Week 4 Waiver Wire Breakout Fantasy Football Pickups from Sunday's Box Scores

This NFL season has been a difficult one to pin down. The Las Vegas Raiders are 3–0, the winless Atlanta Falcons beat the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots quarterback and Super Bowl runner-up Drake Maye looks like he forgot how to throw a football. 

The uncertainty has extended to fantasy, as well. So far, preseason expectations for players like Broncos wideout Courtland Sutton, Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts and and Seahawks wideout DK Metcalf haven't come to fruition. Then, as they always do, injuries have complicated the picture further. 

Unfortunately, that was the case on Sunday, when star running backs Breece Hall and De'Von Achane of the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins, respectively, left their games due to injuries with their status for Week 4 and beyond. 

The players who stepped up in Hall's and Achane's absences are obvious waiver adds, but so too is a rookie tight end who made the most of the opportunities he was given and is confirmed by his coach to be in line for more targets moving forward. 

Let's break down which of these breakout players should be on your waiver list for Week 4. To be considered a "breakout" performance, a player must have been rostered in 50% of leagues or fewer coming into Week 3. 

Scoring and rostered percentages via FantasyPros.

Braelon Allen, RB, New York Jets

AP Photo

Week 3 stats: 4 att, 14 rush yds, 3 rec, 3 rec yds, 4.7 pts

Rostered: 17%

One week after posting his first touchdown of the season in the Jets' loss to the Packers, running back Braelon Allen didn't factor much into his team's loss to the Lions, totaling 14 yards on four rushing attempts and bringing in three receptions. 

But it's not because of a standout performance this week that managers are going to be submitting waiver claims for Allen ahead of Week 4. The injury-addled New York Jets suffered another wave of losses on Sunday, as lead running back Breece Hall, star wideout Garrett Wilson and guard Dylan Parham all suffered injuries. 

While the Jets got good news that Wilson was evaluated and cleared for a concussion, no such update has come for Hall, who was ruled out with a thigh injury. 

The Jets are in the top third of the league in terms of rushing yards so far this season, and Hall has had 13 or more attempts in all three games this season. There's plenty of opportunity in the New York backfield; Allen just wasn't seeing much of it before. That could change if Hall is out for the Week 4 matchup against the Bears.

Ollie Gordon II, RB, Miami Dolphins 

Alie Skowronski/Getty Images

Week 3 stats: 17 att, 41 rush yds, 1 rush TD, 3 rec, 3 rec yds, 14.5 pts

Rostered: 1%

The Dolphins found themselves in a bad spot on Sunday when, at one point, their only two active tailbacks both left the game with injuries. 

De'Von Achane appeared to injure his knee early in the game, and while he was initially listed as questionable, he was later downgraded to out. The entire backfield then hinged on backup Ollie Gordon, as Jaylen Wright was inactive with a foot injury. 

Gordon shouldered the load beautifully…until he headed to the medical tent, then the locker room, and was deemed questionable to return with cramps. The Dolphins' rushing situation was then truly dire, but thankfully, Gordon was able to return to the game in the fourth quarter. 

Unfortunately, the Dolphins may be without Achane for quite some time. Head coach Jeff Hafley said after the game that the knee injury news "does not sound very optimistic."

If Achane has to miss significant time, Gordon has demonstrated that he's capable of producing in his absence…as long as he too can remain healthy. 

Kenyon Sadiq, TE, New York Jets

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Week 3 stats: 7 rec, 105 yds, 1 rec TD, 23.5 pts

Rostered: 33%

Not every waiver target this week makes the cut simply because a starter suffered an injury. Some, like Jets tight end Kenyon Sadiq, proved that they deserve a spot on your roster by seizing the opportunities they were given and making the most of them. 

The Jets rookie had a quiet first two weeks of the season, seeing three targets in each game, though he did log a rushing touchdown in Week 1. However, in the Week 3 loss to the Lions, head coach Aaron Glenn unleashed Saqid and was rewarded for it. 

Sadiq saw eight targets, hauling in seven of them for more than 100 yards and a receiving touchdown for 23.5 points. 

"Now is the time to throw a lot at him," Glenn said, music to fantasy managers' ears. "He is getting every rep possible to be able to do that." Praising Sadiq's ability to play multiple positions, Glenn added, "We want him to continue to grow in that aspect and try to get him the ball because we saw what he could do."

You heard the man. Submit your claim for Sadiq and hope your rivals weren't paying attention.