At various points during the fantasy football season, injuries, bye weeks and breaking news can cause you to need reinforcements for your fantasy lineup. Every Friday throughout the 2025 NFL season, Matt Bowen will offer up some late-week pickup options to help fill those holes, with an emphasis on deeper leagues.
Because of that, this column will focus mostly on players rostered in fewer than 50% of ESPN leagues, with occasional exceptions.
For Week 4, there is a trio of helpful candidates at wide receiver for Week 4 based on production, matchups and overall opportunity. Plus, we'll discuss multiple running backs for those digging deep, a veteran passer and a defense that could be in line to post some really good numbers on Sunday.
Wide receivers
Elic Ayomanor, Tennessee Titans (27.7% rostered; at Texans)
We wrote about Ayomanor last week as a potential last-minute pickup, and the rookie finished with 13.8 points in the loss to the Colts. Ayomanor is averaging 14.7 PPG and 5.5 targets in his past two games, and he's caught a touchdown in each. Plus, he has a really good feel for finding space versus zone coverage, and he can manipulate man defenders within the route stem. In deeper formats, get him in the lineup again for this meeting with the Texans.
Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers (34.4% rostered; at Cowboys)
In Week 3, Doubs and the Packers were really limited by a Cleveland defense that looks like one of the league's best. Doubs caught both of his targets in that game for 25 yards, but in Weeks 1 and 2, he averaged 10.3 PPG and 4.5 targets. With a much more positive matchup on Sunday night against a Dallas defense allowing a league-worst 288 passing yards per game, Doubs has some upside in deeper leagues. And with Jayden Reed (collarbone) out, I would expect Doubs to see more work as a boundary/middle-of-the-field target for quarterback Jordan Love.
Sterling Shepard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5.0% rostered; vs. Eagles)
Shepard scored 12.0 points in the Bucs' Week 3 win over the Jets, and he has caught 11 of 15 targets on the season for 153 yards. The veteran can still get loose against coverage. It's on the tape. There are injuries to monitor here with Mike Evans (hamstring) out, and we're still waiting on the potential season debut of Chris Godwin Jr. (ankle). There could be an open door for Shepard to play the role of the No. 2 -- or No. 3, at worst, if Godwin is active -- Sunday against the Eagles.
Running backs
Ollie Gordon II, Miami Dolphins (27.0% rostered; at Jets)
Gordon will serve as the backup to De'Von Achane, but his usage increased in the Week 3 loss to the Bills, and he adds a different element to the Miami run game. Gordon saw a season-high nine carries versus the Bills, rushing for 38 yards, and he scored a touchdown on a low red zone attempt to finish with 9.8 points. Gordon isn't going to steal targets from Achane, but he gives the Dolphins more power as a downhill runner when he gets on the tracks. And that sells on or near the goal line, too. He fits in this spot against the Jets as a lower-tier flex in deeper leagues.
Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs (35.7% rostered; vs. Ravens)
Hunt will continue to play in a backfield rotation with Isiah Pacheco in Kansas City, but he has seen 18 carries over his past two games, plus he scored a touchdown on a goal-line attempt in the Week 3 win over the Giants. Hunt is averaging 7.5 carries per game and he's posted a goal-to-go attempt in each of the past two weeks. He is more touchdown-dependent, but we just watched this Ravens defense get run over in the Monday night loss to the Lions. Hunt is worth a flier in deeper setups this week.
Quarterback
Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders (23.5% rostered; vs. Bears)
Two fourth-quarter touchdown throws boosted Smith's total to 26.06 points in the Week 3 loss to Washington. But those count, too. And Smith now gets a banged-up Bears secondary this Sunday. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Bears lean on two-deep coverage in this one (Cover 2, 2-Man), and the Raiders' inability to run the ball with Ashton Jeanty (3.1 YPC) plays a role in the offensive game plan. If you're in a pinch and need a quarterback with a decent matchup, Smith works here.
Tight end
Chig Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans (17.7% rostered; at Texans)
Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange (22.0% rostered; at 49ers) is another deeper-league target for this week, but I settled on Okonkwo because he gives you more after the catch, plus he can be schemed up on higher-percentage throws for quarterback Cam Ward. Okonkwo had 11.6 points in the Week 3 loss to the Colts, and he's had six targets in each of his past two games. Look for him to see the ball on quick throws to the flat, screens and more. Through three games, 69.2% of Okonkwo's receiving totals have come after the catch.
D/ST
Los Angeles Chargers (47.4% rostered; vs. Giants)
With the Giants turning over the keys to rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, let's roll with the Chargers defense. This unit had three interceptions off veteran Geno Smith in Week 2, and they have at least two sacks in every game played thus far. Plus, the Chargers are allowing only 16.7 points per game (fourth lowest in the league). I expect L.A. to disguise both pressure and coverage to cloud the post-snap looks for the rook in his first pro start. That's how you create a sense of hesitation with a young quarterback, which leads to impact plays on defense.
