Week 4 Rankings

Updated 10/4 at 4:30 ET. Removed Marshawn Lynch.

Updated 10/4 at 3:00 ET. Removed Andre Ellington.

Updated 10/4 at 12:05 ET. Removed Andrew Luck. Added Jay Cutler. Plunged Marshawn Lynch. Ticked Arian Foster down. Moved Hilton and Moncrief down.

The first thing you notice about Latavius Murray is his size. Unusually big for a running back at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, Murray looks it on the field. He’s not sneaking through any holes or blending in with any defensive backs. This is a big dude, one not dissimilar to the back he’s replacing, Darren McFadden.

Like DMC, Murray had 4.4 wheels coming out of college, but he’s faster than quick. Murray isn’t juking guys out of their shoes in tight spaces. He’s making one cut and looking for what’s blocked. But when Murray does get in the open field, he has the jets to hit home runs, as last year’s 90-yard touchdown against the Chiefs can attest. In rushing for a career-high 139 yards against the Browns, Murray mixed in a 54-yard scamper that reversed fields and set the tone for the second half.

The RB6 through the season’s first three weeks, Murray was quiet in Week 1, solid in Week 2 and spectacular in Week 3. His big day came against the league’s worst run defense, but that’s something good players are supposed to do: Beat up on bad competition. Murray has another mouthwatering matchup for Week 4, the soft collection of 11 players the Bears call a “defense.” John Fox’s unit was already allowing 4.7 yards per carry and 135.7 yards per game, and then it went and traded Jared Allen. Allen has never been much of a run defender, but his loss further thins an already laughably-thin defense, and forces a new starting 11 onto the field just as Murray is coming to town.

Murray may not be an elite player, but he’s done what’s been expected of him thus far in 2015, and what’s expected on Sunday is a top-five day against a bottom-five defense.

Week 4 Quarterbacks

QB Notes: Aaron Rodgers has just 5.7 fewer fantasy points than Tom Brady on 341 fewer yards. He’s thrown 10 touchdowns compared to zero interceptions. His last pick at Lambeau Field came a month after Mitt Romney lost the 2012 presidential election. He is the best player in football, and this week he gets the collapsing 49ers. … Andrew Luck’s YPAs by week: 4.96, 6.76 and 8.67. The never-ending Twitter debate has still managed to commit at least two turnovers in every start, but seems to be finding the lay of the land with his new skill corps behind his ramshackle offensive line. The Jaguars, who have been getting smoked by the pass, offer another stepping stone matchup. … Carson Palmer is the QB6, which is fairly remarkable considering that the Cardinals have had their past two games salted away by halftime. Blowout potential remains for Week 4 against the Rams, but run-it-up coach Bruce Arians has no love lost for Jeff Fisher’s squad. Palmer should burn Janoris Jenkins and company for at least 2-3 scores before trading in his helmet for a clipboard.

Ndamukong Suh took the Lions’ defense with him (Aside: And then lost it.). Detroit is allowing the 10th most fantasy points to quarterbacks, and getting smoked for an 8.7 YPA against. The Lions are coughing up a weekly 284 yards through the air. With Russell Wilson throwing more than ever, he should have another easy day at home as the Seahawks continue to work the kinks out of their offense. … Just like it was premature to declare Peyton Manning “dead,” it’s premature to call him “back,” but Week 3 was a huge step in the right direction. Manning completed 31-of-42 passes in his first 300-yard game of the season, and unlike Week 2’s “maybe he’s not done” performance against the Chiefs, he didn’t throw 2-3 more passes that could have been intercepted. Manning’s arm strength has sailed down river, but he’s still got command of the boat. … Matt Ryan is playing arguably the best football of his career, but some fluky touchdown luck — Leonard Hankerson and Julio Jones getting tackled at the one in Week 2, Devonta Freeman becoming Emmitt Smith in Week 3 — means he doesn’t have the scores to show for it. Some positive regression can’t be far away. Despite the presence of J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney, the Texans have yet to be an imposing matchup for opposing passers.

Cam Newton is completing just 56.5 percent of his passes. His 6.92 YPA would be the lowest of his career. And yet, here he is, the QB4 through three games. He has his legs to thank. Newton is averaging 10.3 runs per game, putting him on pace for 165. That would better his previous career best by 38, no small margin for a quarterback. There are going to be games where Newton’s total lack of a receiver corps nukes his fantasy output, but going up against Lovie Smith’s barely-there defense, Week 4 will not be one of them. … So Newton is the QB4. Can you guess the QB3? Not even Andy Dalton would guess Andy Dalton, but alas. Dalton has tossed multiple scores in each of his first three starts, a remarkable feat considering A.J. Green entered Week 3 with just eight catches for 108 yards. Dalton’s peaks tend to give way to vast valleys, but it’s hard to see how he doesn’t keep his hot start going against the Chiefs. No team has allowed more fantasy points to enemy QBs, and Andy Reid’s team will be playing on the road in a short week six days after getting demolished by Aaron Rodgers. Dalton is a QB1 for Week 4.

So we’ve covered the QB3 and the QB4. How about the QB5, Tyrod Taylor. Obvious caveats apply. A huge chunk of Taylor’s production came in garbage time against the Patriots, while opposing defensive coordinators are just now getting a batch of film to study. But this is a player who has been remarkably poised through his first three NFL starts, completing 74.4 percent of his passes while remaining patient in the pocket. It’s quite possible we’ve already witnessed Taylor’s best three-game stretch, but he’s not going away, especially in Week 4 against the Giants’ slipshod defense. … Philip Rivers is coming off a tough day in Minnesota, but gets a Browns defense that hasn’t been living up to its reputation against the pass. Only six teams are permitting a worse opposing passer rating. … Joe Flacco has rallied after his dreadful Week 1, and now gets the Steelers’ undermanned secondary for Thursday Night Football. The only downside is that the golden matchup is coming on a short week. … The Bills’ supposedly dominant pass defense has looked anything but the past two weeks, but the QB22 thus far, it’s hard to trust Eli Manning as anything more than a borderline QB1 on the road in Buffalo.

Is Derek Carr for real? It’s too early to tell, but it’s not too early to declare this the best two-game stretch of his career. Stretch — that’s something Amari Cooper has been helping Carr do to opposing defenses after he posted a pitiful 5.46 YPA as a rookie. There are going to be more growing pains, but Carr has forced his way into QB1 consideration for A+ matchups like the one he has against the Bears. … It’s a good matchup for Ryan Fitzpatrick, but let last week serve as a reminder that he’s often a good matchup for opposing defenses, as well. … Sam Bradford hasn’t been good. There’s really no way around it. I still believe in the matrimony of Bradford’s arm to Chip Kelly’s system, but it’s hard to muster excitement for the former No. 1 overall pick in a tough road date with the Redskins. … Michael Vick has become a poor impression of his former self, but has just enough big-play ability remaining that he can be a serviceable QB2 in good matchups like the one he has on Thursday evening. Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown can do the heavy lifting. … Is this a new Brandon Weeden? It’s certainly a new offensive line for the 31-year-old redshirt junior to play behind. The Saints are so pathetic that Weeden is firmly on the QB2 radar.

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Week 4 Running Backs

RB Notes: Le’Veon Bell touched the ball 26 times in his Week 3 return, which would have been the sixth highest total of his 2014 breakout. I laid out on Monday why I believe Ben Roethlisberger’s absence will be more of a negative than positive for Bell’s fantasy outlook, but no matter what, he’s locked into monster workloads. Bell is once again the safest bet at running back. … The Broncos have arguably the best defense in the league, but still got stung by Jamaal Charles in Week 2. That bodes well for Adrian Peterson, who has been Paul Bunyan-ing the Vikings’ offense since his Week 1 no-show. The 30-year-old back is matchup proof. … Charles enters Week 4 with 7.3 more fantasy points than any other running back. Like Peterson, no opponent is imposing for the Chiefs’ ageless bell-cow. … Eddie Lacy is off to another slow start, but appeared over his ankle injury in Monday’s win, and is averaging 4.4 yards per carry. With Aaron Rodgers likely to put the pathetic 49ers away early, Lacy should be in for all sorts of closing-time carries.

Arian Foster’s (groin) recovery has predictably dragged on much longer than expected, but this is the first week he’s had a genuine shot at suiting up. Coach Bill O’Brien claims it could come down to a game-time decision, but we should have a pretty good idea of Foster’s status before Sunday morning. Either way, Houston/Atlanta kicks off at 1ET, so fantasy owners won’t be left in a lurch. If Foster plays, he’ll be full go. The Texans aren’t aiming for any half measures with their franchise back. (Sunday note: Maybe?) … Jimmy Clausen is testing the theory that not even lopsided losses can dent Matt Forte’s fantasy appeal. Garbage time is one thing with Jay Cutler, but something else entirely with Clausen, a quarterback who posted a hard-to-believe 3.71 YPA last weekend. Owners can hang their hat on the fact that Oakland is a less daunting opponent than Seattle, but Forte’s upside and floor won’t be restored to their proper heights until Cutler returns. … The Colts have gotten ambushed in each of their first three games, but Jacksonville shouldn’t be up to the task, leaving Frank Gore plenty of time to rack up touches and goal-line carries. Gore is averaging 4.7 yards through his first 37 totes as a Colt.

Marshawn Lynch (hamstring) appears highly questionable for Monday night’s game against the Lions. One of the league’s more mysterious players when it comes to injuries, it’s possible Lynch’s status will remain a question mark down to the wire. That makes him a no-go in DFS, and must-handcuff with Thomas Rawls in season-long. Rawls will be a plug-and-play RB2 if Lynch sits. … Joseph Randle entered Sunday averaging 8.6 fantasy points and 3.41 yards per carry before exploding for 28.5 and 6.21, respectively, against the Falcons. In other words, his RB1 status isn’t quite what it seems. Thankfully, the Saints present a cake matchup for a player who could finally begin to cement his standing atop the Cowboys’ depth chart with another big game. … In my three years writing the rankings column, I’m not sure I’ve ever gotten more blowback about a comment than last week’s: “The good: Devonta Freeman’s role in Tevin Coleman’s (ribs) absence. The bad: Freeman’s talent.” One dismantling of the Cowboys later, and I’ve got Freeman in the top 12. I still think it’s very much up for debate whether Freeman can be a legit between-the-tackles option, but at the very least, he’s earned an extended audition. The Falcons agree, bumping Freeman ahead of Coleman on their unofficial depth chart. Coleman didn’t practice Wednesday.

With LeSean McCoy (hamstring) appearing unlikely for Sunday, Karlos Williams is arguably the most exciting option of the week. The fifth-round rookie is averaging 7.8 yards through his first 24 carries, and is one of only nine runners with at least two 20-yard totes. Fire him up against the Giants’ suspect defense. … Melvin Gordon has been a frustrating own thus far, but gets the Browns’ No. 32 run D for Week 4. Averaging 4.3 yards per carry, keep Gordon and his big-play ability locked into your RB2 spot. … Through three weeks, DeAngelo Williams has 21.4 more fantasy points than Jonathan Stewart. That’s despite the fact that D-Will was limited to only one touch in Le’Veon Bell’s return. J-Stew was supposed to walk the golden road to fantasy glory in Williams’ absence, but has instead averaged 3.46 yards per carry as Cam Newton vultures goal-line looks. Stewart has an excellent matchup in the Bucs, but has lost the benefit of the doubt. … Mark Ingram has arguably been more disappointing than J-Stew, averaging 3.25 yards per carry and 42 yards per game despite being the supposed focal point of the Saints’ offense. The Cowboys are a decent matchup, but who knows if Ingram can take advantage of it.

Carlos Hyde leads all running backs in yards after contact, but has a tough go of it in the 49ers’ putrid “attack.” He’s an RB1 talent stuck in an RB2 offense. … I like Jeremy Hill’s odds of finishing ahead of Giovani Bernard in the year-end ranks, but there’s not much reason to have Hill ahead of Gio right now. … Ryan Mathews stabilized the Eagles’ rushing attack against the Jets, but I doubt he seized control of the backfield. Chip Kelly signed DeMarco Murray to be his centerpiece. I think he’ll get another crack at it if he’s active in Washington. … Matt Jones and Alfred Morris have formed a full-blown timeshare, but I’m leaning Jones for fantasy purposes. Jones out-snapped Morris 26-12 in Week 3, and has 12 more fantasy points than his veteran teammate. He’s a more versatile, explosive player. … The Steelers are significantly better against the run than the pass. A slow-starting Justin Forsett is a low-end RB2 for Week 4. … Andre Ellington is back, but I’ll take Bruce Arians at his word that Chris Johnson will see 15-20 touches. He’s been running too well to take a backseat. … Even in a tough matchup, I think this is the week Ameer Abdullah leaves Joique Bell and his 20-22 rushing line in the dust. … After touching the ball seven times in his NFL debut, expect Todd Gurley to get 12-14 looks in Arizona.

Week 4 Receivers

WR Notes: Julio Jones leads the league in receptions, yards and targets. Healthy and in his prime, it’s hard to think of a way to stop him. … Merely the WR14 through three games, Odell Beckham has drawn just 29 targets, too few for a player of his caliber. With 10 days to think about their Week 4 game plan, here’s guessing the G-Men have committed to funneling their best player the ball. … Julio Jones has the (slightly) better stats, but no receiver has appeared less stoppable than Antonio Brown. The question, of course, is if he can keep up his WR1 overall pace with Michael Vick under center. I have little doubt Brown will remain a top-five receiver in Big Ben’s absence, but top two might be a stretch. … Even with Jordy Nelson sidelined, I thought 2014 would go down as Randall Cobb’s career year. Instead, last year’s WR6 is currently the WR5, and on pace for 106/1,306/16. Cobb’s 2014 red-zone performance is looking like his new normal, not an aberration.

A.J. Green entered Week 3 with 16.8 fantasy points. He proceeded to double that against the Ravens, and is now the WR4. Already allowing the most roto points to wideouts, the Chiefs are now dealing with the season-ending loss of every-down CB Phillip Gaines. Green is headed for another bonanza. … The most impressive part of Larry Fitzgerald’s revival isn’t his league-leading five touchdowns, but his production down the field. Fitz has eight receptions of at least 20 yards, the most in the NFL. It’s why he’s averaging 14.5 yards per grab, which would be his best mark since 2011. It’s quite possible Fitz has already played his best 2015 football, but it’s hard to see him finishing outside the top 18. … Emmanuel Sanders has looked like Antonio Brown Jr. thus far, creating his own space before juking into even more. With C.J. Anderson and Owen Daniels both catching fewer passes than expected, Sanders has cemented himself as Peyton Manning’s safety valve. A Julian Edelman who makes plays down the field, Sanders is on pace for another WR1 finish.

Steve Smith Sr. followed up his 2/16 Week 1 by going 10/150 and 13/186/2. Now he gets a Steelers defense that just allowed a 100-yard day to Kenny Britt. The former Steel Curtain can’t cover anybody, least of all the world’s angriest jackrabbit. … Ill-fated lateral aside, Brandon Marshall has been having a robust bounce-back campaign, and gets the Dolphins’ struggling secondary in London. He’s a good bet to score in his fourth-straight contest. … The WR33, T.Y. Hilton is off to a quiet start, but will be playing his first healthy home game against a Jags defense permitting 283 weekly yards through the air. Hilton is primed to get on track. … DeAndre Hopkins is averaging 13 targets per game, and has yet to catch fewer than five passes. He’s earned his every-week WR1 treatment. … The league leader in YAC? Raiders rookie Amari Cooper. Averaging 8.8 yards after every grab, Cooper is the main reason Derek Carr’s YPA has skyrocketed from 5.46 to 8.07. It’s all the more impressive considering Cooper has already squared off with Jimmy Smith and Joe Haden. Cooper is a formidable 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, but he plays even bigger than that.

It’s unclear if Jarvis Landry’s ticket to London includes a layover on Darrelle Revis Island, but it wouldn’t be Revis’ style to follow Landry exclusively around the slot. For what it’s worth, Landry drew some — emphasis on some — Revis in last December’s Pats/Dolphins game, and went 8/99. … You could look at Jeremy Maclin’s breakout Week 3 one of two ways: 1. It was all about garbage time. 2. It was overdue. Both answers are right, but don’t obscure the fact that this is still one of the league’s best receivers. Maclin’s coaching and quarterbacking have been unideal, but talent should win out. This isn’t a Dwayne Bowe situation. … Allen Robinson has been crippled by bad quarterback play, and now gets Vontae Davis for Week 4. He’s a WR1 stuck in a WR2’s situation. … Engineering a hostile takeover of No. 2 duties in Indianapolis, Donte Moncrief could turn out to be a league-winning pick. … Alshon Jeffery (hamstring) appears on track for Sunday’s game against the Raiders, but at less than 100 percent with Jimmy Clausen at quarterback, he’s little more than a WR2 gamble.

The Eagles are a tasty matchup for Pierre Garcon, but he’s looking more and more like a tight end as the Redskins’ fill-in No. 1 receiver. Garcon’s floor and ceiling are dangerously close together, say in the 5/70/1 range. … James Jones finally got some volume in Monday’s win over the Chiefs, and it should keep coming with Davante Adams (ankle) poised to miss Week 4. Everyone’s favorite touchdown vulture is a legit WR2, at least for one game. … The WR47, Brandin Cooks’ season high for fantasy points is 7.9. The Cowboys have been surprisingly stingy against the pass, limiting Cooks’ upside even if Drew Brees (shoulder) returns. … Quietly the WR24, Percy Harvin has some of his old school upside with Sammy Watkins (calf) expected to sit against the Giants. … Michael Crabtree isn’t as good as he was in 2012, or as bad as he was in 2014. His new middle ground is a floor-based WR3. … Quarterbacks don’t matter for Terrance Williams. Either he hits a big play or he doesn’t. … Rishard Matthews is hard to ignore as the WR10, but DeVante Parker’s increasing role looms as a threat. … So far this season, Vincent Jackson has been the WR48, WR31 and WR62. I’m failing to see the supposed upside.

Week 4 Tight Ends

TE Notes: Since being held to one catch for three yards in Week 1, Greg Olsen has turned a monstrous 25 targets into 14/204/2. He is who we thought he was going to be for the receiver-less Panthers. … “Angry” Jimmy Graham finally got fed on Sunday, and should keep eating against a Lions defense that’s allowed the fifth most fantasy points to tight ends. … Travis Kelce has played fewer snaps than Ben Watson and Owen Daniels, but is averaging a respectable seven targets. Of course, he had only 11 coming into Week 3. Nevertheless, he’s the TE2 behind Rob Gronkowski, averaging 15.3 yards per catch and 2.44 yards per route run. He’s the odds-on favorite to be Gronk’s runner up. … The only tight ends averaging more yards per route than Kelce? Gronk and Jordan Reed. Reed has yet to catch fewer than six passes, and is averaging 80 yards. Chip Kelly has traditionally defensed tight ends well, but teams have yet to have an answer for Reed in 2015.

Coming off a goose egg, 67.3 percent of Tyler Eifert’s fantasy points came in Week 1, but he remains the TE4. It’s a mild concern, but only Greg Olsen and Jason Witten have played more snaps at tight end. Eifert should soon settle into a more predictable groove. … As for Witten, he was playing on half a leg in Week 3 and still caught 6-of-8 targets for 65 yards. With Brandon Weeden appearing anxious to supplant Charlie Whitehurst as the checkdown king, Witten’s numbers aren’t going anywhere. … It’s a gorgeous matchup for Martellus Bennett — no one is allowing more fantasy points to tight ends than Oakland — but the boy king at quarterback promises to make life difficult for as long as Jay Cutler is sidelined. Continue to fire up the Unicorn in season long, but beware in DFS. … Quietly the TE10, Charles Clay appears over his knee woes, and has a juicy Week 4 matchup in the soft middle of the Giants’ defense.

Settling into his predictable pattern of disappointment, Kyle Rudolph is a low-upside option against the Broncos’ elite defense. … Drawing consistent targets and actually making some plays down the seam, Eric Ebron could be a Week 4 bright spot for the otherwise depressing Lions. The Seahawks’ elite defense has been a bottom-10 unit against tight ends thus far. … Ladarius Green’s (concussion) status remains unclear, but he’ll be a top-12 option if he suits up against the Browns. … Coby Fleener will be a top-15 option if Dwayne Allen remains sideline, but won’t crack the top 20 if Allen plays. … Ben Roethlisberger’s injury coupled with the fact that no one has surrendered fewer fantasy points to tight ends than Baltimore has Heath Miller off the TE1 radar in Week 4. … Gary Barnidge: DFS tournament dart throw, donkey play everywhere else.

Week 4 Kickers

Week 4 Defense/Special Teams