We’re back with our third block of games for the Week 4 NFL slate, and we’re finishing with the early games and getting into the late games on Sunday in this block. We’ve compiled the groupings of games here to make it easier to find the games you want:
- Block 1: PIT-CLE (TNF), IND-WAS, NE-BUF, NYJ-CHI
- Block 2: JAC-CIN, ARI-NYG, LAR-PHI, GB-TB
- Block 3: TEN-BAL, DAL-HOU, MIA-MIN, KC-LV
- Block 4: DEN-SF, LAC-SEA, DET-CAR (SNF), ATL-NO (MNF)
“The Outlook” will give you details, stats, angles, recommendations and everything else you need to know to help you make your fantasy football decisions. Every fantasy-relevant player on each team playing will be profiled in this article. We want everybody reading this to bring home championships in your fantasy leagues!
I’m incredibly excited to bring this article to all of you this season and hope you all enjoy the ride. If you have any questions, feel free to find me on Bluesky (@ktompkinsii.bsky.social),
tag me in a post to ask me any lineup questions you have and I’ll do my best to get them answered for you.
Let’s get into it!
(All game/implied point totals listed were compiled via DraftKings Sportsbook on Thursday evening for TEN/BAL, DAL/HOU, MIA/MIN, KC/LV)
Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens
- Favorite: Ravens -11.5
- Game Total: 42.5
- Implied Point Total: Ravens 27, Titans 15.5
Titans Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: None
Titans RBs
Tony Pollard handled the bulk of Tennessee’s backfield work in Week 3, with a huge 81% of the team’s rushing attempts, plus four targets, for a combined 97 yards. Tyjae Spears, playing through a nagging ankle injury, was limited to just three carries for five yards and didn’t draw a target. The touch distribution heavily favored Pollard (21-3). With Spears a bit compromised, Pollard should continue to get a ton of work into Week 4. What that gets you as a running back on the Titans remains to be seen. It’s still one of the worst offenses in the NFL, to be abundantly clear.
Fantasy Advice: Pollard and Spears will face an average Baltimore front in Week 4. With the woes of the Tennessee offense always present and accounted for, consider him a high-end flex option. Spears’ touches may be more managed if he’s indeed active, so leave him on your bench or on waivers for now.
WR Carnell Tate
Tate put up season highs in targets (nine), receptions (six) and yards (58) in the Titans’ 12-7 loss to the Giants. However, despite the offense being in disarray across the board, it was good to see some growth from the rookie receiver. The Titans are giving him ample time on the field (92% routes per dropback on the season) and letting him get a ton of reps, which is good for his development at the NFL level. That said, the offensive lack of consistency will be his undoing for fantasy, some through no fault of his own.
Fantasy Advice: Tate isn’t a worthy fantasy option right now against Baltimore’s secondary and the nearly basement-level fantasy floor offered to Tennessee’s weapons every week.
Ravens Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: QB Lamar Jackson, RB Derrick Henry
WR Zay Flowers
Flowers put up a 5-84-0 line on 64% routes per dropback in Week 3, which was still the second-most routes run by a Ravens pass-catcher against Dallas despite Flowers’ hamstring injury. Flowers was still managed pretty carefully, but his talent shines through on a passing game that lacks top-end players. We’re back to Flowers being as close to a must-start option again for fantasy as long as he can stay off the injury report. His snaps and routes being managed were the only cause for concern from a fantasy football standpoint, so Week 4 likely ramps up a bit more in terms of seeing more time on the field.
Fantasy Advice: Lock Flowers into your lineup for Week 4 against the Titans, where he’s a low-end WR1 who should get closer to a full-time role this weekend.
WR Rashod Bateman
Without Flowers in the lineup for the Ravens in Week 2, Bateman was able to flourish in a role where he was the featured target. Flowers returned in Week 3, so despite running the most routes and snaps on the Ravens against the Cowboys in Brazil, Bateman went back into his meager role as a seldom-targeted secondary player. Bateman earned just three targets, bringing in two for just 37 yards. With the Ravens putting him in mothballs and in a fairly unconcentrated offense, we can shelve Bateman for the time being.
Fantasy Advice: With Flowers back, Bateman is back to being a shaky flex option for the Ravens despite a good matchup on deck against Tennessee at home.
TE Mark Andrews
Andrews left briefly with a hand injury in the second quarter of Baltimore’s game in Brazil against the Cowboys, but he returned and finished with just three catches for 24 yards. It’s just who Andrews is now—a sometimes-productive but touchdown-dependent tight end that has name value to prop up his value a bit too high.
Fantasy Advice: Against the Titans, it’s touchdown-or-(probably)-bust for Andrews, which means he’s more of a high-end TE2 than a full-blown fantasy starter.
Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans
- Favorite: Texans -3
- Game Total: 48.5
- Implied Point Total: Texans 25.75, Cowboys 22.75
Cowboys Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: WR CeeDee Lamb
QB Dak Prescott
Currently QB7 in fantasy points entering Week 4, Prescott was mostly fine in Week 3 against the Ravens. He attempted 40 passes, but his 276 yards and a single touchdown pass left a lot to be desired for fantasy managers. After Prescott’s QB3 game in Week 2 against the Commanders, the follow-up was disappointing despite the tougher matchup. Still, if that’s the floor for Prescott, I think we’re in good shape here in an offense that figures to score a bunch of points regularly.
Fantasy Advice: A solid QB1, Prescott’s all-Texas matchup against the Texans on the road is a bit tough, but Houston has been a lot more lenient this season, as it is a surprising 30th in pass-block win rate.
RB Javonte Williams
It’s been a bit tough in the efficiency department for Williams, but he found some holes and the end zone against the Ravens, with 98 yards on the ground and 103 total yards. Williams has now sandwiched a dud game in Week 2 around two top-10 fantasy finishes, but he brought along 5.2 YPC, +14 RYOE and a 47% success rate as well in Week 3. Williams is pretty much the only game in town, with Dallas playing musical chairs with his backup, first Emari Demercado and now Tyler Goodson. All that does is strengthen the hold Williams has on his role going forward.
Fantasy Advice: More of the volume-dependent variety of fantasy running back rather than an efficiency monster, Williams has a tough draw against the Texans in Week 4, but he’ll be a solid RB2 option in that contest.
WR George Pickens
Pickens has been on a steady acceleration so far this season, with a slow start in Week 1, then building up to Week 3, where Pickens blew up and led the Cowboys in targets (11) while posting a very cromulent 7-82-0 line. Pickens and Lamb combined for half of the targets for Dallas, and no other Cowboy outside of Lamb had more than 24 receiving yards or three catches. Most weeks will feature a pretty concentrated target distribution at the top with Lamb and Pickens, so keep plugging him into your lineup.
Fantasy Advice: Pickens is pretty close to must-start as a high-end WR2 against the Texans in Week 4.
TE Jake Ferguson
So far this season, Ferguson has three touchdowns but just nine receptions on 11 targets. In Week 3, he scored his third, but he otherwise only brought in 3-of-5 receptions for 24 yards. Ferguson has been able to take advantage of the end of drives, but he only has 73 receiving yards. It’s touchdown-or-bust city, where he’s even fallen behind Ryan Flournoy in the target-earning department. In an offense where even the secondary pieces have some fantasy value, Ferguson has lagged a bit into more of a background player than a featured performer.
Fantasy Advice: With such a reduction in target-earning, that puts Ferguson squarely into TE2 territory for Dallas’ matchup against the Houston Texans in Week 4.
Texans Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: WR Nico Collins (assuming he plays)
QB C.J. Stroud
Stroud has finished no better than QB14 this season, which happened in Week 2 when he threw for 353 scoreless yards in a good matchup against the Bengals. Another good matchup presents itself against the Cowboys, but can Stroud be trusted? He may have Collins back to help things, but at this point, we keep hoping for Stroud to turn back into what he was in his rookie season. That version may not be coming back when he’s given us three subsequent seasons of what he is right now.
Fantasy Advice: Stroud is purely a floor-level fantasy QB2 and not worthy of your starting lineup in Week 4. Yes, even in a great matchup against the Cowboys. Maybe he’s fine in multiple-quarterback leagues? Sure, why not.
Texans RBs
David Montgomery and Woody Marks combined for a paltry 48 yards on 16 carries in Week 3—a rough day against the Colts’ run defense. Interestingly, Marks played five snaps and received two touches in the red zone, including the go-ahead scoring touchdown on the goal line. Montgomery only played two snaps inside the 20 and none on the goal line. This backfield is a muddled committee with neither back offering a path to consistent fantasy production until the blocking (and morale) improves.
Fantasy Advice: With Montgomery being sucked into the Texans’ cone of influence along with Marks, both backs have depressed fantasy values. Montgomery is a mid-range flex, while Marks is a low-end flex with a low floor against the Cowboys.
TE Dalton Schultz
We were hoodwinked, bamboozled, led astray and more when Schultz caught all three of his targets but managed just 30 yards, a precipitous drop-off after his 12-catch, 140-yard TE1 explosion the week before against the Bengals. Collins could be back this week, but if not, Schultz should be able to do a little better against the Cowboys, who gave up 8-78-2 to Isaiah Likely in Week 1.
Fantasy Advice: Schultz is the “eat your vegetables” of tight ends right now, a never-sexy option but one that should be able to earn some targets. Give him high-end TE2 treatment against the Cowboys in what is a “Dalton Schultz revenge game” of sorts.
Miami Dolphins at Minnesota Vikings
- Favorite: Vikings -10.5
- Game Total: 38.5
- Implied Point Total: Vikings 24.5, Dolphins 14
Dolphins Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: None
Dolphins RBs
The big news up front: De'Von Achane suffered a torn ACL early in the first quarter and won’t return this season. Achane was the only saving grace of this Miami offense. Ollie Gordon stepped in and handled the rest of the workload in his absence, rushing 17 times for 41 yards and a short touchdown while adding three catches for 14 yards. Gordon seems like the “optimal” choice to lead the backfield, but Jaylen Wright is listed first on the depth chart. (Who knows.) But are we that enthused about this run game going forward?
Fantasy Advice: While both Gordon and Wright are worthy adds off the waiver wire, both are bench options until we see how this backfield operates. With some of the lowest touchdown equity in the NFL, it’s going to be incredibly difficult to find consistent fantasy value in this backfield for the rest of the season. And then, you add the Brian Flores defense of the Vikings. No thanks.
Dolphins WRs
Malik Washington led the Dolphins in targets (10) and ran the most routes (88%) in Week 3, and he’s the de facto top target. Rookie receiver Chris Bell and tight end Greg Dulcich have a say in that, but Washington has the clearest path to fantasy lineups, although I’m not sure Malik Willis can even support one pass-catcher, let alone two. We’re talking about the worst team in football, folks. It’s bleak in Miami.
Fantasy Advice: Washington is a theoretical flex option. As in, the idea of Washington in there is good, but then you remember it’s the Miami Dolphins against the blitz-happy defense of the Vikings.
Vikings Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: WR Justin Jefferson (assuming he plays)
QB Kyler Murray
Murray completed 15-of-29 passes for 168 yards with a touchdown plus an interception in his return to the Vikings after a game and a half of the Carson Wentz experience. Not having Jefferson for most of it certainly didn’t help matters. Nevertheless, the fantasy scores don’t care about that and we judge based on what we have. Against Miami, the difficulty lightens up a little bit, but with or without Jefferson, Murray should have an easier time with a game under his belt since returning after his concussion.
Fantasy Advice: Murray is a fringe QB1 this week against the Dolphins, which tends to be the cure for anybody who sees them on their schedule.
RB Aaron Jones
Another game where Jones basically has the backfield to himself, and Jones turned in a solid performance that led him to an RB14 finish in Week 3 against Tampa Bay. Jones has 74% of the team’s rushing attempts on the afternoon, and then was second in targets (six) behind Addison, with 92 total yards. The backfield will split back up when Jordan Mason returns from IR, but Jones is in a solid spot right now for RB2 value in fantasy football.
Fantasy Advice: Jones has a chance to be a true bellcow with 20+ carries against the Dolphins in Week 4, so consider him a high-end RB2 in this cupcake matchup.
WR Jordan Addison
With Jefferson playing only a handful of snaps before leaving Week 3’s game with an ankle injury, Addison took the wheel and put up by far his best game of the young season with a 5-90 line on a team-leading nine targets. His highlight was a 41-yard touchdown where Addison beat his man and then adjusted to make a play on the ball. Jefferson’s status is up in the air for Week 4 as well against Miami, but Addison is primed for an encore against an offense he can exploit.
Fantasy Advice: Addison’s exact fantasy value is dependent on Jefferson’s status, but he should be in lineups either way. Consider Addison a mid-range WR3 with upside based on Jefferson’s availability.
Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders
- Favorite: Chiefs -4.5
- Game Total: 47.5
- Implied Point Total: Chiefs 26, Raiders 21.5
Chiefs Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: QB Patrick Mahomes, RB Kenneth Walker III
WR Rashee Rice
On a day when no other Chief had more than three targets, Rice caught 7-of-9 targets for 88 yards, leading the Kansas City pass-catchers in everything. Rice performed below expectations over the first two weeks, scoring a touchdown to save an otherwise poor 2-19 line in Week 1 against the Broncos and posting a workmanlike four receptions for 83 yards in a Week 2 shootout with the Colts. Week 3 was when Rice put forth a full game and finished as a top-20 option. This Kansas City offense has lived and died by Walker, but it’s nice of them to remember that Rice also exists!
Fantasy Advice: The 3-0 Raiders (not a typo) loom, but the Chiefs should be able to move the ball and give Las Vegas its first loss. Rice will have to be a big part of that, so keep him firmly in fantasy lineups as a mid-range WR2.
TE Travis Kelce
With every non-Rice Chiefs pass-catcher having less than three targets, that certainly made life difficult for everybody else. At least Kelce was able to not only score a fourth-quarter touchdown but tack on a 49-yard reception as well. With only 24 pass attempts, anybody else in that offense is lucky to put up anything fantasy-relevant, but we got something out of Kelce to make him a top-12 TE in Week 3. We’ll take it!
Fantasy Advice: Kelce remains a big part of a great offense in Kansas City, so give him low-end TE1 treatment against the Raiders in Week 4.
Raiders Fantasy Notes
Must-Start Players: RB Ashton Jeanty, TE Brock Bowers
WR Tre Tucker
With Bowers returning to the Raiders’ lineup, there’s no doubt that the entire game plan was built around him. With a 10-116-1 game for Bowers, only one other Raider notched over three targets. That was Tucker, who caught all four of his targets for 43 yards. There’s no doubt that Bowers is the alpha, omega and any other Greek letter in this offense. However, because of the defensive attention Bowers will undoubtedly command, Tucker could be a sneaky flex play who should see one-on-one coverage more often than not.
Fantasy Advice: The weekly fantasy value could fluctuate wildly for Tucker, but I’m fine with holding on to him as a flex option that could surprise if Kirk Cousins can get him targets.
This article originally appeared on The Huddle: The Outlook - Week 4 (TEN-BAL, DAL-HOU, MIA-MIN, KC-LV)
