There are a bunch of different things in the conversation for being the absolute best part about fantasy football. In fact, there are far too many to list here. However, there is one thing that is the far and away the worst -- injuries.
Injuries stink. They are wretched. There's no sugarcoating it. No matter the player, an injury is an injury and a completely disheartening situation.
On Thursday night, we saw an injury to the most high-profile player in fantasy football, Christian McCaffrey. A strained hamstring will keep him out for some period of time, although the specific timetable for his potential return remains uncertain.
While those who currently roster McCaffrey are unquestionably disappointed that their best player will not be available for the near future, here's your reminder that no matter how disappointed you are about your fantasy team, the player himself is exponentially more disappointed to not be on the field. Don't vent your disappointment at them -- ever!
We'll keep tabs on the timeline for the McCaffrey injury and follow along with how the Carolina Panthers divide his workload amongst the rest of the backfield. As to who we think gets first crack at the almost assuredly temporary starting gig there, read on! The identity of that individual leads our Week 4 ESPN Fantasy waiver-wire conversation below.
Note: All players on this column are available in at least 50% of leagues on ESPN.com.
Chuba Hubbard, RB, Carolina Panthers (11.3%): Hubbard is a fourth-round rookie who had an excellent career at Oklahoma State that included over 2,000 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns in 2019. When McCaffrey went down, Hubbard handled 11 carries and five targets, clearly playing ahead of former Broncos back Royce Freeman (only five carries and just one target). While we hope McCaffrey is back sooner rather than later, Hubbard is a must-add in all leagues -- and a player that will likely land inside the top 25 of the RB rankings as soon as Week 4.
Alexander Mattison, RB, Minnesota Vikings (40.7%): While it seems well within the range of possibilities that Dalvin Cook will return this weekend, Mattison has major value if he does not. Mattison stepped in and delivered a Cook-approved effort in Week 4, handling 26 carries for 112 yards, adding six catches on eight targets for another 59 yards. Mattison should be rostered in all leagues and, hopefully, those fantasy managers who have Cook had already worked to acquire him.
Peyton Barber, RB, Las Vegas Raiders (7.3%): With Josh Jacobs on the mend from an ankle injury, the Raiders have turned to Barber (and not Kenyan Drake) as their No. 1 runner. In Week 3, Barber had his best day in a while, toting the rock 23 times for 111 yards while also finding the end zone. Not to be overlooked in this effort was that Barber also saw five targets. While the rushing volume figures to be in his favor until Jacobs returns, his integration into the passing game raises the floor. He's an add in leagues of any size.
Christian Kirk, WR, Arizona Cardinals (22.7%): The Cardinals offense is absolutely electric right now, as Kyler Murray cannot be stopped. Plus, he's getting help from his wideouts -- including Kirk, who has 60-plus receiving yards in every game this season and is coming off of a seven-catch, 104-yard effort in Week 3. The line of thinking is relatively simple: You want as much exposure to this offense as you can get. Kirk is a smart add for WR depth.
Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Buffalo Bills (23.2%): There's wisdom behind another very simple idea: Get as many of Buffalo's pass-catchers as you can. While Stefon Diggs will be the "go-to guy" and Cole Beasley feasts in the middle of the field, Sanders had a throwback performance in Week 3 that reminded people that he still has gas left in the tank. While it's hard to consistently expect a ton from any team's third wideout week-in and week-out, the Bills offense is explosive enough at its apex to invest in three receivers. This is another solid player to add to your bench who will get opportunities for your roster when the bye weeks roll around.
Tim Patrick, WR, Denver Broncos (14.0%): The Broncos have had woeful injury luck at wide receiver this season, as KJ Hamler (torn ACL) joins Jerry Jeudy (high ankle sprain) on the list of electric, young pass-catchers who will miss time. Jeudy was expected to miss just four to six weeks, while Hamler is out for the year. Patrick, who has scored double-digit fantasy points in every game this season, should step up into an almost every-snap role for Denver. He is a huge target who scored in Weeks 1 and 2 while pacing the Broncos with 98 receiving yards in Week 3. He's an add in 12-team leagues or larger.
Kendrick Bourne, WR, New England Patriots (0.4%): This is a monitor add, as Bourne had an awesome Week 3 that included a circus catch for a touchdown. While the Patriots have been conservative offensively this season, Mac Jones found his best Week 3 rhythm when the team opened things up and his coaches let him go to work through the air. Let's see if that trend continues, particularly with an upcoming matchup against the Buccaneers, where they'll need to score. Bourne is an "add and stash."
Hunter Renfrow, WR, Las Vegas Raiders (11.0%): The Raiders offense is humming so far this season and Renfrow has been a busy man. He has five-plus catches and at least 57 receiving yards in each game so far this year, good enough for double-digit fantasy points in every outing. Renfrow is a route-running maven, Derek Carr is playing lights out, and Las Vegas figures to stay pass-heavy. He's a deep-league add.
Quarterback Report
We'll offer our usual QB caveat that, while there are certainly addable players this week, the reality is that for those who play in a league with 10 to 12 teams, there are going to be more than 10 to 12 weekly options for whom I'd advocate starting. Accordingly, I understand why the roster percentage will likely stay down for these players, despite their strong performances thus far.
Derek Carr, QB, Las Vegas Raiders (49.2%): Carr has been absolutely incredible through three games, as he's now averaging over 400 yards per game and playing (arguably) the best football of his career. While the Raiders may not yet have a dominant receiver you can consistently trust in your fantasy lineup, they do have one of the best tight ends in the game (Darren Waller) and an allotment of useful pass-catchers. Carr can be your starting quarterback.
Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings (32.3%): Cousins has been really, really good to start the season, with over 21 fantasy points in each of the Vikings' first three games. Cousins has been typically accurate, completing nearly 74% of his passes. As we have always known, he has excellent wide receivers to target and, whether it's Cook or Mattison, he also has an effective screen game that leads to yards after the catch. Cousins has been solid early this season and I suspect that will remain the case going forward.