We’re getting into the thick of things, as we’ve reached the quarter pole of the fantasy season. As such, the waiver wire is starting to calm down a bit. Case in point, the major injury of the week, Chiefs WR Rashee Rice’s knee injury, which will surely cost him significant time, doesn’t really have a natural waiver replacement.

That said, there is still value to be had on the wire every week. There are definitely a few interesting names I’m excited about this week, especially in light of some of the more minor injuries this week.

Quick reminder: I’m primarily going to discuss players with below 50% ownership on Yahoo, with possible exceptions if the number is very close.  There will be a section for players closer to 75-80% owned later in the article, which will include names to make sure aren’t owned in your league, but those names likely won’t be available in most cases.

The Podium

Gold Medal: Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks (14% rostered)

Wicks was a trendy pick in deeper redraft leagues this offseason, but his path to usage quickly evaporated when Jordan Love got injured in Brazil in Week 1. With Love back quicker than expected in Week 4, Wicks was exceptional in the Packers’ rally, scoring two touchdowns and totaling 78 yards. Now, Christian Watson is expected to miss multiple weeks with a severe ankle injury, which was always the way the door could open for Wicks to begin with.

Wicks is a baller, but this might only be a 2-3 week role elevation. Still, he’s worth starting, and maybe he’ll show Mike LaFleur that he’s worth playing even if Watson returns. FAAB Suggestion: 25%

Silver Medal: Giants WR Wan’Dale Robinson (26% rostered)

I’ve been banging the drum for Robinson every single week thus far. How do you like them 14 targets? He’s a PPR menace so far this season, and now Malik Nabers has a concussion. Nabers may make it back this week, but Robinson is going to keep soaking up the targets regardless. He’s up to 38 targets through four games, and should get another 10 or so in Week 5. FAAB Suggestion: 20%

Bronze Medal: Buccaneers RB Bucky Irving (53% rostered):

Going to cheat here, because Bucky is a huge waiver name from the past few weeks and is still somehow at just 53% rostered. That’s absurd. He was once again better than Rachaad White Sunday. White just doesn’t seem to have the juice, whereas Irving has all the juice you can imagine. This is one of the better offenses in the league still, and Irving should be considered the RB1 ever so slightly. You have to pick him up if he’s still somehow out there. FAAB Suggestion: 20%

Positional Breakdown

Quarterbacks

1. Steelers QB Justin Fields (32% rostered): I only like two QBs this week, and Fields is the clear top choice of the two. Fields went nuclear in Week 4, and it looked like old Bears Fields, where his team didn’t win, he made a few key mistakes, but he put up a ton of points with his rushing. He isn’t giving Russell Wilson this job back any time soon FAAB Suggestion: 20%
2. Seahawks QB Geno Smith (45% rostered): Smith is getting close to unwaivered territory, and he just continues to post numbers. Monday night was his best performance of the season, as he threw for nearly 400 yards. The Seahawks have a legit pass attack, and Smith is even running, with 38 yards on the ground Monday. FAAB Suggestion: 15%Set featured image

Running Backs

1. Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt (36% rostered): Carson Steele, we hardly knew ye. After yet another fumble, Steele was unseated by the wily veteran Hunt and disappeared. Hunt appears to be the lead back here now. That should have a ton of value if that role fully materializes. FAAB Suggestion: 15%
2. Colts RB Trey Sermon (2% rostered): Sermon didn’t have success against the Steelers after Jonathan Taylor hurt his ankle late. We shouldn’t hold a lack of success against Pittsburgh against Sermon, especially with Jacksonville on the schedule next week. Taylor should miss 1-2 games, so that’s worth a bid if you’re shallow. FAAB Suggestion: 10%
3. Falcons RB Tyler Allgeier (23% rostered): Bijan Robinson is banged up on a short week, and those are the very conditions we target Tyler Allgeier for. Allgeier needed just 10 touches to rack up 80 yards against a good Saints team in Week 4. If Bijan has an injury designation, fire him up. FAAB Suggestion: 5-10%
4. Bears RB Roschon Johnson (27% rostered): Johnson and the Bears have two primo matchups upcoming. Unfortunately for Johnson, D’Andre Swift was finally good in Week 4. I’m bullish on Johnson long-term, and the touchdown was great to see, but with Swift still the starter, I can’t in good conscience recommend a huge bid. FAAB Suggestion: 5%
5. Ravens RB Justice Hill (14% rostered): This line, six catches for 78 yards and a touchdown, is a solid WR2/fringe WR1 line, and that’s what Hill did when Derrick Henry, who totaled over 200 yards, was off the field. That sort of production shouldn’t be ignored any longer, especially when Henry regularly subs out. FAAB Suggestion: 5%

Others: Tank Bigsby, Alexander Mattison

Wide Receivers

1. Falcons WR Darnell Mooney (47% rostered): The Falcons’ offense has really kicked into gear, and Mooney was getting a ton of deep targets from Kirk Cousins Sunday. Mooney has looked explosive, and it seems like they’re slowly working him into a Jordan Addison-like role. He shouldn’t be available anywhere FAAB Suggestion: 15%
2. Colts WR Josh Downs (21% rostered): Downs had an excellent game in Week 4, which coincided with him being fully healthy for the first time and Joe Flacco replacing Anthony Richardson. Downs should be trusted if Flacco continues to start. FAAB Suggestion: 10-15%
3. Panthers WR Xavier Legette (14% rostered): Andy Dalton has brought the Panthers’ offense back from the dead, and Legette was the latest pass catcher to reap the benefits. The rookie looks like an integral part of this offense, and it’s finally having some success without Bryce Young. FAAB Suggestion: 5-10%
4. Packers WR Romeo Doubs (40% rostered): Do you prefer more boring, lower ceiling, higher floor options? Ignore all of your leaguemates going for Wicks and try to scoop up boring old Romeo Doubs, who has 15 targets in Jordan Love’s two starts. He is almost always on the field, but he’s more of a cardio guy. FAAB Suggestion: 5%
5. Rams WR Jordan Whittington (3% rostered): Deeper cut here, but he caught six passes against a good Bears defense. Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua will both miss a couple more weeks, so having a pass catcher in the McVay/Stafford offense will be worth the squeeze. FAAB Suggestion: 5%

Others: Allen Lazard, Mike Williams

Tight Ends

1. Packers TE Tucker Kraft (5% rostered): Wrote up Kraft as a minimum bid guy to grab with Love returning, and he posted 6-53-1. That kind of performance basically immediately makes you a TE1 these days. FAAB Suggestion: 15%
2. Commanders TE Zach Ertz (30% rostered): The Commanders’ offense looks incredible with Jayden Daniels at the controls, and Ertz is a really solid streaming TE if yours are injured. FAAB Suggestion: 3%
3. Bengals TE Erick All (1% rostered): I’m not sure if All should be started anywhere yet, but he’s a super intriguing player who has upside if the Bengals keep slinging it. A deep name to know, for sure. FAAB Suggestion: 1%

Discount Double-Check

Finally, let’s go over some guys you should double check to see if they’re still on your waiver wire for some reason.

• Bengals RB Chase Brown (61% rostered): Chase Brown scored twice Sunday. If there’s any chance someone who drafted him dropped him, smash that waiver bid.
• Seahawks WR Tyler Lockett (57% rostered): Lockett saw nine targets Monday. You can probably throw him in a flex spot in basically any PPR league and feel OK about it.
• Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield (66% rostered): Hope you scooped up Mayfield, the QB3 so far this season who was available for most of the season before he detonated the Eagles. He’s a QB1 now, full stop.
• Steelers TE Pat Freiermuth (74% rostered): If he somehow slipped onto waivers after a mediocre start, his first TD of the year Sunday should change the calculus for you. He’s a Top-12 TE.