Fantasy Football Quarterback Waiver Wire Adds for Week 4: Geno Smith, Sam Darnold and More

After going over some fantasy football waiver wire tight end options for week 4, it's time to go over some options at quarterback.

Check back soon for even more waiver wire stories!

Check out fantasy football waiver wire targets all season on FantasySP. 

Should You Add Geno Smith?

Smith had a good showing in week 3, despite the Raiders getting knocked off by the Commanders.

He was 19-of-29 passing for 289 yards, three scores and no interceptions. He rushed twice for five yards. Smith didn't lose a fumble, but was sacked five times. 

Smith was coming off a rough week 2 showing, so this was what fantasy owners needed to see. Smith was pretty solid in week 1.

The Raiders look like they'll be passing plenty this season as they play catch up, which will work in favor of Smith's fantasy value. It's never the best idea to be rostering and utilizing these kinds of fantasy quarterbacks, but the points count all the same at the end of the day.

Smith faces the Bears in week 4. So far, Chicago has struggled to slow opposing fantasy quarterbacks, but did look a bit better in week 3 against Dallas.

Smith should rank pretty highly, and has one of the best matchups, so he'll be a big-time waiver wire add.

Should You Add Sam Darnold?

Darnold put together a nice showing in the team's rout of the Saints in week 3.

He was 14-of-18 passing for 218 yards, two scores and no interceptions. He didn't attempt a rush and avoided a sack.

Darnold threw a couple picks in week 2, but threw for nearly 300 yards, so he's looked much better since a 150-yard passing outing back in week 1. His matchups have improved since, and that shows fantasy owners when they can trust Darnold.

He will take on the Cardinals on Thursday night to kick off week 4. So far, that's been a below-average matchup for a quarterback. The matchup is slightly better than his week 1 one was, so I'll be expecting average-or-so results for Darnold.

We'll see how he stacks up later in the week when I do my fantasy quarterback rankings. 

Should You Add Carson Wentz?

Wentz looked good in his first start with the Vikings on Sunday.

He threw for 173 yards and two scores on 14-of-20 passing, while also rushing for four yards on two carries. Wentz was sacked three times.

Wentz could have had a monster fantasy day if the game was actually close, but he looked good enough to be a streaming option for week 4, at least.

He gets a pretty favorable matchup against the Steelers this coming week. That puts Wentz in line for an above-average fantasy showing, but that comes down to how much you trust him.

With a good offense around him and a favorable matchup, Wentz should be trusted in a good amount of fantasy leagues.

Should You Add Justin Fields (or Tyrod Taylor)?

The Jets' quarterbacks are listed here because they have a favorable matchup coming against the Dolphins. 

Taylor started in week 3 and had a pretty nice fantasy outing. He threw for 197 yards, two scores and a pick on 26-of-36 passing. He also ran for 48 yards on eight carries. Taylor was sacked four times and lost a fumble.

Fields missed this week with a concussion. He really struggled in his week 2 start, but was good back in week 1 against the Steelers. Fields had 218 passing yards, a score and no picks on 16-of-22 passing, while rushing for an additional 48 yards and two scores on 12 carries.

Whoever makes the start for the Jets against the Dolphins will have a favorable matchup, and be a pretty solid fantasy asset, at the least. Fields is the better fantasy option, but gets knocked down a couple pegs coming off the concussion. Taylor showed enough in his start to get a crack at things if he's the starter again.

Should You Add Michael Penix?

Penix was awful in week 3, but has a favorable matchup looming in week 4.

He completed half of his 36 pass attempts for 172 yards, no scores and no interceptions. Penix rushed for nine yards on two carries and wasn't sacked.

Penix also struggled in week 2, but was good in week 1, albeit with 42 passing attempts. He has looked like a low-end starting QB option over the past two weeks, and that makes him harder to trust, even in a favorable matchup.

It looks like Penix is still the starter over Kirk Cousins, and that week 4 clash against the Commanders is a chance for the Falcons' QB to deliver a good fantasy result.

Whether or not you want to start Penix (or Cousins) comes down to how much you trust each quarterback. I'd be willing to give Penix one more crack at things, although he won't rank highly for me. I'd be happier to start Cousins, but I doubt the Falcons start him this week.

Should You Add Tua Tagovailoa?

Tagovailoa underwhelmed in week 3. I had high hopes for him and he let me down. He's got another favorable matchup for week 4, so he's back on the waiver wire list.

He completed 22 of his 34 pass attempts against the Bills on Thursday night. Tagovailoa had just 146 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He avoided a sack and didn't lose any fumbles.

Tagovailoa was pretty good in week 2, but struggled mightily back in week 1. So that's really just one good showing in three tries, so he's not going to be super high on people's streaming list.

His matchup against the Jets is pretty favorable though, so this is a chance to get rolling again. This matchup now sets up more favorably than his one against the Bills was; however, Tagovailoa's struggles in week 3 helped the Bills' numbers improve, so the same could happen with the Jets.

I'd be fine starting him in deeper leagues, and would consider him in some standard leagues, especially because several backup quarterbacks could end up starting again. We'll see where Tagovailoa ranks when I put together my ranking article, but he'll probably end up higher than you think, so don't write him off as a waiver option.

Should You Add Matthew Stafford?

Stafford is the last waiver wire option we will discuss today.

He turned in a pretty good showing against the Eagles in week 3, but it ended in a loss. Stafford was 19-of-33 passing for 196 yards, two scores and a touchdown. That might not seem like a great statline, but it's the tough Eagles' defense we are talking about.

Stafford had at least 245 passing yards in each of the first two weeks of the season. His two TDs and one INT was the same line he delivered in week 2 in a tough test against the Titans. Stafford also faced a tougher Texans' defense back in week 1.

Will Stafford finally have a favorable test in week 4? Nope. He faces a Colts' defense that's been a top-five defense against fantasy quarterbacks through three weeks.

With so many backup quarterbacks starting already, and with a lot of the other top-end fantasy quarterbacks having good matchups in week 4, we need to dig a little deeper for waiver wire options, so Stafford gets a little attention.

He's a bit more trustworthy than some other quarterbacks we've discussed, like Tagovailoa, Penix, Wentz or either Jets' QB, so really he's one of the better options in my eyes.