Week 4 was an absolute gauntlet for fantasy football rosters. High-profile stars were dropping across every single stadium nationwide. Lamar Jackson exited early with an ankle issue, Saquon Barkley was knocked out in the first quarter, and Ja’Marr Chase suffered a blow to the head that put his availability next week in severe jeopardy.
That just scratches the surface of the medical fallout from this past Sunday. Injuries have been brutal once again, leaving fantasy managers scrambling for immediate answers. You can either sit around and cry over your ruined roster, or you can step up and take advantage of the massive opportunities opening up on the waiver wire this week.
The Chiefs offense suffered a brutal double blow to their receiving corps that completely reshapes Patrick Mahomes’ passing tree. Rashee Rice left Sunday’s game with a severe hamstring issue, and the Chiefs currently do not know the severity or full length of time he will be forced to sit on the sidelines. To make matters worse, Kansas City also lost Tyquan Thornton, possibly for the entire rest of the season, after he suffered a dislocated ankle that looked absolutely horrifying to watch from the couch.
When the dust settled, the route participation data revealed clear immediate replacements. Jalen Royals saw the significantly higher snap count once Rice departed the game, making us fully expect him to step right into Rice’s high-volume short-to-intermediate role. Meanwhile, Cyrus Allen is set to handle the stretch-the-field, deep-threat workload previously held by Thornton. Both wideouts deserve immediate FAAB bids, as targeted passes in this Chiefs offense are absolute fantasy gold.
With Chase potentially out while navigating concussion protocols and Tee Higgins recovering from an adductor injury he suffered toward the end of the game, Cincinnati’s next-man-up in the passing attack might just be tight end Mike Gesicki.
Following Chase’s departure, Gesicki played an impressive 62 percent snap share and earned five targets as Joe Burrow’s primary safety valve down the stretch. He gets a fantastic matchup next week against his former team, the Dolphins, who rank dead last in tight end coverage while allowing a massive average of 70 receiving yards per game to the position. They say revenge is a dish best served cold, but Gesicki will be more than happy to cook up his former team under the blazing South Florida sun. Make him your top tight end streaming target for Week 5.
Betting on the NFL?
Injuries occur each and every week, each and every year in the NFL. That is simply the nature of the sport we play. You either learn to roll with the punches and attack the waiver wire with aggressive moves, or you can give up now and start looking at fantasy basketball draft cheat sheets instead.
Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on X @rotobuzzguy, catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio (Ch. 87) weekdays from 6-8 p.m. and dominate your leagues with the latest football news and advice from Fantasy Alarm.
