September 27, 2016

Ben Ruppert's 2016 fantasy football tiered rankings for Week Four wide receivers (WR) - waiver wire pickups, adds & sleepers for PPR and non-PPR. These are NFL WRs to target.

Hello fellow RotoBallers! As each week passes by, we learn a little more about our team and what we need to put us over the top against the rest of the league. If you’re looking for some waiver wire steals to give you a boost, you’ve come to the right place.

Players like Quincy Enunwa and Will Fuller have been recommended previously, and picked up in many leagues. The good news, is that there are still valuable options out there available in many leagues that can help your team out.

Below you will find some deeper waiver wire grabs heading into Week 4. These are deeper options who will likely be available in many leagues. If you are forced to pick between two players, find me on twitter @Ben_Ruppert_21, and I will be more than happy to help you out! Now, let’s get rolling.

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

Week 4 Waiver Wire - Wide Receivers (WR)

Check out my wide receivers waiver wire column from Week 3 as well. If players like Tyrell Williams, Jamison Crowder, Quincy Enunwa, Victor Cruz or Michael Thomas are still out there, PICK THEM UP FIRST.

 
Marqise Lee, WR, JAX – 11% owned on Fleaflicker

Marqise Lee is the most under-appreciated fantasy receiver in the league right now. Though he is only 11% owned on Fleaflicker, he has stats eerily similar to a much higher owned receiver on the same team, in Allen Hurns (87% owned). While Hurns has the edge in targets (23-to-18), the rest of their stats are close. Hurns has 13 receptions and 179 yards, compared to Lee’s 12 receptions and 141 yards.

Coming into the season, head coach Gus Bradley was excited about Lee and his potential for this season. His main reasoning was that he is finally healthy. Lee has dealt with hamstring and knee injuries in the past, but comes into the 2016 season with a clean slate ate a clear mind. As he enters his third season with the Jaguars, he is becoming more confident in his role and his connection with QB Blake Bortles is growing. What separates Lee from the other receivers on the Jaguars is his pure speed. The Jags will find a way to keep getting him the ball so he will be able to fully utilize his strength while he is healthy. The bigs plays for Lee haven’t come yet, but as the targets continue to come the big plays will follow.

Lee is a solid add in PPR leagues; he has caught five passes in each of the past two weeks. The Jaguars have been forced to pass the ball a ton once again in 2016 (top-five in passing attempts so far in 2016), meaning Lee will be a continued factor in the offense as the season rolls on. He makes for a solid deep add in PPR leagues as his involvement in the offense grows over the season.

Adam Humphries, WR, TB – 4% owned on Fleaflicker

With Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson taking the deeper routes/endzone targets, who is there to take over the short routes? In comes Adam Humphries. He has seen his targets increase from QB Jameis Winston each of the past three weeks, and even flashed his versatility in Week 1 by getting a rushing attempt which went for seven yards. The Bucs like getting Humphries involved in the offense.

Last week while the Bucs were playing some catch-up, Humphries caught 9-of-12 targets for 100 yards. He has seen his targets from Weeks 1-to-3 rise from five, to eight, to 12. His 25 targets are second on the team behind only Evans (38), three more than Jackson’s (22). In an offense that is forced to pass due to their poor defense, complete with a QB who is willing to sling the ball around the yard, Humphries has value in PPR leagues moving forward. Playing regularly in the slot, he will catch a bunch of screens and short passes in the Bucs offense. Even if Winston doesn’t need to throw 58 times per game, there will still be enough games where Humphries catches five or six passes.

While he won’t be an exciting option this week, you can’t ignore the 20 target’s he’s received over the past two weeks. It will be hard for him to break through in standard leagues; most of his catches will be short yardage ones and his 5’11”, 195 lbs. frame won’t get him many red zone targets with Evans (6’5”, 225 lbs.) and Jackson (6’5”, 230 lbs.) in town. Still, given the attention he is getting from Winston he is worth a speculative look, especially in PPR leagues.

Terrelle Pryor, WR, CLE – 23% owned on Fleaflicker

Terrelle Pryor was on this list last week, and while I like to change things up the best I can week-to-week you have to pick this guy up if he is still available. With Corey Coleman now out of the picture and Josh Gordon still yet to return, Pryor is the receiver to own in Cleveland. What makes Pryor valuable is not only his receiving ability, but his ability to get things done all over the field.

Last week, Pryor was a maniac. The former Ohio State QB-turned-WR completed 3-of-5 passes for 35 yards, rushed four times for 21 yards and a score, and also led the team in receiving by catching 8-of-14 targets for 144 yards. His freakish athletic abilities will ensure him a spot on the field at all times, since the coaching staff clearly trusts the him in all different types of situations. If Pryor has the potential to contribute in three phases of the game each week, his value skyrockets and his point floor each week rises.

He is somehow still only owned in 23% of fleaflicker leagues. Once Josh Gordon returns his value will take a hit, but with the Browns expected to be down more often than not opportunities will be there for Pyror more often than not. He should be added in all leagues he is still available in, regardless of the format.

More Options: Cole Beasley, DAL (21% owned), Steve Smith, BAL (39%), Anquan Boldin, DET (17%)

Other Wide Receivers To Consider Adding

Robert Woods, WR, BUF - 11% owned on Fleaflicker

Robert Woods found some success without Sammy Watkins on the field his week, catching 6-of-8 targets for 51 yards, on a day when Tyrod Taylor only threw for 119 yards. With Watkins likely to be hobbled for most of the season with his foot injury, the door is open for Woods to have a solid season. He currently leads the team with 15 targets through three games. While this isn’t an offense that passes much, Woods has been the preferred option so far for Taylor with Watkins sidelined.

When Watkins is playing however, sit Woods. Only when Watkins is out will Woods have good games. Play him in PPR formats when Watkins is absent from the lineup.

Seth Roberts, WR, OAK - 6% owned on Fleaflicker

Behind Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, there is Seth Roberts. Last week Roberts caught 2-of-6 targets for 27 yards and a TD, his second of the season. While he is the third option on the Raiders (16 targets), Carr has shown he will throw the ball to him in the red zone. With the defense playing poorly so far, Roberts will get plenty of chances to contribute in this potent offense. If anything were to happen to Cooper or Crabtree, Roberts would get a huge boost to his value. With everyone healthy he will put up some clunkers, but at only 6% owned he is worth a flyer in deeper formats.

Tedd Ginn Jr, WR, CAR - 29% owned on Fleaflicker

Devin Funchess earned the WR2 spot alongside Kelvin Benjamin to open the year, but so far it has been Ted Ginn who has been the team’s second best WR. Through three games, Ginn has caught 6-of-12 targets for 118 yards. He has an average yards per reception of 19.7, even better than the 16.8 number he posted last season. While there is zero chance Ginn matches his TD total from last season, Ginn can still be a useful asset with his ability to catch passes for huge gains. Benjamin will dominate the work in the receiving game as the most complete weapon the Panthers have, but when Newton looks deep there’s a good chance Ginn is the target.

Sammie Coates, WR, PIT - 33 % owned on Fleaflicker

Markus Wheaton returned to the Steelers on Sunday, and didn’t make the impact many thought he would. With the emergence of Eli Rogers and Sammie Coates, Wheaton has seen his role limited. Coates is still the biggest deep threat on the roster; he only has seven receptions so far, but four of them have gone for at least 40 yards (averaging 29 yards per catch so far). The big plays will keep coming for Coates while Rogers and Wheaton cover the short-to-intermediate routes. Coates would have more value in standard leagues compared to PPR, since he doesn’t catch many passes. However, as long as Big Ben Roethlisberger keeps looking his way deep he will have value.

More Options: Ricardo Louis, CLE (2% owned), Brian Quick, STL (5%), Chris Conley, KC (10%), Adam Thielen, MIN (2%), Kenny Stills, MIA (25%), Dorial Green-Beckham, PHI (46%)

That’s all for this week folks, hope you get everyone you claim! For all your WR waiver wire questions, read these articles each week and get at me on twitter @Ben_Ruppert_21. I am more than happy to lend a hand to hungry fantasy owners!