Last week was a bit of a bust, as both players I told you to add (Antonio Callaway and Dallas Goedert) did virtually nothing. It was a slow week for waiver-wire adds though, and most of the players I highlighted in last week’s edition didn’t do very much (except Sanu had a solid week and Gio Bernard went off). However, a new group of players on the waiver wire all performed well in week four, including the likes of Mike Davis, James White, Nyheim Hines, Taylor Gabriel, and John Brown. Let’s dive in to see which of these players is really worth a spot on your team.
Worth the Add- RB Mike Davis, Seattle Seahawks (24.4 Points in Week 4)
Outside of Alvin Kamara and Ezekiel Elliott (both of which I see ending up as top-three backs this year), Mike Davis was next up in RB scoring in week four. Mike Davis turned 21 carries into 101 yards and 2 TDs, and he also added 23 yards through the air. Naturally, head coach Pete Carroll was impressed, and told reporters that Davis will have a role in the backfield even when Chris Carson returns from injury. Davis saw 47 snaps on Sunday (71%), heavily out-snapping rookie Rashaad Penny. When Carson returns, Davis’s workload is sure to decrease, but considering how the Seahawks deployed him on Sunday I believe he’ll still be worth a spot on a fantasy roster.
Won’t Repeat- RB Nyheim Hines, Indianapolis Colts (19.3 Points in Week 4)
Hines had a great receiving day out of the backfield, catching nine passes for 63 yards and 2 TDs. He also added 10 rushing yards. Hines is doing well as a pass-catcher this year, averaging 5.5 receptions per game. But with only 54 rushing yards through four games, his fantasy potential is limited. I’m not saying he’s not worth an add (depending on how deep your league is and how thin you are at RB, he might be worth a pickup), but I doubt he will have a consistent week-to-week output higher than anyone on your team. The good news is that he played 69% of snaps, which was much higher than any other Colts RB, but that was also a product of the Colts throwing the ball as much as they did. Overall, this isn’t a knock on Hines, but more of a warning that week four might be his best week all season and that his potential is limited until he gets his rushing numbers up.
Worth the Add- WR John Brown, Baltimore Ravens (17.9 Points in Week 4)
John Brown only had three receptions on Sunday night, but he was able to turn them into 116 yards and a TD. Normally I’m wary of players who put up big numbers on few receptions. Brown is an exception here, because he still garnered seven targets, and is one of two players on the Ravens with 30+ targets this season. Brown owns a 17.9% target share, which is a bit eerie considering that’s the exact number of points he put up this week. He also only played 58% of snaps, his lowest share of the season. I consider Brown’s low reception and snap numbers an anomaly, however, and as long as he shows that he can produce on whatever opportunities he gets, they’ll continue to throw him the ball. On a team without many receiving threats, Brown has flex value with WR2 potential in some weeks.
Won’t Repeat- WR Taylor Gabriel, Chicago Bears (23.4 Points in Week 4)
Gabriel broke out on Sunday, with 104 receiving yards and his first two TDs of the year, after not accruing more than 34 yards in any game prior to week four. He definitely has fantasy potential, but I believe his big game was more a product of the Bears’ ridiculous passing output on Sunday. There are many mouths to feed in Chicago, and looking at his route chart Gabriel was used on crossing routes almost exclusively, which makes him look like sort of a one-trick pony. Nearly everyone on the Bears’ offense (besides Jordan Howard) had a big game on Sunday, and unless this becomes a thing of normalcy it’ll be tough for Gabriel to stay heavily involved every week. He’s definitely worth a look in deeper leagues, but I don’t expect Gabriel to start a hot streak.
Also Worth a Look:
QB Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears (43.46 Points in Week 4)
RB James White, New England Patriots (23.2 Points in Week 4)
TE Eric Ebron, Indianapolis Colts (10.0 Points in Week 4)
Be Wary of:
RB Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns (22.5 Points in Week 4)
WR Aldrick Robinson, Minnesota Vikings (15.3 Points in Week 4)
M-FANS 