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Fantasy Football: Week 4 Add/Drops before Waiver Wire Wednesday

By Alex Butler
New York Giants running back Orleans Darkwa (26) runs the ball in for a 15 yard touchdown during the second quarter of a week 7 of the NFL season between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on October 25, 2015. UPI/Rich Kane
1 of 3 | New York Giants running back Orleans Darkwa (26) runs the ball in for a 15 yard touchdown during the second quarter of a week 7 of the NFL season between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on October 25, 2015. UPI/Rich Kane | License Photo

MIAMI, Sept. 27 (UPI) -- Do you have your alarm set for the wee hours of the morning, in order to check and see if you won a waiver wire claim in a fantasy football league?

It's that time of year, when real teams and fantasy teams are being decimated by injuries. That means that the waiver wire is up for grabs when it comes to snatching once unwanted players to fill key slots in your lineup. Week 3 was once again filled with unexpected injuries and emerging talent thrust into new roles on offenses around the NFL.

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To help you know who to prioritize before your weekly waiver wire hits and who to trim from your tight roster, here are my top adds and drops for Week 4.

ALL-ADD TEAM

QB | Cason Wentz, Dak Prescott; RB | Jordan Howard, Dwayne Washington; WR | DaVante Parker, Davante Adams, Terrelle Pryor; TE | Cameron Brate, Kyle Rudolph; D/ST | Washington Redskins, Oakland Raiders; K | Dustin Hopkins, Cairo Santos

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HONORABLE MENTIONS

QB | Trevor Siemian; RB | Darren Sproles. Jay Ajayi, Orleans Darkwa; WR | Cole Beasley, Tyrell Williams, Tavon Austin, Adam Humphries; TE | Hunter Henry, Jack Doyle; D/ST | Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles

TOP DROPS

QB | Marcus Mariota; RB | James White, Shane Vereen, Thomas Rawls, Rashad Jennings, Jeremy Langford, Adrian Peterson; WR | Ted Ginn Jr., Tyler Lockett; TE | Jason Witten


QUARTERBACK

Who expected this from Philadelphia Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz? Although Wentz won't be useful for Week 4, due to the Eagles' bye week, he is a decent long-term option. Wentz outdid himself in Week 3, against arguably the best defense he has faced so far in the Pittsburgh Steelers. He completed 22-of-31 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 10 yards. I expect great games from Wentz off of the bye week against the Detroit Lions and the Washington Redskins, before he has a tough battle against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8. He is a more than capable bye week fill in and a weekly starter in large leagues.

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott can give you more of an immediate return if you snag him from the waiver wire. The rookie showed off his versatility in Sunday night's 31-17 win against the Chicago Bears. In that game, Prescott completed 19-of-24 passes for 248 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 36 yards and another score. With Ezekiel Elliott finally prioritized in the Cowboys offense, I expect less pressure on Prescott's arm for the rest of the season. Look for the Prescott/Elliott duo to get rolling again in Week 4 against the San Francisco 49ers.

RUNNING BACK

Week 3 drop candidates are a who's who of running backs. You should see Thomas Rawls, Rashad Jennings, Jeremy Langford, Adrian Peterson, and other notable names cut from rosters in your league. That means Jordan Howard, Dwayne Washington, and Orleans Darkwa are must-adds. Out of that group, I like Dwayne Washington the most. The rookie showed Sunday that he can fill a role in the dynamic Detroit Lions offense. He rushed for 38 yards on 10 carries in the loss to the Green Bay Packers. Although I see Theo Riddick being hugely involved in the passing game, I think Washington has a great talent and potential and should be added in all leagues. He is capable of putting up RB2 numbers long term, but probably not immediately. His first test comes against the Chicago Bears, who have allowed the third most rushing touchdowns to running backs through three weeks.

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WIDE RECEIVER

Miami Dolphins wide receiver DaVante Parker looked great Sunday in a win against the Cleveland Browns. Parker hauled in all six of his targets for 51 yards and a touchdown. Parker has 19 targets in two weeks and looks to be a great compliment to Jarvis Landry. The Dolphins' schedule includes a Week 4 match up against the Cincinnati Bengals, before it faces the Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Buffalo Bills. I am also excited about the potential of Davante Adams. It looks like the Green Bay Packers offense could be back, after an explosion against the Detroit Lions. Adams has 16 targets and two touchdowns through three games. Although he is somewhat shaky in terms of scoring, I see Adams as an able bye week fill in and a WR3 in large leagues. Terrelle Pryor is a very interesting add this week. He was Mr. Do Everything for the Browns in its Week 3 loss. Pryor is the most consistent option here and a must-add if you need help at the position immediately. Browns coach Hue Jackson showed that he will put Pryor anywhere on the field to help his team win, that means maximum opportunities for the playmaker. Look for Pryor to succeed out of the wildcat, but more importantly, expect him to pile up the rushing yards and targets from Cody Kessler as one of the Browns' only trustable options.

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TIGHT ENDS

Cameron Brate is proving to be one of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston's favorite options. In its Week 3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Buccaneers leaned on Brate for 10 targets. He responded with five catches for 46 yards and two touchdowns. Although you can't expect the touchdowns to be consistent, I do expect Winston to keep looking his way, with Mike Evans gathering complicated coverages.

Minnesota Vikings tight end Kyle Rudolph also looks like a consistent starter after three weeks. In the Vikings' Week 3 upset against the Carolina Panthers, Rudolph had seven catches for 70 yards and a touchdown. Rudolph has gotten 26 targets through three weeks and has caught touchdowns in both of Sam Bradford's starts. The Vikings have transformed into more of a passing offense in the red zone, following the departure of Adrian Peterson. Bradford looks like he has confidence in Rudolph in that area. I like Rudolph as a top-12 option for the rest of the season.

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