Two weeks ago, we saw a few prominent quarterbacks go down with injuries. In Week 3, it was some important skill players who suffered ailments that could sideline them for multiple games. As the dust settles and we turn our attention towards Week 4, let’s highlight some players who are on the rise for fantasy football, as well as some others that it might be time to drop.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – SEPTEMBER 14: Cam Skattebo #44 of the New York Giants celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second half of the game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
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Fantasy Football Risers
Omarion Hampton, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
Hampton entered the league with high expectations after the Chargers selected him with the 22nd pick in the 2025 Draft. However, with veteran Najee Harris also in the fold, Hampton wasn’t immediately handed a heavy workload. He underwhelmed in Week 1, rushing 15 times for 48 yards against the Chiefs. In Week 2, he was only given eight carries against the Raiders, which resulted in him rushing for only 24 yards.
Everything changed for the Chargers last week when Harris went down with a torn Achilles against the Broncos. With his early departure, Hampton was given 19 carries. Not only did he finish with 70 rushing yards and one touchdown, but he also caught six of seven targets for 59 yards. Harris is out for the season, so the main competition for Hampton for carries now is Hassan Haskins, who was a fourth-round pick in 2022 who entered the season with 59 career rushing attempts. Hampton has a clear path to a ton of work moving forward.
Trey Benson, RB, Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals selected Benson in the third round of the 2024 Draft. He averaged 4.6 yards per carry during his rookie season, finishing with 291 rushing yards and one touchdown. He was given at least nine carries in a game just three times last year. In two of those games, he finished at least 50 rushing yards.
Benson was expected to fill a limited role again this season behind featured back James Conner. He was doing just that heading into Week 3, but Conner then suffered a season-ending foot injury against the 49ers. Conner has been busy since joining the Cardinals, finishing with at least 200 rushing attempts in three of the last four seasons. Emari Demercado could also take on some added work, but Benson is primed is primed to be the Cardinals’ starting running back for the rest of the season.
Cam Skattebo, RB, New York Giants
Despite being a fourth-round pick in the 2025 Draft, Skattebo entered the league with plenty of fanfare. At Arizona State last year, he ran for 1,711 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also had 45 receptions for 605 yards and three scores. His ability to contribute on the ground and in the passing game leaves him with plenty of fantasy upside, but standing in his way was Tyrone Tracy Jr., who had over 1,100 total yards during his rookie season last year.
The common theme this week has been players benefiting from injuries. Skattebo is no different after Tracy went down early in Week 3 against the Chiefs with a shoulder injury. Skattebo finished with 60 rushing yards, six receptions, 61 receiving yards and one touchdown in the game. The bruising back now has a 69.6% positive run rate and a 30.4% broken tackle rate for the season, both of which rank inside the 96th percentile in the league among running backs. Tracy is expected to be out for two-to-four weeks, leaving Skattebo as a must-start in fantasy.
Fantasy Football Drops
C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
Stroud looked like he was going to be a valuable fantasy option for years to come after he threw for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns during his rookie season. He did a great job of taking care of the ball, throwing only five interceptions. However, he took a major step back last year with 12 interceptions. The rest of his production also suffered with him throwing for 3,727 yards and 20 touchdowns despite playing in two more games than the season prior.
Stroud has also been underwhelming out of the gate this year. He has not thrown for more than 207 yards in any of his three games and he has more interceptions (three) than he does touchdown passes (two). His offensive line is not doing him any favors, leaving him with an 8.2% sack rate. Outside of Nico Collins, the Texans don’t have many weapons at wide receiver to help Stroud turn things around. Stroud should not be rostered right now in standard 12-team leagues.
Dylan Sampson, RB, Cleveland Browns
The Browns moved on from franchise stalwart Nick Chubb during the offseason. They selected Quinshon Judkins in the second round and Sampson in the fourth round of the 2025 Draft. They also returned veteran Jerome Ford, so they weren’t exactly lacking options out of the backfield. However, Judkins had offseason legal troubles and was late to sign with the team, keeping him off the field in Week 1. Sampson only had 29 yards on 12 carries in Week 1, but he caught all eight of his targets for 64 yards, making him someone that was added in many fantasy leagues.
Judkins is now back with the team, which has seen Sampson take on a smaller role. Sampson only had four carries and played 17 offensive snaps against the Ravens in Week 2. Last week, he had one carry and logged only four offensive snaps. Meanwhile, Judkins looked great with 94 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Judkins should be the Browns featured back moving forward, which won’t leave enough opportunities for Sampson to be worth rostering in fantasy.