Fantasy Football Week 4 Waiver Wire: Best Pickups At Each Position
Backups suddenly are very valuable in fantasy
Routinely checking in on the waiver wire is good practice for all fantasy football players, but managers might be taking a closer look at the pool of available players this week.
That’s because there are several noteworthy injury situations to monitor heading into Week 4 of the 2022 NFL season. While Mac Jones isn’t exactly a fantasy monster, more impactful players like Dalvin Cook and Amon-Ra St. Brown are dealing with ailments that could affect their gameday status.
With injuries in mind, here are four waiver wire pickups we’re recommending this week.
Quarterback: Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (50.9%)
It might be time to start taking the Jaguars seriously as a potential playoff team. This is due in part to the play of Lawrence, who threw for multiple touchdowns and didn’t toss an interception in both of Jacksonville’s last two games. The second-year signal-caller faces a tough Week 4 matchup on the road against the Eagles, but at this rate, Lawrence is worth scooping up as a long-term play. As we approach the unofficial quarter mark of the season, Lawrence is the 10th-ranked fantasy QB in terms of total points.
Running Back: Alexander Mattison, Minnesota Vikings (37.1%)
Cook currently is dealing with a shoulder injury that forced him to exit the Vikings’ Week 3 win over the Detroit Lions. The next man up in Minnesota’s backfield is Mattison, who has admirably served as Cook’s understudy since 2019. Fantasy managers shouldn’t overlook Mattison’s track record when given an enhanced workload. In the three games the 24-year-old received over 20 carries last season, he ran for a combined 315 yards. Should Mattison start Sunday in London, he could be in store for a nice day against a New Orleans Saints team that’s allowing nearly 15 fantasy points per game to running backs.
Wide Receiver: Greg Dortch, Arizona Cardinals (7.3%)
Before the start of the season, few likely were familiar with Dortch, a fourth-year wideout who has spent time with five NFL teams since signing with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2019. But the Wake Forest product might have found a home in Arizona, where he put up 13-plus fantasy points in each of the Cardinals’ first three games. It doesn’t look like Kliff Kingsbury’s team is going to play rigorous defense this season, which means Dortch could be in line for a consistently high target rate while Kyle Murray and company engage in a shootout or pad stats in a lopsided affair. Dortch’s fantasy value might take a dive when DeAndre Hopkins returns from suspension, so take advantage of this trend while it lasts.
Tight End: Tyler Conklin, New York Jets (11.5%)
We’re always bemoaning how there are so few consistently productive tight ends in fantasy football. Conklin might fit that mold, as he trails only Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce in fantasy tight end production heading into Week 4. The first-year Jet put up double-digit fantasy points in all of the Jets’ first three games and is receiving an average of eight targets per contest. Conklin might even become more valuable once starter Zach Wilson is back under center for New York.
