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Quarterback
Start of the Week: Bo Nix (v CIN)
Nix is currently the overall QB20 and averaging just 13.5 fantasy points per game, but a handful of downfield throws have narrowly missed—and those will start to hit to increase the upside. Remember, the Denver offense started slow last year, and by the end of the season, Nix was a top-10 option at quarterback. One of the big games at the end of the season came against the Bengals with 21.86 fantasy points, and I like Nix to have a similar performance on Monday night. Buy low while you still can.
Start: Caleb Williams (@ LV)
Williams certainly paid off as last week’s top start with 298 yards and four touchdowns through the air, and the confidence will only continue to grow for the second-year passer. In general, it’s crazy people have wanted to discredit Williams already, as he’s compiled a 27:7 touchdown-interception ratio despite his rookie campaign being a bad situation—and Chicago has plenty of weapons for him to stay hot. Facing the ninth-worst pass defense in the league this week in Las Vegas, Williams is again our overall QB6.
Start: Justin Fields (@ MIA)
The risk for Fields was shown in Week 2 when he had 3.98 fantasy points in a blowout loss to the Bills—but the upside was shown in his other start with 29.52 fantasy points in the opener. If he clears the concussion protocol, Fields will be taking on a Miami team he destroyed with a career-best rushing performance in his lone meeting against them (15 carries for 178 yards and a touchdown), and the Dolphins have allowed 23.0+ fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in all three games this season. If you can live with the downside, Fields carries a monster ceiling on Monday night.
Start: Matthew Stafford (v IND)
Stafford needs to hit on touchdowns to be more than a QB2 option based on the limited rushing production—but this week against the Colts feels like a spot where he could have a huge passing day throwing to Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. Indy being without top slot cornerback Kenny Moore II (calf) only boosts the outlook in a potential shootout, and I don’t see Nacua (who has at least eight receptions and 118+ total yards every game this season) or Adams (who has destroyed the Colts throughout his career) being stopped. Stafford should pay off as a high-end QB2 for Week 4.
Sit of the Week: Dak Prescott (v GB)
The loss of CeeDee Lamb (ankle) for at least the next couple of games will really hurt Prescott and the Dallas offense—and Sunday night could be a major struggle versus a Green Bay defense that easily leads the NFL in fewest passing yards per attempt allowed (4.8). In addition to Lamb being out, the Cowboys will be without Tyler Booker (ankle) and Cooper Beebe (ankle/foot) on the offensive line, and Prescott will have to deal with a determined Micah Parsons in primetime. The possibility of a shootout (out of necessity based on how the Dallas defense has played) is the only thing keeping Dak in the top 20 this week.
Sit: Kyler Murray (v SEA)
Murray is another quarterback that barely cracks the top 20, and it’s largely due to what he can do as a runner—including 32+ rushing yards in all three games to begin 2025. However, the Seahawks limited him to a combined five carries for 25 yards and two matchups last year, both of which were losses where the Cardinals averaged 12.0 points per game. This season, Arizona has yet to find their groove offensively with Murray averaging just 180.7 passing yards per game, and Seattle has been stingy in coverage with a 4:5 touchdown-interception ratio allowed. It’d probably be wise to seek an alternative.
Sit: C.J. Stroud (v TEN)
Struggles for Stroud continued in a big way last week as he averaged just 5.4 yards per attempt and had two costly interceptions in a loss that dropped Houston to 0-3—and he really hasn’t played at a high level since he was a rookie. Perhaps things will click eventually for Stroud, but he threw for 247 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in a loss to Tennessee last November (he was pulled early in Week 18), and the former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year should be closer to the waiver wire than lineups at this point.
Sit: Jaxson Dart (v LAC)
The rushing upside for Dart is what will have many considering him in fantasy lineups, but I’d have a difficult time starting him against the Chargers—and I was floored when seeing him mentioned as a rest-of-season QB1 by others. From a big-picture perspective, the best chance for Dart paying dividends could come in the fantasy playoffs with a couple of easier games in Week 15 (v WAS) and Week 17 (@ LV), but there will be growing pains; until then, next week against the Saints could be one of the few spots where Dart will even be in low-end QB2 range.
Running Back
Start of the Week: Omarion Hampton (@ NYG)
I have been a bit critical of Hampton to begin his career, and it looked like Najee Harris was set to make it at least a 50-50 backfield split before the unfortunate Achilles tear. Instead, the first-round rookie is now set to be a complete workhorse for the Chargers—including the goal-line role and receiving work on one of the NFL’s best offenses. So, following a breakout performance in Week 3, Hampton is at least a top-15 play against a New York defense that is allowing the second-most rushing yards per game (153.3) in the league.
Start: Javonte Williams (v GB)
Williams still profiles as a potential sell-high option, but he again looked great last week (outside of a lost fumble on a unique strip by Tyrique Stevenson)—and Dallas will need to play through him more on Sunday night to keep the Green Bay pass rush from taking over the game. Maybe the Cowboys will decide to make rookie Jaydon Blue active for the first time to help make up for the loss of CeeDee Lamb, but Williams has averaged 5.3 yards per carry on the season and has caught 11 passes over the past two games. We have him as our overall RB19 this week.
Start: TreVeyon Henderson (v CAR)
Rhamondre Stevenson losing two fumbles last week should blow the door open for Henderson to emerge as the lead back in New England—and it’d come at the perfect time with Carolina being arguably the worst run defense in the league dating back to last season. The Patriots will still use a timeshare with Stevenson and Antonio Gibson (who also fumbled last week), but Henderson saw 14 touches against the Steelers and should be the most trusted option on the team considering what he can do in pass protection as well.
Start: Justice Hill (@ KC)
I would expect a very determined Derrick Henry this week against the Chiefs after another costly fumble in the loss to Detroit—but it could also be a spot where Hill sees increased involvement if the pace of the game is fast. Last year, Hill caught six-of-eight targets for 52 yards in the loss to the Chiefs, and he provided a spark late on Monday night with a 37-yard catch-and-run. If you’re in a deeper PPR league or want a cheap DFS option, Hill can be a better FLEX than usual this weekend.
Sit of the Week: Trey Benson (v SEA)
Benson was the most popular waiver add of Week 4 and should be a volume-based RB2/FLEX option with James Conner (ankle) done for the year—but he could face tough sledding on Thursday night with Seattle allowing just 3.2 yards per carry and zero rushing touchdowns this season. Running backs have hurt the Seahawks in the passing game to begin 2025, but Emari Demercado will be involved there, and Benson might need a score to capitalize on the projected volume in his first start.
Sit: Chase Brown (@ DEN)
The primary reason to be excited about Brown this season was the touchdown opportunities in a high-powered Cincinnati offense—but the group obviously isn’t close to as dangerous with Joe Burrow (toe) out of the lineup, and it’s been a significant drain on the 25-year-old’s value. Through three games, Brown is averaging just 2.0 yards per carry, and the combination of a shaky offensive line and continued questions about the pure instincts as a runner might not be resolved in Denver on Monday night. The big-play ability is what keeps Brown in play as an RB2 option.
Sit: Jaylen Warren (v MIN)
Warren has a similar outlook to Chase Brown this week with the hope of him breaking through for a chunk gain—versus a Minnesota defense that could leave a crease due to their aggressiveness—potentially allowing him to pay off as a start; but the Vikings should be a lot closer to the unit we saw in Week 1 and Week 3 (7.7 fantasy points per game allowed to running backs) than what we saw in Week 2 (when the Falcons rushed 38 times for 219 yards and a touchdown), and Warren is averaging just 3.1 yards per carry this season. I’d rather play rookies TreVeyon Henderson and Cam Skattebo in Week 4.
Sit: Rhamondre Stevenson (v CAR)
I would anticipate the Patriots going back to Stevenson eventually, but he’ll carry a ton of risk this week after the two lost fumbles last Sunday—with the second one at the goal line early in the third quarter leading to zero touches the rest of the game. Mike Vrabel doesn’t tolerate turnovers, so even in an enticing matchup versus the Panthers, Stevenson is a shaky FLEX who is highly unlikely to handle meaningful carries in scoring territory.
Wide Receiver
Start of the Week: Ladd McConkey (@ NYG)
The emergence of Quentin Johnston and return of Keenan Allen has held back McConkey to begin the season—but this weekend feels like a blowup spot for him against a very beatable Giants secondary. In particular, I don’t see Dru Phillips (who was benched last week) being able to stick with McConkey in the slot, and all three of him, Johnston, and Allen could have huge games. Focusing on McConkey, our overall WR9 ranking for Week 4 is the highest of the year, and he needs to be in lineups.
Start: DK Metcalf (v MIN)
Metcalf has been saved by a couple of red zone touchdowns to mask a slow start (135 receiving yards in three games), and the Vikings have allowed the fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers (14.0). Context is important, though, and Minnesota was run all over in Week 2 and faced an overmatched Cincinnati offense in Week 3; the Steelers haven’t been sharp since the opener, but I like Metcalf to get some one-on-one opportunities down the field similar to Tee Higgins last week (who couldn’t come up with a couple of jump balls in the end zone) to remain an upside WR2 option.
Start: Tee Higgins (@ DEN)
Speaking of Higgins, he gets the ideal bounce-back opportunity on Monday night against a Denver defense that he torched for 11/131/3 line last December in a thrilling overtime victory. If the Broncos go with the same plan in coverage as last year, Higgins will see a lot of Riley Moss—who had no answers for the big-bodied wideout in 2024. Jake Browning and the offensive line need to be better, but I would start Higgins as a top-20 option at wide receiver.
Start: Romeo Doubs (@ DAL)
Doubs had a quiet game last week in the loss to Cleveland, but so did the rest of the Green Bay offense—and it’s encouraging that he played a season-high 89.2% of the offensive snaps with injuries leading to less of a rotation. Although it sounds like star cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) will return for Dallas on Sunday night, Doubs dominated the Cowboys with a 6/151/1 line against them in the playoffs a couple of seasons ago, and his role in scoring territory boosts the FLEX value. We have Doubs as our overall WR32 this week.
Others: Jakobi Meyers (v CHI), Marvin Mims Jr. (v CIN)
Sit of the Week: Marvin Harrison jr. (v SEA)
The chemistry between Kyler Murray and Harrison remains a work in progress, and I have doubts about them suddenly getting on the same page versus a stingy Seattle defense that held last year’s No. 4 overall pick below 50 yards (and no touchdowns) in two 2024 matchups. Since a strong opener with a 5/71/1 line, Harrison has been held to a combined five receptions for 71 scoreless yards in two games, and opposing wideouts have done close to nothing against the Seahawks this year with much of the production allowed being last week in a blowout win over the Saints. Harrison should be a low-end WR2/FLEX option.
Sit: Chris Olave (@ BUF)
A fast-paced New Orleans offense has led to substantial targets for Olave (13, 10, and 14 through three weeks), but the downfield shots just haven’t been there—and the Ohio State product doesn’t have any receptions of 15+ yards despite the heavy opportunities. The way Buffalo wants to prevent the deep ball under Sean McDermott makes it unlikely that Olave will suddenly connect on a vertical shot this weekend, so he’s oddly (for his skillset) turned into a high-floor, low-ceiling FLEX for now.
Sit: Stefon Diggs (v CAR)
As the New England passing attack—which has had two sub-par performances outside of a “soft” matchup versus Miami in Week 2—tries to find out what works for them, it’s not a great sign that Diggs’ playing time remained low last week (52.7% snaps played) for what has been a committee approach at wide receiver. Carolina has three good cornerbacks with Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, and Chau Smith-Wade that Diggs will have to contend with on Sunday, so his stock is trending down with an overall WR48 ranking.
Sit: Travis Hunter (@ SF)
Some of the overreactions about Hunter just three games into his career are crazy, but Jacksonville’s plan to use the No. 2 overall pick primarily as a wide receiver have already flipped with the offensive snap rate falling (63.6% > 59.2% > 52.9%) while the defensive snap rate has rapidly climbed (9.4% > 62.3% > 68.3%). Since the opener, Hunter has seen just eight targets (compared to 16 for Parker Washington), so he needs to be downgraded until we can have more confidence in the talented rookie being a consistent factor on offense.
Others: Jerry Jeudy (@ DET), Calvin Ridley (@ HOU)
Tight End
Start: of the Week: T.J. Hockenson (@ PIT)
The first game for Hockenson with Carson Wentz under center went terrific for him with five receptions (on six targets) for 49 yards and a touchdown in a 48-10 win—and he should stay hot versus a Pittsburgh defense just allowed an 8/90/2 line to Hunter Henry. As mentioned last week when Hockenson was here, Wentz has typically peppered his tight end with targets, so he moves up a spot to be the overall TE6 for Week 4.
Start: Isaiah Likely (@ KC)
Likely (foot) isn’t as high as he could be if fully healthy, but a probable snap count isn’t enough to keep him out of the TE1 ranks. I would argue the breakout game for Mark Andrews on Monday night might even increase the appeal of Likely with less attention from the Chiefs, and he had a 9/111/1 line against them last year in the opener. If somehow available, Likely needs to be added in all leagues.
Start: Mike Gesicki (@ DEN)
Last week showed that this is a difference Cincinnati offense with Joe Burrow out, but Gesicki is still boosted as an upside TE2 in a matchup versus a Denver defense that is susceptible to tight ends. Last year, Gesicki caught 10-of-12 targets for 86 yards against the Broncos, and he’s too big and skilled to not soon snap the 11-game streak without a touchdown.
Sit of the Week: Juwan Johnson (@ BUF)
Johnson has started the season with lines of 8/76, 5/49/1, and 6/51—so it’s understandable to keep starting a guy with 28 targets on the season (which ranks No. 10 in the NFL and second to only Jake Ferguson at tight end). The Bills have remained one of the worst matchups for opposing tight ends, though, and a garbage-time touchdown by the Jets in Week 2 is the only real damage done against them with a combined five receptions for 32 yards allowed through three games.
Sit: Brenton Strange (@ SF)
The Jaguars are happy at 2-1, but the passing attack hasn’t been very good thus far—and Strange surprisingly leads the team in receptions (13) and receiving yards (137). There is little doubt that things will change soon, and I’m confident the 49ers will remain tough for opposing tight ends this year despite Juwan Johnson (5/49/1) and Trey McBride (5/43/1) both having nice games against them. Strange is just a borderline TE2 play for this week.
Sit: Mark Andrews (@ KC)
Andrews going off with a 6/91/2 line in a difficult matchup against the Lions last week certainly boosts his outlook, but you shouldn’t chase the points from a previous week—and inconsistency will remain in Baltimore’s offense. Especially if Isaiah Likely is back, Andrews could remain in the TE2 ranks with limited success against the Chiefs in his career by averaging 21.6 receiving yards per game with zero touchdowns in five career matchups.