Players You NEED To Add In Fantasy Football!
What Player Is The Best To Target Right Now?…
We are four weeks through the regular season, and it has been a wild start, to say the least. Plenty of top-tier fantasy football draft picks are underperforming, many waiver wire additions have become weekly lineup staples, and more than a few late-round gems have emerged, putting managers over the top as clear favorites to win their league title. However, This is the most critical time of the year to take a deep dive into scheduling data to try and predict breakouts, bounce-backs, and everything in between.
More: Fantasy Notebook: Snaps, Targets, Air Yards, & Routes Data From Week 4
Today, we will go through every position and give you a few options you need to target through either trades or the waiver wire based on a couple of factors.
- Strength of schedule over final 13 games.
- Involvement over first for games of the year.
- Projected increase in usage and snap share.
- Potentially positive game scripts for the player’s respective positions.
Quarterbacks
Jordan Love
- 75% Rostered
- QB3 Overall
- Next 4 Games (Rank In PPG Allowed): @LV (9th), BYE, @DEN (1st), MIN (10th)
- Six of the next seven games are plus matchups.
Jordan Love has been one of the biggest fantasy surprises to open the 2023 season. The 24-year-old has posted three top-12 finishes, two as a top-six option, and has scored fewer than 20 fantasy points only one time. He has done this without a 100% healthy Christian Watson and just one game of a healthy Aaron Jones.
While Love has a tough fantasy playoff schedule against Tampa Bay, Carolina, and Minnesota, six of his next seven games are elite matchups for fantasy quarterbacks. Even with the touchdown rate coming down over the past two weeks, Love has averaged nearly 250 passing yards per game and is adding a decent amount of rushing yards to his total.
The Packers offense is getting healthy, their upcoming schedule is favorable, and Love has not even reached his peak in the pros or for fantasy purposes. Scoop him up off the waiver wire if he is available, or go offer a trade for him the week after he had a “disappointing” matchup compared to his standards so far this season.
C.J. Stroud
- 55% Rostered
- QB10 Overall
- Next 4 Games (Rank In PPG Allowed): @ATL (19th), NO (17th), BYE, @CAR (27th)
- Seven of the remaining 13 games are plus matchups.
- Weeks 10-13 is his best reaming stretch of the season.
Rookie C.J. Stroud has improved every week as an NFL quarterback and a fantasy asset. Finishing as the QB13 or higher over the past three weeks, the 21-year-old has turned the slow, plodding Houston offense into an explosive fireworks show led by deep pass plays. Stroud averages 37.8 pass attempts per game, 303 passing yards, and has thrown two touchdowns in three of four games. He is even adding a few carries on the ground per game.
The best-looking rookie through the first month, Stroud should only get better as his upcoming schedule is phenomenal for fantasy quarterbacks. The only downside to targeting this QB to start for you long-term is his fantasy playoff schedule. From weeks 14-17, Stroud faces the Jets, Browns, and Titans twice. Tennessee is more than beatable through the air so Stroud can overcome those matchups. However, he could struggle mightily against the Jets and Browns.
Stroud is an immediate fix for those struggling to get production from the QB spot and is available in nearly half of the leagues. Grab the Texans’ future star quarterback and enjoy the fantasy goodness.
Justin Fields
- 91% Rostered
- QB12 Overall
- Next 4 Games (Rank In PPG Allowed): @WAS (11th), MIN (10th), LV (9th), LAC (4th)
- 10 of the final 13 games of the season are plus matchups.
- Five of those games are against defenses, allowing top 10 PPG to the position.
Trading for Fields would have been much easier last week before he exploded against the Denver Broncos, but plenty of managers are still ready to move on from the Bears starting quarterback. There is no QB with a better remaining strength of schedule than Fields. The only game over the next eight weeks that is an unfavorable matchup for the position is Carolina in Week 10.
I understand how bad the first three weeks were. I also get that the Bears are a hot mess, and not every one of these games is going to be great for Fields. However, this schedule is too good not to take advantage of. Fields showed last season that he was able to put things together after a slow start and be an absolute league winner. 2023 could end up the same way, so why not take the shot on him when he is more affordable this year than he likely ever will be?
Running Backs
Isiah Pacheco
- 91% Rostered
- RB12 Overall
- Next 4 Games (Rank In PPG Allowed): @MIN (22nd), DEN (1st), LAC (10th), @DEN (1st)
- 10 of the final 13 games are plus matchups.
- Five are against defenses, allowing the top 10 PPG to the RB position.
While Isiah Pacheco had a slow start through the first two games of the season, the second-year back has posted two RB1 weeks back-to-back in favorable matchups. The fantastic upcoming schedule is the selling point to either acquire Pacheco or be sure not to let him go. While Minnesota is a defense opposing offenses tend to throw against, there are only two negative matchups for the 23-year-old, for the REMAINDER of the season!
Pacheco has seen his carry count rise every game this season, is averaging 4.9 yards per carry, and is being used in the passing game more than we thought he would this past offseason. The Chiefs’ passing attack just is not as potent, and they are leaning more on Pacheco to become balanced and grind defenses down. He could go down as one of the best draft picks by season’s end and is an absolute target for those looking for more out of the position.
Breece Hall
- 95% Rostered
- RB31 Overall
- Next 4 Games (Rank In PPG Allowed): DEN (1st), PHI (32nd), BYE, @NYG (6th)
- Nine of the remaining 13 games are plus matchups.
- Six of them are against defenses allowing the top 10 PPG to the running back position.
If you want to get Breece Hall, you must do it now. The 22-year-old has been slowly worked back into the offense but is the better back compared to Dalvin Cook. He is the RB31 overall through four games without ever hitting 50% of snaps played. That will continue to rise, and this schedule for the Jets run game is elite.
It should all start this week against the Denver Broncos. The Jets were inches away from upsetting the defending Super Bowl champs this past weekend and will be looking to control and handle the lowly Broncos in Week 5. Philadelphia in Week 6 is a tough draw, but after the Week 7 Bye, Hall has five straight plus matchups to take advantage of. On top of it all, the fantasy football playoff schedule for the second year back is fantastic. Bet on the talent of Hall and buy him now while you still can.
Wide Receivers
Christian Kirk
- 92% Rostered
- WR26 Overall
- Next 4 Games (Rank In PPG Allowed): @BUF (25th), IND (8th), @NO (14th), @PIT (3rd)
- Seven of the final 13 games are plus matchups.
- Four of them are against defenses that allow top 10 PPG to the wide receiver position.
After an abysmal Week 1 performance, Christian Kirk has not only led the team in targets but has finished as the WR25 or higher in his last three games. The Jacksonville offense has yet to reach its peak, but Kirk will continue to be a staple despite losing reps in two wide receiver sets to Zay Jones (when healthy) and other backup receivers.
This week’s matchup against Buffalo is rough, but after that, the 26-year-old has an elite five-game stretch for fantasy managers to take advantage of. The end-of-season schedule for Kirk is not great, so managers could even look to capitalize on an extended run of good fantasy performances and get a league-winning piece to add to their roster around Week 9 or 10.
Kirk is averaging 8.8 targets per game and will be a staple of the passing attack moving forward. He is talented enough to take advantage of positive matchups and should be a clear WR2 for fantasy managers for the majority of the season.
Jakobi Meyers
- 78% Rostered
- WR31 Overall
- Next 4 Games (Rank In PPG Allowed): GB (22nd), NE (16th), @CHI (11th), @DET (17th)
- Seven of the final 13 games are plus matchups.
- Four of the final five games of the season are against defenses, allowing top 10 PPG to opposing WRs.
The following month is not incredible for Jakobi Meyers in terms of matchups, so why am I suggesting you target him? His involvement in the offense with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo under center has been outstanding. 10 targets in Week 1 and 12 in his return game from a concussion in Week 3. That type of involvement makes him matchup-proof, but the schedule down the stretch from Week 11 on is why I am trying to get Meyers on the cheap right now. Miami, Minnesota, the Chargers, and Indianapolis are four of the final six games for the 26-year-old.
Meyers is going to be on a lot of fantasy championship rosters, and after an abysmal Week 4 due to a rookie being swallowed alive by the Chargers pass rush, this is the perfect time to trade for the former Patriot on the cheap. Snag him now and use him as a great WR3 option the rest of the season with Top 24 upside.
All Seahawks WRs (DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba)
- Next 4 Games (Rank In PPG Allowed): BYE, @CIN (18th), ARI (21st), CLE (32nd)
- Seven of the final 10 games are against defenses allowing top 10 PPR to the wide receiver position.
- The first seven games of 2023 have been the toughest schedule for fantasy wide receivers after adjustment.
It is time to buy low on any of the Seattle wide receivers that you can get your hands on. Yes, the next month is going to be tough in terms of schedule, but these players could be league winners at the end of the year.
DK Metcalf is going to be the most expensive, but well worth the risk if you get the chance. Tyler Lockett would be my top target of this group. The 31-year-old has been boom-or-bust to open the season but can take advantage of plus matchups better than most fantasy WRs and should end the year on a high note. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is sitting on 25% of waiver wires and should be the easiest to acquire after an extremely slow start. The rookie is still recovering from wrist surgery and should see more involvement over the back half of the season.
You can obviously play Metcalf and Lockett over the next month when the matchups are stiff, but this investment is for those sitting at .500 or who have winning records. Get these players and plan to get big games out of them down the stretch to help secure a championship.
Tight End
Jake Ferguson
- 50% Rostered
- TE8 Overall
- Next 4 Games (Rank In PPG Allowed): @SF (23rd), LAC (20th), BYE, LAR (8th)
- After Week 7 Bye, six of 11 games are plus matchups.
- Five of these games are against defenses allowing top 10 PPG to fantasy tight ends.
Another year, another no-name tight end is made fantasy-relevant due to Dak Prescott in Dallas. There is no doubt the veteran has always loved to target his tight end, but he has now made two players that were nothing but depth pieces weekly starting fantasy assets.
The immediate upcoming schedule is not great for Ferguson. However, matchups have not mattered much over the past month. The 24-year-old has seen seven targets in three of four games and has been a top-15 option in as many games. Finding a TE with that type of involvement is rare, and with his back-half-of-season schedule, he is one of the best targets for those streaming the position.
Darren Waller
- 96% Rostered
- TE22 Overall (Through three games)
- Next 4 Games (Rank In PPG Allowed): @MIA (9th), @BUF (30th), WAS (32nd), NYJ (1st)
- Seven of the next 13 games are plus matchups.
- Four of the final five are top-tier.
It is frustrating to be attached to a QB who struggles to pass the ball at times, but Waller is a top-tier option that is going to show why he was drafted as high as he was. Buy him off of a manager who is panicking about his tough upcoming matchups against Washington and Buffalo, and reap the rewards over the final eight games of the fantasy season.
Zach Ertz
- 36% Rostered
- TE12 Overall
- Next 4 Games (Rank In PPG Allowed): CIN (4th), @LAR (8th), @SEA (19th), BAL (31st)
- Has eight or more targets in three of four games.
- Solid schedule over the next month.
- Five plus matchups over the final eight games of the season.
Target share and a better-than-perceived Cardinals offense are just two of the reasons to buy in on picking up Zach Ertz ahead of Week 5. Not only does the veteran have a great schedule over the next month to take advantage of, but he is second on the team in targets by a wide margin behind only Marquise Brown.
While the former Philadelphia Eagles has taken a step back from being an elite option at the position, target share is king when it comes to fantasy at tight end. Bet on the steady workload paying off in a big way multiple times over the next 13 games, and grab the veteran off of waivers as a nice replacement for any underperforming draft pick you may have made.
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