Week 4 of the fantasy football season included a lot of notable performances around the NFL on Sunday. What should we make from them? Matt Bowen and Tristan H. Cockcroft are here with analysis on the greatest entertainers– and duds– of the week.
Jim Brown.
1963.
124.9.
320.0.
14.
Marshall Faulk.
2000.
121.6.
446.0.
14.
Marvin Harrison.
1999.
124.7.
346.0.
16.
PLAYER
YEAR
FPTS
SEASON TOTAL
G.
Emmitt Smith.
1995.
130.3.
401.0.
16.
Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders: The Patriots defense game-planned to take Waller out of the route tree in Week 4, limiting the tight end to just 9 lawns receiving. Nevertheless, in Sundays matchup versus Buffalo, Waller was back in the mix, capturing 9 of a team-high 11 targets for 88 backyards. He remains Derek Carrs No. 1 alternative in the Raiders pass video game.– Bowen.
T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts: For the second time in four weeks, Hilton was held to under 50 yards getting, catching 3-of-5 targets for 29 lawns in the win over the Bears. The Colts pass game is limited vertically with Philip Rivers at quarterback, and Hilton isnt seeing enough volume on shallows or intermediate tosses to bring worth as a fantasy starter.– Bowen.
Colts Defense/Special Teams: While it wasnt the type of controling performance we saw in Week 3, the Colts 8 points from their team defense/special groups assisted them extend their lead in dream points, their 58 points 20 much better than the No. 2 system (Buccaneers). The Colts D/ST has been a start-worthy team in each of their four games, and thinking about that their next 2 games come versus the Browns and Bengals, theyre one of the couple of defenses that ought to be locked into your lineup. That said, keep a close eye on the status of linebacker Darius Leonard, who entrusted to a groin injury near completion of the first half. The Colts continued to look strong on defense even after Leonards lack, however the Browns, who set up 49 points on Sunday, could cause them some trouble if their protective leader is absent.– Cockcroft.
Dak Prescott.
2020.
122.2.
?
?
Judging by the returns in the first 3 1/2 weeks of the season, it didnt seem possible that Brady could rally in the style that he did in Week 4. Brady has actually inched himself back towards the top 10 fantasy starters for next week, however I d be more all-in for his Week 6 game against a bad Green Bay Packers secondary. In the previous two weeks, Prescott has actually thrown 115 passes due to negative game flow where the Cowboys are falling behind numerous ratings. Even worse yet, Drake exited the game on the last drive with an injury, and while initial indications were that it isnt serious, it casts some doubt upon his status as even an RB2 for Week 5 versus the Jets. And with an upcoming Week 5 video game versus a Seattle defense that has actually struggled to restrict pass-game numbers, Jefferson will jump into WR2/WR3 mix.
Look, hes getting the volume in Joe Bradys offense, and we are seeing that he can make an impact in the pass video game. Over the past 2 weeks, Davis has actually registered 202 overall yards– on 42 touches– with 2 ratings. Davis gets the Atlanta defense in Week 5, a favorable match for the Panthers running back.
DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks: Metcalf is going to hang around that WR1/WR2 line in PPR formats. But if you play in a non-PPR league, Metcalf must be locked in as a WR1 given the vertical pass video game in Seattle, plus his explosive play characteristics after the catch. After publishing 106 yards receiving– on four grabs– in Sundays triumph over Miami, Metcalf has actually now produced a minimum of 92 backyards getting in every game this season. And his route tree continues to grow in this Seahawks offense.– Bowen.
Kenyan Drake, RB, Arizona Cardinals: Was he Week 4s greatest disappointment? We will see when the weeks returns are fully in, but with a 15.5 PPR fantasy point ESPN projection, Drakes 3.5 points on 13 touches, all of them rushing efforts, needs to be considered a leading candidate, thinking about the opposing Panthers got in having permitted 128.5 points to opposing running backs, 2nd most in the league (Las Vegas Raiders, 133.5). He got 3 of the Cardinals 4 rushing attempts in goal-to-go scenarios, getting stuffed on the one possibility he had at the goal line, and failed to tape a run of 10 backyards. Worse yet, Drake exited the video game on the last drive with an injury, and while preliminary indications were that it isnt severe, it casts some doubt upon his status as even an RB2 for Week 5 versus the Jets. It d be a smart relocation to add Chase Edmonds, simply in case.– Cockcroft.
Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens: This was a bounce-back week for Andrews after a couple crucial drops in the Monday night loss to Kansas City. The Ravens tight end caught three passes for 57 yards– with 2 touchdown grabs on high-red zone tosses from Lamar Jackson. And, actually, thats the location of the field where Andrews normally moneys in. Seams and over paths when Baltimore is managing the pace of the video game.– Bowen.
Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings: In his previous two video games, the rookie has actually caught 11 of 14 targets for 278 lawns. And with an upcoming Week 5 game versus a Seattle defense that has had a hard time to limit pass-game numbers, Jefferson will leap into WR2/WR3 mix.
Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington Football Team: Gibson posted season highs in touches (17) and total lawns (128) on Sunday in Washingtons loss to Baltimore, which included goal-line carries and scripted targets in the pass video game. Gibson has actually now scored a touchdown in three consecutive games, and the volume is increasing to fit his flexible traits at the position. Consider Gibson a RB2 in the Week 5 matchup with the Rams.– Bowen.
Quick-hitters
Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns: Beckham lit up the Dallas defense Sunday for 154 total lawns– and 3 touchdowns– on simply 7 touches. In a run-heavy Cleveland offense, Beckham will stay as an upper-tier WR2 in my rankings heading into a Week 5 matchup versus the Colts.– Bowen
Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys: Weve seen Mike McCarthys impact on the Cowboys offense this season. More pass video game volume, more vertical principles. And that viewpoint has actually truly increased given Dallas substandard defense. In the past two weeks, Prescott has tossed 115 passes due to negative game flow where the Cowboys are falling back multiple ratings.– Bowen
Alvin Kamara.
2018.
136.1.
340.0.
15.
Jimmy Smith.
2000.
123.6.
254.0.
15.
Priest Holmes.
2002.
125.0.
431.0.
14.
Tom Brady back in the top-10 fantasy QB mix
Evaluating by the returns in the first 3 1/2 weeks of the season, it didnt seem possible that Brady might rally in the fashion that he did in Week 4. Brady finished four goals during the second half alone, resulting in 32.5 fantasy points, his best single-game overall given that Week 3 of the 2017 season (35.7 ). Brady has inched himself back toward the top 10 fantasy beginners for next week, but I d be more all-in for his Week 6 video game versus a bad Green Bay Packers secondary.
Tristan, the Bucs established some rhythm in the pass video game throughout the 2nd half on Sunday, and they attacked vertically, computing up the Chargers defense. For me, thats a really positive indication for Brady given how disjointed this Tampa Bay offense has actually sought to start the season.– Bowen
Joe Mixon posts his finest dream week ever
He didnt simply set a profession best with 42.1 PPR fantasy points, he eliminated his previous best of 30.6, set in Week 17 of 2019, and scored nearly 15 more points than he did in Weeks 1-3 combined (27.2 ). The Bengals battles appear to hold Mixon back from being a real, locked-in top-10 dream running back every week, however he has both the talent and volume to require it.
Big changes could be concerning Clevelands backfield
Nick Chubb scored 4.3 fantasy points on six rushing attempts before exiting Sundays video game late in the very first quarter after he had his leg rolled up upon while pass blocking. Considering he needed assistance getting off the field, his knee injury is among the major issues leaving Week 4, as he is due for an MRI exam. Must Chubb miss extended time, Kareem Hunt, who has 69.7 PPR dream points this season on 58 touches spread out across only 88 snaps (plus Sundays count that stays pending), would see an increase in his use and potentially reach the RB1 rankings tier. Its most likely that DErnest Johnson will be used a decent share as a rusher, making him one of the Week 5 top pickups, but Hunt would get the most fantasy-relevant boost in case of a Chubb long-term injury.– Cockcroft
CeeDee Lamb isnt playing like a novice
With 2 goals Sunday among five receptions for 79 yards, Lamb ought to be a weekly play as a WR3 in a Dallas system that will continue to toss with volume offered its substandard defense. Lamb has actually now seen at least 6 targets in every video game this season, and the Cowboys are likewise manufacturing touches for the rookie on screens and jet sweeps.– Bowen
Agreed, Matt, and while I think some may stress over Lambs simple 14% target share (26 of 198), that 198 Cowboys group target overall tells a great deal of the story. Lamb is on rate for 104 targets, which is plenty for him to make a WR3 effect, and hes still one of my favorites of the 2020 rookie large receiver class from a year-over-year point of view.– Cockcroft
Justin Herbert shines … again
Yeah, Herbert missed on the late-game interception throw– it looked like the Chargers quarterback sailed that ball into zone coverage. The rookie was pretty dialed in Sunday versus the Bucs, completing 20 of 25 passes for 290 lawns and 3 touchdowns– which consisted of an outright rocket ball off play-action on a 72 backyard score. The arm talent is leaping here, and hes tossing the ball with effectiveness in this Chargers offense. We see Herbert as a matchup-dependent QB2, however the ceiling is climbing up here for the rook.– Bowen
In this era of mobile quarterbacks, its no longer unusual to find passers who succeed from a dream viewpoint rapidly at the NFL level. Still, Herbert has actually now scored 59.9 dream points in his first three profession starts, which places a respectable 19th given that at least 1950, and he has done that in spite of just 10.7 of them coming from hurrying plays.– Cockcroft
Austin Ekelers injury alters Chargers strategies
As if Chubbs injury wasnt enough, the Chargers lost Ekeler to a hamstring injury, and one that needed him to be hauled off the sidelines. In Ekelers lack, Joshua Kelley ran 9 times and Justin Jackson six, though its crucial to bear in mind that the opposing Buccaneers are among the most difficult defenses versus the run and the Chargers offensive line played inadequately. Kelley is the guy I want if Ekelers injury is a long-term one, and hes an outright top include the 43% of ESPN leagues in which he remains offered. Keep this in mind: Kelley has six of nine goal-to-go hurrying attempts for the Chargers this season, so the group already appeared to trust him in crucial circumstances.– Cockcroft
Alvin Kamara.
2020.
127.7.
?
?
Russell Wilson.
2020.
124.9.
?
?
Jim Brown.
1958.
133.7.
283.0.
12.
Randy Moss.
2007.
123.5.
378.0.
16.
Wes Welker.
2011.
133.5.
328.0.
16.
