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Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 4 Targets & FAAB Advice: Running Backs (2023)

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 4 Targets & FAAB Advice: Running Backs (2023)

We will have you covered throughout the 2023 fantasy football season with our bevy of tools, including our Waiver Wire Assistant. Find the top available players and get detailed analysis on how potential waiver wire adds will impact your team. Of course, our team of analysts will also have written advice each week. Check out our top waiver wire targets for the week below. And also be sure to check out our full waiver wire article for the week.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets

RUNNING BACKS

Written by Bo McBrayer

De’Von Achane (MIA): 41% rostered

  • Next Opponents: @BUF, NYG, CAR
  • True value: $25
  • Desperate need: $44
  • Budget-minded: $16

Analysis: The book on Achane entering his rookie season was that his speed and athleticism would fit Mike McDaniel’s offense like a glove. After missing Week 1 with a lingering shoulder injury, Achane was eased into the game plan behind Raheem Mostert against New England in Week 2. It’s safe to say the former Aggie is fully integrated now, after scorching Denver for 230 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns. Make no mistake: Achane is a home run hitter who can also handle a good amount of work between the tackles for his size.

Ezekiel Elliott (NE): 43% rostered

  • Next Opponents: @DAL, NO, @LV
  • True value: $9
  • Desperate need: $16
  • Budget-minded: $5

Analysis: Zeke was a popular drop candidate last week when the Patriots limited his workload in order to get him back into game shape. The former Cowboys star toted the rock 17 times on Sunday against the Jets and looked sharp as a tandem back with Rhamondre Stevenson. Elliott and the Pats are headed into Big D in a “revenge game” of sorts in Week 4. The Cardinals ripped through the Cowboys to the tune of more than 200 rushing yards in their Week 3 upset win, so I expect Zeke to return to previous rostership levels this week.

Roschon Johnson (CHI): 48% rostered

  • Next Opponents: DEN, @WAS, MIN
  • True value: $8
  • Desperate need: $13
  • Budget-minded: $4

Analysis: The dumpster fire in Chicago thankfully has not tempered my affection for the other rookie RB from Texas. Roschon is easily the best receiver in the room and has versatility that belies his reputation as a power back. With all of the negative attention around the Bears, you might catch a stray rookie with a ton of standalone value going forward.

Matt Breida (NYG): 30% rostered

  • Next Opponents: SEA, @MIA, @BUF
  • True value: $7
  • Desperate need: $11
  • Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: Don’t go rushing to the wire to grab any Giants RB. Breida only touched the ball seven times on Thursday against the 49ers, only salvaging fantasy relevance with a fortuitous plunge into the end zone. Saquon Barkley‘s absence is devastating to this offense. Breida and Gary Brightwell don’t have the talent to find much room to operate behind a tattered offensive line.

Kendre Miller (NO): 34% rostered

  • Next Opponents: TB, @NE, @HOU
  • True value: $6
  • Desperate need: $10
  • Budget-minded: $2

Analysis: Miller was not affected by Tony Jones or Taysom Hill in the slightest during his NFL debut in Week 3. Ten touches, including one reception, is just fine for a debut. Next week marks Alvin Kamara‘s return, which all but kills the need to use Jones or Hill as RBs. Miller is a well-rounded player with a penchant for making big plays. He and Kamara will make for an important one-two punch in coming weeks, especially if Derek Carr is going to miss game action with a shoulder injury.

Jerick McKinnon (KC): 47% rostered

  • Next Opponents: @NYJ, @MIN, DEN
  • True value: $5
  • Desperate need: $9
  • Budget-minded: $3

Analysis: Sadly, our favorite RBs can’t play the Bears every week. Jet McKinnon, however, has a very favorable upcoming schedule. He is a far superior receiver to Isiah Pacheco and is easily better in pass protection than Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. His two touchdowns in Week 3 were awesome, but McKinnon likely won’t be sporting under 50% rostership for the rest of the season.

Tyjae Spears (TEN): 24% rostered

  • Next Opponents: CIN, @IND, BAL
  • True value: $4
  • Desperate need: $8
  • Budget-minded: $1

Analysis: For the second-consecutive game, the rookie from Tulane logged a higher snap share than Derrick Henry. King Henry is dealing with a nagging toe injury that has severely hampered the beastly back’s explosiveness. Spears has at least looked the part in the receiving game. He pulled in all four of his targets in Week 3 versus the Browns, albeit for only three yards against that stellar Cleveland defense. The upcoming schedule is also brutal, but I hold Spears at a value slightly above a mere stash play.

Stash Candidates:

The Jaguars have faced more negative game scripts through three games than anyone could have guessed. Travis Etienne is far and away the lead back, but his shortcomings on the goal line have been mopped up by Tank Bigsby multiple times already. Stash Tank in case of an Etienne injury, but also in anticipation for increased work when the Jags are leading in games.

Rico Dowdle‘s first two seasons in the NFL were largely washed away by injuries. His form alongside Tony Pollard in the Dallas backfield has been very strong, even flashing some receiving chops that weren’t necessarily part of his scouting report out of college. Dowdle had four rushing attempts and three receptions in Week 3 versus Arizona, compiling 46 scrimmage yards and a receiving touchdown for 13.6 PPR points. I’m stashing him wherever I can find a space.

We all love Christian McCaffrey, but his usage through three games is alarmingly high. Kyle Shanahan’s track record of running every single RB into the ground should worry us with how hard he has leaned on CMC. Elijah Mitchell is an ultra-premium handcuff and should be stashed on deeper benches.

Check out our full Week 4 fantasy football waiver wire article partner-arrow

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