Week 4 Waiver Wire: Fantasy Football's Top Pickups and Breakout Candidates

If you started Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley in fantasy football this week, you deserve all the praise you can get after the rookie caught seven passes for 146 yards and three touchdowns.

The chances are you didn't do that, however, as Ridley was available in 57 percent of Yahoo leagues as of Sunday at 6 p.m. ET.

We'll take a look at the Falcons pass-catcher alongside seven other waiver-wire targets for you to consider prior to Week 4. The point totals listed are from their Week 3 outings, alongside the percentage of Yahoo leagues where a given player is available.

Week 4 Waiver-Wire Pickups

Quarterback

Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (27.74 points, 3 percent)

Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns (9.84 points, 12 percent)

Two rookies are sure to be popular after their Week 3 performances.

It may have only been one game, but Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen's three-touchdown day in a massive 27-6 upset at the Minnesota Vikings is sure to turn heads.

From a fantasy perspective, Allen's rushing ability is sure to attract numerous owners, as he ran for 39 yards and a pair of touchdowns Sunday. That's in addition to another 58 yards on the ground in his first two weeks.

Rushing points are a big bonus from fantasy quarterbacks, so expect Allen's popularity to skyrocket this week.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield made his pro debut against the New York Jets on Thursday, and he led his team to a 21-17 win after being down 14-0.

Mayfield didn't have any touchdowns, but he was efficient thanks to 17 completed passes out of 23 attempts for 201 yards. He quickly established a great rapport with wideout Jarvis Landry, who caught seven passes for 91 yards in just over a half with Mayfield under center.

That connection should help Mayfield be a consistent fantasy producer week after week.

Running Back

Chris Ivory, Buffalo Bills (15.6 points, 6 percent)

This pickup is dependent upon the status of Buffalo Bills starting running back LeSean McCoy, who missed Sunday's game with the Minnesota Vikings due to a rib injury.

If McCoy can't go against the Green Bay Packers in a road matchup, backup Chris Ivory will once again get the call. Ivory was fantastic against the Vikings, amassing 126 yards from scrimmage. That included a 55-yard catch.

Ivory touched the ball 23 times on Sunday, so the Bills aren't shy about making him their featured back. If Buffalo stays competitive with Green Bay, expect another heavy workload for the nine-year veteran.

Wide Receiver

Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons (40.5 points, 43 percent)

Geronimo Allison, Green Bay Packers (15.6 points, 34 percent)

Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati Bengals (25.7 points, 14 percent)

Expect Ridley to be the hottest player on the Week 4 waiver wire. His stock increased a bit after Week 2 when he caught four passes for 61 yards and a score. Ridley wasn't picked up en masse, but that should change quickly.

He's now second on the team in targets with 16 through three weeks. Falcons wideout Julio Jones is obviously the team's No. 1 target for the foreseeable future, but after Sunday's game, expect Ridley to be the clear No. 2 pass-catching option.

If you like consistency, pick up Green Bay Packers wide receiver Geronimo Allison. He may technically be the team's third wide receiver behind Randall Cobb and Davante Adams, but Allison has been reliable through three weeks, amassing at least 64 receiving yards in each of his first three games.

Allison has also been a solid deep threat for Rodgers, catching a 64-yard touchdown pass in Week 3 against the Washington Redskins and a 39-yard score versus the Chicago Bears.

The Cincinnati Bengals may have thrown more than they liked as they tried (and failed) to come back against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, but wide receiver Tyler Boyd still made the most of his seven targets, catching six passes for 132 yards and a touchdown. This followed a six-catch, 91-yard, one-touchdown day versus the Baltimore Ravens.

A.J. Green is the No. 1 pass-catching target, but Boyd is clearly No. 2 right now, especially with second-year pro deep threat John Ross struggling through three weeks (five catches, 27 yards).

Tight End

Rhett Ellison, New York Giants (12.9 points, 0 percent)

Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals (13.4 points, 50 percent)

New York Giants tight end Rhett Ellison's inclusion on this list is dependent upon the condition of his teammate Evan Engram, the second-year pro who left with a knee injury during their game with the Houston Texans. Per Jordan Raanan of ESPN, Engram is getting an MRI on Monday.

If Engram is out for any period of time, Ellison is the next man up at tight end. The former Minnesota Viking caught three passes for 39 yards and a touchdown to help the G-Men win 27-22. He's known as more of a blocking tight end, but if Ellison is first on the depth chart for a few weeks, it's possible he sees a few extra looks from quarterback Eli Manning.

Somehow, Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert is not owned in a majority of Yahoo leagues. He should be, as the former Notre Dame star is off to a good start with 11 catches and 141 yards through three games.

A six-catch, 74-yard effort versus the Carolina Panthers showcased his 2015 form, when he played 13 games and caught 52 passes for 615 yards and 13 touchdowns. Eifert has battled injuries throughout his career, but he's healthy now and ready to make a big impact.