New Orleans Saints QB Jameis Winston, the 2015 first-overall pick, could be a popular name for fantasy football managers heading into Week 4. Saints starter Derek Carr suffered what has been diagnosed as a sprained AC joint against the Green Bay Packers in a Week 3 loss.
With Carr currently listed as “week-to-week,” is Winston a solid waiver wire option to consider for fantasy football?
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Should Jameis Winston Be a Fantasy Waiver Wire Add in Week 4?
The Saints were 2-0 to start the season and up 17-0 on the Packers at the time of Carr’s shoulder injury. Winston replaced the former Raider early in the third quarter and failed to find a real rhythm for the duration of his appearance, despite finishing with a serviceable line of 10 of 16 passing, 101 yards, and zero turnovers.
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Ironically, it appears Winston will likely be getting his first start of 2023 against a familiar foe, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Monday night reports suggest New Orleans’ plan on being very cautious with Carr. They are highly unlikely to roll him out in Week 4.
The Bucs selected Winston first overall in the 2015 draft and had the 29-year-old FSU product in the building for five seasons. There, Winston eclipsed the 4,000-yard mark on three occasions, including a 5,109-yard tally in his 2019 franchise swan song.
The strong-armed Winston completed a whopping 238 passes of 20+ yards during his Tampa Bay tenure, but expectations on an aggressive downfield approach should probably be tempered during whatever time he’s under center.
Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. has shown a preference for having his quarterbacks operate in the shorter-to-mid-range passing windows, even dating back to Drew Brees’ last several seasons at the helm.
Winston averaged 6.3 yards per attempt during his time in Sunday’s game, and he came into this season with an only slightly better 7.3 YPA during the 14 games he’d played in his three prior seasons with New Orleans.
Nevertheless, Winston will have plenty of weapons at his disposal going into his presumptive Week 4 start. Not only is WR Chris Olave already on his way to building on a terrific rookie season, but additionally, WR Michael Thomas is healthy, WR Rashid Shaheed is a threat to score every time he has the ball, and RB Alvin Kamara has completed his season-opening three-game suspension.
Therefore, Winston will surely be a short-term name to consider against a Buccaneers secondary that’s sprung its share of leaks early in the season.
Apart from the obvious added importance that comes with playing a division rival, Winston will also undoubtedly have a bit of extra incentive while facing his former team as a starter for only the second time. The first came in 2022 when he finished 25 of 40 for 236 yards and a touchdown. Still, he also threw three interceptions.
Turnovers have long been an issue for Winston, so he’s just a short-term fix in both a real-world and fantasy football sense. In fact, he may be just a one-week rental in the latter if you happen to like his Week 4 matchup better than that of another struggling signal-caller on your roster.
While Winston failed to lead New Orleans to any points against Green Bay, a full week of first-team reps and a matchup against a Buccaneers defense he’ll enjoy a one-day rest advantage on should lead to a more productive performance.