From Jordan Love's weapons in Green Bay to an unsung hero in Lamar Jackson's Baltimore Ravens offense, we look at some of the NFL's top Fantasy Football waiver wire targets ahead of Week Five in the 2024 season...
Ladd McConkey - WR, Los Angeles Chargers
- Points in Week Four: 17.7
With the offseason departure of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Austin Ekeler, there is an open audition in Hollywood for a place within Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh's trust group. Quentin Johnston has started brightly with three touchdowns in four games following criticism during his rookie year, while Ladd McConkey stated his early claim on Sunday with five catches for 67 yards and a touchdown in the Chargers' defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The introduction of offensive coordinator Greg Roman has seen the Chargers turn a greater focus towards establishing the kind of tempo-controlling running game they had lacked last year through his former Baltimore Ravens colleagues J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. The idea being that it opens up the field more for Herbert's young receiver core, within which second-round rookie McConkey hopes to play a prominent role.
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Xavier Legette - WR, Carolina Panthers
- Points in Week Four: 19.6
There are signs, albeit minor, of life for the Carolina Panthers and Dave Canales as they continue life behind veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, who took over the starting job from the benched Bryce Young in Week Three. With Adam Thielen sidelined through injury, Carolina's receiving options are scarce in comparison to the offenses around them, but among the latest positives on Sunday was the performance of Xavier Legette.
The first-round rookie had six catches from 10 targets for 66 yards and a touchdown in the Panthers' 34-24 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals, following up two catches for 42 yards against the Las Vegas Raiders the previous week. He is becoming a rare spark to an offense that could not move the ball over the opening fortnight, with his role only set to grow as the season continues.
Justice Hill - RB, Baltimore Ravens
- Points in Week Four: 21.6
On the list of the NFL's most underrated and unsung weapons, Justice Hill sits pretty high. Derrick Henry has become the headline-maker in Baltimore after another bruising display on Sunday night as he rushed for 199 yards and a touchdown to lead the Ravens to a 35-10 win over the Buffalo Bills, but with his dominance came a team-high six catches for 78 yards and a touchdown from Hill as one of Todd Monken's most versatile chess pieces on offense.
He has become something of a perfect complement to the bell-cow power of Henry, maintaining his speed despite the setback of an Achilles injury in 2021. The breadth of options at Lamar Jackson's disposal casts some doubt over who will feast on any given week in this Ravens team, but Hill has proven himself a vital two-way threat out of the backfield.
Josh Downs - WR, Indianapolis Colts
- Points in Week Four: 22.2
Josh Downs has some of the quickest feet in the game. A devastating double stutter-step swivel set him free for a four-yard touchdown on Sunday as the Indianapolis Colts beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24, during which Downs had eight catches for 82 yards and his score. He is beginning to assert himself as one of the league's slickest route-runners and most effective slot receivers, his return from injury giving the Colts offense a different dimension alongside Michael Pittman Jr and Alec Pierce.
Downs managed 68 catches for 771 yards and two touchdowns alongside Gardner Minshew during his rookie season, before suffering a high ankle sprain in training camp that delayed his start to the campaign. On Sunday he looked comfortably springing off that ankle, restoring his threat against man coverage and as Shane Steichen's trusted chain-mover underneath.
Wan'Dale Robinson - WR, New York Giants
- Points in Week Four: 18.1
Malik Nabers is the man of the moment in New York, the first-round pick already emerging as one of the NFL's most explosive and productive young wide receivers as he looks to ignite the Giants offense. Across from him Wan'Dale Robinson is on course for a career year having managed 26 catches for 194 yards and a touchdown through four games so far in 2024.
His 38 targets are bettered only by Nabers (52), including 14 targets as he made 11 catches for 71 yards in Thursday night's loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Robinson arrived out of college with a reputation for his yards-after-catch threat and as an elusive motion man with whom to stretch defenses horizontally, and as teams dedicate more resources to thwarting Nabers he could see his production rise.
Dontayvion Wicks - WR, Green Bay Packers
- Points in Week Four: 24.8
An injury to Christian Watson looks certain to heighten the responsibility of Green Bay Packers wideout Dontayvion Wicks, who has clearly won the approval of his quarterback Jordan Love since entering the league as a fifth-round pick in 2023. Wicks had five catches from a team-high 13 targets for 78 yards and two touchdowns in Green Bay's 31-29 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings, playing 76 per cent of snaps in a nod towards his expanded role over the coming weeks. Wicks had 39 catches for 581 yards and four touchdowns during his rookie campaign, his size, speed and ability to separate earning him more opportunities alongside the likes of Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed.
Week Five begins on Thursday when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face the Atlanta Falcons from 1.15am, live on Sky Sports NFL in the early hours of Friday; Also stream with NOW.
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