Each week there are some obvious starts and sits in fantasy football. Other decisions are not quite so simple. Here are some of my picks for Week 4 in the latest edition of Studs, Duds & Sleepers.
STUDS
QB: Jayden Daniels (WAS at ARI): I was already a truther, but that performance on MNF was unreal. Playing in the game with the highest total of the week, expect more fireworks ahead. Daniels’ immense ceiling is rising by the week.
RB James Cook (BUF at BAL): Cook is passing my eye-ball test and emerging as a vital cog of the Buffalo’s offensive resurgence and is RB5 in 0.5 PPR scoring through three weeks. The Ravens have been fairly stingy vs. RBs early on, but I am dismissing that a bit with two of their three matchups against less than impressive backfields (LV and DAL).
WR: Stefon Diggs (HOU vs. JAC): Injuries are starting to hit the Texans’ offense hard with Tank Dell being the latest addition to players to be sidelined. Diggs has flashed early on and now coming off a 10-catch, 12-target game at Minnesota has landed inside my top 12 at the position for the first time this season.
TE: Dallas Goedert (PHI at TB): I’ve been critical of the aging Goedert this year and have avoided him mostly in all formats. That said, he has a modest floor given the nature of the position and capitalized on a favorable matchup a week ago. With AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith likely to sit this week, look for the veteran to have an uptick in targets.
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Get ready for kickoff to Week 4’s action w/Dan Clasgens & James Adams on the Fantistics Insider Football Podcast…
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DUDS
QB: Anthony Richardson (IND vs. PIT): Where did the huge rushing floor go? After a solid Week 1 effort, Richardson has been disappointing the last two weeks statistically, including having a 5:0 interception-to-TD ratio. Only one team has allowed fewer fantasy points to signal callers this year than the Steelers and that has Richardson riding the pine in Week 4.
RB Javonte Williams (DEN at NYJ): I am sitting all my Broncos this week as they meet the stingy Jets’ D and Williams should stay benched until further notice. After three weeks of action he sits at RB39 in 0.5 PPR leagues. With Tyler Badie now also in the mix for touches the Denver backfield committee is getting even more crowded too.
WR: Davante Adams (LV vs. CLE): With 60 yards or less in two of his three outings this year, Adams is not delivering as expected as the quarterback woes in Las Vegas have grown. The veteran is clearly frustrated and his effort is being questioned. Now he’s popping on the injury report with a hamstring issue. All of it has him ranked outside my top 24 this week at the position.
TE: Isaiah Likely (BAL vs. BUF): After spending the last two weeks chasing his Week 1 fantasy points, I am leaning towards letting Likely play his way back into your fantasy lineup after he has combined for three catches on four targets for 30 yards over his last two outings.
SLEEPERS
QB: Caleb Williams (CHI vs. LAR): The rookie has yet to have a breakout performance, but did show some signs of progress last week at Indy as he threw for 363 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Now he gets a Rams’ team that have allowed the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season.
RB: Chuba Hubbard (CAR vs. CIN): Picking fantasy running backs vs. the Bengals seems like a winning formula. Cincinnati’s defense has been atrocious across the board and that likely won’t change here. Hubbard himself is coming off a week where he scored 27.9 PPR points and this could be the last game he gets without losing carries to rookie Jonathan Brooks, who is nearing a return from his IR stint.
WR: Jerry Jeudy (CLE vs. LV): The target share has been there for Jeudy all season with six targets or more in all three contests. The Raiders have already seen four widouets score and reach 13 or more fantasy points, including two 22 plus point performances. Amari Cooper’s presence will limit his upside, but the floor for Jeudy is higher than most realize.
TE: Mike Gesicki (CIN vs. CAR): The Panthers are the only team in the league to allow multiple touchdowns to tight ends this season and with 14 targets over the past two weeks Gesicki is emerging as high-end PPR TE2 play.
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