Fantasy Football Week 4 wish list: Can Houston's stars break out?
What do Fantasy players want to see this week from the NFL? Chris Towers runs through his Week 4 wishlist.
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Chris Towers
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6 min read
Week 4 Rankings: Standard | PPR
Week 3 didn't really answer many of the questions we had, especially about running backs around the NFL. Even with nearly one-fifth of the schedule down, there feels like so much we are still waiting to find out around the league. Here are the questions I am hoping we can get some clarity on this week.
Is there anyone worth using in Miami's backfield?
With Arian Foster set to sit out Week 4 against the Bengals as well, the Dolphins will rely on Kenyan Drake and Jay Ajayi for the second week in the row. If it was just the two of them likely to get involved in the offense, this would already be a tough situation for Fantasy players to find any value. However, Isaiah Pead and Damien Williams also got in on the action last week, with both playing 10-plus snaps, which makes this maybe the least interesting backfield in the NFL right now.
My recommendation: If you can, it makes sense to totally avoid this backfield on the short week.
Can the Texans get their stars going?
In this running back landscape, it's hard to complain too much about a back scoring at least nine points in each game. But Lamar Miller ranking 20th at the position certainly qualifies as a disappointment at this point. There is a similar tale to tell about DeAndre Hopkins, who ranks 17th at wide receiver through three games. The Texans' stars haven't exactly been bad so far, but you haven't gotten what you were hoping for from a pair of first-round picks. Miller has 74 carries, but is averaging just 3.6 per so far, while Hopkins is down to 74.3 yards per game. The additions of Miller, rookie receiver Will Fuller and Brock Osweiler was supposed to make this offense better, but the Texans are still 31st in points.
My recommendation: Miller and Hopkins are must-start players, but it'd be nice to see them get going this week with a tough matchup against the Vikings on the way in Week 5.
What does Terrelle Pryor do for an encore?
In his first two games, Pryor caught just six of 17 passes thrown his way, and his catch rate for 45.2 percent after three weeks isn't exactly promising. Of course, he totally dominated the Dolphins in Week 3, racking up 144 yards on his eight catches, while providing a different look by lining up in the backfield as the quarterback 14 times. He completed three passes for 35 yards, while rushing for 21 more against a confused Dolphins defense. Washington won't be taken by surprise if Pryor moves into the backfield, and with Josh Norman likely to match up with him, Pryor could have trouble getting loose as a receiver too.
My recommendation: Start Pryor as a No. 3 WR.
Can Christine Michael live up to the hype?
This might have been a better question to ask last week, before he rushed for 106 yards on 20 carries in a big win over the Rams. Michael looked like an RB1 last week, and may be valued that way by some players moving forward. Of course, it's worth noting that Seattle's offensive line has been mediocre this season, and Michael averaged just 3.4 yards per carry last week on his final 19 carries -- his first went for 41 yards and a score. At the very least, Michael still needs to prove you can trust him against tougher matchups, an opportunity he will have in Week 4.
My recommendation: Start Michael at a position that is shallow on reliable options, but don't be surprised if he struggles heading into the bye.
Can Sammy Watkins play through the pain?
By all accounts, there doesn't seem to be anything structurally wrong with Watkins' foot at this point, which is sort of tough to reconcile with the fact that he basically hasn't been able to play since Week 1. It's a pain tolerance issue, according to reporters, and Watkins is expected to test the foot Wednesday or Thursday before deciding if he can play. However, he was clearly hobbled while trying to play through the injury in Week 2, and now has to face a tough New England defense that is going to scheme to stop Buffalo's best offensive weapon.
My recommendation: I'm at the point where Watkins needs to prove he is healthy and productive before I believe it. If that means I miss a big game this weekend from him, that's a risk I'm willing to take.
Can the Falcons keep up the juggling act in the backfield?
As long as you can maintain a relatively equal split, with defined roles and consistent work, a timeshare between two talented backs can keep everyone happy and productive. That has been the case in Atlanta so far.
and
have managed to both be top 15 running backs through three games. However, it's a tenuous balancing act the Falcons' coaching staff has to balance to keep Fantasy players happy, and they have benefited from playing a weak schedule so far. With the Panthers on the way this week followed by Denver and Seattle on the road, this is about to get very tricky.
My recommendation: Freeman and Coleman are starting-caliber Fantasy running backs for Week 4, but don't be surprised if it all comes toppling down.
Can Kenneth Dixon be the Ravens' savior?
It's not clear if Dixon will get the chance to play in Week 4, but the Louisiana Tech product does sound like he will be practicing this week after sitting out the first three with a knee injury. Terrance West and Justin Forsett have split rushing duties for the Ravens almost evenly so far, but neither has impressed so far. A timeshare with mediocre players is just about the worst situation possible, so the hope here is Dixon can be something more than mediocre. If he gives the Ravens a spark, it's not crazy to think he could run away with this job, even if it might not happen in Week 4 against the Raiders.
My recommendation: Leave Dixon on the bench for at least one more week, but if he plays, it probably makes all three unplayable for Fantasy.
Can Carson Palmer right the ship?
The four interceptions in Week 3 made the warning signs light up in bright, garish neon, but make no mistake, they were there in the first two games of the season. He lit up the Buccaneers in Week 2, of course, but Palmer struggled with his accuracy in each of the first two games, and it finally hurt him Sunday. According to ProFootballFocus.com, Palmer has been the least accurate quarterback in the NFL with just 60 percent of his passes thrown graded as catchable. He has a hugely talented receiving corps, but John Brown and Michael Floyd in particular have been tough to trust so far. Whether that is Palmer's fault, or his struggles have to do with his receivers' issues, isn't clear at this point, but this has been a major disappointment for Fantasy players so far.
My recommendation: Give Palmer one more week to prove himself against the Rams before you start panicking.
How good is this Vikings defense?
The Vikings haven't just been the best DST in the league so far; they're practically lapping the field. The 20 points that separates them in standard scoring leagues from the No. 2 Chiefs is greater than the gap between the Chiefs and No. 11 Houston. They've been utterly dominant, with nine turnovers in three games, with three touchdowns and a safety to boot. And they haven't exactly been lacking in tough matchups, as they dominated the Packers and Panthers over the last two weeks, racking up 13 sacked and six turnovers. This Vikings defense is very good, but are they so good you can't start Eli Manning or Odell Beckham against them? I'm not so sure.
My recommendation: Start the Vikings DST, but don't be too scared off by Menning or Beckham either. Minnesota will come back to Earth eventually, right?
