FantasyPros Staff | Mon, Sep 22nd 2025, 5:05am EDT

Top Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Target (Week 4)

Our analysts combine to provide rankings for weekly fantasy football waiver wire targets. We’ll help you prioritize your bids for the week ahead. Check out our full expert consensus fantasy football waiver wire rankings and all of our fantasy football waiver wire advice for the week. Here are our latest fantasy football waiver wire rankings and top fantasy football waiver wire pickups to target for the week.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Rankings & Top Targets: Week 4

Note: Players chosen based upon having early-week consensus roster percent below 50%.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Target

Geno Smith (QB – LV): 28% Rostered

Next Opponents: CHI, @IND, TEN
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $3
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: All right, before we get too carried away with bashing the Raiders, realize that better days are ahead. Highly touted rookie running back Ashton Jeanty is off to a slow start, and Geno Smith threw three interceptions in prime time in Week 2. What I believe is getting overlooked is the Raiders’ schedule. Playing the Patriots, Chargers and Commanders has not been an easy start to their season. Raiders head coach Pete Caroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly want to establish the run. Against those three teams, their running game has failed to spark any explosive plays. This week, the Raiders face a Bears team that is a week removed from allowing 52 points to the Lions. If Las Vegas can get Jeanty going, the Chicago defense will loosen up for Smith. Bears top cornerback Jaylon Johnson is out indefinitely with a groin injury. I expect the Raiders to have their best offensive game of this young season in Week 4. I’d play Smith as a QB2 with top-15 upside.

Matthew Stafford (QB – LAR): 31% Rostered

Next Opponents: IND, SF, @BAL
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $1
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: Week 3’s Rams-Eagles game was incredible. No one can doubt that the Rams are a true Super Bowl contender. Although the Eagles pulled off an improbable comeback to win 33-26, Matthew Stafford, Davante Adams and Puka Nacua proved they can exploit the league’s best defenses. That’s good, because they now face three stout defenses in a row. Stafford has a limited fantasy ceiling due to his inability to run, but he is as steady as it gets for a pocket passer. The Rams’ offense will continue to hum as long as these three stars are together.

Trey Benson (RB – ARI): 50% Rostered

Next Opponents: SEA, TEN, @IND
True Value: $56
Desperate Need: $75
Budget-Minded: $40

Analysis: In back-to-back weeks, a feel-good fantasy veteran has gone down with a season-ending injury. In Week 2, it was Austin Ekeler tearing his Achilles. In Week 3, it was James Conner sustaining an ankle injury that will end his season, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. As a result, Conner’s backup, Trey Benson, is the first must-grab running back of the season. Typically, this article only includes players who are rostered in fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues. Benson is currently 50% rostered, but we felt compelled to include him since he’ll be so coveted in leagues where he’s available. Benson has already taken a step forward this season, taking over third-down duties from Conner. Benson only managed 51 yards from scrimmage in Week 3, but he out-touched Emari Demercado 13-2. In Conner’s absence, Benson is a weekly RB2/Flex option. With Conner headed for injured reserve (IR), Benson will be a household fantasy name for the rest of the season.

Ollie Gordon (RB – MIA): 19% Rostered

Next Opponents: NYJ, @CAR, LAC
True Value: $5
Desperate Need: $8
Budget-Minded: $3

Analysis: The Dolphins are carrying a 0-3 record into a tough stretch of their schedule. Thankfully, this team looked functional against the Bills on Thursday Night Football last week. In that game, Ollie Gordon managed to score the opening touchdown on a two-yard run. We have seen in the past that Miami wants a bruising back to work alongside De’Von Achane. Earlier this year, it was suspected that sophomore Jaylen Wright would have that role. However, after a tough preseason and an early injury, Gordon appears to have taken Wright’s job. As a prospect, Gordon was primed to be one of the top backs in the Class of 2025 after an incredible 2023 season. Unfortunately, a mediocre 2024 campaign dropped him into the sixth round, where the Dolphins snagged him. If Miami can continue to piece together its offense, there should be more goal-line opportunities to come for Gordon. Plus, he has contingent upside if Achane were to miss any time.

Chris Rodriguez (RB – WSH): 3% Rostered & Jeremy McNichols (RB – WSH): 5% Rostered

Next Opponents: @ATL, @LAC, CHI
True Value: $2, $1
Desperate Need: $4, $2
Budget-Minded: $0, $0

Analysis: These Washington backs have a gauntlet over their next two games. Both the Falcons and Chargers have top-10 run defenses in terms of rushing yards allowed. We also have a three-back split between Jeremy McNichols, Chris Rodriguez and Jacory Croskey-Merritt. What makes this situation appealing is that we have an ambiguous backfield in a high-powered offense. As the season progresses, any of these backs could take over as the lead guy. Croskey-Merritt is presumed to have the inside track. However, Rodriguez had 11 carries to Croskey-Merritt’s eight against the Raiders in Week 3. McNichols, who will likely be the Commanders’ receiving back moving forward, only had four carries on Sunday. However, one was an elite 60-yard touchdown run. It will be tough to rely on any of these backs, but Rodriguez and McNichols can at least be desperation Flex plays.

Kyle Monangai (RB – CHI): 13% Rostered

Next Opponents: @LV, BYE, @WSH
True Value: $1
Desperate Need: $2
Budget-Minded: $0

Analysis: The Bears finally found their offense in Week 3 against a Cowboys defense quickly becoming one of the worst in the league. Kyle Monangai had six carries for 16 yards and one reception for four yards against Dallas. The Bears now face a Raiders team that has been top-five against the run. Monangai is unplayable at this point. However, his path is clear. Despite averaging the fourth-most rushing yards before contact, D’Andre Swift has been rushing for the yards blocked in front of him, and nothing else. Against an abysmal Cowboys defense, Swift had 13 carries for 33 yards. Bears head coach Ben Johnson might look for more juice from this backfield as the season goes on. Johnson praised Monangai often this summer, and I expect that the seventh-round rookie’s role will increase after the bye week. If you have the roster space, Monangai is a back to keep your eye on in case Swift misses time, or Monangai’s role increases.

Elic Ayomanor (WR – TEN): 21% Rostered

Next Opponents: @HOU, @ARI, @LV
True Value: $10
Desperate Need: $16
Budget-Minded: $6

Analysis: Elic Ayomanor entered Week 3 coming off his best game in the NFL, finishing as the WR24 in fantasy football in Week 2. In the first two games of the season, Ayomanor had a 21.3% target share and 26.8% first-read share, with 1.44 yards per route run and 0.104 first downs per route run, per Fantasy Points Data. In Week 3, his target share dipped to 13.1%, but Ayomanor finished second on the team with 38 receiving yards, and he got into the end zone again. Calvin Ridley has been missing in action this year. It’s not crazy to think that Ayomanor could become the Titans’ clear No. 1 WR as we move through the season. He’s a strong weekly Flex play with tons of upside.

Darnell Mooney (WR – ATL): 45% Rostered

Next Opponents: WSH, BYE, BUF
True Value: $6
Desperate Need: $10
Budget-Minded: $4

Analysis: Darnell Mooney’s box scores haven’t been amazing since his return from a shoulder injury, as he has averaged only 32 receiving yards, but his market share of this passing offense is still quite strong. Mooney has a 26.3% target share over the last two weeks. The offensive game plan in Week 2 held him back, and Michael Penix’s struggles in Week 3 kept Mooney quiet even though he led the team with 11 targets. Better days are ahead for Mooney if Penix gets it together, or we might see Kirk Cousins back under center. Either way, this passing attack could flash a pulse in the coming weeks. With only Drake London and Kyle Pitts to contend with for targets, Mooney could easily bounce back as a solid WR3/WR4 or Flex play.

NFL

MLB

NBA

NHL