Week 4 Pickups: Mikel Leshoure and More Week 3 Fantasy Stars Worth Adding

Fantasy football is repetitive. Every week a handful of players break out and there's a mad rush to the waiver wire with hopes of adding one of the new fantasy phenoms. Sometimes they work out and sometimes they don't, but owners can't afford to miss the boat.

Looking ahead to Week 4, the story will remain the same. Let's take a look at three players who burst onto the fantasy radar with strong showings in Week 3. They are all worth picking up before another owner swoops in.

RB: Mikel Leshoure

Leshoure was given the start in his first game back from suspension, and the Detroit Lions' running back didn't disappoint. He gained 100 yards on 26 carries and made four catches for 34 yards. He also found the end zone once.

The Lions weren't concerned about working him back in slowly, and he looks poised to take over as the team's workhorse in the backfield. Any RB who's going to get as much work as he did on Sunday carries a lot of value in fantasy leagues.

Detroit drafted Leshoure in the second round last year, so the team clearly has high hopes for him. He's worth starting for the foreseeable future and should continue to improve as he gains experience.

WR: Ramses Barden

The New York Giants were hoping Barden would step up with Hakeem Nicks out and he did exactly that. He reeled in nine passes for 138 yards, by far the best game of his career, proving he's capable of handling a bigger role.

Even though Nicks will resume his role alongside Victor Cruz when healthy, Barden still possesses value. The Giants rank second in passing yards per game, which means there's more than enough opportunities for three receivers.

Now that Eli Manning knows what Barden is capable of, he should become a part of the weekly rotation. That gives him value as a third wideout or flex player. If Nicks or Cruz go down, his value goes way up again.

TE: Heath Miller

It's time to start taking Miller seriously as a fantasy tight end. He's become more involved in the Pittsburgh Steelers' offense than past seasons and has established himself as Ben Roethlisberger's favorite red-zone target with at least one TD in every game.

Although the Steelers have a lot of speed and skill on the outside, the retirement of Hines Ward left a void. The veteran receiver was always willing to make the tough catches over the middle, but Miller has now assumed that role.

His targets should stay pretty constant throughout the season, especially when the Steelers get deep in opponents' territory. Owners who missed out on a top-tier TE should definitely consider Miller.