Week 3 was another brutal week for fantasy football managers.
Let's round up all of the major injuries, shall we? Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is expected to miss multiple weeks
with a thumb injury. Dolphins running back De'Von Achane is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. Jets RB Breece Hall left Sunday's game with a thigh injury and didn't return. Saints RB Travis Etienne left his matchup with a hamstring injury and was unable to return. Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson exited with an ankle injury and didn't return. 49ers wideout Mike Evans left his game with a rib injury and didn't return. Panthers WR Jalen Coker suffered another quad injury, putting his availability this week in question. Woof.Thankfully, we can
already start looking ahead to Week 4.
Here's an early look at Week 4 fantasy football rankings. Toggle between standard, half PPR (point per reception) and full PPR to see where players rank in your league’s format. Scroll to the bottom to view the complete rankings.
Our team at USA TODAY Sports has you covered with plenty of content to help with your Week 4 waiver wire and roster decisions. Looking for up-to-date player news? We’ve got it. Wondering who the best waiver-wire claims are? We have that covered, so you can make your pickups. Need to know what players you can drop? We have that as well. We also have a list of the 10 best buy low/sell high candidates and our biggest winners and losers from Week 3.
Please note: These rankings will change significantly as the week goes on. Check back on Sunday morning for final updates.
(The risers and sleepers sections will focus on players available in at least 50% of Yahoo leagues. All snap and target data from PFF.)
Week 4 fantasy football quarterback rankings: Risers and sleepers
- Colts QB Daniel Jones (21%) - Danny Dimes has gotten off to a slow start, ranking as the QB28 through three weeks, but that could all change in Week 4. Jones will be going up a Commanders team that's ceded the second-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in 2026, surrendering at least 25 points to each of Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott and Sam Darnold.
- Commanders QB Marcus Mariota (3%) - Opposing Jones will be Commanders backup quarterback Marcus Mariota. Over the last two seasons, in the eight contests where Mariota had 19+ attempts, he ranked as the QB6, QB17, QB19, QB13, QB9, QB3, QB23 and QB13. He's a solid streamer against a Colts defense that's given up the third-most fantasy points to the position.
Week 4 fantasy football running back rankings: Risers and sleepers
- Dolphins RBs Jaylen Wright (2%) and Ollie Gordon (5%) - In terms of snaps, Achane had been of the league's leading bellcows prior to tearing his ACL. That opens up an entire backfield, albeit for the league's worst offense. Ollie Gordon filled in after Achane went down, totaling 20 touches, 65 yards and a score. That said, Jaylen Wright was inactive due to an injury. Both Miami backs should be rostered, though neither is worth blowing a huge chunk of FAAB for.
- Jets RB Braelon Allen (19%) - Of all the backs likely filling in for injured teammates, Allen has the clearest path to a workhorse role. Through three games, Allen and Hall are the only two running backs to register a carry or target for the Jets. A Week 4 matchup with the Bears sure doesn't hurt Allen's prospects.
- Saints RBs Alvin Kamara (43%) and Kendre Miller (1%) - Etienne's injury is likely to result in another split backfield. Per JJ Zachariason, Kamara out-snapped Miller 15-to-9 following the injury. The veteran was one of the worst running backs in football last year and hasn't looked much better in 2026. That said, volume in a productive offense is still worth something. Both Kamara and Miller are streamable plug-in options while Etienne is out.
- Chargers RB Keaton Mitchell (32%) - On Sunday, Keaton Mitchell played just three fewer snaps than Omarion Hampton while garnering 11 opportunities (8 carries, 3 targets). Mitchell turned that usage into 47 yards and a score. Given the Chargers' offensive struggles in 2026 and the fact that Mitchell is averaging 1.1 more yards per carry than his counterpart, it's entirely possible that this will remain a split backfield for the foreseeable future. The 24-year-old should be rostered in more than 32% of leagues.
Week 4 fantasy football wide receiver rankings: Risers and sleepers
- Colts WR Keenan Allen (21%) - In Indianapolis' first game without Alec Pierce, Allen ranked second among Colts wideouts in snaps and targets. The veteran turned his nine targets into six receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown. Allen was also the recepient of two of the team's five red zone targets. He will be on the WR3 radar while Pierce remains out of the lineup.
- Patriots WR Mack Hollins (3%) - Against the Jaguars, Hollins led all New England wideouts in snaps (48), routes (27) and targets (9). He's a solid streamer in PPR formats against a Bills team that's allowed the third-most receptions and fantasy points to opposing wideouts this season.
- Other WRs to consider: Dolphins WR Chris Bell (4%), Panthers WR Brycen Tremayne (0%), Chargers WR Tre' Harris (4%).
Week 4 fantasy football tight end rankings: Risers and sleepers
- Jets TE Kenyon Sadiq (19%) - From a pure upside perspective, Sadiq might be the best add this week. The Jets rookie finished second on the team in targets (8), which he turned into seven receptions for 105 yards and a score. Given the difficulty of finding a high-end contributor at tight end, Sadiq is worth targeting for those in need of upside at the position.
- Panthers TE Darren Waller (14%) - The "streamer of the week" title goes to Waller, who led the Panthers in targets on Sunday. In Week 4, the veteran will take on a Lions defense that's surrendering 8.6 more fantasy points to opposing tight ends than any other team in the league.
Early Week 4 fantasy football rankings: PPR and standard
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Early Week 4 fantasy football rankings: 12 risers and sleepers
