Fantasy Football Week Four: Starts of the Week
It is about that time in the week where you need to lock in who is going to be in your fantasy football lineups going into this weekend’s slate of games in the NFL. Whether you are trying to pick up your first win of the season or continuing your undefeated season it is important to put in the players that will get you the maximum number of points. First, here are the players you should start heading into week four:
Quarterback Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions offense has been able to put up points this season. They put up 35 against the Eagles, 36 against the Commanders and 24 against the Vikings. Goff had 277 passing yards and a touchdown against the Vikings last Sunday.
The QB11 in fantasy will receive a favorable matchup against a Seattle Seahawks pass defense that ranks at the bottom of the league. Seattle’s defense is giving up 17.8 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. Goff is averaging 19.1 fantasy points per game.
The matchup against the Seahawks could turn into another offensive shootout for the Lions and that creates the perfect recipe for Goff to take advantage of. There are some questions marks of two of Goff’s weapons: Amon-Ra St. Brown and D’Andre Swift going into their game against Seattle. Even with the injuries, Goff is the best streaming option against a Seattle defense that is allowing 8.8 yards per pass attempt.
Running Back Breece Hall, New York Jets
Breece Hall fumbles the ball after getting hit by Ravens safety Chuck Clark during the Jets’ Week 1 loss (N.Y. Post/Bill Kostroun)
The Jets have mainly been featuring both of their running backs early in the season: Michael Carter and Breece Hall. The rookie running back out of Iowa State leads the Jets with 213 scrimmage yards. In the loss to the Bengals in week three, Hall had six receptions for 53 yards and averaged 4.9 yards on eight carries.
Hall had 51% of the target share in week three and led the team in targets (11). The Jets offense will be returning Zach Wilson and that can lead to New York running the ball more than they did with Joe Flacco under center.
The matchup for Hall against the Pittsburgh Steelers will be favorable as they are allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to running backs. Pittsburgh allows 147.2 rushing yards per game and has the 28th ranked defense against the run. Hall’s effectiveness to be a pass-catching running back is valuable in fantasy and give him a lot of upside.
Wide Receiver DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
DeVonta Smith is coming off a monster game against the Washington Commanders in week three. The second-year wide receiver led the team in targets (12). Smith hauled in eight receptions for 169 yards and a touchdown.
There were concerns for fantasy managers looking to draft Smith of how much volume the former Alabama product would receive in 2022. With the signing of A.J. Brown in the offseason it was just a matter of how much of the target share he would get. So far, Brown’s and Smith’s target share is very similar (29%).
Smith and the Eagles offense will look to exploit a Jaguars secondary that has struggled to defend the pass in the first three weeks of the season. The Jaguars defense has given up the 12th-most fantasy points to wide receivers and allows the fourth-most touchdowns against the position.
Tight End David Njoku, Cleveland Browns
David Njoku was able to find the endzone against the Pittsburgh Steelers in week three. The 26-year old tight end was second on the team in targets (10). Njoku had nine receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers.
He got off to a rough start to the season. The veteran tight end caught only five passes for 39 yards in the first two weeks of the season. Njoku was able to have a breakout game in week three. He will have a opportunity to continue that momentum in week four against the Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons defense has allowed the fourth-most receptions and receiving yards against the tight end position. Atlanta also also allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to tight ends (20.4). Njoku has the chance to have another big game against the Falcons defense.
Photo Credit: Getty Images & New York Jets
Tyler Eschette: Sports Scramble/CFB Coast 2 Coast/SEC Talk/Olde City Sports Network
