With Week 3 of the year set to come to a close later tonight when the Cowboys and Cardinals square off, it’s time to begin looking ahead to Week 4 to try to get ahead of your leaguemates on the waiver wire.
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We’ll be ranking the top five players in each of the four major positions who are likely available in your league — or, hopefully available, at least. Keep in mind, these numbers are mobile and can change throughout the week. We’ll update them as they change or other news surfaces. The following ownership percentages come via Yahoo! Fantasy Sports after Week 3.
Samaje Perine (39 % owned)
Chris Thompson will be who’s remembered from Week 3’s Sunday Night Football game, but Perine got the nod in Rob Kelley’s absence, carrying the ball 19 times for 49 yards before leaving in the fourth quarter with a hand injury.
Jamaal Charles (33)
Proceed with caution here. C.J. Anderson was a must-start in the first two weeks, but he rushed for just 32 yards on eight carries to go along with two catches for seven yards. Charles had some fantasy relevance in Week 3 with nine carries for 56 yards and a touchdown. For now, Charles is nothing more than a handcuff.
Smallwood is someone who should’ve been on the radar after LeGarrette Blount was benched in Week 2. In my opinion, Smallwood is best-suited as a three-down back out of all Eagles running backs. Well now Darren Sproles is sidelined with a wrist injury. In Philly’s Week 3 win over the Giants, Smallwood ousted Blount in touches and Sproles was out of the game. Blount had more of a fantasy impact thanks to a touchdown, but Smallwood had four more yards in an equal number of carries. Smallwood had one catch on two targets, but he should be more involved in the passing game in Sproles’ possible absence.
Branden Oliver (2)
See Smallwood, Wendell. Minus the backfield competition. Melvin Gordon was limited with a knee injury against Kansas City, and it could linger in the coming weeks.
Elijah McGuire (0)
Yahoo! really needs decimals. There are McGuire owners out there — they’re just in deeper leagues. I digress. He rushed the ball seven times for 34 yards against the Dolphins before fumbling in the fourth quarter. Matt Forte left with a toe injury and although it may be serious, it’s nearly anyone’s guess who the best RB is in the Jets backfield.
