Fantasy Football Hail Mary — 3 Plug & Plays for Week 4

With two teams forced to sit out Week Four of the NFL, almost everyone we know will need to scramble to plug up some holes in their lineup. God bless fantasy football.

James Conner will not be playing this weekend. Just as he was coming back to form, we’ve lost him to NFL League policies. Photo courtesy of Joe Sargent/Getty Images

I’m sure who could have seen this coming (sigh). The first genuine COVID scare of the 2020 NFL season has taken down the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennesee Titans for Week Four.

I actually drafted most of the Pittsburgh offense this year, so I’m really in trouble, but that’s why I’m here to help you — I know the feeling. Something about empathy.

Here’s a look at three options to get you through the week who may still be available on your waiver wire or, at the very least, haven’t been in your starting lineup, well, until now.

James White — HB — New England Patriots

James White has been one of the few mainstays of the New England Patriot offense over the past several years. Photo courtesy of Steve Luciano/AP

So Rex Burkhead hero-balled a week ago, and that’s why we’re talking about James White — he might actually still be available on your waiver.

We can pretend Cam Newton’s chucking it all over the field, but other than the savior from the slot, Julian Edelman, these Patriot halfbacks seem to be his preferred outlet. Maybe a Christian McCaffery hangover.

White should be returning with healthy legs after missing the last two weeks dealing with personal matters. If you’re in a ten-team league, whoever had him rostered got impatient after an 0–3 start and dumped him.

Little math for you — Burkhead has sixteen targets on the year, which is good for third-best on the team. That’s the role that White should have occupied the past two weeks. If you’re playing PPR (and I don’t know why you wouldn’t be), White makes a lot of sense if you don’t mind saying a couple of Saturday night bedtime prayers.

Ultimately, it’s hard to trust this backfield, but if you just lost James Conner or Derrick Henry (yeah, that’s the running back room of COVID), you don’t have a choice.

Preston Williams — WR — Miami Dolphins

Preston Williams went undrafted, but it wasn’t due to a lack of talent. Some trouble with the law landed him Miami. Photo courtesy of Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports

Williams’s targets have decreased from seven to five to two over the first three weeks of the season. That said, Miami faces off against the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth week of 2020.

Seattle’s likely without Jamal Adams and comes off a win over Dallas in which they surrendered 472 yards through the air, including 65 to Cee-Dee Lamb, the Cowboys third receiver (i.e., at least a workload comp to Williams).

Williams turned into a sleeping darling before the season, but if you missed on him, you haven’t paid for it yet.

Go ahead and check your league. I like the odds on a number three wideout going up against the worst secondary in the NFL. Saying that about Seattle feels like checking your phone in church.

Mecole Hardman — WR — Kansas City Chiefs

A former Paul Hournug Honor Roll member, Mecole Hardman has been the most promising Georgia NFL WR prospect since A.J. Green. Blame it on the run game. Photo courtesy of Reinhold Matay/USA TODAY Sports

At some point, the Chiefs need to decide who plays third fiddle to Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Sammy Watkins keeps trying to tell us it won’t be him. It’s time to listen.

Why couldn’t it be a former Georgia Bulldog? No, not Chris Conley, Hardman.

Hardman broke out last Monday night with 81 yards and a score but, again, we go back to targets (6). That’s the most he’s had in his short career.

It’s all about trends in fantasy. As in, I’m trending to miss church this Sunday.

Its a flier, no doubt, but your options could be worse than a budding weapon on the NFL’s best team.