3 Jets Who Need to Step Up With Breece Hall, Adonai Mitchell & More Out for Week 4

New York will be severely shorthanded vs. Chicago this weekend, to say the least.

After confirming that RB Breece Hall and WR Adonai Mitchell won't suit up vs. the Bears in Week 4, the Jets need these players to find a new gear on Sunday. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Jets face an uphill battle as they hope to return to .500 when they collide with the Bears at Soldier Field on Sunday. Back-to-back hard-fought losses have derailed Gang Green's momentum after their season-opening victory, and returning to the win column in Week 4 will be even tougher now that head coach Aaron Glenn & Co. will be without two key offensive playmakers.

Just over 48 hours before Sunday's kickoff, ESPN's Adam Schefter confirmed Friday that star running back Breece Hall (quad) and No. 2 wideout Adonai Mitchell (finger) won't suit up against the Bears this weekend.

Jets ruled out RB Breece Hall and WR Adonai Mitchell for Sunday’s game vs. the Bears. pic.twitter.com/NwiZ5SNwGs

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 2, 2026

The duo missed practice throughout the week and clearly need to sit at least another game out before attempting a return. New York, without a doubt, will feel the pair's absence in the Windy City—especially with tight end Mason Taylor, offensive guard Dylan Parham, and linebacker Kiko Mauigoa also missing, too (h/t ESPN's Rich Cimini).

Jets need to have a next-man-up mentality

Hall is one of the most important players on offensive coordinator Frank Reich's unit, and even though he hasn't had an explosive year, he still has 265 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 61 touches, which puts him on pace to hit the 1,500-yard mark for the second time in his career.

Meanwhile, Mitchell was playing exceptionally well until his finger injury derailed his campaign. The Jets' WR2 converted nine catches into 123 receiving yards in his first two contests before missing Week 3. Even though he doesn't have a touchdown, he was on pace for his first 1,000-yard season, and it remains to be seen how Gang Green will replace his production.

Adonai Mitchell has stepped up as the WR2, and now the Jets must replace his production for the second straight week. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

So, who needs to step up with Hall and Mitchell—two of the most important offensive playmakers—missing this weekend? The answer is these three Jets who need to lead by example.

1. Braelon Allen, RB

Without Hall in the lineup, Braelon Allen finds himself as the Jets' de facto RB1 for Sunday afternoon.

Allen's third season with New York hasn't been as productive as some fans would like. The former 2024 fourth-rounder is averaging a career-low 3.2 yards on 19 carries, as well as 2.8 yards on four receptions. He found the end zone on a five-yard rush against the Packers in Week 2 but hasn't done anything of note beyond that.

Needless to say, the Jets need more from Allen against a Bears defense that allows 117.0 rushing yards per game (11th-most in the NFL). He's also averaged 42.5 rushing yards in the four previous games in which he saw 10 to 12 carries, indicating that he can handle a bigger workload. He just can't waste any time proving that in Week 4, or else the Jets will fall behind fast.

2. Isaiah Williams, WR

Much like Allen, Isaiah Williams's 2026 campaign hasn't been much to write home about. Not only has he been quiet in the passing game with 62 receiving yards on eight catches, but he's also taken a step back on special teams, dropping from a Pro Football Focus punt return grade of 92.4 last year to an abysmal 27.8 this season.

With the Jets shorthanded in Week 4, Isaiah Williams might not have a better chance to erase any doubts. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Williams now faces a chance to get back into Jets fans' good graces since the team is still without wideouts Tim Patrick, Arian Smith and Omar Cooper Jr., in addition to Mitchell. He doesn't need to explode for 100 yards or multiple touchdowns, but a solid 50-plus-yard performance would be enough to show that all hope isn't gone.

That might be easier said than done, though, with the Bears allowing the fifth-fewest receptions (29) and 12th-fewest receiving yards allowed to WRs this season.

3. Kenyon Sadiq

Week 3 was a coming-out party for rookie TE Kenyon Sadiq, who torched the Lions to the tune of 105 receiving yards and a touchdown on seven catches. It was the kind of performance Jets fans envisioned Sadiq having when he was drafted 16th overall in April.

Now, they might need him to do it all over again against the Bears.

No Hall, Mitchell, Taylor, Cooper, Smith or Patrick means the Jets will heavily rely on Sadiq (and Garrett Wilson) as quarterback Geno Smith's main targets. Most of the passing game will likely be funneled through the dynamic duo, and it'll be up to the rookie TE to open up the middle of the field.

The Bears are tied for limiting opposing tight ends to the 12th-fewest yards and seventh-fewest catches this season, all while holding them out of the end zone entirely. That said, Chicago does allow 10.7 yards per catch to TEs, which isn't far off from (or even better than) some of what the NFL's better tight ends are averaging:

• Cade Otton, Buccaneers: 10.9 yards per catch
• Dalton Schultz, Texans: 10.8 yards per catch
• Sam LaPorta, Lions: 10.3 yards per catch

In other words, the Bears' defense doesn't allow much to TEs, but the unit isn't perfect. The opportunities will be there for Sadiq to help the Jets move the chains—it'll just be up to him to capitalize on those chances.

If he can, perhaps the Jets do have a shot at a Windy City upset. Maybe.

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