With Week 3 of the NFL and Fantasy Football season behind us, players, fanbases, and fantasy managers are already looking ahead to Week 4. We saw major upsets as the Browns took down the Packers, the Panthers blanked the Falcons, and the Chicago Bears dominated the Cowboys. We also saw an interesting week in terms of Fantasy Football with new names emerging, depth charts changing, and a constant climb to the top of the fantasy rankings.
Before getting into our “drop list” ahead of Week 4, we'll get obvious injury news out of the way. Arizona Cardinals' running back James Connor is heading towards foot surgery and will miss the remainder of the season – Trey Benson should be rostered as Connor can be dropped. Los Angeles Chargers' running back Najee Harris will also be done for the season following a confirmed tear to his achilles – rookie back Omarion Hampton will see his leading role increase even more.
Giants' RB Tyrone Tracy Jr.(shoulder), Cowboys' WR CeeDee Lamb (ankle), and Buccaneers' WR Mike Evans (hamstring) all exited their games early with significant injuries and were ruled out. Each situation will call for close monitoring, but the three players are all expected to miss multiple weeks to err on the side of caution. There isn't much threat of anyone heading to the IR, so you'll have to hold onto these players for the time being.
As fantasy managers continue to work through injuries and evolving depth charts, the waiver wire will be paramount to a fantasy football team's success. However, you'll need to drop some extra baggage before grabbing a player like Cardinals' Trey Benson off the waiver wire, so let's take a look at which players are safe to drop ahead of Week 4.
NFL Fantasy Football Week 4 Drop List
Dylan Sampson, RB (CLE) – Rostered in 49.9% of ESPN leagues
Since arriving late to the Cleveland Browns' backfield, rookie Quinshon Judkins has taken over the lead back duties. While Dylan Sampson saw a promising 12 carries and eight targets in his only game without Judkins on the roster, he notched just four carries and three receptions in the following game. Against Green Bay, Judkins carried the ball 18 times to Sampson's one lone run, effectively passing the torch for the Browns' backfield. The usage here is unsustainable and if Judkins continues to play the way he has been, Sampson will be a non-factor for fantasy purposes.
Hollywood Brown, WR (KC) – Rostered in 70.7% of ESPN leagues
There's no reason to hit the panic button on Hollywood Brown just yet, especially if he's been able to give FLEX upside to select Xavier Worthy managers. Still, Xavier Worthy is set to return in the coming weeks after sitting out their most recent game against the Giants. During that game, receiver Tyquan Thorton emerged as the more reliable target for Mahomes (5 rec/71 yds/1 TD) and could be a name to watch inside this Kansas City offense.
Couple all this with the current offensive woes the Chiefs are dealing with and Hollywood Brown is just not a player worth holding onto if he's taking up a slot on your bench. He could also be a potential trade target, upgrading for a rookie receiver like Jaguars' Travis Hunter or Bears Luther Burden III who have yet to hit their stride but have all the more potential.
Russell Wilson, QB (NYG) – Rostered in 19.5% of ESPN leagues
While Russell Wilson stacked over 35 fantasy points with three touchdowns against the Cowboys, his other two games against the Commanders and Chiefs have been atrocious. He seemed like a viable streaming option with the hopes of this Giants' offense taking a step in the right direction, but it seems as though the organization is heading in a different direction, recently announcing rookie Jaxson Dart will start their next game against the Chargers. Wilson can effectively be dropped from your roster for the time being.
Kaleb Johnson, RB (PIT) – Rostered in 49% of ESPN leagues
Coming into the 2025 Fantasy Football season as the likely RB1 in the Steelers' backfield, Kaleb Johnson has slowly lost his role as the backup to Jaylen Warren and has even been taken off his kick return duties. In addition, the Steelers dressed rookie Derrick Harmon in Week 3 against the Patriots and elevated Trey Sermon off the practice squad. With three unclear running backs behind Jaylen Warren, it's not worth taking a chance on any of them at the moment.
Furthermore, the Steelers have seen great success in the passing game behind Aaron Rodgers and their typical run-heavy style is quickly becoming an afterthought. Given all the upside Warren has as a receiver, there's no sense in having Johnson occupy a roster spot any longer.
