Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Week 4: Top Pickups, FAAB Bids and Streamers After Week 3

Three weeks are in the books, and the fantasy football waiver wire has officially moved from “nice to have” to season-shaping. Week 3 brought major injuries at running back, new target leaders at wide receiver and several tight ends who are beginning to look like legitimate weekly starters.

The biggest development came in Miami, where De’Von Achane suffered a season-ending torn ACL. Ollie Gordon II handled the backfield after Achane left, while Jaylen Wright remains another important add if healthy. In New York, Breece Hall is considered week to week with a quad injury, immediately pushing Braelon Allen into the priority-claim conversation. Those two backfields should drive aggressive FAAB spending this week. NFL.com’s Week 4 waiver report also places Allen and Gordon among the top available running backs.

This board is built primarily for 12-team PPR redraft leagues. FAAB recommendations assume a $100 starting budget, so adjust based on roster needs, league depth and how much money your opponents still have available.

1. Ollie Gordon II, RB, Miami Dolphins

Gordon is the first player I am checking for in every league. Achane’s season-ending ACL tear creates a massive vacancy in Miami’s backfield, and Gordon handled all of the available running back work after Achane exited against Kansas City. He finished with 17 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown while catching all three of his targets for 14 yards.

Jaylen Wright can still complicate this once healthy, but Gordon has the size and immediate availability to handle early-down and goal-line work. Running backs with a realistic path to 15-plus touches do not stay on waivers for long.

FAAB: 25–35%   Priority: No. 1 overall add

2. Braelon Allen, RB, New York Jets

Allen becomes a premium short-term add because Breece Hall is considered week to week after suffering a quad injury against Detroit. If Hall misses Week 4, Allen has an obvious path to starter-level volume against Chicago.

There is uncertainty because we do not yet know Hall’s exact timetable, so I would not automatically outbid a desperate Achane manager for Allen. But the upside is straightforward: if Hall misses multiple games, Allen can produce RB2 numbers.

FAAB: 20–30%   Priority: Aggressive RB claim

3. Juwan Johnson, TE, New Orleans Saints

At some point, we have to stop calling Johnson a streamer and start calling him a weekly starter. He followed consecutive double-digit fantasy outings with eight catches for 53 yards and two touchdowns in Week 3. Through Sunday, he ranked as the No. 3 fantasy tight end behind Trey McBride and Travis Kelce.

If Johnson is still available in your league, this is probably the last inexpensive opportunity to fix the position.

FAAB: 12–18%   Priority: Every-week TE add

4. Mack Hollins, WR, New England Patriots

With A.J. Brown expected to remain out into mid-October, Hollins has stepped into a meaningful role in New England. He caught six of nine targets for 87 yards in Week 3 and owns the Patriots’ highest target share through three games.

This is not merely touchdown chasing. The targets and route involvement support a usable PPR floor until Brown returns.

FAAB: 10–15%   Priority: Priority WR add

5. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, New York Jets

Sadiq delivered the breakout fantasy managers were waiting for: seven catches on eight targets for 105 yards and a touchdown against Detroit. The rookie was a first-round investment for a reason, and a game like this is enough to move him out of the speculative tier.

We should not project 100 yards every week, but eight targets at tight end are extremely difficult to ignore.

FAAB: 8–12%   Priority: Upside TE add

6. Keenan Allen, WR, Indianapolis Colts

Allen saw a season-high nine targets in Week 3, turning them into six catches for 63 yards and his first touchdown with Indianapolis. With Alec Pierce on injured reserve, the veteran has a clearer short-term route to meaningful PPR volume.

The Week 4 matchup against Washington makes him particularly appealing as an immediate FLEX option.

7. Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Wicks cooled off Monday night with two catches for 32 yards on five targets, but that does not erase the role he established over the first two weeks. He remains Philadelphia’s primary receiver behind DeVonta Smith and entered Monday averaging elite efficiency on his routes.

This is a classic case of buying the role rather than chasing the latest box score.

8. Jaylen Wright, RB, Miami Dolphins

Wright missed Week 3 with stinger and foot issues, which allowed Gordon to dominate the replacement work. That does not mean Miami’s backfield has already been decided. Wright has more explosive speed and could eventually claim a substantial share once healthy.

If you miss on Gordon, Wright is one of my favorite secondary claims of the week.

9. Kirk Cousins, QB, Las Vegas Raiders

Cousins has thrown three touchdown passes in each of his first three games and topped 20 fantasy points in each of the last two. With Brock Bowers back in the lineup, the Raiders have enough receiving talent to keep Cousins firmly in the streaming conversation.

He is not a rushing quarterback, so the floor will always depend on passing touchdowns. Right now, he is producing enough of them to matter.

10. Brenton Strange, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars

Strange is primarily a matchup play for Week 4, but it is a good one. Cincinnati continues to allow opposing tight ends to find space, and Strange has produced efficiently on limited opportunities.

If you are streaming the position rather than searching for a permanent solution, Strange belongs near the top of the one-week list.

11. Keaton Mitchell, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Mitchell’s involvement is becoming increasingly difficult for Omarion Hampton managers to ignore. He received five red-zone snaps in Week 3 and scored the Chargers’ lone touchdown on a one-yard shovel pass.

He still needs an injury or larger workload to become a dependable starter, but his explosiveness and red-zone usage make him one of the better upside stashes available.

12. Malik Washington, WR, Miami Dolphins

Miami’s offense has struggled to find explosive production, but Washington’s usage keeps improving. He led the Dolphins with 10 targets and 34 routes in Week 3, catching five passes for 56 yards.

Achane’s injury could also create a few designed rushing opportunities. In PPR leagues, Washington is the type of volume-based FLEX option worth rostering before the touchdowns arrive.

13. Darren Waller, TE, Carolina Panthers

Waller did not need a touchdown to return useful fantasy production in Week 3. He caught five passes for 51 yards on a team-high eight targets, which is far more interesting than simply chasing his red-zone reputation.

If that target involvement continues, Waller has a path to becoming a weekly low-end TE1.

14. Geno Smith, QB, New York Jets

Smith is a pure Week 4 streamer. He has posted 15.58 and 26.04 fantasy points over his last two games and now gets a Chicago defense that has already shown it can give up explosive passing production.

I would rather roster Cousins for the longer term, but Geno is absolutely playable for managers working the matchups.

15. Daniel Jones, QB, Indianapolis Colts

Jones has not been a strong fantasy option through three games, but Week 4 gives him a favorable matchup against Washington. The Commanders have been one of the league’s friendliest defenses for opposing fantasy quarterbacks.

This is a one-week deep-league play, not a rest-of-season endorsement.

Week 4 Waiver Approach

This is a week to spend FAAB if you need a running back.

Ollie Gordon II has the clearest opportunity because Achane is done for the season. Braelon Allen could immediately become an RB2 if Hall misses time. At tight end, Juwan Johnson has done enough to graduate from streaming consideration into weekly-start territory.

The wide receiver market is thinner. Hollins offers the cleanest immediate role, while Wicks, Keenan Allen and Malik Washington are more about buying target volume before the fantasy scores fully follow.

Most importantly, do not save your entire FAAB budget waiting for a perfect player who may never appear. Injuries are creating real opportunity right now. When the workload is available, fantasy managers should be willing to pay for it.

Source notes: Week 4 availability, roster percentages, injury context and usage trends were cross-checked against NFL.com and FantasyPros.

 

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