Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Avoid (Week 4)

Let’s take a look at players who had strong weekly performances, but our fantasy football analysts aren’t buying it as they look ahead to this week and beyond. Here are a few players to avoid when making your fantasy football waiver wire pickups. And here is all of our Week 4 fantasy football waiver wire advice.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups to Avoid

FOOL’S GOLD

A 55-yard catch-and-run touchdown led to a sexy 4-95 stat line for Calvin Austin III in Week 3. But George Pickens remains the only Pittsburgh receiver worth rostering. Putting in a claim on Austin would be a textbook example of chasing last week’s points — an egregious mistake.

Some fantasy managers will do a double-take when they examine box scores and see that Tyler Badie had a 9-70-0 rushing line for the Broncos. It’s worth familiarizing yourself with Badie, a sixth-round draft pick out of the University of Missouri in 2022, but he is not taking over the Denver backfield. Most of Badie’s carries came late in the game with the Broncos nursing a comfortable lead en route to a 26-7 upset of the Buccaneers, and Badie got 43 of those 70 yards on one run.

Successful In-Season Fantasy Football Management

Once your fantasy football team is drafted, the work is not over. Successful in-season management is crucial to a winning fantasy football season. Here are some tips to help you manage your team effectively throughout the season:

Stay up to date on player news
Keep track of player injuries, suspensions, and other news that may impact their performance. This will help you make informed decisions about which players to start each week.

Monitor the waiver wire
Keep an eye on the waiver wire and be ready to pick up players who may be undervalued or overlooked by other teams. This can provide valuable depth to your roster. Use our waiver wire assistant to view optimal lineups, waiver and trade suggestions, and league analysis.

Analyze matchups
Analyze the upcoming matchups for your players and opponents to determine which players to start in your lineup each week. Look for favorable matchups and take into account the strength of the opposing team’s defense.

Stay active in trades
Be open to trading players with other teams if it will benefit your team. Analyze the potential impact of a trade before making a decision and negotiate with other teams to find a mutually beneficial agreement.

Be prepared for bye weeks
Plan ahead for bye weeks by having backup players ready to fill in for your starters. Avoid having too many players with the same bye week, which can leave your team short-handed.

Don’t overreact to one bad week
Avoid overreacting to one bad week of performance by a player. Take a long-term view of their performance and evaluate their potential moving forward.

Continuously evaluate your roster
Continuously evaluate your roster throughout the season and make adjustments as needed. Be willing to drop underperforming players or make changes to your lineup if necessary.