Week 3 was moderately kind on fantasy owners, with just a few big injuries occurring around the league. It is also a challenging week for the waiver wire. Not too many players came out of nowhere and instantly became fantasy celebrities. There still are couple of players worth adding this week depending on your situation. Some are smart pickups for down the road while others can help your team now. Here are the best players at each position to grab on the waiver wire heading into Week 4 of the NFL season.
Top Quarterback
Blake Bortles – Jacksonville Jaguars
You could make the argument that Case Keenum or even Jacoby Brissett had more impressive games last week, but they will only remain the starter for their team as long as injuries allow it. That is why Blake Bortles gets the nod for the top quarterback to add on the waiver wire this week. Bortles is only owned in 4.2% of NFL.com leagues. Before his bye week in Week 8, Bortles has a few favorable matchups including the New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams and Indianapolis Colts. Bortles looks better than he did last season when he finished the season as the tenth highest scoring quarterback. He is limiting turnovers and has a career high in quarterback rating at 93.8 so far. He is still averaging 6.0 yards per rush, an undervalued facet of his game over the previous few seasons.
Top Running Back
D’Onta Foreman – Houston Texans
After a few weeks of football, the running back market is starting to dry up, leaving fewer options each week. In some leagues, Chris Thompson is still available, and he is the best choice going forward. However, the goal is to find players that aren’t as obvious, which is why D’Onta Foreman is the pick of the week. Foreman had 90 yards from scrimmage in Week 3 on 10 total touches, or 27 more yards than Houston’s starter Lamar Miller. Foreman’s value going forward is why he is a smart grab. Miller has not been great in his time with the Texans recently and Foreman may begin to see his touches increase if Miller produce more. Get the rookie now before it is too late.
Top Wide Receiver
Geronimo Allison – Green Bay Packers
As the health of Green Bay’s receiving corps over the season may become an issue, Geronimo Allison is a great pickup going into Week 4. The Packers have a short week, playing on Thursday night against the Chicago Bears. If Randall Cobb is not back in the lineup, Allison could once again see enough targets to be fantasy relevant. There are also some questions regarding the health of Jordy Nelson going forward too. Even if both are back and fully healthy, Allison is a great stash as he has shown when put into the starting lineup he can be an impactful receiver.
Top Tight End
Ryan Griffin – Houston Texans
After missing last week, Ryan Griffin got his first start of the season in Week 3, leading to 61 yards and a score. As the Texans offense is lacking in reliable receiving targets outside of DeAndre Hopkins, Griffin could begin to see numbers as he did in Week 3 consistently. Rookie quarterbacks tend to rely on tight ends as safety valves, making Griffin a suitable fantasy option for as long as C.J. Fiedorowicz. Even when Fiedorowicz returns from injuries, it is possible for the two to co-exist, as the two tight ends combined for 104 receptions in 2016 with Fiedorowicz catching 54 passes and Griffin snagging 50. For now, as the lone tight end in Houston, get Griffin if you are struggling at tight end.
Top Defense
Detroit Lions
Although the Lions could not completely stop the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3, they did enough to be one of the better defenses in Week 3. The Lions picked off the reigning MVP three times, returning one a touchdown. The Lions now have three straight quality games on defense, forcing eight turnovers, scoring two defensive touchdowns and picking up eight sacks. The Lions have the Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers coming up next, before facing a stretch of tougher offenses mid-season.
Top Kicker
Jake Elliott – Philadelphia Eagles
If you happened to miss it, Jake Elliott kicked the longest field goal by a rookie and the longest field goal in Philadelphia Eagles’ history in the Eagles Week 3 win against the New York Giants. Elliott’s walk-off 61-yarder was quite the sight and certainly put the player on people’s fantasy radar. Elliot has a good upcoming schedule, including trips to Los Angeles and Carolina, before three straight home games take him to his bye-week in Week 10.
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