Week 3 hit the running back position hard. De’Von Achane tore his ACL and is done for the season. Breece Hall is week-to-week with a quad injury. Travis Etienne has been ruled out for Monday night with a hamstring injury, and the Colts put Alec Pierce on injured reserve. Free Agent Triage reads this week’s waiver columns from FantasyPros, Yahoo, SI, ESPN, NFL.com, Footballguys, 4for4 and a few others, logs every name they recommend, then checks each one against usage, the injury report and the next three matchups. Monday night’s game (Bears 27, Eagles 7, with Case Keenum starting for Chicago) didn’t add a name to the board.

Rankings are built for half-PPR, with PPR and standard notes where the format changes the call. Rostered percentages are Yahoo numbers, and where sources disagree we say so. FAAB bids assume a $100 budget, and every player listed is rostered in fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues.

1. Ollie Gordon II, RB, Miami Dolphins

Rostered: 3% | FAAB: 15% | Next three: at MIN, vs. CIN, bye

The case: With Achane lost for the year, Gordon took over the backfield and finished with 17 carries for 41 yards and a touchdown plus three catches for 14 yards, 20 touches in all. Jaylen Wright is the more explosive back behind him, but Wright has been dealing with a stinger and a foot injury, so Gordon is the one with a clear early-down role right now.

Consensus check: Near-unanimous. ESPN’s headline, SI, Yahoo, FantasyPros, NFL.com and Last Word on Sports all list him. FantasyPros and The Big Lead put his rostered rate at 3%, NFL.com at 1% and Yahoo at 4%.

Prognosis: Rest-of-season hold with a capped ceiling. Minnesota is a tough opener, and Gordon’s value depends on volume, not efficiency. Miami is off in Week 6, then visits the Jets in Week 7.

2. Braelon Allen, RB, New York Jets

Rostered: 18% | FAAB: 15% | Next three: at CHI, vs. CLE, at NE

The case: Hall left Week 3 with a thigh injury and is now week-to-week with a quad injury. Reports say it is not as serious as feared, so Allen’s role is not guaranteed. He is a 6-foot-1, 235-pound back who took over when Hall went down, and FantasyPros and The Big Lead both call the Chicago and Cleveland games favorable for running backs.

Consensus check: Near-unanimous. Yahoo, FantasyPros, NFL.com, SI, Footballguys and The Big Lead all have him at or near the top. Rostered percentages range from 14% (NFL.com) to 22% (SI).

Prognosis: A must-add if you roster Hall, and an RB2 if Hall sits. If Hall returns healthy, Allen becomes a handcuff. That is why he ranks behind Gordon, whose job is safe either way.

3. Kenyon Sadiq, TE, New York Jets

Rostered: 18% | FAAB: 10% | Next three: at CHI, vs. CLE, at NE

The case: The rookie first-rounder caught seven passes for 105 yards and a touchdown on eight targets against Detroit. It was the first 100-yard game of his career.

Consensus check: Near-unanimous. Yahoo, FantasyPros, NFL.com, SI, Footballguys, The Big Lead and Last Word on Sports all list him, and 4for4 headlines its column with him. The rostered number is where they split. FantasyPros, Yahoo and The Big Lead have him near 18%, while NFL.com and SI show 34%. Check your league before bidding.

Prognosis: Rest-of-season hold and a TE1 candidate if the targets stay near eight. The Big Lead notes that Mason Taylor’s eventual return could cap the upside, so pay for the next month, not the whole season.

4. Keenan Allen, WR, Indianapolis Colts

Rostered: 21% | FAAB: 8% | Next three: at WAS, at PIT, vs. TEN

The case: With Pierce on injured reserve, Allen saw nine targets against Houston and caught six for 63 yards and a touchdown. This week he faces a Washington defense that FantasyPros, NFL.com and The Big Lead all describe as one of the softest in the league against the pass. The game is in London with a 9:30 a.m. Eastern kickoff, so set your lineup early.

Consensus check: Widely backed, but the bids vary wildly. Footballguys suggests 20% to 40% of budget, The Big Lead $10, and FantasyPros only $1 to $2. Rostered rates run from 19% (SI) to 24% (NFL.com).

Prognosis: WR3 with flex value while Pierce is out. He is worth more in PPR than in standard. We land well below the top of the range, because a 30% bid is what a starting running back costs.

5. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

Rostered: 43% | FAAB: 6% | Next three: vs. ATL, vs. MIN, at NYG

The case: Etienne hurt his hamstring in the loss to Las Vegas and is out Monday night against Atlanta. Coach Kellen Moore said he will miss extended time. Kamara is expected to take the lead role, with Kendre Miller and rookie CJ Donaldson also getting carries. Kamara had 10 carries for 41 yards in Week 3, so the volume has not come with efficiency yet.

Consensus check: Widely backed, with mixed enthusiasm. Forbes and a syndicated Yahoo column call him a must-add, while Yahoo’s top-ten list calls him a risky RB3. FantasyPros values him at $4, which is low because he is already rostered in many leagues.

Prognosis: A two-to-three-week play, with more value in PPR than standard. Check that he is actually available before you spend anything, and consider Miller (1% rostered) as insurance.

6. Keaton Mitchell, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Rostered: 34% | FAAB: 6% | Next three: at SEA, vs. DEN, at KC

The case: Mitchell split work with Omarion Hampton in Week 3 and scored a touchdown in the loss. His snaps rose from 17 the week before to 26. Last Word on Sports has him at eight carries for 52 yards and three catches, and both that site and Footballguys say he has been more efficient than Hampton.

Consensus check: Backed by Yahoo, Footballguys, NFL.com and Last Word on Sports. The rostered number varies: NFL.com has him at 16%, while other sources have him at 32% to 34%. We used the Yahoo figure.

Prognosis: Flex play in a timeshare. Keep the bid modest, since the Chargers are splitting the work and travel to Seattle this week.

7. Mack Hollins, WR, New England Patriots

Rostered: 4% | FAAB: 3% | Next three: at BUF, vs. LV, vs. NYJ

The case: A.J. Brown is out until at least mid-October, and Hollins led the Patriots in Week 3 with six catches for 87 yards. He is the receiver most likely to pick up Brown’s targets.

Consensus check: Thin. Of the columns we read, only FantasyPros and NFL.com list him, at 3% and 5%.

Prognosis: A deep-league stash with WR4 upside until Brown returns.

8. Malik Washington, WR, Miami Dolphins

Rostered: 20% | FAAB: 3% | Next three: at MIN, vs. CIN, bye

The case: Washington led Miami with 10 targets in Week 3 and caught five for 56 yards. NFL.com counted 34 routes for him, the most on the team.

Consensus check: Backed by Yahoo, FantasyPros, NFL.com and Last Word on Sports. NFL.com has him at 13%, while FantasyPros and Yahoo have him at 20%.

Prognosis: PPR flex with a decent floor. He is a better add in full PPR than in standard.

9. Jaylen Wright, RB, Miami Dolphins

Rostered: 1% | FAAB: 4% | Next three: at MIN, vs. CIN, bye

The case: Wright is the more explosive of Miami’s two remaining backs, and The Big Lead prefers him to Gordon. He has been nursing a stinger and a foot injury, and reports list him as day-to-day.

Consensus check: Split. FantasyPros ranks Gordon ahead because of his early-down role, while The Big Lead puts Wright first. We side with FantasyPros.

Prognosis: Stash. If Wright gets healthy and Gordon stumbles, the order could flip, and Miami’s Week 6 bye gives him time to heal.

10. Geno Smith, QB, New York Jets

Rostered: 8% | FAAB: 2% | Next three: at CHI, vs. CLE, at NE

The case: Smith completed 31 of 37 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns against Detroit. The Big Lead puts his completion rate at 84% for the game.

Consensus check: Backed by FantasyPros, NFL.com, Yahoo and The Big Lead. NFL.com has him at 7% and the others at 9%.

Prognosis: Streamer with QB2 value in superflex. The Chicago and Cleveland games are both playable.

Just Missed the Cut

Sam Darnold, QB, Seahawks (37% to 47%): He threw for 379 yards and four touchdowns in his return, and the Chargers visit Seattle this week. He is already rostered in many leagues, so check before you bid.

Kirk Cousins, QB, Raiders (10% to 14%): Three touchdown passes in each of Las Vegas’s three wins. Kansas City visits this week, then the Raiders travel to New England.

Darren Waller, TE, Panthers (10% to 14%): He caught five passes for 51 yards on a team-high eight targets, and Detroit is next. Carolina’s bye follows in Week 5, so he is a one-week stream.

Jakobi Meyers, WR, Jaguars (44%): Seven catches on eight targets and a touchdown in Week 3, and Brian Thomas Jr. played only 23 of 62 snaps. Yahoo lists him as a WR4 or flex, and we agree.

Where the Doctor Disagrees

Keenan Allen’s price: Footballguys suggests 20% to 40% of budget. That is a lot for a receiver with one big game and a soft matchup. Bid 8% and move on if you lose.

Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Eagles (49%): NFL.com ranks him fourth overall and cites his yards per route run. FantasyPros points out that his snap share fell from 90.9% in Week 1 to 70.1% in Week 2. Pass.

Juwan Johnson, TE, Saints: NFL.com leads its column with him, but NFL.com also has him at 55% rostered, above our 50% cutoff. He is not on this board.

Safe to Drop

De’Von Achane, RB, Dolphins: Torn ACL, out for the season. Use an IR slot if you have one, and drop him if you don’t.

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Cardinals: FantasyPros has him at five targets through three games, and SI says shallow leagues can drop him. Arizona visits the Giants this week.

Don’t drop yet: Breece Hall, Jonah Coleman and Brian Thomas Jr. Hall is week-to-week and reports say the injury is not as serious as feared, so hold him. Coleman, our top pick last week, was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury, according to ESPN, and 9News reports he will miss the next four games. Stash him if you have the IR slot. Thomas played 23 of 62 snaps in Week 3, but SI says to bench him in deep leagues rather than cut him.

Week 4 Waiver Wire Priority Board

Rank	Player	Pos/Team	Rostered	FAAB	Consensus	Prognosis
1	Ollie Gordon II	RB, MIA	3%	15%	Near-unanimous	Rest of season
2	Braelon Allen	RB, NYJ	18%	15%	Near-unanimous	Hall-dependent
3	Kenyon Sadiq	TE, NYJ	18%	10%	Near-unanimous	Rest of season
4	Keenan Allen	WR, IND	21%	8%	Widely backed	While Pierce is out
5	Alvin Kamara	RB, NO	43%	6%	Widely backed	Two to three weeks
6	Keaton Mitchell	RB, LAC	34%	6%	Backed	Timeshare flex
7	Mack Hollins	WR, NE	4%	3%	Thin	Stash
8	Malik Washington	WR, MIA	20%	3%	Backed	PPR flex
9	Jaylen Wright	RB, MIA	1%	4%	Split	Stash
10	Geno Smith	QB, NYJ	8%	2%	Backed	Streamer

Quick Answers

Who is the best Week 4 waiver wire pickup? Ollie Gordon II. He is the Miami back with a clear early-down role after Achane’s ACL tear.

How much FAAB should I spend on Ollie Gordon II? About 15% of a $100 budget. Go higher if you lost Achane and have no other running back depth.

Which tight end should I add in Week 4? Kenyon Sadiq if you want a long-term starter, or Darren Waller if you need a one-week stream against Detroit.

About Free Agent Triage

Free Agent Triage publishes every Tuesday evening during the season, before most leagues run waivers. Check the Injury Reports page for status updates through the week, and Defensive Diagnosis for the five defenses to target. Last week’s column is here.