Fantasy football rankings Week 4: Sleepers, projections, starts, Jameson Williams, Matthew Golden and more

Can you believe it’s Week 4? Can you believe summer is over? Well, not if you head to the fun ranks for one last hurrah. We have a bit more team and player information at our fingertips to help shape the Week 4 fantasy football rankings. We’ll uncover some opportunities for sneaky starts or possible sits for tough calls. Also, we’re moving the ranks back down below the column text (per some requests). Tell us (me) if that’s better, or if you like it halfway up like they were for the past couple weeks.

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Week 4 Waiver Wire
Week 4 SOS Ranks (coming soon)
Fantasy 101 (weather, start/sit, trading, more)
🎙️All In Speed Run Podcast🎙️

WEEK 4 FANTASY FOOTBALL NOTES

Running Backs

• The Browns and Patriots are the only two defenses allowing negative YBC at -0.17 and -0.09, respectively. The Packers are third lowest at 0.07, with a big gap to the fourth-lowest Texans at 0.62.
• Chase Brown (-0.06) and Ashton Jeanty (-0.04) are the only two qualified RBs with negative YBC. The Bears allow the second-highest mark at 2.46, behind the Bills at 2.60. That’s good for Jeanty, but unfortunately for Brown, the Broncos are fifth-toughest at 0.63.
• The Jaguars, Rams and Seahawks are the only three defenses yet to allow a RB rushing touchdown; meanwhile, the Titans and Ravens have allowed a league-high five, each.
• No Commanders running back had more than 45.8% of the RB touches, and that was Chris Rodriguez, while Jacory Croskey-Merritt was at 37.5%. I’d avoid this backfield wherever possible.
• In Week 3, Cam Skattebo ranked Top 5 in yards per touch (7.6), TmTGT% (26.7), YPR (10.2) and YAC (4.4) despite sharing work before the Tyrone Tracy injury. Oh, and he ranks Top 10 in all of those, except YAC, where he’s still Top 15, through three weeks.
• If Zach Charbonnet plays, Kenneth Walker carries more risk, but will still rank as an RB2 with Charbonnet as an RB3. The risk is the roles revert to Charbonnet as the lead, despite that seeming nonsensical.
• Isiah Pacheco has 49.2 RBTouch% to 45.8 for Kareem Hunt with an 83.3/16.7 split to Hunt on third down. Even more frustrating, Hunt has all of the goal-to-go and goal-line attempts.
• Jaylen Warren’s RBTouch% by week: 54.2, 66.7, 82.1. The Vikings’ defense is strong but has vulnerability against the run, as seen in Week 2 versus the Falcons.

Wide Receivers

• The Panthers’ pass defense has been sneaky strong, allowing no more than 55 receiving yards to a wideout, and just one WR touchdown on the year (Michael Wilson, 11-yard catch). They also have four interceptions (T-3) and the toughest WR EPA allowed (18.30 — a positive defensive number is baaaaad news for the offense/player). Sorry, for those that like Boutte, Boutte, Boutte.
• Similarly, the Vikings’ pass defense has allowed no more than 68 yards to a player (Week 1, DJ Moore), only one WR touchdown (Rome Odunze) and a league-low 11.1% touchdowns to drives (for comparison, the Dolphins lead the league at 40.0%). Long day for Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf incoming. Additionally, Metcalf has an abysmal 6.29 AirYD/TGT with a league-high 10.1 YAC/Rec, but the Vikings allow the 10th-lowest YAC/Rec (4.2).
• Even after inexplicably limiting the Eagles’ passing offense in Week 1, the Cowboys have allowed the most WR receiving yards (661), are tied with the Bears for most touchdowns to WRs (six) and have a league-worst -42.84 WR EPA. Let’s go, Romeo Doubs, Matthew Golden, and maybe even Dontayvion Wicks! With that, Doubs is the only Packers option who has a better EPA versus zone compared to man coverage, and the Cowboys have the second-highest zone use (85.9%).
• If Xavier Worthy plays, he’s still at risk of being a decoy. Tyquan Thornton will rank ahead of Worthy unless we hear (surprising) news that Worthy isn’t limited or wearing a brace.
• If Terry McLaurin is out, Deebo Samuel gets a few spots bump, and Luke McCaffrey would climb into the WR4/5 territory.
• Assuming Chris Godwin returns, he’ll be a boom/bust WR4 given the risk of being eased into action. If Godwin doesn’t return, Sterling Shepard would take his spot, as his ceiling/floor combo is still a risky one.
• Josh Downs doesn’t see a huge boost with Alec Pierce out, as Downs is still primarily three-wide (93%) and Adonai Mitchell took Pierce’s spot after the concussion.
• Is it worth risking Jameson Williams? This matchup gives a resounding, “Yes!” Williams has a ridiculous 23.03 EPA versus man coverage this year, and no team runs more man than the Browns at 49.1%.
• Tee Higgins has the 15th-largest boost in EPA  in man coverage compared to zone (+4.38), and the Broncos are second man-happiest at 49.1%.
• No team has been more favorable to slot receivers than the Jaguars, which is a boon for Ricky Pearsall, even if Jauan Jennings plays. Pearsall is third-highest in YPRR from the slot (min. 10 targets) at 3.47, while Jennings is at 1.10 (28th).

Quarterbacks

• Jaxson Dart has a lot of similarities to Drake Maye as a rookie, albeit with a receiving weapon worlds better than anything Maye had last year. Nevertheless, Maye averaged 16.1 points from Weeks 6-16 (in Week 17, he left for a time due to a head injury, and he attempted just one pass in Week 18). The 16.1 FPPG would rank as QB16 this year, and like Maye, Dart will have Top 10 upside with a QB20 or lower floor.
• As if it wasn’t bad enough for Trevor Lawrence, no QB has been pressured less (18.3% per Fantasy Points), but only Michael Penix and JJ McCarthy have worse QB Ratings with no pressure (76.9, 74.1 and 61.0, respectively). Lawrence also has the worst Comp% (60.4) with no pressure (36 qualified QBs).
• Jayden Daniels is in the ranks, but if he’s not back this week, Marcus Mariota would check in as QB10, just in front of Justin Fields. Tyrod Taylor would be just in front of Jaxson Dart if Fields isn’t playing.

Tight Ends

• As seen with Mark Andrews going Super Saiyan just when everyone drops him, the Lions are highly vulnerable to tight ends, and the Panthers are right behind them (EPAs of -14.24 and -13.83, respectively). That’s great news for risking both Browns — David Njoku and Harold Fannin — and playing Hunter Henry coming off a big game.
• Cade Otton might intrigue some if Chris Godwin doesn’t return, but the Eagles are strong against the position, holding Jake Ferguson in check, allowing 4-for-61 to Travis Kelce and nothing to the Rams (not that they have much). It’s the tight end position; almost anyone is in play. Just giving a word of warning.
• To that end, there have already been 16 different tight ends to catch a touchdown, and we’ve seen 21 different tight ends have at least one TE1 finish. #BanTEOnly

Buy Low, Sell High

Buys

• Zach Charbonnet, SEA — Likely behind Kenneth Walker again, but he would have Top 15 upside if KW3 got hurt.
• RJ Harvey, DEN — Tyler Badie seemingly out of the mix. More touches hopefully coming.
• Calvin Ridley, TEN — People ready to drop him. Can stash for near free.
• Tee Higgins, CIN — Full-blown panic from his managers. Can get for WR4 cost in some places.
• Terry McLaurin, WAS — If have depth to withstand injury absence, a WR3 price is a nice discount.
• CeeDee Lamb, DAL — Obvious. If you have the ability to wait out the injury.

Sells

• Kenneth Walker, SEA — Buy Charb and sell KW3? Yea, it’s all relative. If someone is giving RB1 value for Walker or selling Charbonnet for an RB4 cost, both can be true.
• J.K. Dobbins, DEN — Same as above. If someone sees Dobbins as an RB1, sell, given Harvey could see an uptick soon.
• George Pickens, DAL — Also value context. If Top 20 return, tradable, as CeeDee Lamb will be back. Plus, if Pickens isn’t near WR1 value without Lamb, value lost.
• Quentin Johnston and Keenan Allen, LAC — Only if getting Top 15, maybe 20, value given Ladd McConkey can’t keep getting left out all year.

FUN WITH RANKS

As I said, summer is over, so what better way to say goodbye than with a fun “Ice Cream Truck” ranking? That’s right, we’re going back to being a kid — though, if you’re like me, you’ve definitely headed outside when you heard that jingle at least once this year. It’s time to talk about delicious, sugary, melty, fun ice cream.

Best Ice Cream Truck Treats

1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (any “character”) — I say any character, not as in any TMNT, but because whether it’s SpongeBob, Spider-Man… anything, the gumball eyes characters treats are the GOAT.
2. Choco Taco — Klondike should be out of business for discontinuing these. How do you make something crunchy and soft at the same time?
3. Orange Dream Bar/Creamsicle — I might be in the minority, but man, I would always crush these if I wasn’t looking for something with a gumball (mixing things up). The dream bar with the creamy filling remains so underrated.
4. Strawberry Shortcake — So good, and might have the biggest gap from adult-to-kid ordering of anything here.
5. 2 Ball Screwball — Hopefully, you got to experience this greatness. Color your lips and tongue (and face, because it’s messy) as you crush the slurpy-like treat to get to the frozen gumballs at the bottom (if you didn’t cheat and dig down in there ahead of time).
6. King Cone — The better version of the Drum Stick. A better ratio of nuts, not as drippy, and healthier… right? Because soft serve?
7. Bubble Play — Another one of the gumball goodness treats. Sure, it’s kind of repeating the No. 1 pick, but this was cherry-flavor only, shaped like a baseball glove (somewhat poorly) with a gumball baseball (which usually made it into my mouth first).
8. Push-Up Pop — Fruity flavor, fun package, and dare I say refreshing? The only issue is if the bottom started to drip out because then you had a massive mess on your hands (wordplay intended).
9. Bomb Pop/Rocket Pop — All the variations were good. This is the classic icon of ice cream trucks.
10. Fudgesicle/Fudge Pop — One of, if not the, greatest causes of brain freeze. You had to eat them fast or else you’d have chocolate running down your hands. But, outside the brain freeze, it was easy to gobble these delicious treats down fast.

Overrated: Ice cream sandwiches. Boring. Soft, almost soggy, chocolate something with boring vanilla in the middle. Oh, and the ice cream instantly started melting out of the middle anyway.

WEEK 4 FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS

🚨 HEADS UP 🚨

• There is no perfect widget out there, sadly, still. I know many view this on your phone, but 1) use the rankings widget on a PC/laptop/etc. if possible or 2) open in your phone’s browser, especially for Android users, to get the scrolling to work (or Android people can try a two-finger scroll).
• ECR = “Expert” Consensus Ranking (which isn’t updated by everyone consistently, so take with a grain of salt).
• Updated regularly, so check up to lineups locking.

WEEK 4 FANTASY FOOTBALL PROJECTIONS

🚨 HEADS UP 🚨 These can differ from my rankings, and MY RANKS are the order I’d start players outside of added context, such as, “Need highest upside, even if risky.” Also, based on 4-point TDs for QB, 6-point rest, and Half-PPR

Download Link Added Thursday

(Photo of Matthew Golden: Scott Galvin / Imagn Images)