non-throwing) shoulder while attempting to make a diving play at third base in his final start of the regular season last Wednesday, but he appears to be fine now. The Cubs are sending left-hander Matthew Boyd out for Game 1 of the series against the Padres on Tuesday, but Gausman could be tapped to take the ball in Game 2 on Wednesday or, if necessary, in Game 3 on Thursday. The 35-year-old veteran began the 2026 season with the Toronto Blue Jays but was acquired by the Cubs at the trade deadline to add depth to their banged-up starting rotation. The two-time All-Star was inconsistent in his nine starts for Chicago, going 4-2 with a 4.83 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 57:11 K:BB in 50 1/3 innings. He faced the Padres in San Diego while still with the Blue Jays on July 12 and allowed three earned runs with three walks and eight strikeouts in six innings for a no-decision.
Source: CHGO Sports - Jared Wyllys
Source: CHGO Sports - Jared Wyllys
Joe Musgrove on the Padres' Wild-Card Roster
The San Diego Padres activated right-hander Joe Musgrove (elbow) from the 60-day injured list on Tuesday, and he will be included on the roster for the Wild-Card Series this week at Petco Park against the Chicago Cubs, according to Dennis Lin of The Athletic. It is a bit of a surprise, since Musgrove did not pitch for the Friars at all in 2026, and he made only 19 starts in 2024 before eventually undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. Musgrove was expected to be ready for the start of this season, but he suffered a setback in spring training and then was not recovering the way he would have liked once he started a minor-league rehab assignment. Because of the long layoff and the fact that he has not pitched in the majors at all this year, if Musgrove gets into a game during the Wild-Card Series, it will almost certainly be in more of a low-leverage bullpen role. The 33-year-old veteran was an All-Star in 2022 with the Padres, posting a career-best 2.93 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 30 starts. Musgrove went 6-5 with a 3.88 ERA (3.96 FIP) and 1.17 WHIP with 101 strikeouts and 23 walks in his 19 starts in 2024 before being shut down.
Source: The Athletic - Dennis Lin
Source: The Athletic - Dennis Lin
Rashod Bateman Better Suited to Deeper Leagues
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman remains a deeper-league waiver option after Zay Flowers returned to the lineup in Week 3. Bateman caught seven of nine targets for 88 yards and a touchdown with Flowers out against New Orleans, then dropped to two catches for 37 yards in Sunday's win over Dallas. Flowers came back and immediately led Baltimore with five receptions for 84 yards, while Lamar Jackson attempted only 20 passes. Bateman still made one of the Ravens' bigger plays with a 31-yard catch, but his weekly target volume is harder to trust when Flowers is healthy. He has nine receptions for 125 yards and one touchdown through three games. Bateman sits 42nd overall on RotoBaller's current Week 4 waiver board, where the recommendation is for 14-team leagues. He is worth holding or adding in deeper formats, but he is more of a bench receiver than a priority claim in standard leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Xavier Hutchinson Has Short-Term Waiver Appeal
Houston Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson has some short-term waiver appeal heading into Week 4, though his value could change quickly if Nico Collins returns. Hutchinson caught three of six targets for 51 yards in Sunday's loss to Indianapolis and added four yards on two carries. He has now seen 21 targets through three games, turning them into nine catches for 120 yards, with Collins missing the last two contests because of a hamstring injury. Houston is hopeful Collins can return against Dallas, which would likely push Hutchinson back down the target pecking order. Hutchinson also left Sunday's game late after a 28-yard catch and was evaluated in the medical tent, so his own status is worth monitoring. He sits 38th on RotoBaller's Week 4 waiver board at 7% rostered, with a recommendation for 12-team leagues. That makes Hutchinson a reasonable short-term add, but not someone fantasy managers need to chase aggressively if Collins is close to returning.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ben Johnson Non-Committal on QB Situation Entering Week 4
Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson did not say much about the team's quarterback situation heading into Week 4 against the New York Jets when he was asked about it on Tuesday on ESPN 1000, according to Sean Hammond of The Chicago Tribune. "We'll see how it plays out all week," Johnson said. Starting QB Caleb Williams suffered a strained hamstring late in the Week 3 loss to the division-rival Minnesota Vikings and was ruled out for the Monday night game against the Philadelphia Eagles. With backup Tyson Bagent in the league's concussion protocol for most of the week, veteran third-stringer Case Keenum ended up making the start for Chicago in Week 3. The 38-year-old turned back the clock to stun the Eagles in a 27-7 win, in which he went 24-for-34 passing for 247 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Keenum added a one-yard rushing score for good measure. It was an unexpectedly strong performance, but if Williams needs another week to recover, it seems likely that Johnson will give Keenum another start in Chicago this Sunday versus the Jets.
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Sean Hammond
Source: The Chicago Tribune - Sean Hammond
Titans Not Considering Benching Cam Ward
Tennessee Titans second-year quarterback Cam Ward continued to struggle in Sunday's Week 3 loss to the New York Giants, dropping the Titans to 0-3 and Ward to 3-17 since entering the league as the first overall pick in 2025. The Athletic's Mike Jones writes that Ward's overall play "raises central questions about whether he is truly grasping the mental demands of the position or whether a benching could spark much-needed growth." When asked if he would consider sitting Ward, head coach Robert Saleh offered a quick, unexpounded "No." The 24-year-old has completed 62.5% of his passes for 504 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in three games played. He has failed to go over 200 yards passing in a game this year and ranks 25th in passer rating (80.9), 22nd in completion percentage (62.5), and dead last in most advanced analytics categories, including EPA/play and success rate. If the Titans do eventually decide to bench Ward if his play does not improve, it would be veteran backup Mitchell Trubisky who would be the next man up under center for the Titans.
Source: The Athletic - Mike Jones
Source: The Athletic - Mike Jones
Jason Sanders Signed to Jets' Active Roster
The New York Jets waived kicker Blake Grupe on Tuesday and signed kicker Jason Sanders to their active 53-man roster, a source told Brian Costello of The New York Post. Sanders has been elevated from the practice squad in the first three weeks of the season and has been solid while serving as the starting placekicker early in the 2026 season. The 30-year-old former seventh-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2018 from New Mexico has made five of his six field-goal attempts (2-for-3 from 50-plus yards) and all five of his extra-point tries through his first three games with the Jets. Sanders missed all of last season with an injury, but now that he is healthy and kicking for an improved Jets offense, he will have some weekly streaming appeal in fantasy football in the right matchups. Fantasy managers should probably go in another direction in Week 4, with the Jets traveling to Chicago to take on the Bears. Through three weeks, the Bears defense has allowed only 17.7 points per game, and kicking in the Windy City is usually difficult.
Source: The New York Post - Brian Costello
Source: The New York Post - Brian Costello
Texans Open to Leaning More into the Passing Game
Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans told Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle that he is willing to lean more into the passing game going forward with the running game stalling out. The Texans lost a close one on Sunday in Week 3 to the division-rival Indianapolis Colts to fall to 0-3, and they now face a must-win game this Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. Houston ranks 28th in yards per carry at 3.6 and 30th in rushing yards, averaging just 84.6 per game, through the first three weeks of the 2026 season. The Texans' lack of success on the ground is not just on running backs David Montgomery and Woody Marks, as the offensive line has struggled to open running lanes consistently. It has not helped that the Texans have been without top receiver Nico Collins (hamstring) for the last two games, but they could get him back this weekend against Dallas. Quarterback C.J. Stroud had his worst game of the year against the Colts, but he has completed 60% of his passes for 794 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions through three games. If the Texans lean more into the passing game once Collins returns, Stroud could continue what has been a strong fantasy season so far.
Source: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
Source: Houston Chronicle - Jonathan M. Alexander
Savion Hiter Remains a Risky Flex at Minnesota
Michigan running back Savion Hiter set a season high with 14 carries against Iowa but turned them into only 53 yards, adding one reception for 19 yards. Jordan Marshall remained just as involved, rushing 11 times for 59 yards, and the two backs have continued to operate as a committee. Minnesota has allowed only 97.8 rushing yards per game and 3.2 yards per carry through four contests, including just 40 rushing yards to Washington last week. Hiter has 136 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries this season, with both scores coming against UTEP. The increased Week 4 workload is encouraging, but the matchup and Marshall's presence still make Hiter difficult to trust. He is a deeper-league flex and a bench option in standard-sized leagues for Week 5.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Ty Clark III Has Strong Week 5 Setup
Wake Forest running back Ty Clark III earned his biggest workload of the season at Louisville and responded with 91 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Deuce Lawrence remained involved with 10 carries for 64 yards, but Clark handled both rushing scores and twice as many attempts. Stanford is allowing 149.5 rushing yards per game and was gashed for 268 on the ground by Duke two weeks ago, including 154 yards and two rushing touchdowns from Nate Sheppard. Clark now has 235 rushing yards and three touchdowns through four games, with the Louisville workload providing the strongest evidence yet that his role is growing. Lawrence keeps the backfield from being completely secure, but Clark has a favorable enough setup to use as an RB2 or flex in Week 5.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Michael Penix Jr. a Potential Streamer in Monday Night Divisional Matchup
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) made his first start in over 10 months in his team's Thursday night win over the Packers, and while he had obvious rust to work through early, he ended the night with 256 yards and a touchdown. With the strange scheduling quirk of going from Thursday to Monday, the Falcons now have four extra days of rest and preparation ahead of a divisional clash with the Saints. After finishing as the fantasy QB21 in his return to action, Penix is a viable streaming option in a Week 4 matchup with one of the week's highest projected scores, and he is readily available on most waiver wires after going largely undrafted in single-quarterback leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Isaac Wilson Expected to Start Against Texas Tech
Colorado is currently expected to start quarterback Isaac Wilson against No. 12 Texas Tech on Saturday, according to CBS Sports. Julian Lewis started each of the Buffaloes' first four games but was pulled during last week's 23-13 loss to Baylor after completing 11 of 16 passes for 75 yards. Wilson took over after halftime and finished 12 of 25 for 156 yards and one touchdown. Head coach Deion Sanders has not officially named a starter, telling reporters Tuesday that Colorado will see how practice plays out this week before making a decision. For now, the expectation is that Wilson gets the Week 5 start, but the move has not yet been formally announced.
Source: Brian Howell
Garrett Crochet on Boston's Wild-Card Roster
Boston Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet (shoulder) has been activated from the 60-day injured list and is on the team's roster for the Wild-Card Series this week against the division-rival New York Yankees, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Crochet only managed to make six starts (30 innings) for Boston in his second season with the team in 2026 due to left-shoulder and lat injuries. The 27-year-old southpaw has been ramping up for the last month or so, but with time running out, he will not serve as a starter for the BoSox, at least not for the Wild-Card Series this week. The two-time All-Star was not very effective in his six starts during the regular season early in the year before he was shut down, as he went 3-3 with a 6.30 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 37 strikeouts in his 30 innings pitched. If Crochet can regain the form he showed in 2025, when he finished second in the American League Cy Young voting, he could be an indispensable relief asset for Boston this postseason.
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
Source: The Boston Globe - Tim Healey
