Week 4 brought another batch of injuries, changing roles, and short-term opportunities to attack on the waiver wire. The list below highlights our favorite pickups, along with recommended FAAB ranges to help you decide how much to spend.
(These guys are generally available in at least 70% of ESPN leagues. Your bid should vary by format and situation. Need help at RB? Prioritize that position. All set there? Then you probably don’t need to chase the top guys.)
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Priority Target of the Week
Will Shipley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Blind Bid Recommendation: 10-15%
What Changed?
Saquon Barkley left Sunday’s loss to the Rams with a hamstring injury on just his second carry. There hasn’t been an update on the severity of his injury, but he appears likely to miss time.
That wasn’t the only RB injury the Eagles suffered in Week 4. Tank Bigsby carried 14 times after Barkley’s exit before leaving with an injury of his own late in the fourth quarter.
It was announced Monday that Bigsby would need core-muscle surgery and will be placed on IR with the hope that he’s back in “six weeks or shorter,” per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
That leaves Shipley as the Eagles RB1 for the time being.
Bigsby outcarried Shipley 27-13 in the two games that Barkley exited with an injury. Bigsby’s absence makes Shipley a good bet to lead the Eagles backfield while Barkley’s out, but It’s not yet clear how much the Eagles will give him.
Across 35 games in his three-year career, Shipley has topped a 40% carry share just once, when he produced 10.7 PPR points in Week 18 of his rookie season.
Consider Shipley a RB3 or flex option for a difficult Week 5 matchup against a Jaguars defense that has allowed the 10th-fewest points to RBs. Beyond that sit more favorable matchups with the Panthers and Cowboys, if Barkley remains out.
Jacoby Brissett, QB, Arizona Cardinals
Blind Bid Recommendation: 3-5%
What Changed?
Brissett is coming off a disappointing outing against the Giants, finishing as the QB20 after completing 21 of 35 attempts for 166 yards and 2 TDs with 3 INTs.
But it was also the second straight week he has generated at least 25 expected PPR points, signaling that opportunity continues to be there. Brissett’s averaging 27.9 expected PPR points over the past two weeks, which leads all QBs.
What’s the Outlook?
Brissett’s numbers are benefiting from negative game scripts thanks to a defense allowing the third-most points this season.
In Week 4, the Cardinals still allowed 30 points despite facing a Giants offense that’s scored the fewest points since QB Jaxson Dart went down. That pushed Brissett to 35 pass attempts, his third time reaching that volume through four games.
Brissett brings a solid set of pass catchers, led by TE Trey McBride and WR Michael Wilson, who are both averaging 14+ PPR points per game. And we already got a top-5 fantasy finish from Brissett in Week 3 against the 49ers.
A Week 5 matchup with the Lions boosts the upside. No other defense has allowed more fantasy points to QBs
Michael Mayer, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Blind Bid Recommendation: 8-12%
What Changed?
The two games since Mayer returned from his meniscus trim have produced Mayer’s two largest point totals this season.
He hauled in 8 of 10 targets for 82 yards on his way to a season-high 16.2 PPR points Sunday against Kansas City. That followed a 3-32-1 receiving line at New Orleans.
What’s the Outlook?
Mayer has remained heavily involved despite Bowers posting two big receiving games. Mayer has his teammate in snaps and posted a 78.8% route share in the loss to the Chiefs.
Mayer has ranked just 18th among TEs in target share since Bowers returned, but he sits 10th in route participation over that span. That allows room for the upside he displayed in Week 4.
Week 5 brings a Dolphins defense that’s allowed the fifth-most points to TEs.
Mike Gesicki, TE, Cincinnati Bengals
Blind Bid Recommendation: 3-5%
What Changed?
After WR Ja’Marr Chase left in the second quarter with a concussion, QB Joe Burrow passed on 81.7% of the remaining plays in Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars.
Gesicki hauled in 3 of 5 targets for 40 yards and a TD, all of that coming after Chase departed. The TE finished with 13.0 PPR points, landing on the TE1 fringe.
What’s the Outlook?
Gesicki caught his third TD of the season. He’s one of just seven TEs to produce three weeks of at least 10 PPR points this season.
Gesicki holds just a 12.1% target share on the season, 32nd among TEs; but his 15.1% target share in the second half without Chase signals elevated usage in a high-volume offense.
Cincinnati might need Gesicki even more involved if Chase and Tee Higgins remain out. (Higgins is “day to day” with an adductor injury.) Week 5 will gift him a matchup with the Dolphins, who are allowing the fifth-most points to TEs.
Deep-League Flex Plays
Keaton Mitchell, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
Blind Bid Recommendation: 8-10%
What Changed?
Mitchell handled 10 rush attempts for 39 yards in Sunday’s loss at Seattle, the first time this season that Hampton didn’t lead the backfield.
His 28.1% carry share marked a career low. Mitchell, on the other hand, enjoyed a season-high 31.1% carry share.
What’s the Outlook?
In a Chargers offense that’s struggled, scoring the fourth fewest points through the first four weeks, Mitchell has produced back-to-back double-digit PPR weeks. That includes the second-highest mark of his career with 13.7 PPR points in Week 3.
Mitchell has seen his receiving usage increase each week, building to a career-high 19.4% target share against the Seahawks.
It’s certainly notable that 65.5% of his production came as a receiver this past week. Next comes a Broncos team allowing the most receptions to RBs.
Keon Coleman, WR, Buffalo Bills
Blind Bid Recommendation: 5-8%
What Changed?
D.J. Moore left early after aggravating the shoulder he hurt in Week 2. Coleman took full advantage, hauling in 6 of 7 targets for a game-high 116 yards and 23.6 PPR points.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Moore’s shoulder injury is not considered to be a “long term issue.” Hurting the same joint twice in three weeks makes him seem likely to miss a little time, though.
What’s the Outlook?
Coleman has posted target shares of 21.4% and 23.3% in the two games Moore has left early. Both of his red-zone targets have come in those games as well.
Coleman managed just a WR54 finish in PPR points per game last year, when he sat out four games as a healthy scratch.
Coleman is averaging 18.0 PPR points in the two games that Moore has left early this season compared to just 2.9 in the two he hasn’t.
If Moore misses Sunday night’s visit to the Rams, Coleman will enter starter consideration.
Dohnte Meyers, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Blind Bid Recommendation: 1-3%
What Changed?
Ja’Marr Chase suffered his first career concussion in the second quarter of the loss to the Jaguars. Meyers, a former CFL player, hauled in 7 of 9 targets for 82 yards, second behind Tee Higgins.
What’s the Outlook?
Through the first four weeks of his first NFL season, Meyers has seen his usage continually increase: from 2.9% target share in Week 1 to 3.2% in Week 2 to 13.5% in Week 3 and 17.0% in Week 4.
Meyers had his route share jump from 19.4% to 60% in Week 3 after WR Andrei Iosivas landed IR. Meyers wound up leading Bengals WRs in routes with 54, accounting for a 93.1% share.
The first-year NFL WR holds some intrigue if either or both of Cincinnati’s top two wideouts sit.
Tyler Higbee, TE, Los Angeles Rams
Blind Bid Recommendation: 3-5%
What Changed?
Each of the first three weeks found a different guy leading Rams TEs in routes. Higbee became the first Rams TE to lead in back-to-back weeks.
Higbee sports a 74.6% route share since the start of Week 3, the game Terrance Ferguson left with an ankle injury. That ranks Higbee 13th among TEs over that span and sixth in PPR points.
TE Colby Parkinson also turned up inactive vs. Philadelphia on Sunday with knee and shoulder injuries. Higbee posted a 5-67 receiving line on 6 targets for the game.
What’s the Outlook?
Ferguson will miss at least three more games. We’ll see about Parkinson’s status. If both remain out, Higbee would stand as a strong bet for work. Even a Parkinson return, though, wouldn’t necessarily knock Higbee out of lineup contention.
Parkinson totaled just 5 targets over his first three games this year. Davis Allen spent most of his time blocking as the No. 2 TE in Week 4. Rookie Max Klare barely played.
Expect Higbee to remain atop the Rams depth chart, which keeps him holding onto TE1 upside as they face a Bills defense allowing the seventh most points in a Week 5 Sunday Night Football matchup.
Upside Stashes
Tyson Bagent, QB, Chicago Bears
Blind Bid Recommendation: 1-3%
What Changed?
Bagent drew the Week 4 start for Caleb Williams but failed to produce a TD, limiting his fantasy value. He was efficient otherwise, posting a 74% completion rate and 7.9 yards per attempt.
What’s the Outlook?
HC Ben Johnson has already announced that Bagent will start Week 5 against Green Bay. The early rule-out suggests Williams may miss Week 6 as well.
Bagent is at least a superflex option against a Packers squad that just lost LB Edgerrin Cooper for the season and will remain without Edge Micah Parsons. Green Bay also represents the fourth-easiest QB matchup, according to our strength of schedule page.
Antonio Williams, WR, Washington Commanders
Blind Bid Recommendation: 3-5%
What Changed?
Williams tallied only 3 catches for 21 yards with Terry McLaurin sidelined in Week 4, though Marcus Mariota’s first-half knee injury didn’t help.
The encouraging part was the usage: Williams matched Stefon Diggs with a 73.2% route rate and drew only one fewer target.
What’s the Outlook?
We’ll see about McLaurin’s hamstring, but it’s certainly possible he misses Week 5.
That’d put the rookie back in play for deep leagues, especially if Jayden Daniels can return as expected. He’d draw a neutral matchup against a Giants squad that sits 14th in pass-defense DVOA and 17th in adjusted fantasy points allowed.
Even when McLaurin returns, Williams looks stashable where you have room with contingent upside in case McLaurin or Diggs misses future time.
Tyreek Hill, WR, Unsigned
Blind Bid Recommendation: 2-5%
What Changed?
Hill is working back from the dislocated knee and torn ACL he suffered in Week 4 last season, and recent signs suggest he could be close to signing.
Hill’s X account turns up several comments that signal his readiness to return.
Then over the weekend, The Athletic’s Michael Silver added that “several high-ranking organization sources” from the Chiefs were “very interested” in bringing him aboard.
What’s the Outlook?
We’ll see when a signing actually happens and how quickly Hill can ramp up to enough snaps to matter for fantasy.
The Chiefs are an obvious landing spot. Per Silver, Hill’s “tenure in Kansas City ended on reasonably good terms, and people inside the organization believe he would fit in well with the current team.” Of course, the Chiefs are particularly needy at WR now that Tyquan Thornton is out for the season and Rashee Rice is looking at a multi-week absence because of a hamstring injury.
Hill can be ignored in leagues with limited bench space. In deeper formats, though, he’s worth stashing for the potential second-half payoff before his price rises.
Injuries to Note
- Lamar Jackson (ankle)
- Jayden Daniels (elbow)
- Marcus Mariota (knee)
- Saquon Barkley (hamstring)
- Jeremiyah Love (ankle)
- Kyle Monangai (thumb)
- Ja’Marr Chase (concussion)
- Tee Higgins (adductor)
- Ladd McConkey (foot)
- D.J. Moore (shoulder)
- Rashee Rice (hamstring)
- Caleb Douglas (ankle)
Top 10 RB Handcuffs
- Blake Corum
- Kyle Monangai
- Emmett Johnson
- Kaelon Black
- Brian Robinson Jr.
- Mike Washington Jr.
- Braelon Allen
- Chris Rodriguez
- Sione Vaki
- Kenneth Gainwell
Top Streaming Defense
Cowboys (vs. Buccaneers)
Rostered: 3%
We are targeting undrafted rookie QB Jalon Daniels again this week after he threw 2 INTs against the Packers in Week 4 and piloted the Buccaneers to only 14 points.
Daniels threw 27 times in a low-scoring 17-14 loss, but that could change this week. Dallas is averaging 30.5 points per game. If the Cowboys get up early, Daniels may be forced to throw more in chase mode. That would mean more potential for sacks and INTs.
We are targeting undrafted rookie QB Jalon Daniels again this week after he threw 2 INTs against the Packers in Week 4 and piloted the Buccaneers to only 14 points.
Daniels threw 27 times in a low-scoring 17-14 loss, but that could change this week. Dallas is averaging 30.5 points per game. If the Cowboys get up early, Daniels may be forced to throw more in chase mode. That would mean more potential for sacks and INTs.
We are targeting undrafted rookie QB Jalon Daniels again this week after he threw 2 INTs against the Packers in Week 4 and piloted the Buccaneers to only 14 points.
Daniels threw 27 times in a low-scoring 17-14 loss, but that could change this week. Dallas is averaging 30.5 points per game. If the Cowboys get up early, Daniels may be forced to throw more in chase mode. That would mean more potential for sacks and INTs.
We are targeting undrafted rookie QB Jalon Daniels again this week after he threw 2 INTs against the Packers in Week 4 and piloted the Buccaneers to only 14 points.
Daniels threw 27 times in a low-scoring 17-14 loss, but that could change this week. Dallas is averaging 30.5 points per game. If the Cowboys get up early, Daniels may be forced to throw more in chase mode. That would mean more potential for sacks and INTs.
Defenses against the Bucs have averaged 11.5 points this season (by ESPN scoring), and Dallas looks capable of reaching that level in Week 5.
The Cowboys DST hasn’t been particularly strong, averaging 2 points per game. But the team acquired CB Joey Porter Jr. from the Steelers. He played only 46% of snaps in his first game as a Cowboy — and of the season — but did not allow a catch.
A full-time role with a full week of practice should help the pass defense.
Target Daniels and a weak passing game by grabbing the Cowboys this week.
Top Streaming Kickers
- Tyler Bass, BUF
- Andres Borregales, NE
- Chad Ryland, ARI
Drop Candidates
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Herbert disappointed again in Week 4 with a QB19 fantasy finish. His schedule remains tough with an upcoming slate of Denver, Kansas City, Los Anglees (Rams), Houston, and Baltimore.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs may be without Mayfield for over a month with a right thumb injury. He’s an easy cut in 1-QB setups, especially after a shaky start to the season. He opened the season with fantasy finishes at QB15, QB21, and QB27.
Tank Bigsby, Philadelphia Eagles
Bigsby will spend at least the next four weeks on IR, but it sounds like the team expects him to miss around six weeks. He’s safe to drop outside of deep leagues with an empty IR spot.