Every time we write these weekly columns, it's hard not to note that players in past weeks' columns won't be included but are still worth picking up more often than not. Because there are so many examples of that this week, we're going to be much more up front about it.
Last time around, we suggested that you pick up wide receiver Kadarius Toney, and that advice remains. After doing practically nothing to start the season — and having practically no ownership, as he was just about 2% owned when we added him to the waiver target list — Toney had six catches for 78 yards in a breakout Week 4. It doesn't look like too many people listened, as he's just 3% owned now, so maybe this time around will be different.
Ditto for previous waiver wire entries like tight end Mike Gesicki, wide receiver Darnell Mooney and running back Kenneth Gainwell, all of whom are still available in a fair share of leagues. Again, just because we don't feature them on the below list doesn't mean you shouldn't still pick them up — we just want to include a new crop of players each time out.
That's what we've done this time around.
Seven players, one of whom is a highly-acclaimed rookie who finally got his spotlight, four of whom are relatively "old farts" in this year's NFL, and two of whom might be heading toward third-year breakouts.
All stats retrieved from Fantasy Pros. Only players owned in fewer than 50 percent of leagues are eligible.
Trey Lance - QB - San Francisco 49ers
Trey LanceEzra Shaw - Getty ImagesYahoo: 31% owned | ESPN: 19% owned
We already know how dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks can be for fantasy purposes — it's one of the reasons why Jalen Hurts and Daniel Jones find themselves in the top-six fantasy quarterbacks so far this year, and why passers with some rushing ability typically find themselves atop the fantasy league leaders whether or not they're as good as some of the other quarterbacks around them — and that's why Trey Lance is worth picking up. If you're someone who streams quarterbacks, he could be a long-term solution, so long as Jimmy Garoppolo's injury keeps him sidelined for a while and Lance takes advantage of the opportunity.
He did so in Week 4, scoring over 20 fantasy points in just one half of action. As another reminder, Hurts took advantage of his opportunity in 2020 and was the No. 3 fantasy quarterback from Weeks 14 to 16, when he started and played the full game each week. That's a good example of how quickly guys like these can put up points through a combo of the air and the ground, and there should be more to come from Lance in the Bay Area.
Damien Williams - RB - Chicago Bears
Damien WilliamsJonathan Daniel - Getty ImagesYahoo: 8% owned | ESPN: 10% owned
David Montgomery had a tremendous outing in Week 4, picking up 106 yards and two scores on 23 carries. Unfortunately, a scary-looking injury ended his week prematurely, and it appears he will be out of action for potentially 4-5 weeks with a knee sprain, according to ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano.
If that's the case, Williams has a nice little situation for himself in Chicago, as Tarik Cohen is still out for at least two more weeks. And for as bad as the Bears offense has looked at times, they are still in the top-10 in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and sit just barely outside the top-10 in yards per-attempt. Neither the Raiders nor the Packers, the Bears' next two matchups, have great run defenses, and the offense may have found some of its stride in Week 4 with Justin Fields getting more comfortable every game.
Latavius Murray - RB - Baltimore Ravens
Latavius MurrayDustin Bradford - Getty ImagesYahoo: 47% owned | ESPN: 34% owned
Just when we thought Ty'Son Williams may have established himself as the running back to own in the Ravens backfield, the coaching staff goes and lists him as a healthy scratch, paving the way for Murray to have a big game. With 18 carries and a score, he clearly had the lead role ahead of Le'Veon Bell and Devonta Freeman. As of now, it seems that's how it will be going forward, meaning he's valuable in fantasy so long as Baltimore's offense continues to run and run and run like we're used to.
A.J. Green - WR - Arizona Cardinals
A.J. GreenHarry How - Getty ImagesYahoo: 24% owned | ESPN: 27% owned
With what looks to be a nice little resurgence underway at age 33, Green has been a fairly steady member of an otherwise inconsistent wide receiver corps in Arizona. Though he isn't the clear-cut WR2 behind DeAndre Hopkins, it's hard to ignore that Green saw six targets in Week 1, six targets in Week 2, six targets in Week 3 and — you guessed it — six targets in week 4. He has double-digit fantasy points the past three weeks, and though that won't be his floor, you do have to think that he's a more reliable contributor than either Christian Kirk or Rondale Moore at this point in time.
If you're in desperate need of a wide receiver or want a relatively safe guy on your bench when the bye weeks roll around, you can definitely do much worse than Green.
Randall Cobb - WR - Green Bay Packers
Randall CobbPatrick McDermott - Getty ImagesYahoo: 6% owned | ESPN: 14% owned
As long as Marquez Valdes-Scantling is sidelined, which will be the case for, at least, two more weeks, Cobb seems to have some good value as Aaron Rodgers' WR2, and potentially third receiver in the pecking order behind Davante Adams and Aaron Jones. When your quarterback is last year's MVP and a proven future Hall of Famer, it's not a bad thing to be the third target in that offense.
Granted, this is Cobb's first good week of the year, so there's a possibility it was just a fluke. We tend to think this won't be the case, though, as Rodgers and Cobb have a pre-existing chemistry from earlier in their respective careers, and a date with the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5 could be a perfect time to strike for an even bigger flashback to their glory days together.
Hunter Renfrow - WR - Las Vegas Raiders
Derek Carr and Hunter RenfrowKatelyn Mulcahy - Getty ImagesYahoo: 26% owned | ESPN: 40% owned
Though the names that were receiving a lot of attention prior to the season were Henry Ruggs and Bryan Edwards, it's Renfrow who has been the most consistent producer on the outside for Derek Carr's offensive attack. Heck, he's toe-to-toe with Darren Waller after four weeks, though this likely isn't all that sustainable.
Renfrow has weeks of 10.0, 8.2, 16.2 and 13.5 points in half-PPR formats, which is rock-solid for a FLEX option and worth your consideration on the waiver wire if you're in a jam at the wide receiver position.
Unfortunately, this didn't count for fantasy points, but we also wanted to mention this.
Dawson Knox - TE - Buffalo Bills
Dawson KnoxBryan M. Bennett - Getty ImagesYahoo: 47% owned | ESPN: 19% owned
We wanted to believe something was happening after Knox caught four balls for 41 yards in Week 1. We wanted to believe even more after he hauled in a touchdown in Week 2. Week 3 almost convinced us, after Knox had four catches, 49 yards and a touchdown, but we still weren't quite sold that all these performances would be the norm going forward.
After Week 4's performance against the Houston Texans, in which he was targeted eight times and turned those looks into five catches, 37 yards and two scores, it has all become a little too hard to ignore. In the shallow tight end landscape, Knox might legitimately be a low-end TE1 given his role in the offense and the lack of a definite, consistent WR2 behind Stefon Diggs or any real pass-catching threats out of the backfield. After all, in this high-powered Buffalo Bills offense, many pass-catchers should theoretically be supported by Allen's volume and skill, and that seems to finally be happening for Knox.
Man, Josh Allen had barely turned his eyes before whipping this touchdown pass to Dawson Knox. Big-time throw. #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/RA9wgbxa8v
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) October 3, 2021
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