Last Minute Waiver Wire Pickups Week 4: C.J. Stroud, Roschon Johnson, Rashee Rice
The waiver wire period has come and gone and you may have missed out on the guy you wanted. The waiver wire darlings everyone was clamoring for are long gone, but you're still looking to fill out your roster and maybe even your lineup. These are the late waiver wire adds that you should be picking up. Everyone listed is rostered in less than 50% of leagues.
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Last Minute Waiver Wire Pickups
Quarterbacks
C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Rostered: 27.5%
Stoud is still widely available for owners who need a quarterback to plug in. The rookie has looked good so far and is throwing the ball a ton. Through three games, he's thrown the ball 121 times for over 900 yards and four TDs. This week, the Texans take on the Steelers, who are 11th worst against the pass, allowing over 235 yards per game. With only a few days left before game time Stroud isn't a bad pickup at all, and he could continue to develop and become a long-term solution for your QB situation.
Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints
Rostered: 0.6%
We all know what Jameis is. He's going to go out there and sling it. If you pick him up, just plug him in and don't watch the game. He is more than capable of throwing for 300 yards and three TDs, but it's going to be scary. With those three TDs, he might throw three picks too. It's always a roller coaster ride with Winston, but usually, in the end, you're satisfied with your experience.
Running Backs
Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears
Rostered: 16.3%
It's incredible that he's not rostered in more leagues. Johnson is going to be the lead back in Chicago. Last week, he played 45% of the snaps compared to Khalil Herbert's 55%, and he's seen his snaps increase every week. He also saw more touches than Herbert in Week 3. This week, the Bears are playing against the Denver Broncos, whose run defense has been historically bad so far this season. Last week, they allowed the Dolphins' running backs to put up what seemed like 7,000 yards and 10 TDs. I don't know; I lost count after the 400th-yard and eighth TD. In all seriousness, the Dolphins' running backs went for 441 total yards and eight TDs. Every week Denver is getting gashed by backs. They are allowing over 458 yards per game and 177.7 on the ground. Pick up and play this man.
Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rostered: 42%
Warren is quietly becoming the top back in Pittsburgh. He played 45% of the snaps last week and is getting all the passing work. Najee Harris had 19 touches to Warren's 11. If you are playing in a PPR league, there is no reason for Warren to be available on waivers. Pick him up and flex him if you are looking for an option on the wire.
Wide Receivers
Josh Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers
Rostered: 24.4%
With Mike Williams out for the year, Palmer is a must-add. Rookie first-rounder Quentin Johnston feels like the natural replacement, but he's still very raw. You're going to see a ton of Palmer in this passing attack. The Chargers are a high-volume passing offense, and Palmer is going to benefit immensely from the absence of Williams. He may become a weekly flex option.
Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs
Rostered: 4.8%
We told you about Rice all summer, and he is going to separate himself from the pack because he's the best receiver in Kansas City. The fact of the matter is he's just more talented than all the other wideouts on the team. Kadarius Toney gets hurt on every other play and isn't really a true receiver. Skyy Moore stinks. MVS isn't bad, but he's not a volume guy. Last week, Rice saw seven targets. Patrick Mahomes is starting to look for him. He is going to break out and be the true WR1 KC has been looking for.
Tight Ends
Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
Rostered: 8.4%
Dak Prescott looks for Ferguson in the red zone a lot. Ferguson also sees a lot of targets; he just hasn't quite clicked yet. Twice in three games, he's seen seven targets. This is a guy that is widely available who can catch five passes and you hope he finds the end zone. That's essentially the hope for every streaming tight end.
Logan Thomas, Washington Commanders
Rostered: 1.1%
Thomas was seeing a ton of targets before his concussion. In Week 1, he targeted eight times. He seems to be Sam Howell's safety blanket. When Howell is under pressure, he looks for Thomas. Getting over five targets and seeing end-zone looks is as much as you can ask for in a streaming tight end.
