Each and every week, I’ll be covering a handful of players that I believe will either exceed expectations or let your team down in a major way. Here’s who you should be looking at for Week 4.
Starts: Quarterbacks
Gardner Minshew, Jaguars @ Bengals
Minshew flopped against the Dolphins on Thursday Night Football, but I’m going back to the well in Week 4. He’s got a soft matchup against the Bengals, and the return of DJ Chark should give the whole offense a boost.
Joe Burrow, Bengals vs. Jaguars
The rookie has put together back-to-back 300-yard performances, throwing 5 TDs and 0 INTs in the process. Despite taking 8 sacks against the Eagles’ vicious front seven, Burrow took care of the ball and completed 70% of his passes. Burrow is poised for another strong outing against this Jaguars’ defense that has allowed Ryan Tannehill and Ryan Fitzpatrick to throw the ball with incredible efficiency over the past two weeks.
Starts: Running Backs
Kenyan Drake, Cardinals @ Panthers
I can’t figure out why the Cardinals refuse to use Kenyan Drake in the passing game, but he still has a sizable workload, averaging 18 carries per game. Against the Panthers, who are dead last in fantasy points allowed to RBs, that should be enough to provide the breakout performance we’ve all been waiting for.
Melvin Gordon, Broncos @ Jets
In Week 3, Melvin Gordon was the victim of both a negative game script and a strong run defense. Both of those obstacles will be removed in Week 4 when the Broncos take on the Jets. Even with Brett Rypien at QB, the Broncos should be able to outscore the injury-riddled Jets’ offense and ride Melvin Gordon to a comfortable victory.
Darrell Henderson, Rams vs. Giants
Darrell Henderson has really stepped up for the Rams with Cam Akers out of the lineup. He’s racked up nearly 200 rushing yards over the past two weeks and scored 2 rushing TDs. Even with Malcolm Brown playing a healthy number of snaps, I expect Henderson to continue to dominate opportunities in the Rams’ backfield. He’s a must-start in a great matchup against the Giants.
Carlos Hyde, Seahawks @ Dolphins
Hyde is expected to start for the Seahawks in Week 4 as Chris Carson recovers from a knee sprain he suffered against the Cowboys this past week. While Hyde doesn’t add much as a pass-catcher, he could see plenty of carries in a positive game script against the Dolphins, who are allowing the 5th-most points to RBs. If you need a spot start, Hyde is probably the best RB on your waiver wire.
Starts: Wide Receivers
Brandin Cooks, Texans vs. Vikings
Despite a poor stat line, Brandin Cooks actually drew 5 targets in Week 3, the same number as Will Fuller. Cooks has been getting more involved as he recovers from a quad injury he suffered before Week 1, and now he’s up against a soft Vikings’ secondary. He’s at least a solid flex option in the easiest matchup the Texans have had all season.
Julian Edelman, Patriots @ Chiefs
I expect Edelman’s disappearing act in Week 3 will prove to be an outlier. He is easily Cam Newton’s best receiving option, and Newton should be slinging it early and often in Week 4 as he tries to keep pace with the Chiefs’ powerhouse offense. Trust the volume.
DJ Chark, Jaguars @ Bengals
Assuming he’s recovered from the chest injury that kept him out of Week 3, DJ Chark is a solid option against the Bengals. The Bengals have done well against WRs statistically, but they haven’t faced a lot of stiff competition. Chark’s speed and chemistry with Minshew could lead to a strong bounce-back performance.
Jarvis Landry, Browns @ Cowboys
If you can’t start Landry this week, you may as well drop him. Baker Mayfield will have to attempt more than 23 passes against this fast-paced Cowboys’ offense, and Landry, along with Odell Beckham Jr., should be a primary beneficiary. Considering the Cowboys’ deficiencies in the secondary, this could be a high-scoring affair with plenty of passing on both sides.
Starts: Tight Ends
George Kittle or Ross Dwelley, 49ers vs. Eagles
At this point, we don’t know if George Kittle will suit up for the 49ers’ Sunday Night Football showdown against the Eagles. If Kittle plays, you should not hesitate to reinsert him into your lineup. The Eagles’ linebackers have been exposed over and over again this season, and the offense will likely run through Kittle considering the lack of other options in the passing game. Backup Ross Dwelley has produced when called upon, so feel free to fire him up if Kittle sits.
Jimmy Graham, Bears vs. Colts
If you’re desperate for a tight end, you could do worse than Jimmy Graham. He’s playing on 70% of Chicago’s offensive snaps, and he finally got involved in the passing game when Nick Foles took over at QB in Week 3. Foles has been known to heavily target his TEs, and with Tarik Cohen out for the season, Jimmy Graham could absorb some additional short-range targets.
Sits: Quarterbacks
Carson Wentz, Eagles @ 49ers
Carson Wentz salvaged his fantasy performance in Week 3 with a rushing TD, but he’s been awful as a passer this season. With Jalen Reagor, DeSean Jackson, and Dallas Goedert sidelined with injuries, Wentz will have to rely on the likes of John Hightower, Greg Ward, and Richard Rodgers in Week 4 against a tough 49ers’ defense. Steer clear.
Daniel Jones, Giants @ Rams
Like Carson Wentz, Daniel Jones has played poorly with a severely-depleted supporting cast. He hasn’t thrown a TD since Week 1, but he has turned the ball over four times. He’s just not a player you want to rely on right now, even against a more beatable Rams’ defense.
Sits: Running Backs
Joshua Kelley, Chargers @ Buccaneers
I endorsed Kelley last week because I expected the Chargers to be leading against the Panthers. I’m under no such delusions this week as the Chargers are set to face the surging Buccaneers. Not only will the Chargers struggle to keep pace with Tom Brady and friends, but the Buccaneers’ run defense is among the best in the league. The unit has limited Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, and Melvin Gordon so far this season. Kelley doesn’t stand a chance.
Antonio Gibson, Washington vs. Ravens
The Ravens don’t have a particularly strong run defense. However, you have to wonder how many attempts Gibson will actually handle in what will certainly be a negative game script. He only rushed 9 times against the Browns in Week 3, and he was fortunate to get into the end zone. You’ll need another TD this week to be satisfied with Gibson’s fantasy output, and I’m not willing to bank on that.
Todd Gurley, Falcons @ Packers
So far, the Falcons have not deployed Todd Gurley as a three-down back. He’s handling just over half of the RB opportunities for Atlanta and running just 14 routes per game. In positive game scripts, where he can command a significant number of rush attempts, Gurley will still be usable. However, that won’t be the case this week when the Falcons take on the Packers, who have scored at least 37 points in every game this season.
Sits: Wide Receivers
T.Y. Hilton, Colts @ Bears
I don’t know if Hilton has lost a step, or he hasn’t developed a strong chemistry with Philip Rivers, but he hasn’t lived up to his draft price through three games. In fact, he’s been awful. With just 10 receptions for 133 yards on the season, Hilton just isn’t involved in the offense. I’m sure he’ll find the end zone a couple of times this season, but he’s not getting enough volume in this run-heavy offense to consider starting.
Jerry Jeudy, Broncos vs. Jets
After Jeff Driskel’s uninspiring performance in Week 3, the Broncos are turning to Brett Rypien at QB in Week 4. Even in a favorable matchup against the Jets, I’m not willing to trust a rookie WR to produce with an undrafted QB, making his first start, under center. And given how the Jets have played this season, the Broncos probably won’t have to throw a ton in this one. Keep Jeudy on the bench, at least until we see what Rypien can do.
Emmanuel Sanders, Saints @ Lions
Sanders finally had a decent game in Week 3, bringing in 4 receptions for 56 yards and a TD. However, if Michael Thomas returns in Week 4, Sanders will become irrelevant once again. Between Thomas, Kamara, Cook, and even Tre’Quan Smith, there are just too many pass-catchers in this Saints offense for Sanders to be a reliable fantasy option.
Sits: Tight Ends
Chris Herndon, Jets vs. Broncos
Despite playing 75% of the Jets’ offensive snaps and commanding a 17.6% target share, Herndon has been basically useless for fantasy. Adam Gase’s offense is just too inefficient to support any viable fantasy options, and I don’t expect things to get better this week against the Broncos.
Thanks for reading this article! Look me up on Twitter at @fantasyfreezer if you’d like to hear more from me. I love answering fantasy questions, discussing trades, and engaging in friendly debates, so be sure to drop in and say hello.
