CLEVELAND, OH – Rookie quarterbacks made their mark in Week 3, impacting games and fantasy matchups across the NFL. Expect pletny of proven veterans to emerge beginning on Thursday night.
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Here are the players you should start in Week 4:
Start 'Em
Aaron Rodgers – Rodgers hasn’t produced like a QB1 during the first three weeks of the season. There was so much talk about Matt Lafleur’s offense and how it could benefit Rodgers, but it hasn’t translated into fantasy points. That should change on Thursday night against the Eagles. Philadelphia has allowed the 6th most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks so far this season. Case Keenum and Matt Ryan combined for 700 yards passing and six touchdowns in their matchups against the Eagles. Rodgers is a QB1 with plenty of upside for Thursday’s matchup against Philadelphia.
Jared Goff – Goff has the 20th most fantasy points among quarterbacks going into Week 4. He should be able to get into a rhythm and have his best performance of the season against Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers gave up 336 passing yards and two touchdowns to Daniel Jones in his first career start last week. Goff is a QB1 and worth considering in daily leagues.
Case Keenum – Keenum is a great value option in daily leagues in Week 4. The Giants have allowed the 4th most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season. Washington will throw the ball early and often. Keenum has at least two touchdown passes in each of the first three games, which makes him a high-end QB2 that’s worth considering in deeper leagues.
James Conner – Conner has struggled to start the season but he's poised for a breakout this week against Cincinnati. The Steelers are desperate for a win and should be able to take advantage of the Bengals’ linebackers. Cincinnati has allowed five running backs to score at least 14 PPR points (Chris Carson, Jeff Wilson, Raheem Mostert, Matt Breida and Frank Gore). Conner averaged 5.1 yards-per-carry in two games against the Bengals last season, which should be a sign of things to come on Monday night.
Sterling Shepard – Shepard came alive last week with seven receptions for 100 yards and one touchdown. The shifty slot wide receiver should be a security blanket for Daniel Jones. Combine that with the Redskins’ awful defense and Shepard is a high-end WR3 in PPR leagues with plenty of upside. Washington has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season.
Sit 'Em
Josh Allen – Allen is off to a solid start this season, but he faces a daunting task in Week 4. The second-year quarterback has to solve the Patriots’ defense. New England has allowed 560 passing yards and no touchdowns this season. The Pats have six interceptions. Allen is at home which helps his cause, but he should stay on the bench in Week 4.
D.J. Chark – Chark has a touchdown in each of his first three games and has a good rapport with Gardner Minshew. He could cool off this week with a tough road matchup against the Broncos. Denver has held opposing wide receivers to the 4th fewest fantasy points this season. Chark has been a nice surprise, but it’s hard to trust him against a secondary led by Chris Harris Jr.
Tom Brady – Brady has been great this season, but his production could drop this week. He’s going up against a tough Bills’ defense on the road. Julian Edelman is expected to play, but he’ll be less than 100 percent and Josh Gordon has been dealing with a hand issue. Combine that with Sony Michel’s struggles and Brady could look 42-years-old during Sunday’s game. He’s still a QB1, but stay away in daily leagues and leave him on your bench if you have another capable option on your roster.
John Brown – Brown has been a top-25 fantasy wide receiver during the first three weeks of the season. His production could take a hit this week, as he has to deal with a tough New England secondary. Brown has game changing speed, which means Bill Belichick could double him to ensure he doesn’t have any big plays. Brown is a boom-or-bust WR3.
Sleepers
Rex Burkhead – Burkhead has at least 68 yards in all three games this season. He’s scored 13 PPR points or more in two out of three contests. The Patriots could rely on the versatile Burkhead, instead of leaning on Sony Michel because of his ability to catch out of the backfield. Burkhead is a flex option with plenty of upside in PPR leagues.
Marvin Jones – Jones had six receptions for 101 yards and one touchdown last week against Philadelphia. He has a chance to duplicate those numbers against an average Kansas City secondary. The Lions will likely trail in this game, which means they’ll be throwing the ball a lot. Jones should have plenty of opportunities to shine in Week 4.
Paul Richardson Jr. – Richardson had eight receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown last week. He’s found the end zone in each of his last two games and has earned Case Keenum’s trust. The Giants have given up the 2nd most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season, which means Richardson is a sneaky play with upside in all formats.
John Ross III – Ross came back to earth in Week 3, but has a plus matchup against a weak Steelers secondary on Monday night. The speedster has had a few drops this season, but he’s also shown big play ability. Ross is a WR3 with plenty of upside, but he is a risky play this week against Pittsburgh. The third-year pro ranks in the top-12 among wide receivers in fantasy points (all formats), despite finishing with two receptions for 22 yards in Week 3.
