Three Sundays of fantasy football in the books. Time for the Week 4 waiver wire. Some of the names listed below might end up winning leagues. At the very least, several of them could be difference-makers in the immediate future. Do not take the waiver wire for granted — this is where the rubber meets the road in our imaginary game. I’ll be here every week from now until fantasy championships. Hope to have you along for the full ride. Let’s win some hardware.
Injuries, injuries, injuries. Week 3 was a fantasy massacre, as big names such as Baker Mayfield, De’Von Achane, Breece Hall, Travis Etienne Jr., Justin Jefferson, Garrett Wilson, Mike Evans and Jalen Coker all went down with various ailments. Obviously, fantasy managers suffered as a result of their absences. The worst might be Achane, who suffered a knee injury in a loss to the Chiefs. After the game, Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley said the injury does not sound very optimistic.
Well, that’s just wonderful news. So, for those most affected, it’s time to tighten your bootstraps and hit the waiver wire hard, as these injuries have increased the value of several players for Week 4 and beyond.
As we get deeper into the 2026 fantasy football season, the viable options off the waiver wire are going to get pretty thin. Injuries are going to open things up for most of the top adds moving forward, and going into Week 4, that’s precisely the case. We’re here to get you ahead of the game and ready to make your waiver plans. Below are some early pickups off the waiver wire to consider as we approach the end of Week 3.
De’Von Achane Injury Impact on Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are tracking to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season. That doesn’t mean they can’t have at least a few viable fantasy football options. Perhaps the only one was RB De’Von Achane, who exited in the first quarter versus the Chiefs in Week 3 due to a knee injury. Initial comments from Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley suggest it could be a serious injury for Achane. If that is the case, we know Gordon’s role will increase plenty. After Achane left the contest, Gordon immediately scored a touchdown on what was one of Miami’s best drives of the season. He ended up finishing the game with 17 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown (3 catches, 14 yards) for 13.4 fantasy points.
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Sam Darnold Performance Against the Commanders
Sam Darnold returned from injury with a massive 379-yard, four-touchdown effort against the Commanders. It was far from a flawless performance, since he did throw two interceptions and the Seahawks ultimately lost the game. However, Darnold reminded everyone that he can be a viable fantasy streaming option. Don’t forget, last year Darnold put up seven top-10 weekly finishes. While I wouldn’t want to roll with him as my fantasy starter, he’s someone you can use to cover injuries or bye weeks.
Sam Darnold returned with 379 passing yards and four touchdowns. Apparently, he had some fantasy points to make up for. The matchups won’t always be this friendly, but Darnold looked great. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks continue to struggle running the ball, potentially forcing them to lean more heavily on the passing game. With Jaxon Smith-Njigba looking unstoppable, that doesn’t sound like a terrible idea. Darnold probably should be rostered as a QB2 in every league. Even if you don’t need to start him immediately, he’s a useful option to have available when injuries, bye weeks, or matchups send you searching for an alternative.
Injuries ruined a lot of fantasy football matchups in Week 3, as De’Von Achane, Breece Hall, and Justin Jefferson were knocked out of their respective games early. Your Week 4 waiver wire pickups can help you overcome any depth issues you may have with these injuries. The following list includes players who are rostered below or near 50 percent of all ESPN rosters, as this week’s list focuses on potential game winners and not depth pieces.
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Braelon Allen Waiver Wire Priority for Week 4
Braelon Allen finds himself atop the Week 4 waiver wire pickups, as Hall is dealing with a quad injury that currently has him listed as ‘week-to-week.’ Stepping in for Hall is nothing new for Allen, as he has the two-way ability to play a role in both the passing and running games. The Jets have the Bears and Browns up next, two enticing matchups for Allen, putting him firmly on the RB2 radar if Hall is ruled out.
As you intensify your planning process for Week 4, you may be contending with injuries that were sustained by multiple backs during their Week 3 matchups. That has blended with uninspiring workloads and other production-inhibiting factors to create an escalating number of challenges that many of you will need to manage. It will also be beneficial to factor the impending return of bye weeks into your roster construction and lineup decisions. That unwanted process will launch during Week 5, when running backs from the Panthers and Chiefs will be unavailable. All teams that will be impacted in Weeks 5-8 are included below, which can serve as a tool as you manage your rosters. This column is also designed to help you overcome all challenging developments by identifying the best running backs available on your waiver wire. That will include this week’s top priorities, secondary options, high upside handcuffs, and deep league stashes.