If you thought fantasy landscapes were a mess, wait a minute. With a bye looming in Week 5, that means setting lineups will be an even more jarring process. The Lions, Eagles, Chargers and Titans will be gone for the next week.
Luckily, we’re here to help. Each week, we highlight the top fantasy football exemption wire pick-ups available in at least 50% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues. If you want an important roster, keep an eye on the names below.
quarterback
Justin Fields, Pittsburgh Steelers (31%)
After Sunday’s visit to Indianapolis, Fields is no longer undefeated, but he certainly did well enough to remain the Steelers’ starting quarterback for at least another week. Against the Colts, he passed for 312 yards and a score, rushed for 55 yards and scored two touchdowns. It wasn’t a perfect game, as he lost a fumble in poor conditions and was sent off four times, but the comeback was still impressive.
We haven’t seen the full dual-threat Fields fantasy experience yet this year, but Sunday’s early run created ideal scoring conditions. His weekly ceiling is clearly higher than anyone else. Fields is at home this week against Dallas, an unexpectedly friendly matchup in the first month of the season. cowboys We lost some key defensive pieces on Thursday night.too.
Recommended FAB offer (assuming $100 budget): $7
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks (44%)
This just serves as a weekly reminder that Smith is controlling a high-powered offense with multiple top weapons. Entering Monday night’s game at Detroit, he was averaging 262.3 passing yards per game and completing a whopping 74.8 percent of his passes.
Smith’s resume already features a season in which he finished as the overall QB5, so there’s no need to question whether he can maintain a high level of play over a full 17-game schedule. We’ve seen it happen. He has been fully cleared for use against the Giants in Week 5.
FAB: $5
Additional QB options:
Andy Dalton has thrown five touchdown passes over the past two weeks and heroically lured Diontae Johnson back into the fantasy world. The next matchup in Chicago is difficult, but Dalton takes on Atlanta and Washington in Weeks 6 and 7.
It’s supposed to be Drake May time soon, right? New England currently ranks last in total offense (238.8 YPG), but is averaging just 13.0 points per game. Things can’t get any worse with a dynamic newcomer running the show. Miami, Houston, and Jacksonville are on deck for the Pats, so it’s not like Maye faces a series of impossible matchups.
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running back
Kareem Hunt and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs (36% and 8%)
Kansas City’s backfield is currently filled with sketchy names and bad ideas. Carson Steele certainly couldn’t continue playing football, which led to his minimal workload on Sunday (3 touches). Samaje Perine and Hunt are covered in dust, but they did most of the heavy lifting against the Chargers. Hunt ended up leading the backfield in touches (16) and scrimmage yards (85), but his game was less elusive. None of these players can come close to Isaiah Pacheco-level production, which is a serious problem for a team lacking playmakers.
Hunt is certainly worth targeting Weber based on his usage on Sunday, but Edwards-Helaire should also be in your plans. CEH is set to parachute into the rogue running back’s gallery soon to be reinstated from the NFI list, and he could turn heads right away. He’s willing to play whenever he feels good. His services are urgently needed.
You can’t treat KC’s backfield as an empty-wallet FAB situation these days, so I wouldn’t advise doing anything reckless.
FAB: $18 and $8
Rico Doodle, Dallas Cowboys (48%)
Dowdle has established himself as the only player in Dallas’ backfield that should be enrolled in nearly every fantasy format. He continues to snap, touch and gain Ezekiel Elliott.
Doodle made his first home call of the season Thursday night, gaining 61 yards on 12 touches. He’s also started three games in a row, which is well worth it.
While the Cowboys’ upcoming matchups aren’t ideal (at Pitt, at Det.), this team has a useful run-defense layup line heading into November and December.
FAB: $12
Various other RBs add:
Jonathan Taylor was his usual unstoppable force on Sunday, but suffered an ankle injury late in the game that will worry us all week. Trey Sermon is clearly the No. 2 in this team’s backfield hierarchy, so he’s definitely worth adding.
Tyler Allgaier gained 80 scrimmage yards on 10 touches in Sunday’s win, accounting for a season-high 38% of Atlanta’s offensive snaps. He definitely forced his way back into the flex conversation.
Emmanuel Wilson didn’t have a great performance against the Vikings, but he played in 30 games and was a full member.
Tank Bigsby had seven carries for an incredible 90 yards in Jacksonville’s narrow loss Sunday. Travis Etienne has been struggling with a shoulder issue, which led to him being added as a backup. Bigsby is currently averaging a huge 8.2 YPC on 21 rushing attempts.
Buffalo’s defense punished the Ravens’ backfield Sunday night as Derrick Henry turned in a vintage performance and Justice Hill totaled 96 yards and one score on 10 touches. Hill has topped 50 scrimmage yards in three of four games this season and serves as the perfect complementary back alongside the scratched-up Henry.
wide receiver and tight end
Dontaevion Wicks, Green Bay Packers (13%)
It’s hard to tell if Wicks had his worst game of the season or his best bad game. Let’s just say it was a journey.
Wicks was targeted 13 times against the Vikings. Delete multiple paths At the same time, he caught five, including two scores. He’s a good separator, and Jordan Love looked in his direction early and often, so he’ll probably be okay with missing a few chances.
christian watson I suffered a severe injury to the high part of my ankle. With the loss to Minnesota, Wicks could obviously get some extra chances in the coming weeks. Green Bay receives a gift next Sunday against the Rams.
FAB: $16
Xavier Leggett, Carolina Panthers (14%)
The first-round rookie did his part Sunday, catching six balls on 10 targets for 66 yards and his first NFL score.
Of course, Leggett should get extra opportunities with Adam Thielen (hamstring) out for a few weeks, but he also benefits from Andy Dalton’s breakthrough in Carolina. He’s still in the early stages of development, but we’re talking about a guy weighing over 220 pounds with 4.39 wheels and a 40-inch vertical. Ledget is not without upside.
FAB: $8
Wan Dale Robinson, New York Giants (26%)
Find something you love in this life as much as Daniel Jones loves throwing to Robinson on third down.
On Thursday night, Robinson was loaded with targets, catching 11 balls for 71 yards on 14 chances. He is averaging 9.5 targets per game this season and has caught 18 passes for 132 yards over the past two weeks. Without a doubt, Robinson should be enrolled in a full PPR league.
FAB: $8
Additional WRs and TEs to consider:
Josh Downs caught eight of nine targets Sunday and finished with 82 receiving yards and one score as he thrived under center Joe Flacco. He missed most of camp with a sprained ankle, but he appears healthy. I can’t promise he’ll continue to be a solid fantasy option alongside QB Anthony Richardson, but he’s a talented receiver who deserves some big goals.
Tre Tucker played home for the Raiders on Sunday, handling six touches and gaining 44 total yards. No matter how long Davante Adams is out, he’s a viable flex in deeper leagues.
You shouldn’t expect a lot of volume from Tutu Atwell, but he specializes in flipping plays down the field. He has converted eight catches into 175 receiving yards over the last two games.
Tucker Craft continues to produce, outpacing Luke Musgrave in Green Bay, with six catches for 53 yards. In a season where there is no clear answer at tight end, Kraft is eligible to be on someone’s roster in most leagues.
Zach Ertz has caught 15 of 16 targets through four weeks, which isn’t all that surprising since his quarterback is completing an impressive 82.1% of his throws. Ertz completed the two-point conversion on Sunday, but we’re still waiting for Ertz’s first touchdown of 2024.
defense
Denver Broncos (16%)
Another week, another double-digit fantasy point total for the Broncos D. This group defeated the Bucks and Jets in back-to-back games, allowing just 16 total points along the way. Patrick Surtain II continues to erase elite receivers and his teammates rack up sacks (12 in the past two weeks). Denver is scheduled to have a home date with the Raiders in Week 5, so don’t be shy about spending the extra money.
FAB: $3