5 Best Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 4
By Liam McKeone
Three weeks of fantasy football are in the books. At this point, you have a solid idea of what your team is, and you're either coming here for reinforcements or a complete overhaul. I've got you covered on both accounts. Here are the best fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 4. (All stats via ESPN PPR leagues)
1. Taylor Gabriel, WR, Chicago Bears (Available in 97% of ESPN Leagues)
Gabriel has always been a boom-or-bust fantasy prospect, given he's a premier deep threat but struggles to make much of an impact at other levels of the field. But he boomed in a big way against the Redskins, catching six balls for 75 yards and three touchdowns, good for 32.2 fantasy points.
He did get knocked out with a nasty concussion, and his availability for next week will likely be in question. But given he's almost certainly available in your league and he's the only one on the Bears who can do what he does, he's worth a flier. TURBO!
2. Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants (Available in 86% of ESPN Leagues)
The Legend of Danny Dimes has begun. In his first-ever NFL start, Jones threw for 353 yards and two touchdowns while adding two more touchdowns on the ground, adding up to a total of 34.2 fantasy points.
Should you expect this kind of performance every week? Absolutely not. He's a rookie, after all. But Pat Shurmur proved that the Giants aren't going to keep the scheme conservative to keep things simple for Jones. The Giants will air it out, especially with Saquon Barkley's extended absence. Jones will look like a rookie more often than not, but taking into consideration that he is now the fulcrum of the offense and the starting QB issues that have plagued half the teams in the NFL this season, Jones is a good buy-low candidate.
3. Phillip Dorsett, WR, New England Patriots (Available in 89% of ESPN Leagues)
The New England Patriots and fantasy football have always had a tumultuous relationship, but the stars have aligned for Dorsett to have a big year. Without Brown, he's the undisputed No. 3 receiver behind Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon. He had a big opening week, fell off a bit against Miami, then was back at it against the Jets, catching six passes for 53 yards and a touchdown for 18.5 fantasy points.
The biggest boost to Dorsett's fantasy stock comes in the form of the Patriots' running game, which has not been good to start the year. They're playing one of the league's best defenses up in Buffalo, and will likely need to air it out to come out of Orchard Park with a win. Dorsett is a big part of the passing game and (most importantly) Brady trusts him. He'll be a solid flex option all year with the potential to be a consistent WR2.
4. Darrel Williams, RB, Kansas City Chiefs (Available in 98% of ESPN Leagues)
Williams ended up the RB1 in Kansas City this week after injuries to Damien Williams and LeSean McCoy. He, unsurprisingly, filled his role adequately, and ran the ball nine times for 63 yards and added in five catches for 47 yards for a total of 15.9 fantasy points.
Williams' value depends on the health of his two backfield mates, but should one or both end up inactive against the Lions this week, you'll be very glad you picked up this Williams. It's easier to bet on prolific offenses than individual players when it comes to fantasy football, and it doesn't get much better than Kansas City. Should Williams end up receiving the (pardon the pun) lion's share of touches in Detroit this week, he'll be a good pickup.
5. Dawson Knox, TE, Buffalo Bills (Available in 99% of ESPN Leagues)
Knox is our biggest risk of the week. While it's tempting to pick him up just because his name is Dawson Knox, the rookie had an impressive week against Cincinnati; he caught three balls for 67 yards and a touchdown for the grand total of 16.6 fantasy points, with a nasty stiff-arm to boot.
His production came as a result of starter Tyler Kroft going down, but he seems likely to be in line for a similar workload against the Patriots. If Knox can establish himself as a reliable safety net for Josh Allen, his fantasy productivity will skyrocket. He's a weekly donut risk, but at a position where consistent production is hard to come by, he could provide some stability down the road.