Welcome to Week 4 of last-minute moves to make. This article is intended to give you late-week waiver and free-agent advice based on late-week news and gameday inactives. Injuries and other late-week developments can have a huge impact on lines and rosters, and being up-to-date on these, especially before waivers and free agency locks before kickoff, is a huge advantage.
Stash Emari Demercado
James Conner has been a bell cow for Arizona’s offense through three weeks. Backup running back Keonatay Ingram suffered a neck injury in practice Thursday that is expected to keep him out this week. The true nature of the injury is not known but is something that creates doubt about his upcoming status. Emari Demercado is the next back on the roster and warrants a stash in deeper formats in an offense with a high concentration of his work in the lead back.
Cut Melvin Gordon III
Melvin Gordon was an early week speculative waiver addition after Gus Edwards was evaluated for a concussion in week three and Justice Hill was suffering from a toe injury. Fortunately, Edwards practiced in full all week and did not enter the concussion protocol, while Hill is active for week four. This should relegate Gordon back to the bench and you can cut him for a better stash option.
Cut Elijah Dotson/Isaiah Spiller
Elijah Dotson and Isaiah Spiller have rotated as backups behind Joshua Kelley, while Austin Ekler is out with a high ankle sprain. The Chargers have a bye in week five, and Ekeler should be close to a return in week six. Even if Ekeler misses more time, neither Dotson nor Spiller warrants a roster stash through a bye week in formats shallower than 25-man rosters.
Stash Jordan Mason
Elijah Mitchell popped up on the injury report during the week with a knee injury and is not expected to play in week four. Jordan Mason is the next running back on the depth chart and warrants a roster stash in the event the Mitchell injury lingers. San Francisco should be a heavy favorite in week five against the Chargers and could get a spot start in the event Christian McCaffrey suffers an injury in week four and neither Mitchell nor McCaffrey plays in week five.
Short Week Stashes
Maximizing the schedule can create good waiver opportunities. In the event a player suffers an injury on a short week, they have less time to recover than in a normal week. These opportunities are for teams that play on Sunday then Thursday, or Monday then Sunday. This week, there are limited options.
Stash Tyrod Taylor
The only short-week stash this week is Tyrod Taylor. The Giants play on Monday Night Football this week, then turn around and play Miami in week five. If Daniel Jones is banged up this week, Taylor could be a spot starter in the first week of byes in week five. If Jones gets through the week healthy, Taylor is the type of player you can cut for your weekly waiver run.