Each week I'll list the best widely available free agents for fantasy football — I define "widely available" as being owned in around half of all ESPN or Yahoo leagues — and some guys who are probably better off in the free agent pool than collecting dust on your roster.
Follow me on Twitter @UTEddieBrown if you have questions throughout the week.
Here are my best bets off the waiver wire for Week 4:
ADD
— RB Khalil Herbert, Bears (ESPN: 25%; Yahoo: 49%): David Montgomery suffered an ankle and knee injury early in the first quarter against the Texans and was sidelined for the rest of the game. Herbert finished as Week 3's overall RB1 with 157 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns. I included him in this space after Week 1, where I wrote, "David Montgomery remains the starter — he out-snapped and out-touched Herbert — but Chicago turned to the Virginia Tech product to close out the 49ers. He produced 45 yards and the game-sealing TD on just nine carries and could earn a more even share of the backfield as the season progresses." Indeed after the first two games, Herbert was the overall RB30 in standard formats (RB37 in PPR), which planted him firmly in the weekly flex conversation when Montgomery was healthy.
— QB Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars (ESPN: 51%; Yahoo: 58%): We could be witnessing 2021's No. 1 overall draft pick leveling up early in his second season. He's currently the overall QB10 through three games. He was one of four quarterbacks last week who had three or more touchdown passes and Jacksonville has run the most red-zone plays this season (45), according to Pro Football Focus.
— WR Russell Gage, Buccaneers (ESPN: 55%; Yahoo: 42%): Gage was the overall WR11 in PPR the final eight games of 2021 while playing in a significantly worse offense in Atlanta. He stepped up big time against the Packers with 12 receptions (13 targets) for 87 yards and a TD. Mike Evans will return from suspension this week, but Chris Godwin might not be fully healed and Julio Jones' knee injury is more serious than was originally thought.
— TE David Njoku, Browns (ESPN: 33%; Yahoo: 51%): Njoku has been a top-10 option in both standard and PPR formats through three games and the athletic playmaker has a relatively high floor because he rarely leaves the field — Njoku has been on the field for 189 of Cleveland's 210 offensive snaps so far this season.
— RB Jamaal Williams, Lions (ESPN: 44%; Yahoo: 61%): It sounds like D'Andre Swift could be out through Detroit's bye (Week 6) with a shoulder injury. Williams is the overall RB5 in standard formats (RB8 in PPR) through three games, and was already a premium flex option with a healthy Swift participating in the backfield.
— BONUS: TE Tyler Conklin, Jets (ESPN: 12%; Yahoo: 21%): Conklin is the overall TE3 in PPR formats (TE7 in standard) through three games. He leads all tight ends in routes run with 131, leading to the third-most targets (24), second-most receptions (18) and seventh-most yards (140). On the Jets, only Garrett Wilson tops Conklin's 22% target share.
— BONUS: WR Romeo Doubs, Packers (ESPN: 16%; Yahoo: 26%): Reports last week had Doubs receiving increased volume with Sammy Watkins landing on the IR and Christian Watson injured, and that's exactly what happened with the rookie producing eight receptions (on team-leading 24% target share) for 73 yards and a TD. If the usage holds, there's WR3/flex upside here with Aaron Rodgers throwing him the football.
— BONUS: QB Marcus Mariota, Falcons (ESPN: 25%; Yahoo: 22%): Mariota has been a borderline QB1 — QB13 overall — through three games and is one of three quarterbacks with 90-plus rushing yards and multiple rushing touchdowns on the season — Lamar Jackson and Jalen Hurts are the others.
— BONUS: WR Zay Jones, Jaguars (ESPN: 9%; Yahoo: 11%): Jones has produced WR2/WR3 value so far — overall WR33 in standard and WR26 in PPR — and Jacksonville runs most of its offense out of three receiver sets (and those receivers hardly ever substitute out). This is sustainable with Lawrence's ascension and coach Doug Pederson's pass-happy ways.
— BONUS: RB Brian Robinson Jr., Commanders (ESPN: 37%; Yahoo: 52%): Robinson returned to the practice field two weeks ago, and has a realistic chance of returning in Week 5 after he was shot twice in his right leg during an attempted robbery. Antonio Gibson has been good — RB13 in standard and RB12 in PPR — but the Alabama rookie had surpassed him on the depth chart in the preseason before the shooting. He has a chance to see double-digit carries once he returns.
— BONUS: WR George Pickens, Steelers (ESPN: 39%; Yahoo: 40%): Beyond possibly making the catch of the season on Thursday Night Football against the Browns, Pickens has been as advertised. It just hasn't shown up in the box score yet. This will likely change when Pittsburgh switches out Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback for rookie Kenny Pickett, who is a more accurate deep ball thrower.
— BONUS: RB Alexander Mattison, Vikings (ESPN: 37%; Yahoo: 55%): Like the Mad Titan Thanos, Dalvin Cook hurting his shoulder is inevitable. Unlike renting a car, if you drafted Cook, you must pay for his insurance.
— BONUS: D/ST Jaguars (ESPN: 2%; Yahoo: 4%): Jacksonville is currently third in fantasy scoring, but has a difficult matchup at Philadelphia this week. Stash them if you have the roster flexibility. The Jags shut out the Colts and just held the Chargers to 10 points after traveling cross-country.
— BONUS: D/ST Giants (ESPN: 10%; Yahoo: 11%): The Bears simply can't throw the football and fifth overall pick Kayvon Thibodeaux is finally healthy.
— BONUS: D/ST Lions (ESPN: 1%; Yahoo: 1%): Detroit's defense hasn't been the same revelation its offense has been, but streaming defenses is all about targeting bad offenses and the Seahawks are perennially not the same team on the road. Bonus, the Lions face the Patriots in Week 5 without Mac Jones.
DROP
— QB Mac Jones, Patriots: Jones suffered a severe high ankle sprain against the Ravens that has caused many to have surgery. Best case scenario, he'll miss multiple games.
— RB Rex Burkhead, Texans: After participating in 71% of Houston's offensive snaps Week 1, Burkhead has played 37 and 41% of the snaps the last two games — and received nine touches for his troubles. Dameon Pierce is the captain of this backfield now and Burkhead only has value as a weekly flex flier in the deepest (we're talking Mariana Trench) of PPR formats going forward.
— TE Cole Kmet, Bears:—Justin Fields has had 17-or-fewer pass attempts, and eight-or-fewer completions in every game this season. Kmet has two receptions (both last week) on only five targets in three games. I'm willing to give Fields and Darnell Mooney a little bit more time before I exile them to the waiver wire, but there are simply too many other options at tight end for the former Notre Dame star to be taking up space on your roster.
— TE Hunter Henry, Patriots: Jonnu Smith has actually outplayed Henry and now New England has lost its quarterback.
— TE Austin Hooper, Titans: Hooper just isn't getting the opportunity — four receptions (nine targets) for 44 yards in three games — and there's just too many other options at tight end available (See: Kmet, Cole).
