Achane Tears His ACL, J.J. McCarthy Is a Giant, and Week 4 Waiver Wire Must-Add Players

Kamara is described as 'kind of washed' and is being considered only as a one or two week stop gap option at running back, despite the Saints having run 222 plays through three weeks—60 more than Tennessee—which is a huge volume advantage that alone should make him more attractive if he were healthy or in form.

Alvin Kamara is positioned as the likely beneficiary of Travis Henry's hamstring injury for the Saints, expected to play more snaps due to his veteran status and experience, though the source notes he is 'kind of washed' compared to Kendra Miller.

Austin Ekeler signed with Washington; the source is uncertain whether he should be added but wanted to mention the signing.

Austin Ekeler has signed with Washington after coming off an Achilles tear; the source mentions his return to the NFL but does not provide a strong recommendation to add him, suggesting cautious evaluation given his injury recovery status.

Mayfield has a dislocated thumb and is questionable for the Buccaneers-Packers game. If he doesn't play, Jalen Daniels (an undrafted free agent rookie) would start for Tampa Bay, which would significantly boost the Packers defense's upside.

Bo Nix is identified as possibly the best quarterback in the 2024 draft class after Caleb Williams, suggesting strong performance and upside relative to other rookie quarterbacks.

Braylon Allen is presented as a waiver wire target in the context of running back scarcity; the source suggests taking him as a potential starter if you have a need at the position, though with some hesitation about the Dolphins' offensive situation.

Brian Thomas Jr. had an impressive rookie season with 1,400 yards but is now probably cuttable in fantasy football for some players, suggesting a significant regression or role change in year two.

Brock Bowers is described as a football robot, suggesting exceptional consistency and performance as a tight end prospect from the 2024 draft class.

Bowers is expected to move to X receiver in two tight end sets for the Raiders, with Michael Mayer becoming the primary tight end.

The source notes Caleb Williams' erratic three-year arc in the 2024 draft class: went from terrible in year one to great in year two, illustrating the volatility of early-career quarterback performance and the difficulty in evaluating draft classes within a three-year window.

Waller is positioned as the number two receiver in the Panthers offense with Teddy Bridgewater and DJ Moore ahead, and Jalen Coker (quad strain, questionable) potentially out. The source notes that Bryce Young looks to Waller frequently when scrambling, ranking him third behind Travis Kelce and Brock Bowers in that regard. Waller is a viable tight end option despite limited snap share.

Achane is out for the season with an ACL tear, as indicated in the episode title and opening discussion.

Drake Maye's three-year trajectory has been highly inconsistent: went from bad to awesome to bad again, with the source comparing his current performance to Carson Wentz's 2026 season, suggesting a concerning regression pattern.

Maye is playing for the Patriots against the Bills. The source recommends the Bills defense as a streaming option, hoping for a Drake Maye meltdown or turnover-worthy performance.

Wilson is the number one receiver for the Jets, with Sadiq positioned as the number two option when AD Mitchell is out.

Smith was the number three quarterback in fantasy last week with 321 yards and three touchdowns. He's now playing the Bears defense, which the source considers fine but not elite. The source projects Smith will be good again this week and recommends him as a streamer.

McCarthy was acquired by the Giants as a backup quarterback, not to compete with Jameis Winston for the starting job. The source notes McCarthy has only played 10 games in his NFL career and has dealt with multiple injuries including a meniscus injury, high ankle sprain, and concussion. Despite poor performance that the source describes as having 'sucked,' the source views the fifth-round pick acquisition as a low-risk dart throw on a former top-10 quarterback prospect, comparing it favorably to past quarterback reclamation stories like Sam Darnold and Geno Smith.

J.J. McCarthy is now on an injury list alongside Johnny Manziel, suggesting serious health or performance concerns that have derailed his early career trajectory.

McCarthy was traded to the Giants from the Vikings in exchange for a fifth-round pick. The source characterizes this as a relatively low-risk, high-upside deal, citing recent precedent of draft-bust quarterbacks like Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold turning into starters with a change of scenery, new coach, and new system. McCarthy has a 6-4 record as an NFL starter and is described as having a winning record in the league.

McCarthy is one of four first-round quarterbacks in the past 25 years to start 10 or fewer games for the team that drafted them, alongside Paxton Lynch, Trey Lance, and Johnny Manziel—a cohort characterized as 'just like the worst quarterbacks drafted basically in the first round.' The source assesses McCarthy as 'probably bad' and expects he will 'probably suck,' though acknowledges a small chance (one in 10) he could be good.

The source expects McCarthy to receive 4–5 starts this season for the Giants, contingent on Jameis Winston's performance. If Winston plays well (as he did against the Lions last year), he stays in; if Winston underperforms, McCarthy gets 'half a season' to develop and either lead the Giants to a playoff run or position them for Arch Manning in the draft.

Coker suffered a quad strain and is listed as questionable; Rappaport reported it's not a serious injury and there's a chance he plays. His status impacts the tight end pecking order for the Panthers.

Jalen McMillan started well but has suffered a neck injury, raising durability concerns and limiting his fantasy value.

If Daniels starts for the Buccaneers against Green Bay as an undrafted free agent rookie, the Packers defense would have a strong chance to be the number one defense of the week due to expected big plays, sacks, fumbles, and interceptions.

Winston remains the Giants' starting quarterback, but the source suggests he may not be performing well due to an unfocused offseason. The source references reports that Roger Sherman joked Winston was 'gallivanting and traveling and drinking' during the offseason rather than taking it seriously, which the source believes contributes to why 'he doesn't really look that good.' This context frames the Giants' acquisition of J.J. McCarthy as a hedge against Winston's performance.

Winston is the Giants' starting quarterback with McCarthy as backup. His performance will determine McCarthy's playing time; if Winston plays well (like his performance against the Lions last year, where he threw touchdowns and ran effectively), he stays in the lineup.

Jaden Daniels has dislocated his elbow approximately three times this season, representing a significant injury concern that undermines his strong early-season performance and raises durability questions.

Daniels is expected to return soon, which will end the Marcus Mariota streaming window. He's currently out, making Mariota a two-week option.

Undervalued waiver wire target who may outperform Ollie Gordon later in the season; Wright out-snapped Gordon almost 2-to-1 over the final five weeks of last season and is described as potentially the most talented lead back on the Dolphins. Despite a foot stinger keeping him day-to-day, the source recommends targeting Wright for $5 or less on waivers while league-mates focus spending on Gordon, noting Wright's 4.3 forty-yard dash speed and big-play upside, though his 3.9 yards-per-carry career average and decision-making questions warrant caution.

Jermaine Burton is out of the league, representing a complete failure to establish an NFL career.

Jonah Coleman was placed on injured reserve after being revealed to have a more serious injury than initially reported; the source criticizes the timing of the injury disclosure (Wednesday) and expresses frustration that Coleman is now unavailable, making him a cut candidate.

Keaton Mitchell of the Chargers is 32% rostered on Yahoo and had 50 yards and a touchdown last week, looking as good or better than O'Marion Hampton in a much more even three-way split with Hampton and Kamani Vidal; he was banged up to start the season which may have limited his early field time, but could be healthier now and worth considering despite the Chargers backfield volatility.

Keenan Allen of the Colts is the source's top receiver recommendation for Week 4 waiver wire adds, posting nine targets, six catches, and 63 yards with a touchdown through Week 3; he is running 70+ percent of routes per team drop back and is one of only three primary targets (alongside Downs and Tyler Warren) in the Colts' offense. The source recommends him as a desperation start against Washington, though notes he may face suspension due to a DUI charge. Allen is best suited for teams with injured players fighting for their playoff lives.

Kendra Miller is highlighted as having more upside than Alvin Kamara in the Saints backfield if Travis Henry misses multiple weeks. The source suggests Miller has 'more juice' despite Kamara being the more experienced veteran, implying Miller has greater breakout potential.

Sadiq is leading the Jets at tight end in snaps and ran 25 routes in the last game; he scored a touchdown on a jet sweep type deal and is being used in the red zone. The source recommends grabbing him now to monitor usage, noting that if his snap share increases from 55% to 75%, he could be a huge hit at tight end, similar to the Dalton Kincaid upside scenario. He's the most athletically talented option on the Jets roster regardless of who else is playing.

Keon Coleman on the Bills is presented as a disappointing pick, with the source suggesting the Bills might have made two Super Bowls if they had drafted Ladd McConkey instead.

Kamani Vidal is part of a three-way split in the Chargers backfield with Keaton Mitchell and O'Marion Hampton.

Ladd McConkey is the key off-player for the Chargers but is currently injured, suggesting strong performance when healthy but durability concerns.

Makai Lemon is mentioned alongside Dontavian Wicks as a potential waiver wire option to monitor in the Eagles game (Week 4), though the source does not provide a strong endorsement and suggests most receivers available on waivers are not worth rostering.

Malachi Corley is out of the league, representing a complete failure to establish an NFL career.

Malik Nabers started strong but is now injured; the source notes that fantasy players probably don't want to roster him due to his injury status, suggesting reduced fantasy value.

Mariota is playing Washington against the Colts defense in London. He played well against Seattle with three touchdown passes and added rushing value. The source ranks him slightly above Geno Smith and recommends him as a two-week streamer until Jayden Daniels returns, noting the Colts defense is still bad despite the Texans' performance.

The source characterizes Marvin Harrison Jr. as probably one of the five worst receiver picks in NFL draft history, representing a significant bust from his first-overall selection expectations.

Mason Taylor is on injured reserve, which affects the Saints tight end depth chart and keeps Sadiq in the mix as a viable option.

Mayer ran 78% of routes per team drop back for the Raiders this last week after Jack Beshear broke his forearm. The source notes the Raiders may run more two tight end sets with Mayer as their number one tight end and Bowers as their X receiver, making Mayer potentially useful despite scraping the bottom of the barrel at the position.

Michael Penix Jr. has already suffered his third ACL tear, representing a severe durability concern despite showing some positive performance early in his career.

Mike Washington Jr. of the Raiders is recommended as a handcuff/stash player with upside and as the next option if Kamara, Gordon, Mitchell, and Etienne are all rostered; he had five carries for 54 yards and a touchdown, significantly outperforming Ashton Gentry who had 17 carries for only two more yards, and looks fantastic as a potential backup if Gentry's ankle injury worsens.

In deeper leagues where Alvin Kamara and other running backs are rostered, Mike Washington of the Raiders is a recommended add; the source identifies him as a next-tier option for teams seeking depth at the position.

Expected to command significant waiver wire spending despite limited production; the source projects Gordon will be the big spend with waiver money in most leagues, but cautions that his 40 yards and one touchdown in Week 4 may represent his typical weekly ceiling, suggesting he is overpriced relative to expected output.

Ollie Gordon is selected as the preferred waiver wire option over Keaton Mitchell and Alvin Kamara as a running back fill-in, with the caveat that Travis Etienne could theoretically play this week.

O'Marion Hampton is part of a three-way split in the Chargers backfield with Keaton Mitchell and Kamani Vidal, with Mitchell looking as good or better than Hampton in the split.

Nacua's status is uncertain; if he returns, Ferguson and Higbee's roles diminish. The source emphasizes that Nacua's availability is a key variable for Rams tight end and receiver production.

Ricky Pearsall has barely played for the 49ers over three years, indicating limited offensive role and minimal fantasy relevance.

Darnold was the number two quarterback in fantasy this week with 379 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions. He's playing the Chargers, who are reeling. The source acknowledges the interceptions but still recommends him as a viable streamer option.

Ferguson suffered a nasty ankle injury and is dealing with a low-grade sprain. The source notes that the play before he got hurt, he was wide open for a 40-yard touchdown that Matthew Stafford missed. Ferguson's availability is uncertain, and if he doesn't play, Tyler Higbee becomes the primary option for the Rams.

Travis Etienne pulled up on his hamstring; Kellen Moore indicated he will have some time lost with a hamstring injury expected to sideline him for at least two to three weeks, probably longer.

Higbee got 11 targets, 8 catches, and 62 yards with a touchdown in the game where Ferguson got hurt. He becomes the primary tight end option for the Rams if Ferguson remains out or if Puka Nacua doesn't return.

Xavier Worthy on the Chiefs is characterized as a gadget player with limited impact, suggesting restricted offensive role and limited fantasy value.

Ertz is back on the Eagles and was bizarrely productive last year despite knee injuries. The source notes this is worth mentioning but doesn't recommend adding him in fantasy.