Week 3 was brutal.
De’Von Achane is done for the season. Breece Hall left with a quad injury. Roles are changing quickly, and suddenly several backfields and passing games look very different than they did a week ago.
That makes this one of the more important waiver runs of the young season.
As always, we aren’t chasing last week’s fantasy points. We’re looking for opportunity, usage and roles that can survive beyond one game.
All players below are rostered in less than 50% of FantasyPros leagues at the time of this week’s rankings.
Priority Adds
1. Ollie Gordon II, RB, Miami Dolphins — 2.8% rostered
Delta FAAB: 25-35%
This is the player I’m willing to get aggressive for.
De’Von Achane suffered a season-ending ACL injury, and Gordon immediately inherited the workload with Jaylen Wright unavailable. Gordon finished with 17 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown after Achane exited.
Wright will factor into this backfield when healthy, so Gordon shouldn’t automatically be projected for an Achane-sized workload.
But we’re not buying a one-week injury replacement here.
We’re buying access to an unsettled backfield with a season’s worth of touches suddenly available.
Delta View: FantasyPros ranks Gordon third overall. We’re moving him to No. 1 because the opportunity isn’t dependent on another player missing only a week or two.
2. Braelon Allen, RB, New York Jets — 18.5%
Delta FAAB: 15-20%
Allen’s value changed the moment Breece Hall went down.
Hall is considered week-to-week after his MRI revealed less damage than initially feared. That distinction matters when deciding how aggressively to bid.
Allen hasn’t forced a bigger role through production. He has 19 carries for 61 yards and one touchdown through three games, with his rushing workload declining from 10 carries in Week 1 to five in Week 2 and four in Week 3. He did catch three passes after Hall exited against Detroit.
So let’s be clear about what we’re buying.
We’re not buying an emerging committee back.
We’re buying the player positioned to inherit Hall’s workload if Hall misses time.
That’s valuable. It’s just different from Gordon’s situation.
Delta View: Allen has immediate starting upside if Hall sits, but the likely shorter injury window moves him below Gordon and trims our FAAB recommendation from the initial 15-25% range.
3. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, New York Jets — 34.1%
Delta FAAB: 12-18%
This is exactly the kind of breakout we want to chase.
Sadiq erupted for seven receptions, 105 yards and a touchdown against Detroit.
More importantly, this wasn’t a random touchdown on three targets. New York actively featured him, and Aaron Glenn praised both Sadiq’s athleticism and football intelligence afterward while indicating the Jets intend to continue utilizing his versatility.
At a position where fantasy managers spend most weeks hoping for four catches and a touchdown, emerging volume matters.
Delta View: Sadiq isn’t just a Week 4 streamer. There’s a legitimate path to a season-long difference-maker at TE.
4. Keenan Allen, WR, Indianapolis Colts — 21.4%
Delta FAAB: 8-12%
Sometimes boring production is still production.
With Alec Pierce on injured reserve, Indianapolis has available targets. Allen remains part of that equation while the Colts work through a receiving corps that has also added Darius Slayton.
Age limits the ceiling, but opportunity doesn’t care about age.
If Allen continues commanding usable volume, he can provide a PPR floor while Pierce is unavailable.
Delta View: We’re buying targets here, not name recognition.
5. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints — 47.5%
Delta FAAB: 8-15%
Kamara barely qualifies for this list, but under 50% is under 50%.
His return has created a messy New Orleans backfield rather than immediately restoring the old Kamara role. That uncertainty keeps us from spending heavily.
But we’re still talking about a back who can contribute both as a runner and receiver, and players with that profile don’t belong on waiver wires in competitive leagues.
Delta View: The role needs clarity, but the price of finding out should be higher than 47.5% rostership.
6. Keaton Mitchell, RB, Los Angeles Chargers — 28.8%
Delta FAAB: 7-12%
Los Angeles Chargers.
Mitchell’s role has quietly grown in three consecutive games.
He went from four carries in Week 1 to five carries plus a reception in Week 2. In Week 3 against Buffalo, Mitchell handled eight carries for 52 yards and caught three passes, including a receiving touchdown.
That’s the trajectory we’re interested in.
Omarion Hampton remains ahead of him, so we’re not projecting a takeover. But Mitchell’s explosiveness gives him a chance to create standalone value if the Chargers continue giving him 10-plus opportunities.
And if anything changes ahead of him?
Now we have contingent upside too.
Delta View: One of my favorite combinations of standalone value + contingent upside on this week’s wire.
7. Malik Washington, WR, Miami Dolphins — 24.8%
Delta FAAB: 5-10%
Miami’s offense is changing rapidly, and Washington may be establishing himself as part of whatever comes next.
He drew 10 targets in Week 3, catching five for 56 yards against Kansas City.
Ten targets get our attention.
Achane’s season-ending injury also removes a massive piece of Miami’s offense, which means touches have to be redistributed somewhere.
Delta View: Don’t overthink this one in PPR formats. Volume creates fantasy points, and Washington just showed us volume.
8. Chris Bell, WR, Miami Dolphins — 6.4%
Delta FAAB: 4-8%
Here’s the cheaper Miami bet.
Bell caught four passes for a team-high 67 yards in Week 3 while Caleb Douglas was unavailable.
His 6.4% rostership makes him particularly attractive in deeper leagues because you’re paying almost nothing to find out whether the role sticks.
There’s more uncertainty here than with Malik Washington, but that’s reflected in the price.
Delta View: Washington is the safer target. Bell may be the better stash if you’re hunting ceiling rather than immediate lineup help.
9. Mike Washington Jr., RB, Las Vegas Raiders — 39.4%
Delta FAAB: 4-8%
Now we actually have something tangible to work with.
Washington turned only five Week 3 carries into 54 yards and a touchdown, including a 36-yard scoring run. Through three games, the rookie has 15 carries for 102 yards — 6.8 yards per carry — and a touchdown.
The problem is volume.
Ashton Jeanty remains the backfield centerpiece, so five carries aren’t enough to create dependable weekly fantasy value.
But that’s not why we’re adding Washington.
We’re adding a 228-pound rookie who is producing when given opportunities and already has a defined role behind Jeanty. The Raiders have also publicly discussed the possibility of utilizing both backs.
Delta View: Don’t chase the 10.8 yards per carry from Week 3. Chase the combination of efficiency, an established secondary role and the contingent upside that comes with rostering the back directly behind Jeanty.
10. Darren Waller, TE, Carolina Panthers — 18.5%
Delta FAAB: 3-6%
Carolina Panthers
Waller’s role is trending in the right direction.
After catching three passes for 33 yards and two touchdowns against Atlanta in Week 2, Waller drew eight targets in Week 3, catching five for 51 yards. Through three games he has 10 receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns on 13 targets.
That’s enough involvement to matter at tight end.
I’m not treating him like an every-week TE1 yet. But if you’re streaming the position, an eight-target game following two red-zone touchdowns is worth our attention.
Delta View: Sadiq offers the higher breakout ceiling. Waller offers the cheaper veteran volume/red-zone play.
The Player I’m Downgrading
Terrance Ferguson, TE, Los Angeles Rams — 36.9%
FantasyPros has Ferguson 14th overall in the uploaded waiver rankings, but this is where current information has to override the static board.
Ferguson aggravated his ankle against Denver, and Sean McVay described the injury as a medial ankle sprain while indicating Ferguson is likely to miss Week 4.
I’m not dropping Ferguson in deeper formats. But I’m also not spending meaningful Week 4 FAAB on a player who may immediately occupy an injury slot.
Delta View: Stash rather than priority claim.
Deeper Adds
Mack Hollins, WR, New England Patriots — 3.1%
Delta FAAB: 2-4%
Hollins led New England with six receptions for 87 yards in Week 3.
At 3.1% rostered, that’s an inexpensive bet on additional opportunity rather than a commitment that the breakout will continue.
Delta View: Deep-league target. Make the next week of usage prove whether Week 3 was signal or noise.
Jaylen Wright, RB, Miami Dolphins — 2.3%
Delta FAAB: 5-10%
Don’t assume Gordon getting the first opportunity settles Miami’s backfield.
Wright was unavailable when Achane went down, and Gordon capitalized. With Achane gone for the season, however, Miami has a much larger workload to redistribute.
Delta View: Gordon gets priority because he has possession of the role today. Wright is exactly the kind of cheap second bet we want to make on an unsettled backfield.
Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Philadelphia Eagles — 37.7%
Delta FAAB: 3-6%
Wicks entered Week 3 with seven receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets through Philadelphia’s first two games. He was averaging 21 yards per reception.
The Eagles have already shown they’re willing to use him as more than a low-aDOT possession receiver.
Delta View: The volume still needs to grow, but explosive production plus an established role makes Wicks a better bench bet than another low-ceiling WR5.
Quarterback
I’m not forcing a six-player quarterback ranking just because FantasyPros provides one.
In standard 1QB formats, none of the available quarterbacks clears the threshold where I want to spend meaningful FAAB instead of playing matchups.
Geno Smith is at least coming off a 321-yard, three-touchdown performance against Detroit, which puts him firmly in the streaming conversation.
Kirk Cousins also belongs on the matchup-based streaming radar after throwing three touchdowns in Las Vegas’ Week 3 win.
Michael Penix Jr. and Marcus Mariota remain deeper options rather than priority waiver expenditures.
Delta View: In 1QB, save the budget and stream. In Superflex, starting quarterbacks are a completely different asset class and should be treated accordingly.
Delta Week 4 Priority Board
| Rank | Player | Pos. | Rostered | Delta FAAB |
| 1 | Ollie Gordon II | RB | 2.8% | 25-35% |
| 2 | Braelon Allen | RB | 18.5% | 15-20% |
| 3 | Kenyon Sadiq | TE | 34.1% | 12-18% |
| 4 | Keenan Allen | WR | 21.4% | 8-12% |
| 5 | Alvin Kamara | RB | 47.5% | 8-15% |
| 6 | Keaton Mitchell | RB | 28.8% | 7-12% |
| 7 | Malik Washington | WR | 24.8% | 5-10% |
| 8 | Chris Bell | WR | 6.4% | 4-8% |
| 9 | Mike Washington Jr. | RB | 39.4% | 4-8% |
| 10 | Darren Waller | TE | 18.5% | 3-6% |
Final Word
Waiver wires are usually where fantasy managers react to what already happened.
The edge comes from identifying what changed — and how long that change is likely to matter.
For Miami, Achane’s injury created a season-long redistribution of touches. That’s why Gordon sits atop the Delta board.
For the Jets, Hall’s injury creates immediate value for Allen, but potentially less durable value. Allen hasn’t been producing his way into a larger role. His value comes from the opportunity directly in front of him.
Then there are players like Sadiq, Mitchell and Mike Washington Jr.
Their value isn’t based entirely on an injury.
Their roles or production are beginning to move.
Those are different signals, and they shouldn’t carry the same price.
Don’t pay for last week’s box score.
Pay for the opportunity that could still be there next week.
Finding Value Before the Market Catches Up.