Weekly Rankings: Ranking Each Position for Week 4

With Week 3 behind us, its time to move on to Week 4. I’ll rank each position, including both standard and PPR rankings, each week before Thursday Night Football. Below each set of rankings, I will provide commentary on my more interesting decisions of the week. Best of luck in Week 4!

 

 

• I love the shootout potential as the Seahawks travel to Arizona to take on the Cardinals. The Seahawks defense allowed over 400 yards passing in Week 1 at home to Andy Dalton, before drawing an injured Ben Roethlisberger in Week 2 and Teddy Bridgewater in Week 3. Kyler Murray has certainly taken his lumps, but I think he can keep this close enough where the Seahawks are forced to pass. And on the other end, this Cardinals defense is making everyone who plays them look like world-beaters. Russell Wilson comes in as my QB4, while Murray is the QB7.
• I’m aggressively putting Aaron Rodgers at QB5, as I think this is the week that the passing game wakes up. The Eagles secondary is very exploitable, allowing 380 yards passing and 3 touchdowns to Case Keenum in Week 1, and 320 yards passing and 3 touchdowns in Week 2 to Matt Ryan. If this Packers passing game doesn’t break out this week, I’ll be substantially lowering Rodgers going forward. But it is worth giving him one more shot after an opening schedule of the Bears, Vikings, and Broncos tough defenses.
• I would be in wait and see mode with Baker Mayfield even in a decent matchup. In a matchup in Baltimore this week, I’m looking for other options.
• It’s a crazy world where we are starting Daniel Jones over Mayfield, but here we are. The Washington secondary is getting gashed, so Jones looks like a solid play this week. I’m not 100% bought into him yet, but this is a matchup to attack right now.

 

 

 

• Enjoy Austin Ekeler while you can, with Melvin Gordon set to return soon. Luckily, Ekeler goes out with a bang, playing the Miami Dolphins in a blowup spot. Expect plenty of garbage time for Justin Jackson as well, making both playable options. Ekeler is my RB3, and Jackson is my RB31. This may be the end of the line for Jackson, however, as he is likely droppable after this week.
• Marlon Mack is lined up in a great spot in a home game against the Raiders. If the Colts have their way, especially with a banged-up T.Y. Hilton, Mack may get 25-30 carries in this one. That kind of volume makes him the RB6 in my book.
• Tampa Bay has been excellent against the run, and while I’m not ready to call that legitimate this early in the season, it is enough to scare me off Todd Gurley a bit. Gurley hasn’t looked bad, but he seems to be lacking some explosion and has lost his passing game role, huge in PPR leagues. He gets a bump in standard, but barring multiple touchdowns, I don’t see him as a high-end option right now, making him the RB12.
• Nick Chubb has a brutal matchup in Baltimore, and I expect to see him running into a crowded line over and over again. This Browns offense is searching for an identity, and I think they would prefer to run the ball to take the heat off of Mayfield and the offensive line. Unfortunately, I don’t think they will be able to do that against the Ravens.
• The Chiefs backfield remains jumbled, but it appears as of Wednesday night that Damien Williams will sit again, and LeSean McCoy will play. That makes both McCoy and Darrel Williams playable, though the offense clearly runs through the passing game, making them relatively touchdown-dependent, especially McCoy. Darwin Thompson is unplayable until his role changes.
• I’m not high on Wayne Gallman, penciling him in at RB30. Play him in a pinch, but I would prefer to see a week of usage before trusting him. I think we will see Sauquon Barkley sorely missed in the running game after this one.
• If Rashaad Penny were healthy, I would be worried about Chris Carson losing touches due to his fumbling issues. Even if Penny plays, however, I think the Seahawks will ease him in coming off of a hamstring injury. This is a lucrative spot against the Cardinals, so I have Carson ranked as my RB9 this week. I’m a little less confident in him rest of season.

 

 

• Sure, maybe the Chargers get ahead by so much against the Dolphins that they take their foot off the gas. But I don’t see how they score three or four touchdowns without Keenan Allen heavily involved. He is my WR1 this week.
• If I’m banking on Rodgers to finally break out in a good matchup against the Eagles, then I have to be excited about Davante Adams on Thursday night. Here’s hoping for a Mike Evans style positive regression game.
• Cooper Kupp looks excellent and gets a Buccaneers defense that just got ripped apart by Sterling Shepard and Danny Dimes. I love Kupp’s PPR pass-catching role, and he comes with an excellent red zone role as well. He is ranked at WR11 and looks to be cementing himself as a top-end fantasy receiver.
• Several receivers to keep an eye on as the week progresses due to injuries: Julian Edleman, T.Y. Hilton, and Alshon Jeffery. All would rank higher if fully healthy, so raise them up my ranks if they look like a full go.
• Terry McLaurin gets a prime spot against the Giants secondary that is getting beat left and right. While I think McLaurin is due some regression, mainly due to his sub-par quarterback situation, he may be able to continue his torrid pace one more week.
• Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson are hard to rank. If they miss a big play, they have a low floor. But it’s hard to leave them on the bench with Patrick Mahomes setting the world on fire. I’ll probably find a way to fit either of them into my lineups most weeks, until the return of Tyreek Hill.

 

 

• Evan Engram looks poised to challenge Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and Zach Ertz for elite tight end status with his improved quarterback situation. With Kittle on a bye, and Ertz facing a tough Packers defense, Engram is this week’s TE2 against Washington.
• Darren Waller has become a target hog and gets an excellent matchup against a Colts defense that was a top-five matchup for tight ends last year. So far this year, that trend has continued, making Waller the TE5.
• Will Dissly gets the tight end’s dream in 2019; a matchup against the Cardinals defense. The Cardinals allowed 131 yards and a touchdown to T.J. Hockenson in Week 1, 112 yards and a touchdown to Mark Andrews in Week 2, and 75 yards and two touchdowns against Greg Olsen last week. Start Dissly with confidence.
• I’m giving Hockenson one last chance at home against a Chiefs defense that is extremely giving to tight ends. If he continues his one catch performances of recent weeks, it may be time to move on.

 

(Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire)