Team of the Week
QB: Justin Fields, PIT
Fields did not play great yesterday, but the Steelers falling behind allowed him to rack up the numbers in a comeback attempt—completing 22-of-34 passes for 312 yards and one touchdown while also adding ten carries for 55 yards and two scores as a runner. If the Steelers stick with Fields as Russell Wilson (calf) nears full health, his upside makes him a high-end QB1 for next Sunday night against the Cowboys.
RB: Derrick Henry, BAL
Henry started off his night with an 87-yard touchdown run on the team’s first offensive play, and he rumbled his way to 199 yards on 24 carries while also catching three passes for ten yards and a touchdown through the air. Over the past two games, Henry’s dominance has come against the Cowboys and Bills for a combined 49 carries for 350 yards (7.1 YPC) and three touchdowns on the ground.
RB: D’Andre Swift, CHI
The Bears seemed ready to give Roschon Johnson the lead role in the backfield, but Swift looked like a different player in Week 4—rushing 16 times for 93 yards and a touchdown with an additional 72 yards on seven receptions. We would say the usage/efficiency in the passing game is the most encouraging part of the showing and something that could keep Swift in RB2 range.
WR: Nico Collins, HOU
Houston wasn’t at their best offensively in the win over Jacksonville, but C.J. Stroud’s connection with Collins was certainly working with 12 receptions (on 15 targets) for 151 yards and a touchdown. Now averaging 122.3 receiving yards per game and 11.4 yards per target, there is little doubt about Collins being the No. 1 wideout despite the addition of Stefon Diggs.
WR: Jayden Reed, GB
Reed was a quieter over the past two weeks with Malik Willis at quarterback, but he immediately returned to being a major weapon with Jordan Love back in the lineup and the passing attack re-opened—catching seven passes for 139 yards and a touchdown in a 31-29 loss to Minnesota. In two games with Love healthy, Reed has now gone for 171 total yards and two touchdowns and 141 total yards and one touchdown.
TE: Taysom Hill, NO
Hill is unfortunately dealing with a rib injury that the team is still working through to determine if they are fractured, but he rushed six times for 24 yards and two touchdowns before exiting to finish as the top tight end heading into Monday Night Football. Whenever he’s healthy, Hill has proven to be a TE1 option at a very weak position.
FLEX: Jordan Mason, SF
The 49ers continued to feed Mason with Christian McCaffrey (calf/Achilles) out of the lineup, and he didn’t disappoint in the win over New England with 26 touches for 160 yards and a touchdown. We’ll see how McCaffrey handles the ramp up in his rehab, but Mason is set to be an RB1 for at least another week.
D/ST: San Francisco 49ers
An overmatched New England squad allowed the San Francisco defense to rack up the fantasy points yesterday—going for 23.0 points with six sacks, three takeaways, and a highlight touchdown by Fred Warner. The unit will remain a top play next week against Arizona.
K: Younghoe Koo, ATL
Those with the 49ers and Koo have to be feeling good right now, as Atlanta’s kicker went for 20.0 fantasy points in a performance that was capped with a game-winning 58-yard field goal. Keep rolling with him as a strong option on a short week versus Tampa Bay.
Surprise of the Week: Jeremy McNichols
McNichols was set to see extended action with Austin Ekeler (concussion) out, but his effectiveness was a surprise as he turned eight carries into 68 yards and two touchdowns for a Washington offense that has been a machine. While we would assume Ekeler will return in Week 5, McNichols is a name to at least file away.
Disappointment of the Week: Rashee Rice
Kyle Pitts certainly has a case here, but Rice scored zero fantasy points due to a knee injury—and it sounds like he will miss the rest of the season (though perhaps there is some hope with the Chiefs not yet having a definitive answer). For those in dynasty leagues, the loss could be compounded by a possible suspension for Rice in 2025, and it’ll be interesting to see how Kansas City tries to replace him in their quest for a three-peat.
Rookie of the Week: Brian Thomas Jr.
Jayden Daniels (24.02 fantasy points) had a top-five finish at quarterback for the third time in four weeks, but Thomas gets some recognition here after putting up 18.9 fantasy points. Basically, it appears that Jacksonville will be featuring the first-round rookie moving forward with the passing attack perhaps centralizing around him and Christian Kirk, so the time to buy low might be over.
Week 4 MVP: Derrick Henry
Things were surely looking gloom for many Henry owners that ended up winning their matchups last night, and it was a throwback performance that shows the monster runner still has plenty left in the tank. In general, the unstoppable December version of King Henry already appearing against two top opponents in September arguably makes him the No. 1 overall fantasy option to own the rest of the way.