4 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Avoid (Week 4)

Let’s take a look at players who had strong weekly performances, but our fantasy football analysts aren’t buying it as they look ahead to this week and beyond. Here are a few players to avoid when making your fantasy football waiver wire pickups. And here is all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice for Week 4.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Avoid

Fantasy Football Fool’s Gold

Tre Tucker erupted for 145 receiving yards and three touchdowns against the Commanders in Week 3. In 35 previous NFL games, Tucker had six touchdown catches. The eight receptions Tucker had against Washington were a career high, and his nine targets tied a career high. It was a terrific performance, but don’t chase this one-off explosion. Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers are the Raiders’ only reliable target earners. The 5-foot-8, 182-pound Tucker isn’t built to be a volume receiver. If you’re going to place a bet on a widely available Las Vegas receiver, bet on rookie Dont’e Thornton, who’s 6-foot-5 and has sub-4.4 speed.

Tyquan Thornton has scored a touchdown in two of the Chiefs’ first three games, and he had a team-high nine targets and five receptions in the Chiefs’ Week 3 win over the Giants. But there’s a good chance Xavier Worthy returns from a shoulder injury in Week 4, which will complicate Thornton’s target outlook. Even if Thornton manages to stay on the fantasy radar after Worthy comes back, Thornton will almost certainly fall off it when Rashee Rice returns from suspension in Week 7.

Calvin Austin had his second touchdown catch of the season for the Steelers on Sunday. Betting on a pass-catcher other than DK Metcalf in Pittsburgh’s low-octane passing attack seems like a poor choice. Austin is averaging five targets a game, and Aaron Rodgers is averaging 195.3 passing yards a game. Austin isn’t worth a FAAB bid.

Jaguars wideout Parker Washington played more snaps and ran more routes than teammate Travis Hunter on Sunday. Washington had a team-high 11 targets for Jacksonville against the Texans on Sunday but caught only four of them for 34 yards. Washington could become interesting if he continues to play full-time snaps, but until the Jacksonville passing attack perks up, monitor Washington from afar.

Successful In-Season Fantasy Football Management

Once your fantasy football team is drafted, the work is not over. Successful in-season management is crucial to a winning fantasy football season. Here are some tips to help you manage your team effectively throughout the season:

Stay up to date on player news
Keep track of player injuries, suspensions, and other news that may impact their performance. This will help you make informed decisions about which players to start each week.

Monitor the waiver wire
Keep an eye on the waiver wire and be ready to pick up players who may be undervalued or overlooked by other teams. This can provide valuable depth to your roster. Use our waiver wire assistant to view optimal lineups, waiver and trade suggestions, and league analysis.

Analyze matchups
Analyze the upcoming matchups for your players and opponents to determine which players to start in your lineup each week. Look for favorable matchups and take into account the strength of the opposing team’s defense.

Stay active in trades
Be open to trading players with other teams if it will benefit your team. Analyze the potential impact of a trade before making a decision and negotiate with other teams to find a mutually beneficial agreement.

Be prepared for bye weeks
Plan ahead for bye weeks by having backup players ready to fill in for your starters. Avoid having too many players with the same bye week, which can leave your team short-handed.

Don’t overreact to one bad week
Avoid overreacting to one bad week of performance by a player. Take a long-term view of their performance and evaluate their potential moving forward.

Continuously evaluate your roster
Continuously evaluate your roster throughout the season and make adjustments as needed. Be willing to drop underperforming players or make changes to your lineup if necessary.