This NFL season certainly has been competitive. However, it’s confusing as all heck! Entering week 3, the Bills were by far the worst team. A rookie led them into Minnesota to whip Mr. Fully Guaranteed and the Vikings. The Patriots were coming off of a loss in Jacksonville, only to lose to a Lions team that has been horrendous AND is led by their former defensive coordinator. And of course, FitzMagic turned into FitzTragic during the first half of Monday Night Football. A strong finish wasn’t enough, and now the Steelers are tied with the Browns yet again, but this time at 1-1-1.
Now, much of this doesn’t matter for fantasy football, but there was plenty of news that affected our little bubble too. Jimmy G is lost for the season, Le’Veon Bell trade rumors are heating up, and an Alabama receiver is finally scoring touchdowns for the Falcons. Hopefully you’re 3-0 and sitting pretty, but if not, there isn’t a reason to panic yet. Here are some of my favorite add/drop candidates for week 4.
For them to be considered an “add” for me, they have to be owned in less than 60% of ESPN leagues. Many of the drops that follow aren’t must-drops, but we’re at the point in the season where we need to detach the performance from the name, and make evaluations accordingly. Don’t go down in a sinking ship.
QB/RB Adds
QB Andy Dalton, CIN (28.6%)
The Red Rifle, or as I call him on the FlurrySports Podcast, the Red Rocket! Jokes aside, Dalton is the 12th-best fantasy quarterback this season through three weeks. This week, he faces a depleted Falcons defense that just gave up 396 yards and 3 touchdowns to Drew Brees.
QB Baker Mayfield, CLE (7%)
The Baker Mayfield era has begun in Cleveland. He looked good Thursday, leading his team to victory after Tyrod went down. This week, he gets to play against a weak Raiders defense, which cannot seem to get a consistent pass rush this year. I can’t figure out why.
QB C.J. Beathard, SF (0%)
This is for my fellow deep league fantasy players. Down goes Jimmy G, in comes Beathard. He is an athletic quarterback that saw real game experience last year, when he had nobody to pass to. Beathard has a few more passing targets and will scramble for some yards, so I think he’s a good pickup in a 16-team league. The upside is there.
RB Javorius Allen, BAL (39.4%)
“Buck” Allen has been the receiving back for the Ravens, but he also gets plenty of backfield carries. He also has scored every week so far. As much as Collins owners hate it, Allen isn’t going away. He has a solidified role in this offense.
RB Chris Ivory, BUF (5.1%)
Apparently Ivory is a receiving back now? We don’t know McCoy’s status for week 4, but if he’s out, clearly Ivory will see a big workload again. This time, he faces a Packers defense that is really missing the run-stopping ability of Jake Ryan, and now they also lost Muhammed Wilkerson in the middle.
RB Alfred Morris, SF (58.3%)
The Niners didn’t have a good day with injuries. Matt Breida also went down with an injury. While he was able to return to the game, his workload was limited. I expect Morris to receive a larger snap share this week, which means he could earn more going forward.
Pass Catcher Adds
WR Calvin Ridley, ATL (41.1%)
Ridley put up a hat trick against the Saints, totaling 146 yards and three touchdowns. In just a single game, he equaled Julio Jones’ touchdown production from last year. The rookie looks good, he has his quarterback’s trust, gets to face the weaker corner, and plays in a favorable division.
WR Tyler Boyd, CIN (24%)
Like I said last week, Boyd is the clear second option here. When the first is A.J. Green, that’s pretty good! He has totaled 20+ PPR fantasy points in back-to-back weeks, and I don’t think it’s a total fluke. This week, he gets a favorable Atlanta matchup.
WR Mike Williams, LAC (33.1%)
He’s going to be inconsistent, but he’s also a freak. The matchup against the Rams showed how effective he can be, totaling 81 yards and two touchdowns. The next four weeks he gets the 49ers, Raiders, Browns and Titans.
WR John Brown, BAL (47.9%)
Brown is still owned in less than half of leagues, for some reason. Let’s change that. In a game where the Ravens will likely need to put up some points, Brown heads to Pittsburgh this week.
TE Eric Ebron, IND (55.2%)
Ebron has value every week, but if Doyle misses again, Ebron’s value goes way up.
TE Vance McDonald, PIT (13%)
Welcome to the 2018 season, Vance McDonald. The Steelers want him to be their top tight end, but he hadn’t seemed fully healthy, until last night. He’s an athletic receiving option that can be moved around. McDonald showed his athletic ability on this beautiful, beastly play.
Vance McDonald with the BIG stiff arm and 75-yard TOUCHDOWN 👀💀 #PITvsTB #MNF pic.twitter.com/sKASGuuxTI
— FlurrySports (@FlurrySports) September 25, 2018
Drops
QB Jimmy Garoppolo, SF
Unfortunately, Jimmy G has a bit more time to date adult actresses. The quarterback is out the rest of the season.
QB Marcus Mariota, TEN
I don’t need to hold onto a quarterback who isn’t able to feel his fingers right now. He has two interceptions and still hasn’t passed for a touchdown. This is what I was talking about in the beginning about a sinking ship.
QB Dak Prescott, DAL
Not only has Dak not been very good, but at this point, he doesn’t even have much potential.
QB Andrew Luck, IND
Again, Luck is definitely not a must-drop, but separate the name value from the on-field value. He has passed for under 200 yards twice, and his receiving options aren’t spectacular. I do think he will get better. I think getting Anthony Castonzo and Marlon Mack back is big, and he was also missing tight end Jack Doyle this week. However, he should not be starting for you and if there’s a value RB/WR out there, he doesn’t need to take up a valuable bench spot.
RB Duke Johnson, CLE
Duke has been bad the first three weeks. It’s pretty clear that the Jarvis Landry addition has affected his receiving role, which is all he had going for him.
RB Rashaad Penny, SEA
Chris Carson is now dominating snaps in Seattle, meaning the rookie can be dropped.
WR Robby Anderson, NYJ
Anderson is a deep threat that has received just three targets of over 20 yards. Through three weeks, he has just ten total targets.
WR John Ross, CIN
I told you to drop him last week. It’s your fault if you still have him.
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