Week 3 of the NFL season saw some big time performances by quarterbacks. There were also some surprising flops by normally reliable qbs. The Jets, led by Ryan Fitzpatrick put on one of the most putrid displays of any passing game in recent memory. Meanwhile, Carson Wentz looks more and more like a legitimate franchise quarterback. Now that the third week is in the books, it is time to concentrate on moves for week 4. Here are my recommendations for players owned in under 50% of leagues (stats from ESPN).
Week 3 Recommendations Results (Standard League Scoring) - Quarterbacks:
- Ryan Tannehill MIA - 25-39 319 yards 3 touchdowns 2 interceptions 1 fumble lost 21 Fantasy Points
- Carson Wentz PHI - 22-31 301 yards 2 touchdowns 1 rush 10 rush yards 24 Fantasy Points
- Jay Cutler CHI - DNP Due To Injury
Week 3 Recommendations Results (Standard League Scoring) - Tight Ends:
- Dennis Pitta BAL - 6 receptions 42 yards 4 Fantasy Points
- Clive Walford OAK - 2 receptions 27 yards 2 Fantasy Points
- Jesse James PIT - 2 receptions 10 yards 1 Fantasy Point
Tannehill is really coming on, but he is still as mistake prone as ever. It seems like the Eagles do not make mistakes now that Wentz is at the helm. My Cutler pick was made before his injury last week, but I should have gone back to remove it later.
Pitta is worth owning for the foreseeable future as he owns a large share of the Ravens passing game. Walford and James are touchdown dependent options that will occasionally see decent volume as well; aka matchup-based streamers.
Week 4 Waiver Wire Picks - Quarterback:
Dak Prescott DAL 42.7% owned
This is a piggyback on Kurt's week 3 recommendation, but the matchup against the 49ers is too good to pass up. Dak is a rookie quarterback, but he is efficiently running an offense full of playmakers. Couple good decision making with solid scrambling ability and that is a recipe for success. The Cowboys did just have Dez Bryant go down with an injury so that will be something to watch leading up to game time.
Joe Flacco BAL 23.8% owned
Flacco had a rough go of it in Jacksonville this week, but he should have a bounce back week versus the Raiders. Baltimore is playing at home and the Raiders pass defense leaves a lot to be desired. Add into the equation the fact that the Raiders are very likely to put points on the board and that should equate to Flacco throwing quite a bit. As long as he can avoid turnovers, Flacco should have enough weapons to provide fantasy owners with around 20 points.
Trevor Siemian DEN 4.7% owned
Numbers like Siemian put up against the Bengals are probably more than owners should expect going forward. On the flipside, the former Northwestern quarterback has gotten better each week in terms of fantasy points. He has faced three tough defenses to start the year and still managed to play fairly well. In week 4 the Broncos get to face the soft Buccaneers defense and Siemian should continue to take shots down the field. With Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders on the field, that should equate to a sneaky source of points for qb streamers or DFS players.
Be sure to read all of our waiver wire pickups headed in to week 4.
Tight End
Kyle Rudolph MIN 40.6% owned
The Vikings are relying on Defense to win games, but a lot of the offense they generate runs through Rudolph. In the two weeks that Sam Bradford has played quarterback, Rudolph has been targeted often and scored twice. The Vikings feature a weak running attack and a checkdown specialist at quarterback, the sure-handed tight end should continue to get his each week. This is more than a streaming play, Rudolph should be solid for the remainder of the season.
Hunter Henry SD 12% owned
This pick is entirely reliant on the health of Antonio Gates. Henry played well in week three, although he fumbled away the ball on a potentially game winning drive. If Gates cannot play or is severely limited in week 4, Henry would have a tasty matchup against the Saints. For teams that are struggling at tight end, he is worth a speculative add as it did not sound like Gates was close to suiting up this week.
Jack Doyle IND 10% owned
A relative unknown prior to his two touchdown outburst in week 1, Doyle has made more impact than Dwayne Allen this season. While this may not continue, Doyle clearly has a decent target share within this tight end tandem. The Colts end up throwing a lot as they are always behind, so any Indianapolis receiver is worth a dart throw for desperate owners. So far Doyle has had a relatively high floor particularly in PPR leagues.
You may also like our Week 4 Player Rankings.
