Top Week 4 WR Waiver Wire pickups: Why you should target Tank Dell to replace Mike Williams

The waiver wire is always one of the most important weekly events during every fantasy football season. It allows managers the opportunity to improve their overall roster construction without having to surrender valuable assets like they would in a trade scenario.

Each week new names pop up on the waiver wire as popular targets. They often come as a result of impressive production in recent weeks or any injury drastically changing a player's overall outlook. Unfortunately for Week 4 of the 2023 NFL season, a campaign-ending injury to Mike Williams has a major impact on fantasy rosters.

Managers with Williams on their rosters will be scrambling to replace him on the waiver wire this week. His injury also opens the door for some of the other Los Angeles Chargers wide receivers to earn a larger role in their high-powered offense. His injury, as well as some breakout fantasy performers, helps to generate this list of wide receiver options on the Week 4 waiver wire.

Top Fantasy WR Waiver Wire pickups for Week 4

Week 4 waiver wire WRs

Josh Palmer

The Los Angeles Chargers feature one of the most high-powered passing attacks in the entire NFL, led by superstar quarterback Justin Herbert. They have produced at least two relevant wide receivers in fantasy football every year of his career. Keenan Allen and Mike Williams have often been those two guys, but Josh Palmer has performed well when filling in for either one of them.

Disaster struck for Mike Williams in Week 3 of the 2023 NFL season when he suffered a season-ending injury. Through three games this year, he has already recorded 19 receptions for 249 yards and a touchdown, so his absence will be greatly missed in their offensive scheme.

From a fantasy perspective, it creates an opportunity for Palmer to see an increased role as their likely WR2, directly replacing Williams, and in turn putting him toward the top of the waiver wire priority list this week.

In a part-time role last year during the 2022 season, Palmer recorded an impressive 72 receptions on 107 targets for 769 yards. Even this year in an even more limited role, he has found a way to chip in with eight receptions on 13 targets for 83 yards and a touchdown. More than half of that total production this year came in Week 3 following Williams' injury.

His expected increased workload, paired with his experience in Herbert's offense, make Josh Palmer one of the most popular waiver wire targets ahead of Week 4.

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Before plugging Josh Palmer into fantasy football lineups, make sure to reference the Start/Sit Optimizer first.

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Quentin Johnston

The other candidate who could benefit from Mike Williams' unfortunate injury is rookie Quentin Johnston. He has been splitting time as the Chargers' WR3 with Josh Palmer, but now both of them are expected to be on the field for a massively increased, and almost every down, offensive role.

While Palmer has outperformed Johnston to this point in the season, increased playing time could potentially change things.

It's important to remember that the Chargers selected Johnston in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft. They did so despite not necessarily being in need of wide receivers. This suggests that they have big plans in mind for the rookie at some point, due to the valuable draft capital they spent on him.

While they may not have been planning to elevate his role so soon, the injury has created new circumstances. He makes for an excellent waiver wire add this week with plenty of upside as he develops chemistry with Justin Herbert.

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For managers seeking a trade to replace Mike Williams instead of using the waiver wire, make sure to consult the fantasy football trade analyzer first.

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Tank Dell

The Houston Texans entered a complete rebuilding phase during the 2023 NFL offseason, including bringing in a new head coach in DeMeco Ryans and using their second-overall draft pick to select C.J. Stroud. They also completely changed their offensive roster structure in their attempt to build and design their entire game plan around putting Stroud in the best situation to potentially succeed.

While the Texans have surrounded their new quarterback with many talented youngsters, they desperately needed someone to step up in a big way and provide Stroud with a true playmaker. Enter Tank Dell.

Dell has officially exploded onto the scene with two consecutive massive fantasy football weeks. He has done so with explosive plays, demonstrating an attractive chemistry with Stroud on deep throws, and in turn, brightening his fantasy outlook.

In Week 1, it appeared that Nico Collins was going to be the most productive wide receiver in the Texans' offense, but Weeks 2 and 3 saw Tank Dell emerge as the exact weapon that they needed.

Dell led the team in targets in both of those games, which were also the only two that he was listed as a starting wide receiver. This includes two consecutive fantasy football finishes among the top 20 wide receivers, featuring a top-eight finish in Week 3.

His most recent performance included five receptions on seven targets for a massive 145 yards and a touchdown. This brings his impressive numbers up to 15 receptions on 21 targets for 251 yards and two touchdowns, despite starting only two games. He has clearly emerged as the Texans' WR1 and their situation this year indicates he could be in line to become a fantasy superstar.

Tank Dell is probably the best bet of any available player on the waiver wire ahead of Week 4, regardless of position. The Texans are expected to be playing from behind in most of their games this year, meaning Stroud will have to throw the ball often.

His early chemistry with Dell means they could be on their way to hooking up for many combine yards, especially as their connection continues to develop even further as the year goes on and they get more snaps together.

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Marvin Mims

Marvin Mims has officially forced his way onto the waiver wire radar in Week 4, despite recording very few targets and playing in less than half of the offensive snaps for the Denver Broncos. He has done so by showing off his blazing speed and proving he can do a lot with a little.

Across his last two games, he has posted a massive 186 receiving yards and two total touchdowns, despite being targeted just seven total times.

The Broncos are off to another disappointing season after starting the year with a 0-3 record. This may cause head coach Sean Payton to switch things up in their offense and give quarterback Russell Wilson a different look.

This developing situation, as well as Mims' proven big-play abilities, make him a strong speculative waiver wire add. He has plenty of upside and could potentially explode in fantasy football if he sees an increased role.

Adam Thielen

Adam Thielen has been one of the most unlikely dominant wide receivers so far during the 2023 fantasy football season. This is even more so the case after he recorded just 12 yards in Week 1. Everything has changed over the past two weeks after he combined for an excellent 18 receptions on 23 targets for 199 yards and two touchdowns.

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Thielen can now be confidently considered the Carolina Panthers' WR1, especially considering how weak their other options have been so far. He easily leads the team in receiving output this year, while being one of the most productive wide receivers in the NFL over the past two weeks.

He also has three favorable matchups in a row coming up, making him a must-add on the waiver wire this week.