Ollie Gordon II and the Best Week 4 Fantasy Football Waiver-Wire Pickups

The 2026 fantasy football season has been a chaotic one, rife with major injuries that have shaken up the NFL landscape and left many managers desperately searching for suitable replacements on waivers.

Waiver claims won't always pan out—just ask those who scooped up Jonah Coleman early last week before it was revealed he had picked up an ankle injury that required a stint on the IR—but it's still the best tool managers have at their disposal to win leagues.

Even if your team has survived this rash of injuries relatively unscathed, late September remains an ideal time to review lineups and make adjustments.

At this point in the season, sleepers who have stayed asleep instead of breaking out can be safely dropped. It may not be time to completely divest yourself of underwhelming early-to-mid-round draft selections, but sending them to the bench while turning over the bottom of the roster in exchange for high-upside talent off waivers will pay dividends down the line.

There are plenty of intriguing free agents who remain widely available, so read on for some advice on which players you should be targeting on waivers ahead of Week 4.

Suggestions are available in approximately half or more of all Yahoo! Sports leagues. Fantasy points and rankings courtesy of FantasyPros' PPR data. Suggested free-agent acquisition budget (FAAB) bids are based on a $100 dollar starting budget.

Quarterback

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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold

Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks (37 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $0-2

Darnold wasted little time knocking off the rust after he returned to the field following a two-week absence. While the Seahawks failed to pick up a win against the Washington Commanders, their signal-caller went off for 29.7 fantasy points in the 33-31 decision.

While Darnold still needs to prove he can put together these types of explosive outings on a regular basis—Darnold's top-five finish was his first since Week 14 of last season and just the fourth he's posted since signing with Seattle—the QB is a completely serviceable fantasy starter now that he's healthy.

Considering Darnold is lacking the same level of rushing support he had last year, it wouldn't be a shock if he's tasked with airing it out a bit more frequently. With 45 throws on Sunday, Darnold tallied his most passing attempts in a game since his 2019 rookie campaign with the New York Jets.

With a vulnerable Los Angeles Chargers defense that both Jacoby Brissett and Kirk Cousins have already shredded this season on tap in Week 4, Darnold could be in for another big day.

Geno Smith, New York Jets (9 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $0-2

A return to the Big Apple has been a massive boon to Smith's career. Although expectations were low going into 2026, the quarterback has kept the Jets competitive in all three of their contests. He wasn't moving the fantasy needle during the first two games, but a top-five showing in Week 3 has the veteran passer back in the low-end QB1 discussion.

Smith dissected the Detroit Lions defense on Sunday, connecting on 31 of his 37 throws for 321 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions. While Smith did lose a fumble, he still finished with a strong 26.0 fantasy points.

Another top-10 outing could be in store for Smith when Gang Green visits the Chicago Bears in Week 4. The Bears struggled to contain opposing quarterbacks over the first two weeks of the 2026 season before clamping down on Jalen Hurts in Week 3, so there's a decent chance this upcoming clash turns into a shootout.

Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders

Suggested FAAB Bid: $0-1

Cousins is doing far more than serving as a temporary bridge quarterback for Fernando Mendoza. While the No. 1 overall pick will inevitably inherit the keys to this offense, the veteran is keeping the rookie at bay with a stellar stretch to open the 2026 campaign.

Although Cousins hasn't been putting up mind-blowing fantasy numbers during Vegas' 3-0 start to the season, he's established himself as a decent starter in wake of back-to-back top-12 finishes. He leads the league with nine touchdown passes—throwing three in each game—and those scores shouldn't slow too much in the coming weeks.

You can't count on Cousins to work as a season-long starter, but those in need of a budget rental can fire up the 38-year-old with confidence as long as he remains the Raiders' starter.

Running Back

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Miami Dolphins running back Ollie Gordon II

Ollie Gordon II, Miami Dolphins (4 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $15-25

Gordon is your top waiver wire target for Week 4. The Dolphins back projects to see a massive uptick in volume with De'Von Achane ruled out for the rest of the 2026 season and should be rostered in nearly every format.

After Achane went down with a torn ACL early in a Week 3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, OG2 became Miami's lead back and contributed a respectable 41 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 totes. He also showed some skills in the passing game, adding 14 receiving yards on three catches. 

Because fellow backup Jaylen Wright was inactive with a foot injury, Gordon was the only Miami backfield member to touch the football outside of Achane on Sunday. Gordon may cede some work to Wright—a more dynamic playmaker, but one who lacks the build to handle a feature role—in the coming weeks, but he's still the top candidate to tally 15-plus touches per week. Gordon has potential to be a significant fantasy asset for that projected volume alone.

Those in deeper leagues may want to snap up Wright as well, but Gordon is the Dolphins rusher to roster if you can only make room for one. The bruising back is a decent bet to emerge as a low-end RB2, high-end RB3 for the remainder of the 2026 campaign.

Braelon Allen, New York Jets (19 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $8-14

In wake of Breece Hall's scary quad injury, Allen becomes one of the main waiver wire draws for Week 4. The backup running back has potential to seamlessly slide into the starter's role and put up similar numbers in an offense that has been clicking as of late.

Allen hasn't seen much work to open the 2026 season—totaling just 13.2 fantasy points across his first three games—but that is poised to change while Hall is set to sidelined for a stretch. While it hasn't been confirmed exactly how long Hall will be out for, the back ominously stated after Sunday's 31-24 defeat to the Detroit Lions that "I felt something when I was running and then got tackled and planted and then felt something else."

Initial reports are that Hall has avoided a season-ending injury, but he's still being considered week-to-week and is highly unlikely to play against the Chicago Bears on Sunday.

Hall had posted RB12 and RB16 finishes in his first two games of the year, logging a team-high 45 touches in that span. Considering New York was content utilizing a two-man platoon that saw Hall garner the lion's share of touches, Allen should assume most of the volume in any game Hall misses, with Isaiah Davis moving up a rung on the depth chart to handle backup duties.

Allen should be considered a potential RB2 for Week 4 and potentially Week 5. He may not be a league-winner, but he's still worth utilizing a decent chunk of FAAB dollars or a high waiver priority to acquire for managers desperate for short-term RB help.

Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints (43 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $5-10

The Saints' decision to sign Travis Etienne Jr. hasn't been paying off. With the pricy running back underwhelming over the first two games and picking up a hamstring injury just after halftime in Week 3, the stage is set for Alvin Kamara to retake control of this platoon.

While Kamara has been dealing with injuries of his own and missed Week 1, he's racked up 63 yards on 24 touches since making his 2026 debut. Those are far from the contributions managers will want to see from a player they'd consider placing in their starting lineup, but there is room for Kamara to vastly improve.

With head coach Kellen Moore confirming that Etienne will miss some time, Kamara becomes the next man up in New Orleans' backfield. Expect Kamara to see a noticeable bump in both offensive snap count and volume, giving him plug-and-play potential in what could be a high-scoring Week 4 battle against the Atlanta Falcons.

Wide Receiver

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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen

Keenan Allen, Indianapolis Colts (21 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $2-4

The Colts' already-thin receiving corps took a major hit when Alec Pierce's nagging heel injury forced him on the IR leading up to the team's Week 3 showdown with the Houston Texans. Despite missing their top wideout, Indy still secured its first win of the 2026 NFL season thanks to an impressive showing from Allen.

While Allen had a relatively quiet start to the year (finishing as the WR38 and WR110 in his first two games in a Colts uniform), the 34-year-old showed he still has some tread left on his tires by reeling in six of his nine targets for 63 yards and a touchdown. His 18.3 fantasy points and WR17 finish marked his best showing since a vintage 11-catch, 119-receiving yard, one-touchdown outing against Indianapolis in Week 7 of last year.

Allen managed to turn back the clock against a stingy Houston secondary, suggesting he's plenty capable of another big performance when the Colts square off with the sieve-like Washington Commanders defense in Week 4. The Commanders have allowed a league-high 31.5 fantasy points per game to opposing WRs in 2026, making Allen the type of waiver target who can immediately slot into your starting lineup if you land him.

Wan'Dale Robinson, Tennessee Titans (47 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $1-3

The Titans' dreadful offensive display that opened the 2026 season led Robinson to become available in most leagues ahead of Week 3. Dropping the diminutive possession receiver proved to be a misstep by managers who went on to watch Robinson have a vintage PPR explosion against his former team on Sunday.

Robinson was one of Tennessee's only productive players in a disheartening 12-7 loss to the New York Giants, bringing in seven of his team-high 11 targets for 57 yards and a touchdown. His 18.7 points were his most as a Titan so far, but he's been no stranger to top-20 finishes. Dating back to Week 12 of last season, Robinson has placed in the top-20 in four of the eight contests he's suited up for.

Although the 0-3 Titans need to tinker with their offense and try to find a way to get Cam Ward going, Robinson should remain a major part of the team's plans and has plenty of flex appeal going into a Week 4 bout with the Baltimore Ravens.

Jakobi Meyers, Jacksonville Jaguars (44 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $1-3

The Jaguars' pecking order has been fluid to open the 2026 NFL season, but a clearer picture is starting to emerge in wake of the team's big Week 3 win over the New England Patriots. Parker Washington is clearly the top option after his explosive stretch to open the year, but Meyers also seems to be back on the fantasy radar following an up-and-down start to the year.

After logging just three targets across the first two games, the Jags got Meyers more involved on Sunday. It resulted in a season-best performance that included seven catches, 64 receiving yards and one touchdown on eight looks.

Meyers has earned the right to be the No. 2 option in Jacksonville's passing attack, outperforming a slumping Brian Thomas Jr.—who was relegated to a rotational role after he caught just three of his nine targets in Week 2—and rookie Josh Cameron. As long as he continues to see the 80-plus percent offensive snap share he's earned over the past two weeks, Meyers will be a starting-caliber fantasy option.

Mack Hollins, New England Patriots (3 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $0-2

The Patriots were dealt a major blow when A.J. Brown went down with a high-ankle sprain. While the team is struggling mightily without its No. 1 wideout, Mack Hollins has jumped out as the main fantasy football beneficiary.

Hollins has hardly come off the field since Brown went down with the ankle issue. He had his best game yet in Week 3, securing six of nine targets for 87 yards. While he's yet to find pay dirt in 2026, it's only a matter of time before he scores with this type of volume.

Don't expect Hollins to continue seeing such a heavy workload once Brown returns, but with New England's WR1 on the shelf until Week 6 at the earliest, fantasy managers can still extract some decent value from this waiver claim.

Tight End

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New York Jets tight end Kenyon Sadiq

Kenyon Sadiq, New York Jets (18 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $8-15

After flirting with TE1 status in the opener, Sadiq finally lived up to his first-round billing with a breakout performance. The rookie went off against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, amassing 23.5 fantasy points in a 31-24 defeat.

Sadiq is quickly establishing himself as a go-to target for quarterback Geno Smith. The 21-year-old posted a 7/105/1 line in Week 3, coming in behind only star wideout Garrett Wilson in terms of looks, catches and receiving yardage in the contest.

Despite missing a large portion of the offseason with injury, Sadiq is already starting to produce at a high level. He's only scratching the surface of his immense potential and should only improve with more reps in this offense.

Any fantasy manager who has been dealing with injuries or ineffective play from their drafted tight ends should consider Sadiq a priority target on waivers ahead of Week 4. You won't get many more opportunities this season to put a claim in on a potential high-end TE1 who can be started on a weekly basis.

Darren Waller, Carolina Panthers (14 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $1-3

Waller surprisingly showed he could be more than a touchdown-dependent fantasy contributor in Week 3.

After generating some waiver wire buzz following his three-catch, 14-receiving yard, two-touchdown performance the prior week, the veteran tight end managed another double-digit fantasy point day despite failing to find the end zone in Carolina's 21-18 defeat to the Cleveland Browns.

Due to a rash of injuries to the Panthers' crop of pass-catchers, Waller wound up playing a much larger role than the one he assumed over the first two weeks of the campaign. The hulking tight end tallied his highest volume of offensive snaps (39), targets, receptions and receiving yardage since joining the club and could continue to build on those now that top receiver Jalen Coker has joined fellow wideout Xavier Legette on the injury report.

Terrance Ferguson, Los Angeles Rams (37 Percent Rostered)

Suggested FAAB Bid: $0-2

Ferguson remains up for grabs in most leagues despite his strong Week 2 showing against the Baltimore Ravens. An ankle injury picked up in Sunday night's loss to the Denver Broncos ruined any chances of building on that TE8 finish, but Ferguson is still worth stashing for his upside at a position that largely lacks stable contributors in fantasy football.

With Puka Nacua dealing with a nagging groin injury, there are plenty of targets up for grabs in L.A.'s offense. The team picked up its lone victory of the 2026 season in a contest Ferguson showed out in and should get sophomore tight end heavily involved whenever he returns to the field.

Although Ferguson is facing an uphill battle to return for a Week 4 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles, he's avoided an IR stint and could be good to insert into your starting lineup when the Rams meet the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football the following week.