Welcome to Week 4! Another week, another spate of injuries. That’s been one of the themes this season, but honestly, it’s a theme every season in the NFL, and I don’t think 2026 is much worse than a typical year – so far. It’s a violent game, played by young men who are uncommonly big, fast, and strong.
Another theme this season – which also happens every year – is massive early-season underperformance from players who were drafted to be starters on fantasy teams. Do you just wait it out, hoping they’ll
turn it around? When do you pull the plug and play someone else? Can you drop them?
The answers vary by player and obviously depend on multiple factors, including your roster, your record, and your pain tolerance. What’s worse – continuing to roll out Kyle Pitts (three fantasy points, total, in three games in Half-PPR) – or benching him and watching him go off?
These healthy players were all drafted in the Top-100 (roughly the first eight rounds of drafts in a 12-team league), and are the biggest underperformers thus far:
QB: Drake Maye, Justin Herbert
RB: David Montgomery (despite the 3-TD outburst in Week 1 – he’s averaged 4.6 fantasy points across the last two weeks), Rhamondre Stevenson, Jadarian Price, Kenneth Gainwell
WR: George Pickens, Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, Courtland Sutton, Carnell Tate, Marvin Harrison, Jr., Brian Thomas, Jr., Quentin Johnston
TE: Colston Loveland, Tucker Kraft, Kyle Pitts, Sr.
The good news is that almost all of these players were drafted outside the Top-50. Some of the players drafted in the Top-50 have disappointed as well (Saquon Barkley, Chase Brown, Omarion Hampton, Jaylen Waddle, and Ladd McConkey, to name a few), but they’ve at least mostly been playable.
Of course, some of these players are worth considering as “buy-low” candidates, from managers losing patience with them.
Stats of the Week:
- The Bucs are 0-12 against the spread (ATS) in their last 12 games.
- Drake Maye committed 11 turnovers in the entire 2025 regular season (he played all 17 games). In his last seven games (2025 playoffs, plus 2026 regular season), he has 15 turnovers.
- Nothing changes department: The two South divisions are each a cumulative 3-9 through three weeks.
- The Raiders have already won as many games (3) as they did all last season.
- The Vikings are 3-0 despite (a) not topping 250 yards of offense in any of their games, and (b) being outgained by their opponent in every game.
- BAL@DAL was the first game in the Super Bowl era with two field goals made in the final ten seconds. I’d give Brian Schottenheimer the 2026 Flavor Flav Clock Management Award, but Aaron Glenn (Week 2 vs. Packers) says it’s his to keep and if anyone wants it, they’ll have to pry it from his cold, dead hands.
OK, Week 4, here we go!
Note: The WAS@IND game is in London – set those lineups early!
Bye Weeks: NONE
Week 4 Rides, Fades and Sleepers
For those who are familiar with this column, you know the drill. For everyone else: The Rides, Fades, and Sleepers is an analysis of players that I think are primed for an especially strong or poor performance, often as compared to consensus expectations. This isn’t a straight-up Start/Sit exercise. As a general rule, start your studs. I’ll rarely list the most obvious names at a position as “Rides” because those players are almost always expected to have strong performances. You don’t need me or anyone else telling you to start Kenneth Walker. While this analysis is intended for season-long play, it works for DFS formats too. Half PPR scoring and Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) are used for the column.
Each week, I’m picking a Ride, Fade,and Sleeper of the Week. The rules: The Ride of the Week can’t be a truly elite option, the Fade can’t be someone who nobody is starting anyway, and the Sleeper must be an actual sleeper, from down in the rankings.
Last week, my Rides, Fades, and Sleepers did pretty well, for the most part. My two Sleepers of the Week, Sam Darnold and Geno Smith, both topped 25 fantasy points and finished as the QB2 and QB3 on the Week. Who was the QB1? Brock Purdy, who was my first Ride quarterback listed. Full disclosure: I whiffed on Justin Herbert. You can check my work here.
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Ride of the Week:
Tetairoa McMillan (vs. DET). McMillan has been overshadowed by teammate Jalen Coker so far this season, but he hasn’t been bad, and in any case that should change on Sunday. Coker suffered a quad injury on Sunday and is questionable for this week. Meanwhile, the Lions have topped 30 points scored in every game so far, and this contest has shootout written all over it (the Vegas total is 50.5, which is the second highest on the board). Detroit’s secondary is a banged-up mess, and on the young season they’ve allowed the third most fantasy points per game (FPPG) to opposing WRs. Tet should get his on Sunday night.
Fade of the Week:
Emeka Egbuka (vs. GB). Baker Mayfield is going to miss this game and probably a couple more, so I’ll stick with the second-year receiver theme with my Fade. I’m not sure why Tampa went into the season with an undrafted rookie as the backup to a QB who suffered about 50 different injuries last season, but here we are. Any given week could be Todd Bowles’s last with this organization, and while the Packers’ defense is nothing special, do you really want to trust Jalon Daniels in his first NFL start? It’s unraveling fast for the Bucs, and Egbuka is a sit for me this week in what could be another very ugly offensive performance for Tampa.
Sleeper of the Week:
Marcus Mariota (vs. IND). Mariota drew a tough matchup in his first start (SEA) and managed to lead his team to an improbable win. It gets much easier this week, against the Colts in London. They’ve allowed the second most passing yards and fifth most FPPG to opposing QBs. Mariota is still a decent dual-threat, and with his own defense being among the league’s worst against the pass, there should be a need to put up big points this week. If you need a second QB, or even a streamer in a one-QB format, you could do worse. He’s ranked outside the Top-15 this week and I like him for a low-end QB-1 finish.
I’ll give you a bonus Sleeper of the Week: Darren Waller (vs. DET). All he does is score TDs, and all the Lions do is give up TDs to his position. They’ve allowed six, to six different tight ends, in just three games! No, that’s not a typo. Like Mariota, Waller is ranked outside the Top-15 at his position, and I think that’s too low.
Quarterback:
Elite options this week – Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes; the analysis starts below them.
Rides:
Jared Goff (@CAR) should have another productive week. His team will probably need to break 30 again to win. It’s easier to run on the Panthers, but he’ll do enough with his arm. In the same matchup, give me Bryce Young (vs. DET). I’ll say it again: Detroit’s secondary is a hot mess. The Lions have allowed the second most TD passes (9) and the most FPPG to opposing QBs, and Young has put up huge numbers in two of three games on the young season.
Others in the Top-15 who I think will outperform their ranking this week: Joe Burrow (vs. JAC, in what could be a high-scoring affair) and Tyler Shough (vs. ATL).
Sleepers:
If you need a second QB in a Superflex, there are once again some nice options, including Geno Smith (@CHI), Jacoby Brissett (@NYG), C.J. Stroud (vs. DAL and their terrible pass defense, and especially if he gets Nico Collins back), Sam Darnold (vs. LAC), and Daniel Jones (@WAS, most TD passes (11) and second most FPPG allowed to opposing QBs).
Jameis Winston (vs. ARI) hasn’t been good, but I’d write some of that off to the circumstances of his first appearance, and the horrible weather in his second. It’s a good matchup at home (Brock Purdy just lit them up for four TDs), he’s put up big numbers before, and he might feel some pressure to get it done this week after the team just acquired J.J. McCarthy. I like Jameis as a DFS flier.
Fades:
I’m not starting Drake Maye (@BUF) or Justin Herbert (@SEA) until I either see a good game out of them or the matchup is too good to resist. Maye has a nice matchup but he looks awful right now and can’t be trusted. Herbert has a bad matchup.
Others: Lower-ranked quarterbacks that you might be considering, but who I’d try to avoid in Superflex this week include Malik Willis (@MIN and their blitz-happy, buzzsaw defense that happens to be coached by a man who sued the Dolphins after they fired him), Deshaun Watson (vs. PIT) and in the same ugly Thursday night game (just trust me on that), Aaron Rodgers (@CLE).
Running back:
Elite options this week – Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson, Kenneth Walker, Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor, and Christian McCaffrey; the analysis starts below them.
Rides:
D’Andre Swift (vs. NYJ) is no Jahmyr Gibbs. In fact, the Lions effectively replaced Swift with Gibbs a few years ago. So don’t expect Swift to single-handedly annihilate the Jets like Gibbs did last Sunday. But do expect a good game with high volume. Swift is averaging 18 carries a game and the split with Kyle Monangai is better than expected – Swift saw a 70% snap share last week. With Caleb Williams out at least one more game, a run-heavy script in a favorable home matchup is likely.
Speaking of good matchups, Aaron Jones, Sr. (vs. MIA) is in an absolute smash spot this week, but for some reason he’s ranked outside the Top-15 RBs. He’s got little competition for touches, and Miami has allowed the most total TDs (7) and FPPG to opposing RBs. Minnesota should control this game from the opening whistle, setting up a great game script for the veteran back. I love the case I just made — Is it too late to make Jones my Ride of the Week?
Others ranked inside the Top-25 this week who I think will outperform their rankings are Jeremiyah Love (@NYG), Chase Brown (vs. JAC, and he started slow last year too, so be patient, it’ll come), Chuba Hubbard (vs. DET, in what should be a back-and-forth affair), and Braelon Allen (@CHI).
Sleepers:
I’m not sure why Alvin Kamara (vs. ATL) is ranked outside the Top-30, with Travis Etienne, Jr. nursing a hamstring injury that forced him out of the team’s Week 3 contest (and he’s already been declared OUT for Week 4). I want as many playable Saints as I can get – no team runs more plays.
Others to consider, if you’re desperate at RB this week (ranked outside the Top-30 for the week): Woody Marks (vs. DAL), R.J. Harvey (@SF), Chris Rodriguez, Jr. (@CIN) and Kendre Miller (vs. ATL).
Don’t give up on Jadarian Price (vs. LAC). Lost fumbles in back-to-back weeks is tough, and he hasn’t been worth starting, but Seattle took him in the first round and I’m guessing they’ll try to involve him more this week. If you’re stuck at RB this week, I think you can give him a shot.
Fades:
I’ve got him in several leagues, but I’m not starting David Montgomery (vs. DAL) unless and until the efficiency (and volume along with it) improves. It can’t get much worse. He’s averaging a paltry 2.8 YPC behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines. The 3-TD game from Week 1 is a distant memory.
Start Omarion Hampton (@SEA) at your own peril. He saw a season-low 42% of snaps last week and it’s looking like a full-blown committee in L.A. He also doesn’t look particularly good out there. On top of that, the team isn’t scoring (just five TDs through three games) and it’s a bad matchup. Seattle has allowed the seventh fewest FPPG to opposing RBs and they’re especially stingy at home. OK, now I want to switch my Fade of the Week too.
Others ranked in the Top-30 who are fades for me: Rhamondre Stevenson AND TreVeyon Henderson (@BUF, and it’s hard to trust either one while Drake Maye and this offense are so broken – the Pats have scored just three TDs in three games), Quinshon Judkins (vs. PIT), and J.K. Dobbins (@SF). And do yourself a favor, don’t even consider starting any Miami RBs (@MIN) this week.
Wide receiver:
Elite options this week – Ja’Marr Chase, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba; the analysis starts below them.
Rides:
Five Rides this week, all ranked inside the weekly Top-20, and all with favorable matchups: Garrett Wilson (@CHI), Zay Flowers (vs. TEN), the red-hot Christian Watson (@TB), who has at least one TD in each game so far, Nico Collins if he plays (vs. DAL and their generous secondary – second most FPPG allowed to opposing WRs), and Josh Downs (@WAS). Downs saw 20 targets in his last two contests, and this week he gets a defense that has allowed the most catches, TD catches (6), and FPPG to opposing WRs.
Moving down to those ranked between 21 and 30 for the Week, I like these guys as a WR2/WR3 or Flex play this week, if you need them: Malik Nabers (vs. ARI) and in the same game, Michael Wilson (@NYG), Terry McLaurin (@IND), and Luther Burden III (vs. NYJ).
Sleepers:
WRs ranked outside the Top-30 this week that I think you can plug into lineups if you’re in need include Deebo Samuel, Sr. (vs. DEN), Stefon Diggs (vs. IND), Keenan Allen (@WAS), DeVaughn Vele (vs. ATL), and Jakobi Meyers (@CIN).
Fades:
I’m nervous about Devonta Smith (vs. LAR) this week. He’s nursing a sore hamstring, he’s a little boom/bust to begin with, the Philadelphia offense is struggling again, and it’s not a great matchup. Temper expectations if he is, in fact, active on Sunday.
I’m sure a big George Pickens (@HOU) game is coming soon, but Houston absolutely, positively, has to have this game, and I think their pass rush and secondary will finally show up in the same week, and give the prolific Dallas passing game problems. Pickens is a Fade for me this week.
It got a little better for Carnell Tate (@BAL) last week, but he’s still a weekly sit for me unless and until he proves that he should be in lineups. Hold him if you have him – I do think better days are ahead, eventually.
Other WRs ranked inside the Top-30 and/or who should be starting options this season and who I’m lower than consensus on this week include D.J. Moore (vs. NE), Ladd McConkey (@SEA), and D.K. Metcalf (@CLE).
Tight end:
Elite options this week – Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, George Kittle, and Tyler Warren; the analysis starts below them.
Rides:
Juwan Johnson (vs. ATL) has been excellent so far this season, with 15 catches and 3 TDs rung up already. He should continue to be heavily featured in the Saints’ fast-paced offense and is an every-week start at least until Jordyn Tyson joins the party.
Travis Kelce (@LV) is old, and he got married and settled down. He’s also still Patrick Mahomes’s favorite target. The Raiders have allowed five TDs and the third most FPPG to opposing TEs. Fire up Kelce with confidence, like it’s 2021 again.
Other TEs in the Top-15 who I’m high on this week: Tucker Kraft (@TB, and he’s finding the end zone this week, folks) and Dalton Schultz (vs. DAL, and especially if Nico Collins is out or not at 100%).
Sleepers:
TEs to consider if you’re stuck (ranked outside the Top-14 this week): I mentioned Waller earlier. I have a funny feeling Colston Loveland (vs. NYJ) rejoins the living this week, but I get it if you can’t stomach starting him. He was more involved last week and should’ve scored a touchdown. Others: Brenton Strange (@CIN, second most yards and third most catches allowed to opposing TEs), T.J. Hockenson (vs. MIA),and Tyler Higbee (@PHI, and even if Puka Nacua returns, the other TEs are banged up and he should have opportunity again, albeit in a tough matchup).
Fades:
I can’t start Kyle Pitts, Sr. (@NO). I just can’t. I’m fine missing a big game if it happens.
Temper expectations on Dalton Kincaid (vs. NE). The Patriots have only allowed 84 yards (and zero TDs) to opposing TEs – in fact they’ve allowed the fewest FPPG to the position. He’s playing too well to sit him (although he did cool off last week), but it could be a mediocre output.
I know a lot of people are going to want to chase Kenyon Sadiq’s (@CHI) breakout game. I’d be careful. First off, I think his performance will be volatile week-to-week. Also, Adonai Mitchell might return this week, and even if he doesn’t, it’s a tough matchup as Chicago has allowed the fifth fewest FPPG to opposing TEs.
Good luck in Week 4!
***This column appears each Thursday here at Big Blue View. Each Monday, my Waiver Wire column appears here, and on Fridays you can find my weekly Prop bets of the week for the Giants. ***
