Week 3 of the 2024 NFL Season brought us more surprises and information to digest and analyze. Some of the worst offenses in the league turned it around this past weekend – at least temporarily – while questions about previously heralded teams are starting to rise after slow starts. One of those teams, the Dallas Cowboys, just dropped their second game in a row in a 28-25 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Dallas’ defense was purportedly the strength of the team, but after a dominant showing in Week 1 against the Cleveland Browns, they’ve had trouble stopping anything, especially run plays in the redzone.
On the other side of the coin, 36-year-old quarterback Andy Dalton had the Carolina Panthers’ offense rolling, and he looked like the vintage Red Rifle in the team’s 36-22 win over a solid Las Vegas Raiders defense. It was Carolina’s first win since Week 15 of last season and their most points in a game since Christmas Eve of 2022. Maybe the Panthers’ offense will be a decent source of unexpected fantasy points moving forward.
On a different note, we were fortunate to escape Week 3 barely scathed in regards to injuries. Some important offensive players still left their respective matchups dinged up, but many of the injuries will likely be considered day-to-day or less than serious. Of note: Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert reaggravated his ankle injury from earlier this year and was seen in a walking boot after the game. Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride and Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith were both forced from Sunday’s games due to concussions, and they’ll need to clear protocol to be considered available for Week 4. Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (hamstring) was ruled out against the Raiders, and Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (ankle) did not return against the Cardinals. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold will get his knee evaluated (he missed just one snap Sunday – so hopefully, good news), and Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson has a “pretty painful” rib injury. If Thompson cannot play, QB Tim Boyle will suit up. Texans wide receiver Tank Dell will have his hand evaluated, and X-rays on Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson’s finger returned negative.
Additionally, Pittsburgh Steelers running backs Jaylen Warren (knee) and Najee Harris (arm/shoulder) are banged up. Warren will get an MRI on his knee over the coming days, and Harris was seen in a sling on Monday. It’s presently unclear whether either back will suit up in Week 4.
As a reminder, this column assumes PPR formats and will only highlight players around or under 50% ownership via Yahoo! fantasy.
If you are in deep-roster leagues then you might benefit from Steamers For The Desperate - Week 4, which ranks waiver wire options in 18 to 24 player rosters.
Let's get to the Week 4 waivers.
Quarterbacks
Bo Nix, Denver Broncos (11% Owned)
Denver QB Bo Nix was impressive in the Broncos’ first win – a 26-7 victory over a strong Tampa Bay Buccaneers squad. Nix looked like the best rookie QB of the class on Sunday despite not throwing a touchdown. He completed 25-of-36 passes for 216 yards to go with 47 yards rushing and a touchdown on nine carries.
The 24-year-old looked calm in the pocket while spreading the ball around. Nine Broncos caught at least one pass, and the rookie signal-caller did not throw an interception. He’s worked his way into streaming consideration – particularly with the state of NFL quarterbacks at this point in the season. I’m not ready to trust him fully, especially against a supposedly tough New York Jets defense. Still, with injuries mounting – he deserves to be in the waiver wire discussion.
Andy Dalton, Carolina Panthers (4% Owned)
If I were in need of a quarterback this week, Dalton would be my No. 1 option. The veteran QB was lights out in Week 3 against a solid Las Vegas Raiders defense, propelling Carolina to a 36-22 victory, their first of the season. The long-time Bengal was ripping the ball all over the yard and put together impressive TD drives of 70, 75, 68, and 69 yards.
Dalton was a man on a mission Sunday, completing 26-of-37 passes for 319 yards and tossing three touchdowns. He became the first NFL QB this year to record 300 yards and three scores and has made Carolina’s offense exciting again – at least for the time being. He’ll be a high-end QB2 in Week 4 when the Panthers host the visiting Cincinnati Bengals. The revenge game narrative makes him an even juicer potential pick-up.
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks (43% Owned)
The Seattle Seahawks are rolling at 3-0, and quarterback Geno Smith is a big reason why. He tossed two picks against a not-so-good Miami Dolphins defense, which isn’t great. Still, he was excellent – completing 26-of-34 attempts for 289 yards and a score.
The line isn’t going to jump out at you, but Smith has been better on the year than many realize. Quietly, he's third in the league in passing yards (787). Additionally, Seattle has the twelfth-highest pass percentage in the league (59.68%). I like him as a back-end QB1 pickup & play against the Detroit Lions in Detroit in Week 4. A matchup with 47-point over/under.
Running Backs
Braelon Allen, New York Jets (36% Owned)
Jets RB Braelon Allen again saw a sizeable amount of work out of the backfield. New York picked up their second straight win this week, and Allen rushed 11 times for 55 yards and hauled in all three of his targets for an additional 13 yards through the air.
The rookie running back will likely be a disappointment on weeks that he doesn’t score a touchdown, but New York is making an effort to get the former Badger the ball. Backfield mate Breece Hall has currently out-snapped him 135-to-52 and out-touched him 62-to-25. However, the Wisconsin product receives a touch on 48% of his snaps. If you’re the Hall manager, you should already have him. If you’re not – he’s a good insurance piece to have as a clear handcuff.
Cordarrelle Patterson, Pittsburgh Steelers (1% Owned)
Pittsburgh RB Cordarrelle Patterson is highly unlikely to hold stand-alone value, but he warrants a mention here in case Steelers running backs Jaylen Warren (knee) and Najee Harris (arm) cannot suit up in Week 4. The journeyman hybrid player totaled 48 yards on seven touches in the team’s 20-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Patterson looked better in the win than Warren has all season, averaging 8.3 yards on his four carries (33 yards). Additionally, offensive coordinator Arthur Smith absolutely loves the 33-year-old from their time spent together in Atlanta. The former first-round pick is a tentative add as we monitor the Steelers’ RB situation.
Tyler Badie, Denver Broncos (0% Owned) **Deep League Stash**
Broncos RB Tyler Badie saw most of his work with the team in close-out mode to ice their 26-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was the second time this season that Denver elevated Badie from their practice squad, and he was a vastly more effective runner than incumbent Javonte Williams in this one.
Williams is unlikely to lose his role quickly, but the 24-year-old Badie is making a case for an enhanced role in the team’s offense. He averaged 7.8 YPC on his nine totes this past weekend (70 yards) and took his lone carry in Week 2 for a 16-yard gain. Also, of interesting note is that Badie is the Broncos’ second-leading rusher behind rookie quarterback Bo Nix.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs (5% Owned) **Deep League Stash**
This is also a prospective stash. During the Sunday night broadcast by commentator Mike Tirico, it was revealed that Clyde Edwards-Helaire is projected to return to the team in Week 5. While CEH has been out, rookie running back Carson Steele performed fantastically well after being thrust into the starting role with the news that Isiah Pacheco (fibula) would miss 6-8 weeks. Still, CEH has been in this system for years and could steal some work upon his return.
Wide Receivers
Juan Jennings, San Francisco 49ers (32% Owned)
San Fran WR Juan Jennings had perhaps the most enormous performance of Week 3 when he torched the Los Angeles Rams in the team’s 27-24 defeat. With wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. and tight end George Kittle unavailable, Jennings went nuclear, reeling in 11-of-12 targets for 175 yards and three touchdowns.
While this level of production was slightly unexpected, the 27-year-old has been at least marginally involved over the last three seasons. His role will decrease with the return of the starters mentioned above. However, he’s likely earned himself more work in an already crowded offense. I’m definitely picking him up if Kittle or Deebo miss more time. Regardless though, he’s worked himself into deep league pick-up & starter consideration.
Darnell Mooney, Atlanta Falcons (26% Owned)
Through three weeks, Atlanta WR Darnell Mooney has quietly led all Falcons’ pass-catchers in yardage (169), to go along with having just one less target than #1 WR Drake London’s 19. It was long assumed that tight end Kyle Pitts or running back Bijan Robinson would be the de-facto No. 2 target in the passing game, but Mooney, the long-time Bear, has bucked that trend in spades.
Due to his consistent involvement, Mooney is probably my favorite wide receiver add in this group – unless you can get the athlete listed below. He’s seemingly established himself as quarterback Kirk Cousins’ second option. The 26-year-old will be a WR3 with upside when Atlanta takes on a tough New Orleans Saints squad in Week 4, and remains a must add if he's available in your league.
DeAndre Hopkins, Tennessee Titans (56% Owned)
This is primarily a hail-mary potential add, as Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins should already be rostered in all formats. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see him sitting on one of my waiver wires this morning, as that roster percentage feels too low.
I implore you to check for him as soon as you read this, although it’s unlikely that he is available. Nuk was nagged by a knee injury early in the preseason, and it’s possible it affected him through the first two weeks of the year when he could only muster a paltry two receptions for 17 yards. That script flipped in Week 3, though, when he led Tennessee in all receiving categories with a six-catch 73-yard-line on seven targets.
Jalen Tolbert, Dallas Cowboys (4% Owned)
I was under the impression that wide receiver Brandin Cooks would be the second – or third–option – in the Cowboys’ offense, but it appears WR Jalen Tolbert has superseded him in the pecking order. Cooks had a strong Week 1 performance where he caught 4-of-7 targets for 40 yards and a TD. However, Tolbert has amassed nine catches and 124 yards over the last two weeks on 14 targets while the veteran has just four receptions for 32 yards.
If this truly is a changing of the guard in Dallas, then the 25-year-old Tolbert would garner weekly FLEX consideration for being at worst the third option for the Cowboys behind wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and tight end Jake Ferguson. Expect Dallas to get back on track in Week 4 when they square off against their division-rival New York Giants at MetLife Stadium., and don't be afraid to grab Tolbert if you can.
Calvin Austin III, Pittsburgh Steelers (0% Owned) **Deep League Stash**
I drafted Steelers WR Calvin Austin III in nearly every rookie draft I could get him in back in 2022 due to Pittsburgh’s propensity to hit on their wide receiver prospects. Unfortunately, it's been a slow burn, as he suffered a Lisfranc injury that robbed him of his rookie season. Austin probably would have remained a part-time player, too, if it hadn’t been for WR Van Jefferson (eye) leaving their Week 3 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers early.
The 25-year-old Austin responded with gusto, converting 4-of-5 targets for 95 yards and a touchdown with a long gain of 55, leading all Pittsburgh pass-catchers in yardage. I’m leaving him on waivers if Jefferson is healthy, but don’t expect the third-year wideout to go down without a fight as he has probably earned himself an enhanced role on the team.
Tight Ends
Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears (41% Owned)
I had written Bears TE Cole Kmet off heading into this season due to the influx of new weapons in Chicago’s offense – including a rookie quarterback. In Week 1, fellow tight end Gerald Everett earned the starting job – leading Kmet in snaps 34-to-27. However, over the last two weeks the latter has vastly out-snapped the 30-year-old veteran 127-to-55.
The Notre Dame prospect finally made use of his participation when he caught 10-of-11 targets for 97 yards and a score in Chicago’s 21-16 loss to the Colts. The Bears will likely be in catch-up mode all season, so a pass-heavy script could be their typical game plan. Throw in the current state of the TE position and it all adds up to having Kmet be an intriguing add. Temper your expectations, though, as through the first three weeks the Colts have been one of the NFL's most porous defenses
Tyler Conklin, New York Jets (14% Owned)
I loved Jets TE Tyler Conklin coming into the year as a potential second option for QB Aaron Rodgers in the New York offense. He was near-silent for Weeks 1 & 2, but had his coming out party in the Jets' 24-3 annihilation of a down-bad New England Patriots team this past Sunday.
Conklin caught 5-of-6 targets for 96 yards, pacing the Jets in receptions and yardage output. Admittedly, New York’s offense isn’t a basket I’m putting a ton of eggs in – particularly their passing attack – primarily because they’ve incorporated both running backs into their game plan. The 29-year-old is worth a flier, though, due to the position's dumpster-fire-esque state for fantasy. They’ll host the Denver Broncos at home in Week 4.
As we wrap up Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season, it's clear that fantasy football is as unpredictable as ever. Teams that were struggling found their rhythm, while others, like the Dallas Cowboys, continue to raise eyebrows with their underwhelming performances. The return of Andy Dalton's dynamic playmaking with the Carolina Panthers gives hope for a surprise offensive resurgence, reminding us all that anything can happen in this league. Meanwhile, the injury bug remains a concern, particularly for key players like Justin Herbert and the Steelers' running backs, leaving many fantasy managers scrambling for reliable replacements as we head into Week 4.
As the fantasy landscape shifts, this is the perfect time to reassess your roster and make those strategic waiver wire moves. Whether you're looking to bolster your quarterback position with someone such as Dalton or find a hidden gem like Jalen Tolbert, taking action now could be the difference between victory and defeat. Keep an eye on the injury reports and player performances as we gear up for another exciting week of NFL action. Stay sharp, make smart picks, and may your fantasy team thrive!
