Fantasy Football Week 4: 5 Players to Start Targeting in Fantasy Leagues

Heading into Week 4 of the NFL season, there could be bargains available on players who can help your fantasy football team.  I've identified five players who could either still be available on your waiver wire or could be had for a bargain price in a trade.

Of course, value is always in the eye of the beholder.

Now is the time to start wheeling and dealing in your league if you're aiming to get good value or you need good depth for your team to make it through the dreaded bye weeks.

Players to look for right now are either good players who have gotten off to slow starts, or are relatively newcomers who are on the rise.

These guys may not turn into fantasy studs (except for one), but they should provide some value to your team and could end up being solid flex players throughout the rest of the season.

WR David Nelson, Buffalo Bills

David Nelson was a hot waiver wire pickup last week after his 10 reception, 83 yards and one TD performance against Oakland.

He followed that up with a six-catch, 84-yard performance against New England last Sunday.  For the season, Nelson has 20 catches for 233 yards and one TD.

However, he is now a starting receiver after Roscoe Parrish was lost for the season. 

The Bills are scoring points—a lot of points—so far this season.  With Steve Johnson attracting attention on the other side, Nelson will see a lot of balls thrown his way.

Since he is still a relative unknown at this point, you may be able to land him for a cheap price in a trade.  He could still be viewed as a "throw in" player as part of a package deal that involves bigger-named players.

Nelson's price is low right now and he could really pay-off as the season progresses, especially in PPR (points per reception) formats.

WR Nate Washington, Tennessee Titans

Nate Washington will surely be a hot commodity this week if he wasn't drafted in your league.  Kenny Britt will officially miss the rest of the season with an ACL tear.

This means that Washington is now the No. 1 receiver in Tennessee.  And with Matt Hasselbeck at QB, he should see the bulk of the receiving targets.

On the season, Washington has 21 catches for 258 yards and one TD.  His numbers are certainly bound to get better.

If he's available on your waiver wire, try to snatch him up.  But if someone already had the foresight to either draft him or pick him up last week, you still may be able to get him for a bargain price in a trade.

His value will likely be at its lowest right now because you can claim you haven't seen defenses game plan against him knowing that Britt isn't there.

That's a fair argument and if you can persuade someone into a good deal, pull the trigger.  Washington will be a solid third-receiver or flex option every week going forward.

WR Eric Decker, Denver Broncos

Eric Decker was another hot waiver wire pickup last week after he caught five passes for 113 yards and two TDs against the Bengals.

Things may have cooled on him a tad-bit after last Sunday's 48-yard performance.  Plus, nobody knows his situation going forward either.

Will he be a starter or just a third-receiver who plays in the slot on passing downs?

Denver still has Brandon Lloyd and Eddie Royal but both have been slowed by injuries.  Lloyd will be the No. 1 receiver as long as he stays healthy.

However, the situation with Royal is a little different.  He is out for at least this week, and possibly two more after that, with a groin injury.

The chance you're taking with Decker is whether or not Royal will reclaim his starting role once he returns.  I'm betting that he won't.

Royal has been a lackluster receiver the past two years and is not the type of player who is cemented into a starting role.  If Decker continues to produce, I believe he will remain in the starting lineup and be the No. 2 guy next to Lloyd.

Heck, with the way Lloyd has been playing, it's not out of the question Decker could become their No. 1.  He was targeted a whopping 12 times last Sunday (seven catches).

If he's being targeted that often, that means he has the confidence of QB Kyle Orton.

Decker should be able to be had for a very good price in a trade.  Grab him now if you can.  At the least, he will be a viable starter in a pinch and could become a weekly fixture in your lineup.

Particularly in PPR formats.

WR Mario Manningham, New York Giants

Mario Manningham should have been drafted in your league and is probably a starter for most fantasy teams.  He emerged last season as a legitimate receiving threat and posted 60 catches for 944 yards and nine TDs.

However, he is off to a slow start this season and coming off a concussion that caused him to miss last week's game.

In the two games he has played this year, he only has seven receptions for 105 yards on 14 targets by Eli Manning.  This is why you should be able to get him for low value right now.

The Giants lost WR Steve Smith and TE Kevin Boss in the offseason.  That leaves Hakeem Nicks and Manningham as the two best options in the passing game.

Nicks is the star who will draw the coverage and leave things open for Manningham.  Don't let his slow start fool you, Manningham will become a big factor in New York's passing offense going forward.

In the second game of the season, Eli Manning looked Manningham's way quite often and "just missed" on a few deep passes.  Once they start connecting on those, and they will, Manningham will start putting up good numbers.

RB Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans

Chris Johnson could be this year's ultimate fantasy bust.  As a consensus top five pick, he hasn't produced diddly squat yet.

Through three games, Johnson has 46 rushes for 98 yards and a miserable 2.1 yard-per-rush average.  He has chipped in 13 receptions for another 91 yards but has yet to find the end zone through the air or on the ground.

Not quite what you should expect from a supposed stud player.

This is why his value is at an all-time low right now.  Those who own Johnson might be running out of patience and looking to unload him for less-than-stellar value.

If you are thinking of acquiring him, you have to consider that his slow start could be attributed to two main things:

His hold-out that caused him to miss all of camp and preseason, and the fact he's in a new offense with a new QB.

Johnson wasn't given the money he received for no good reason.  The man is a very talented running back.  He just needs time to round into form and adjust to the new offense.

There is another factor to consider with him as well (from either end of a trade).  Now that Kenny Britt is out for the season, will defenses be able to stack the box and completely take him out of the game?

Or, does Britt's absence mean that Johnson will become even more featured in the offense and get more touches because of it?

That is a good debate either way but I think Johnson will come around.  He almost has to given his skill level. 

So, if you have any hasty Johnson-owners in your league, hit them up and begin trade discussions.  You might be surprised on how cheap you can get him.