Emmanuel Sanders Waiver Wire Week 4: Fantasy analysis for Bills WR

Veteran wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders refuses to disappear from the fantasy radar. In the preseason, the Buffalo Bills’ fantasy football crush of enthusiasts and pundits alike seemed to be Gabriel Davis. But it’s been newcomer Sanders — the 34-year-old yet seemingly ageless veteran journeyman — that has stepped up. Is he worth an add on the waiver wire?

Emmanuel Sanders’ role in Buffalo

Sanders finished as the WR4 in half-PPR scoring in Week 3, totaling 23.9 fantasy points with 5 receptions, 94 yards, and 2 touchdowns. While he was third on the Bills in targets, he stepped up in a big way with his efficiency. 

Last year, Buffalo utilized at least three wide receivers for 86% of their plays. Through three weeks, they’re continuing the same philosophy, deploying a spread formation 81% of the time.

Many thought it would be Davis that stepped into the third spot after John Brown was released, but Sanders has relegated Davis to fourth in the pecking order. Davis played just 51% of the snaps in Week 1, 32% in Week 2, and 29% in Week 3. Meanwhile, Sanders feasted on the outside as a veteran deep threat, playing 80% of the snaps this past weekend. 

He is seeing the field with regularity, quickly learning the playbook, and creating a report with quarterback Josh Allen in his first season in Buffalo.

Sanders’ fantasy outlook

Sanders has not been a consistent fantasy producer since his time with the Denver Broncos, where he topped 1,000 receiving yards for three straight years from 2014-2016. He’s often acted as a deep threat that cashes in on splash plays, much like he did in Sunday’s game. 

Because Sanders is not a highly-targeted WR, he’s even more valuable in standard or half-PPR scoring than in PPR. That trend should continue in Buffalo.

Sanders steps into a role where one or two big plays — attached to Allen’s cannon of an arm — can make his week in fantasy football. Allen has attempted the fourth-most passes in the NFL through three weeks. This makes all of his starting wideouts potentially fantasy viable. Sanders appears to be locked into the third wide receiver role in an offense that uses three WRs on a heavy basis. As a result, he has a good shot at returning at least flex value every week.

Having already logged 194 receiving yards in his first three games, Sanders could be on his way to his first 1,000-yard receiving season since 2016. There’s also a chance he could surpass his career-high of 9 touchdowns in a season, which he set with Peyton Manning in 2014. 

Should you claim Sanders off the waiver wire?

In fantasy football, it can be incredibly tempting to chase points. However, there needs to be a reliable reason why a player is worth a waiver addition. It can be due to a higher-than-expected workload, an injury to someone in front of them, or a pattern of productivity. 

Sanders is 34 years old, but he looks fantastic. He fits perfectly in Brian Daboll’s offense. Sanders is certainly worth adding in redraft leagues. He can be a weekly flex option with the same high ceiling he displayed this week.