Mac Jones Injury: Waiver Wire Replacements to Target (2022 Fantasy Football)

With the injury to Mac Jones, fantasy football managers are left with a potential void on their roster. Let’s check out the extent of the injury and players you can target on your waiver wire this week.

• Week 4 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Advice

If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team, and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.

Mac Jones Injury Outlook

Waiver Wire Replacements to Target

Jameis Winston (QB – NO): 42% rostered

• Next opponents: MIN, SEA, CIN
• True value: $5
• Desperate need: $8
• Budget-minded: $2

Analysis: Jameis stays on the top of the streaming list at QB this week after a “bad” performance still saw him throw for 353 yards in Charlotte. The next defenses on the schedule don’t have nearly the young talent that Carolina displayed in Week 2, so Winston is in line to keep the aerial attack humming. His chemistry with rookie Chris Olave has been awesome to see the last two weeks, and looping in Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas is icing on the cake.

Jared Goff (QB – DET): 45% rostered

• Next opponents: SEA, @NE, Bye
• True value: $5
• Desperate need: $8
• Budget-minded: $2

Analysis: Goff has been a pleasant fantasy surprise so far in 2022, even after a modest one-touchdown game in Minnesota in Week 3. I favor him slightly over Winston for Week 4, but the appeal to keeping Winston active for a longer stretch as a plug-in fantasy starter is completely understandable. Amon-Ra St Brown and T.J. Hockenson have been joined in the fun by D.J. Chark, with D’Andre Swift still yet to get going in the passing game. The eventual debut of Jameson Williams is another reason to leave Goff on waivers until later in the season.

Marcus Mariota (QB – ATL): 22% rostered

• Next opponents: CLE, @TB, SF
• True value: $4
• Desperate need: $7
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Mariota was in line for a good chance at a ceiling game at Seattle, but he was unable to make the explosive plays to get it done. It was the first win of the season for Atlanta nonetheless. Mariota finally got his stud TE Kyle Pitts going, looking The Unicorn’s way eight times for a solid 5/87 line (40% target share). Mariota also tossed his only touchdown pass to rookie phenom Drake London and rushed another one in himself. The upcoming schedule is a bit tougher, so he’s carrying a lower streaming priority going into Week 4.

Jimmy Garoppolo (QB – SF): 37% rostered

• Next opponents: LAR, @CAR, @ATL
• True value: $2
• Desperate need: $4
• Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: Jimmy G is terrible. For every good throw Garoppolo flips to his receivers, there are two or more critical mistakes or simple misfires. Good game-managing QBs might make physical mistakes but tend to limit the mental errors that cost their teams games. Jimmy G is notorious for both, with his supporting cast famously bailing him out to get “him” the win. His early TD pass to Brandon Aiyuk in Denver Sunday night was sadly the only good highlight in an otherwise nightmarish performance and 11-10 loss. The next two weeks are not walks in the park either, so if you’re brave enough to stream Garoppolo, keep your expectations firmly on the ground.