💥 Prioritize these Waiver Pickups in Week 4

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Good morning to everyone except those who had 70 points hung on them this weekend.

Today in 5 minutes or less, you’ll learn:

• Who BALLED OUT in Week 3 🐬 

• Who flopped in Week 3 ✈

• Waiver Wire and Trade Targets 🎯 

• Early week news and notes 🏈 

STUD RBs: Raheem Mostert/De’Von Achane (MIA)

How else could we start after a HISTORIC performance?

This backfield duo has officially arrived, posting some ABSURD one-week statistics:

• 285 rush yards

• 11 receptions

• 90 receiving yards

• 8 total touchdowns

Achane looked like an emerging beast on Sunday. The kid topped 200 yards rushing and looks completely comfortable in that Miami offense.

This team obviously won’t score 70 points every week, but Mike McDaniel is utilizing the blazing speed of these players in ways that the league may never have seen before.

DUD RB: Breece Hall (NYJ)

I get that Breece had the deck stacked against him. The absence of Aaron Rodgers has crippled the Jets’ offense, and New England’s defense looks like a top-10 unit.

Still, this guy went in the 2nd round in many fantasy leagues, so 3.7 PPR points just isn’t going to cut it. Tread lightly with Hall going forward the next stretch of the season.

STUD QB: Justin Herbert (LAC)

We predicted this game would give us some offensive fireworks, and while the final score wasn’t a super outlier, Herbert and the Chargers held up their end of the bargain for the most part.

He was Sunday’s top fantasy QB, even over Tua Tagovailoa, as he completed over 85% of his passes for 405 yards and 3 TDs. It could have been even better if not for Keenan Allen vulturing a passing TD (more on him below).

DUD QB: Ryan Tannehill (TEN)

After a solid Week 2, QB15 performance, Tannehill crashed back down to earth on Sunday. He completed just 52% of his passes for a paltry 104 yards, took 5 sacks, and lost a fumble.

Maybe the Browns are better than we thought, but Tannehill must be better to climb back into the fantasy conversation.

STUD WR: Keenan Allen (LAC)

There were a few explosive performances we could have chosen here (Shout out to Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill), but I went with Allen because I tend to use PPR scoring, and 18 receptions is just bonkers.

Plus, while Allen didn’t score a TD, he did throw a 49-yard bomb to Mike Williams. The novelty alone is worth mentioning.

DUD WR: Juju Smith-Schuster (NE)

Many of us this summer thought Juju would be the Patriots’ number 1 receiver. A combination of health and ineffective play has doused those predictions.

Juju secured just 1 catch for 5 yards. He looks slow, unable to get open, and a far cry from his best days in Pittsburgh.

STUD TE: Sam LaPorta (DET)

This kid is a rookie?

LaPorta got plenty of volume on Sunday, catching 8 of 11 targets for 84 yards and a TD. Considering the weakness of the position overall in fantasy football, that’s going to be more than enough for most owners most weeks.

Clearly the Lions knew they were drafting a stud. According to Fantasy Life’s utilization tool, LaPorta is 2nd among all tight ends in target percentage, running a route on a healthy 79% of Detroit pass plays.

DUD TE: Zach Ertz (ARI)

Even in a week where the Cardinals upset what looked like the best team in football through 2 games, Ertz was a non-factor.

He caught just 2 passes for 6 yards, on the week I touted him as a good waiver pickup. Just brutal.

#5: RB Tyjae Spears (TEN)

We knew this was coming sooner or later.

Derrick Henry is taking more of a backseat as he recovers from a foot injury, while Spears is stepping into a larger role. The question remains as to whether or not that role will amount to value.

Just be careful: while the volume may be increasing he does have a few tough RB matchups in the near future. This is more of a monitor/stash pick.

#4: QB C.J. Stroud (HOU)

Quarterback isn’t typically at the top of the waiver priority list for most owners, but the kid is starting to look competent as a pro.

The Texans are starting to look better than advertised with Stroud at the helm throwing to Nico Collins and Tank Dell. And while the Texans’ run game hasn’t quite been there, Stroud is starting to rack up the volume. According to Fantasy Life, he’s tied for 4th in pass plays per game, with a healthy 64% completion percentage.

As he continues to develop, he should become more of an asset.

#3: WR Adam Thielen (CAR)

Some of us thought that maybe Thielen was slipping into washed-up territory after his efficiency declined with the Vikings last season. But it’s been 2 straight strong weeks, and he was Sunday’s WR3 behind Keenan Allen and Davante Adams.

Thielen’s volume has steadily increased each week. He caught 11-of-14 targets in Week 3. The Panthers are now 0-3 and look like they’ll be trailing a fair amount going forward.

Maybe a connection with Andy Dalton can revive their careers.

#2 TE Luke Musgrave (GB)

The raw numbers weren’t spectacular, but Musgrave was 2nd on the Packers in targets with 8, and was facing a defense that’s been very tough on tight ends. Double-digit PPR points at the position is nothing to scoff at.

As the pieces continue to fall into place and the season wears on, we’ll have a better read on where Musgrave fits in the TE landscape. For now, he’s worth a roster spot.

CLICK HERE for the #1 Week 4 Waiver Wire Target

#5: WR Calvin Ridley (JAX)

Ridley hasn’t been a consistent performer after a monster Week 1. That’s been a bummer for fantasy owners, but I would advise patience on this guy. He still looks good on his routes and will likely see more production if and when Trevor Lawrence gets his own game back on track.

As a bonus, Ridley gets to face his former team in Week 4, which often leads to revenge production for guys of his caliber. If the Ridley owner in your league is getting impatient, why not try and pull the trigger for him?

#4: Rhamondre Stevenson (NE)

No one is touting the Patriots’ offense as a viable fantasy unit, but if any single member of it has a chance to create fantasy value, it’s Rhamondre.

He’s looked unimpressive thus far, but last season he was:

• 3rd in juke rate (40.5%)

• 6th in breakaway runs (15)

• 3rd in evaded tackles (113)

If that offensive line can come together and play at a higher level than they have so far, Stevenson could rise back up and match the value of his draft price.

#3: QB Justin Fields (CHI)

I’m not quite ready to deem Fields a bust this season, as bad as the Bears’ start has been. Remember, Fields started 2022 poorly as well. He was just QB30 through 3 weeks last season before a torrid rushing pace allowed him to finish as QB6.

While it’s understandable that fantasy owners might be getting a bit impatient with him as the promised passing improvement has not materialized, I expect the team to right the ship a little bit, and get him back in position to perform at a high level, like we’ve seen him do before.

#2: RB Aaron Jones (GB)

It’s tough for fantasy owners to stay patient when a guy isn’t on the field. Lots of people drafted Jones as their RB2, and maybe even RB1 if they went zero-RB in their draft. They’ll want to get that production back ASAP.

Sunday’s game showed just how critical Jones is to the Packers’ offense. Jordan Love ended up as the team’s leading rusher on the afternoon, while A.J. Dillon looked inefficient, gaining just 33 yards on 11 carries. Take out his 14-yard long and he averaged just 1.9 yards per carry.

The team will need Jones to step back into his role as spark plug to help make that offense go.

CLICK HERE for the #1 Trade Target for Week 4

😳 Austin Ekeler will be out HOW LONG?

🏈 49ers STAR WR Returns, Eyeing Week 4 Return

🤷‍♂️ Saleh Noncommittal on QB decision

🐯 Bengals QB ACTIVE for MNF

🚔 Arrest Warrant Issued for Patriots CB

💪 OT La’el Collins Expected to Sign: With Who?

🧀 Packers could get RB boost on TNF

⚜ Saints’ QB “Week-to-Week” with shoulder

🐣 Raiders QB Garoppolo in concussion protocol

🙏 Kamara ACTIVATED from suspended list

If you lost your matchup this weekend, Shake It Off. Make some moves and stay consistent. And of course, join me back here for Friday’s newsletter.

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