Week 4 Flex Rankings for Fantasy Football

Week 4 in the National Football League is here as we flip the calendar (or just scroll on our phones I suppose) to October. The slate is highlighted by a former New England Patriots quarterback seeking revenge on his former team when Jacoby Brissett takes on the Indianapolis Colts. I suppose the game in Foxboro on Sunday night could also be interesting, at least for fantasy purposes. Whatever your rooting interests, there are some intriguing matchups in store this week. Below you will find my top-250 Flex rankings for Week 4 along with some quick notes regarding each position. I gear my rankings towards half-PPR scoring, so adjust as you see fit depending on your league size and settings. I listed several players whose status for the upcoming week is unknown, so keep up on the latest news before setting your lineups.

Yeah, we know football is in full swing. That doesn’t mean you can’t jump into fantasy hoops? From joining a public league with our Fantasy Basketball Commissioner to trying one of our Classic Draft Contests, there are plenty of ways to play Fantasy Basketball on Fantrax!

Running Back Notes

Christian McCaffrey suffered a hamstring injury early in last week’s win and will be out of action in Week 4. Carolina did not place their star running back on injured reserve, which is a good sign for his long-term outlook. However, he is expected to miss multiple weeks. Rookie Chuba Hubbard filled in for McCaffrey against the Texans, totaling 79 yards on 14 touches. He should be the main man for the Panthers as they look to remain undefeated against the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas has allowed 2.37 yards per rush before contact, which is the third-highest in the NFL. The Philadelphia Eagles curiously called just three runs for their backs on Monday night. Carolina should employ a more balanced approach against Dallas in Week 4. I expect Hubbard to approach 20 touches on Sunday, which should lead to RB2 numbers in this matchup.

Speaking of Eagles running backs, many Miles Sanders managers are panicked after last week’s usage or lack thereof. Sanders’ only two carries of the night came on a second-quarter possession. While the lack of involvement was eye-opening, I would still recommend Sanders in Week 4. Philadelphia will be taking on the Kansas City Chiefs. For all of Kansas City’s exploits, stopping the run is not their strong suit. The Chiefs have allowed 5.05 yards per rush to opposing running backs so far this year. Hopefully, head coach Nick Sirianni will learn from his mistake and implement a more balanced approach in this contest. I expect Sanders to get plenty of work, especially early in the game. Fantasy managers should still start Sanders despite last week’s minuscule workload.

After being a healthy scratch in Week 1, Zack Moss has put up consecutive top-20 fantasy weeks. His recent production has been boosted by three touchdowns, and thus may not be indicative of future success. Still, it is hard to argue against Moss or backfield mate Devin Singletary this week. Buffalo will host the Houston Texans on Sunday. The Bills are far and away the biggest favorite on the board this week, and with good reason. Among Houston’s deficiencies is the inability to stop the run. Houston has allowed five yards per carry to enemy running backs this season. They have also permitted a league-high 2.62 yards per rush before contact. Both Bills backs have received double-digit opportunities in each of their last two games. I would expect that to continue, making both Moss and Singletary worthy of Flex consideration in Week 4.

More fantasy football fun for Week 4: Waiver Wire | FAAB Guide | Buy-Low, Sell-High Trade Targets | Start & Sit | Loves & Hates | Stock Watch | Sleepers & Streamers | QB Streamers | D/ST Streamers |

Wide Receiver Notes

Marquise Brown could have had a monster game for the Ravens in Week 3 but dropped three potential touchdown passes. Brown was a top-20 fantasy wideout in Weeks 1 and 2, so his opportunity share is promising. However, he will have to get the drops under control if he is to be trusted as a weekly fantasy asset. His Week 4 matchup is difficult against the Denver Broncos, who boast one of the best secondaries in football. Brown is a boom-or-bust option this week. In the meantime, the Ravens designated wide receivers Rashod Bateman and Miles Boykin to return from injured reserve. Bateman had surgery to repair a core muscle injury back in August. I do not expect either wideout to be active this week, but Brown could see fewer opportunities once Bateman returns, especially if he continues to let opportunities quite literally slip through his fingers.

Brandin Cooks is third in the NFL in receiving yards and fifth in targets through three weeks. He may not remain a WR1 going forward, but it is safe to say that the eighth-year wide receiver will outperform his draft price in 2021 barring injury. His 37.6 percent target share will likely come down a bit, particularly now that Anthony Miller is back. But it appears that Cooks is the first and often the second read on most of Houston’s passing plays. Davis Mills should continue to start at quarterback until Tyrod Taylor is ready to return. Mills does not have Taylor’s mobility, so he will continue to force-feed Cooks with short and intermediate targets. Cooks’ aDOT (average depth of target) has gone down in each subsequent week. Fantasy managers should continue to ride the wave with Cooks, even in difficult matchups like he will face this week.

I discussed my concerns about DeAndre Hopkins last week, and I echo those sentiments here. Arizona has made a concerted effort to spread the ball around to their receivers this year. The Cardinals have four top-40 fantasy wide receivers through three weeks. No other team in the NFL can make that claim, and only two have even a trio of top-40 wideouts. The Cardinals are 3-0 and quarterback Kyler Murray has already eclipsed 1,000 passing yards, so it is hard to argue much with the strategy. No Cardinal has even a 20 percent target share, with six players (including running back Chase Edmonds and tight end Maxx Williams) surpassing the 10 percent threshold.

Hopkins will reclaim his place atop Arizona’s pecking order in due time, but I do not believe he will approach anything resembling his 26.31 percent target share or 31.06 percent of air yards from 2020. As for the others, including Christian Kirk, Rondale Moore, and A.J. Green, it will be a frustrating rotation for fantasy managers to navigate. Moore has the lowest target share and fewest air yards of the quartet, while Kirk is the primary downfield threat. Arizona has used Green to keep defenses honest on the outside across from Hopkins. Hopkins is still the only one I would trust every week, but I think he will disappoint more often than not for those expecting WR1 production. With Jalen Ramsey manning the slot more than ever this year, I would not be surprised to see Green post a third straight top-40 fantasy week.

Tight End Notes

Dalton Schultz and Tyler Conklin were the most productive fantasy tight ends in Week 3. We have likely already seen their best games of the 2021 season, but fantasy managers can stream them in favorable matchups. Zach Ertz outscored teammate Dallas Goedert last week, while Lee Smith (not the Hall of Fame relief pitcher) outscored fellow Falcon Kyle Pitts. I would not put a ton of stock into Ertz’s Week 3 performance. Quarterback Jalen Hurts had only targeted the veteran four times over the first two weeks. The Falcons targeted Smith on a well-designed play at the goal line, but he is not relevant for fantasy purposes. Pitts is still the Atlanta tight end you want. He will have better days. I would look to target him via trade if his manager is worried because the 20-year old has not yet dominated the NFL.

Week 4 Flex Rankings

More Week 4 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Kicker | PPR | Flex

Fantrax was one of the fastest-growing fantasy sites of 2020, and we’re not stopping now. With multi-team trades, designated commissioner/league managers, and drag/drop easy click methods, Fantrax is sure to excite the serious fantasy sports fan – sign up now for a free year at Fantrax.com.