Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, September 29, 2024, 8:20 ET
Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD
Network: NBC Peacock
Buffalo Bills
Quarterback
Josh Allen: Start, QB1
Josh Allen was truly elite in Week 3 against the Jaguars. Allen didn’t even need to finish this one, as he was as close to flawless as we have seen from the Bills Quarterback. In Week 4, he faces a Ravens defense that has given him trouble in the past but has allowed 26 points per game this season. Expect Allen to be doing Allen things and distributing the ball to all his weapons once again.
Running Back
James Cook: Start, RB1
Ray Davis: Sit
Once again, James Cook has been the primary beneficiary of the new-look Bills offense. His efficiency dipped in this one, but he was able to find the end zone again and now has more rushing touchdowns this season than he did all last season. Cook is an RB1 until further notice. In Week 4, he faces a tough run defense, allowing less than 3.0 yards per carry. Cook should be involved in all phases of the game, though, so he should remain one of the more reliable options at the position. Ray Davis is a nice handcuff to have, but while he did score a touchdown last week, it is not something you can depend on week to week.
Wide Receiver
Khalil Shakir: FLEX Option
Keon Coleman: Sit
Curtis Samuel: Sit
The Bills’ wide receivers are more than likely going to be rotating who is getting involved the most from week to week, but Khalil Shakir is the safe bet to lead the way for the next few weeks at least. Shakir has been a playmaker for the Bills thus far through the air and one of the few reliable options not named Josh Allen or James Cook. He has a tough matchup this week, so he is only in play in deep leagues, but you could do worse. Keon Coleman will have flashes, but for now, you can leave him on the bench and see how things shake out the next few weeks.
Tight End
Dalton Kincaid: Start, TE1
Dalton Kincaid finally found the end zone in Week 3. His usage is still a bit baffling as he comes in flashes and then disappears for the second half of games. It’s hard to tell if it’s a play design thing or a Kincaid thing at this point. Still, the position has been in shambles for most of the season, so Kincaid heads into this week as a TE1 option. The Ravens are at the bottom of the league against opposing tight ends, so Kincaid could start a little bit of a hot streak if Allen can find him early in this one.
Baltimore Ravens
Quarterback
Lamar Jackson: Start, QB1
Lamar Jackson had a BOOM week in Week 3 against the laughably bad Dallas Cowboys. He has a much tougher test against the Bills this week, though. The truth is you aren’t ever benching Lamar, and while he may struggle some through the air, his legs should float him into QB1 territory, and that is why he remains so valuable.
Running Back
Derrick Henry: Start, RB1
Derrick Henry has started the season with a three-game touchdown streak. That was always going to be his path to fantasy football success in 2024. The former Titan has not disappointed in that department. He may not be quite as efficient as he was in his prime, but the role is there, and the offense relies on him when it matters. Continue to roll him out with confidence. Justice Hill is a bit of an afterthought as long as Henry is healthy, so we will leave him off these articles for now.
Wide Receiver
Zay Flowers: Start, WR2
Zay Flowers is the top pass-catching option for the Ravens, who have inexplicably stopped using Mark Andrews AND Isaiah Likely this season. Flowers saw his first game under double-digit targets last week, but that was largely to do with game script. Expect him to be involved all game in Week 4. Even against a top-five defense against opposing wide receivers, Flowers comes in as my WR14 this week in full PPR leagues
Tight End
Mark Andrews: Start, TE1
Isaiah Likely: Start, TE1
Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely have been used sparingly since Week 1, and it has been one of the more confounding situations in fantasy football. They both have the ceiling, which means they need to be in your lineups, but the floor is scary. Another couple of weeks of this usage could have them both approaching drop territory. It is something we will need to revisit heading into Week 7. The good news is that if the Bills’ defense can be beaten, it is with versatile tight end usage, as they rank in the bottom ten against tight ends this season.
i feel like only the thursday game should be posted on thursday and the rest of the games on friday.. after this is posted there is so much more player news with practice sits etc that a lot of what youre writing is no longer valid and the opinion is void.
for example: damien pierce was limited just today. so akers should be a viable start if he doesnt play.
Hey, thanks for reading and commenting! We try to get all of our recommendations out on Thursday so that you have all that information in case you’re on the fence between a guy that plays on Thursday vs. Sunday. We don’t always have all of the information because of the timing with practice reports, but we try to update things as we get more info. As for the Texans backfield, I’m still a bit hesitant to recommend Akers, but he could have an easier time this week against the Jags than he did last week against the Vikings.
This list used to be a lot more nuanced in the past. Talking about #3 / #4 players and ranking them as such. Now it seems like every player if they’re not a #1 or #2 at their position they are simply a sit. I don’t need to know to start my top players it’s the flex ones in the middle I need a write up on. Wish this list was as thorough as years past.
Thanks for this feedback! We try and do our best to cover as many fantasy-relevant players as possible, and you can check out our list of weekly rankings to see how everyone stacks up. Is there a player or two I can help provide a more detailed breakdown of for you?
Having Anthony Richardson as a Start and Sam Darnold as a Sit is fantasy malpractice.
Hey, thanks for reading. I personally think Richardson has the higher ceiling this week with his rushing upside and Darnold has a hostile environment this week heading into Green Bay. If you personally want to see more out of Richardson before giving him the start again, I completely understand!