Best Week 4 QB Matchups
Aaron Rodgers vs Falcons: Shout out to Adam Rank cause the Aaron Rodgers revenge tour has been great for fantasy football. That should continue this week against a Falcons defense that is currently allowing 33.47 fantasy PPG this season, the most in the NFL. The Falcons are giving up 362.7 passing yards per game and have allowed a league-high nine passing touchdowns. The best part? He plays on Monday so even if you’re down 30 fantasy points heading into that game, you have a shot!
Ryan Fitzpatrick vs Seahawks: The Seahawks have been fantasy goodness for whoever they have played this season. Every QB that has faced the Seahawks this season has scored at least 23 fantasy points, with Cam Newton scoring nearly 35 against them. In fact, Seattle is the only team to allow a Top 10 QB in every game this season. On the year QBs have averaged 28.65 fantasy PPG to QBs, including 439.7 passing yards per game. There is a lot of opportunity for Fitzpatrick in this one, especially since the Dolphins will need to put up points to keep up with Russell Wilson. Fitzpatrick is a sneaky borderline QB1 this week.
Other Favorable QB Matchups: Baker Mayfield vs DAL, Russell Wilson vs MIA, Joe Burrow vs JAX
Best Week 4 RB Matchups
Devin Singletary / Zack Moss vs Raiders: The Raiders have allowed the most fantasy PPG to RBs this season (44.5). In fact, they’ve allowed at least 28 fantasy points to a RB in every single game this season. Perhaps the Bills backs will take too much away from one another to go for 28, but both could have a very nice day. Singletary has served as the Bills top back, meaning that he can rack up a lot of yards – the Raiders have allowed 218 per game to backs. They’ve also allowed seven touchdowns to backs this year, which bodes well for Moss, who leads the Bills backs with three carries and one target inside the five-yard line. Singletary is an RB2 and Moss is a flex option, but the upside is immense.
Kenyan Drake vs Panthers: Look, I get it, Drake has been frustrating for fantasy this season. But a big part of that is that Kyler Murray is stealing the rushing TDs. Drake has still seen at least 18 touches in every game this season, it just hasn’t translated to a bunch of fantasy points. That changes this week against the Panthers who have allowed the second-most fantasy PPG to RBs (42.83). That includes seven touchdowns, tied for the most allowed to the position, and 188 yards per game. He should be in everyone’s fantasy lineup this week. If Drake lets you down here, you really need to worry.
Other Favorable RB Matchups: Todd Gurley vs GB, James Robinson vs CIN, Dalvin Cook vs HOU
Best Week 4 WR Matchups
Dolphins WRs vs Seahawks: I’m guessing you may have seen this one coming. Seattle is by far the best matchup for WRs right now. So far this season the Seahawks have allowed 73.2 fantasy PPG to wide outs – no other team is even allowing 50 per game to the position. They’ve allowed 379 receiving yards per game to WRs, while no other team is even allowing 250 per game. They’ve allowed six receivers to top 100 yards against them, the most in NFL history through Week 3. DeVante Parker is a must start option to me, while Preston Williams and Isaiah Ford are sleepers with lots of upside.
Browns WRs vs Cowboys: The Cowboys have allowed the second-most fantasy PPG to WRs this season (48.37). That includes 202 yards per game and a league-high seven receiving TDs allowed to the position through three weeks. Plus, the Browns may have to score points to keep up with the Cowboys, which means we can see Baker Mayfield throw more than the 23 times he’s done in each of the last two games. Odell Beckham Jr. should be in your lineup and Jarvis Landry is in play in deeper leagues.
Other Favorable WR Matchups: Packers WRs vs ATL, Texans WRs vs MIN, Cowboys WRs vs CLE
Best Week 4 TE Matchups
T.J. Hockenson vs Saints: The Saints have allowed the most fantasy PPG to TEs this season (27.33). They’ve also allowed a league-high 96.7 receiving yards per game and four TDs to the position. Meanwhile, Hockenson has scored at least nine fantasy points in every game, which is a safe floor. But the ceiling is so much higher in this matchup, especially if the Lions are chasing points late and must throw more. Hockenson is a Top-10 TE heading into Week 4.
Dalton Schultz vs Browns: Schultz is averaging eight targets per game the last two weeks and has scored 21.8 and 8.8 fantasy points since filling in for Blake Jarwin. So far, he looks like he has a really safe floor and a nice ceiling. We could see that upside this week as the Browns have allowed 19.3 fantasy PPG to TEs, the third-most in the NFL. Schultz is looking
Other Favorable TE Matchups: Robert Tonyan /Jace Sternberger vs ATL, Logan Thomas vs BAL, Drew Sample vs JAX
Fastest Rising Players:
1. James Robinson: Robinson went from unheard of to borderline RB1 in three weeks. He has another strong matchup in Week 4 and is close to cementing himself as a player you start every single week.
2. Joe Burrow: Burrow is currently the QB10 and averaging a league high 47 pass attempts per game. He has another strong matchup in Week 4 and is getting close to becoming a QB you can start every week.
3. Justin Jefferson : The Vikings have been searching for a number two option next to Adam Thielen and the first-round pick Jefferson filled that role and then some breaking out in a major way in Week 3. He has the talent to be a consistent fantasy contributor and the opportunity is there.
4. Tee Higgins: Higgins snaps and targets have increased each week and he led Bengals WRs in snaps in Week 3, playing 79 percent. He found the end zone twice and the Bengals likely want their young QB and WR combo to develop together. You’re on notice,A.J. Green .
5. Jimmy Graham: Jimmy Graham would be the boomer amongst this group of rookies, but still he is seeing volume. Nick Foles targeted him seven times in Week 3, most on the team. He also leads the Bears with seven red zone targets and has three TDs.
Toughest Week 4 QB Matchups
Nick Foles vs Colts: Nick Foles came in and pulled the Bears from the jaws of defeat in Week 3. He has this Bears offense trending up, but it could be a tougher day this week as the Colts have allowed the fewest fantasy PPG to QBs at just 8.69 per game. The Cols have faced Sam Darnold, Gardner Minshew and Kirk Cousins this year and held all but Minshew to single digits. You likely have a better option than Foles to go with this week.
Philip Rivers vs Bears: The Bears have allowed the second fewest fantasy PPG to QBs this season at 11.78 per game. That’s after allowing the seventh fewest to the position in 2019, so there is a trend there. Rivers hasn’t scored 15 fantasy points in a game this season and this is not the week to start trusting him. He is an easy fade this week.
Other Tough QB Matchups: Kyler Murray vs CAR, Justin Herbert vs TB, Josh Allen vs LV
Toughest Week 4 RB Matchups
Miles Sanders vs 49ers: The Niners have allowed just 15.37 fantasy PPG to RBs this season, the fewest in the league. They’ve held backs to just 80 yards per game on average. We know the Niners defense is tough, but I will point out that they have faced the Jets without Le’Veon Bell and the Giants without Saquon Barkley. Sanders is not someone I would sit in fantasy, but this is a week to temper expectations and avoid in daily.
Antonio Gibson vs Ravens: The Ravens have allowed the third fewest fantasy PPG to RBs this season, at 17.63. They’ve also allowed just one TD to the position. Gibson has topped double digit fantasy points the last two games, but only because he found the end zone. I do not like his chances of doing so this week and I would be looking to get him out of my lineups this week.
Other Tough RB Matchups: Ronald Jones/Leonard Fournette vs LAC, David Montgomery vs IND, Myles Gaskin vs SEA
Toughest Week 4 WR Matchups
Panthers WRs vs Cardinals: The Cardinals have allowed just 24.5 fantasy PPG to WRs this season, the fewest in the NFL. In fact, if you tripled that, the Seahawks would still be giving up more. Sorry, Seattle! But, the Cards have allowed just 121.7 receiving yards per game and just two TDs this season to WRs. I would still use DJ Moore this week, but he is more of a mid-range WR2, which is lower than he normally comes in the rankings. Robby Anderson is a boom-or-bust WR3 or flex option.
Patriots WRs vs Chiefs: The Chiefs secondary has gone up against the Texans, Chargers and Ravens and yet they are still allowing the second fewest fantasy PPG to WRs this season (24.90). They are giving up just 106 receiving yards per game to receivers, the fewest in the NFL, and have allowed just one TD to wide outs. This secondary is tough and I would look to avoid testing it with the Pats WRs. This could be another very heavy run game for the Patriots.
Other Tough WR Matchups: Bears WRs vs IND, JAX WRs vs CIN, Bills WRs vs LV
Toughest Week 4 TE Matchups
Zach Ertz vs 49ers: The Niners are allowing just three fantasy points per game to TEs this season, the fewest in the NFL. They’ve only allowed five catches and 40 yards to the position this year and no touchdowns. You still must start Ertz as he can easily top those numbers this week, but his upside is lower than normal in this very tough matchup.
Jimmy Graham vs Colts: Graham is definitely trending up but this week will be a test for him against a Colts defense that is allowing the second fewest fantasy PPG to the position (3.07). On the year the Colts have only allowed six catches and 32 yards and no touchdowns to tight ends.
Other Tough TE Matchups:
Mike Gesicki vs SEA, Travis Kelce vs NE, Greg Olsen vs MIA
Other Matchup Stats to Know:
ARI allowed 18+ fantasy pts to QBs in 2 of 3 games this season
ATL allowing 47.63 fantasy PPG to WRs this season (3rd-most in NFL)
ATL allowed top-scoring fantasy QB in 2 of 3 games
ATL allowing 3.0 pass TD/gm this season (T-most in NFL)
BUF allowing 8th-most fantasy PPG to WRs this season (41.3)
CAR allowing 2nd-most fantasy PPG to RBs this season (42.83)
CAR allowed 7 TD to RBs this season (T-most in NFL)
CAR allowed a Top-3 RB in every game this season
CHI: Allowed a Top-15 fantasy TE in 2 of 3 games this season
DAL allowing 25.27 fantasy PPG to QBs this season (3rd-most in NFL)
DAL allowing 3.0 pass TD/gm this season (T-most in NFL)
DAL allowing 2nd-most fantasy PPG to WRs this season (48.37)
GB allowing 37.5 fantasy PPG to RBs this season (3rd-most in NFL)
HOU: Allowed most rush YPG this season (188.3)
IND allowing 3rd-fewest fantasy PPG to WRs this season (27.9)
JAX allowing 22.26 fantasy PPG to QBs this season (5th-most in NFL)
KC allowed 20+ fantasy pts to QB in 2 of 3 games
LAC allowing 5th-fewest fantasy PPG to RBs this season (18.3)
LAR allowed 3 rec TD to TEs vs BUF Wk 3 (most in NFL)
LV allowing most fantasy PPG to RBs this season (44.5)
LV allowing most rec YPG to RBs this season (78.0)
LV allowing 15.27 fantasy PPG to QBs this season (5th-fewest in NFL)
MIN: Allowing 3rd-most pass YPG this season (299.7)
NE allowed 4 Top-30 fantasy WRs in last 2 games
NO allowed 20+ fantasy pts to QB in every game this season
NYG allowing 9th-most fantasy PPG to RBs this season (28.67)
SEA: Allowed a Top-8 fantasy QB in each game this season
SEA allowing most rec YPG to WRs this season (378.7)
SEA allowed six 100-yd WRs in 3 games this season (most in NFL)
SF: Allowing 1.7 rec/gm to TE this season (fewest in NFL)
SF: Allowed 5 rec to TEs this season (fewest in NFL)
SF allowing fewest fantasy PPG to TEs this season (3.0)
TB has not allowed rec TD to TEs this season
All stats used entering Week 4. Make sure to follow Michael F. Florio on Twitter and Instagram, @MichaelFFlorio.