Week Four of the NFL’s regular season saw its share of surprises, headlined by the Cam Newton led upset of the Patriots by the Carolina Panthers. Also, one of the stars of the 2017 rookie class suffered a season-ending injury. Here’s a detailed of every Week Four Sunday game from a fantasy slant.
New Orleans- 20
Miami- 0
It has been a difficult season for the Dolphins, between the loss of their starting QB Ryan Tannehill before the season began to the ramifications of Hurricane Irma. The Dolphins have traveled cross country and now out of the country as they “hosted” the Saints in London. The Saints’ defense looked like one that could be exploited, but on Sunday, they shut down and shut out the Dolphins in all facets of the game. While veteran QB Drew Brees led the way with a ho hum 268 passing yards and a pair of scores, the real story for New Orleans was rookie RB Alvin Kamara, who looked like the team’s best player. Kamara saw 10 targets from Brees and hauled in every one, totaling 71 yards and a touchdown. He also chipped in 25 rushing yards. The game’s announcers noted the Saints plan to use just two running backs moving forward and the odd man out is likely to be veteran Adrian Peterson, who carried four time for four yards against the Phins. Second-year WR Michael Thomas was in his 2016 form, catching eight balls for 89 yards and a well-earned touchdown.
Miami WRs DeVante Parker (6/69) and Jarvis Landry (6/40) once again saw enough garbage time volume to post decent stat lines, but never really made much of a difference in this game. RB Jay Ajayi continues to be a non-factor in the passing game, despite proving in the past he could be an asset in that way. Ajayi caught the only target thrown his way for eight yards, while rushing for 46 yards on 12 carries. After the game, HC Adam Gase had to face questions about a possible change at the QB position as veteran Jay Cutler continues to struggle, though Gase insisted that was not in play at this time. Cutler threw for just 164 yards, along with an interception as the Dolphins were never really in the game, despite trailing just 3-0 at halftime.
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Houston- 54
Tennessee- 14
This game was all about Texans rookie QB Deshaun Watson. After a slow start to his career, Watson has taken advantage of soft pass defenses the past two weeks, racking up big numbers against the Patriots in Week Two and now the Titans. Watson started hot as the Texans led 14-0 after one quarter and he never let up. In the end, the rookie from Clemson accounted for five touchdowns, four through the air and one rushing, as he got everyone involved. RB Lamar Miller totaled 131 yards with two touchdowns, WR DeAndre Hopkins caught 10 passes for 107 yards and a score and WR Will Fuller, making his season debut after breaking his collarbone in the pre-season, caught a pair of touchdowns among his 4/35 line. A Texans stack would’ve worked quite well today.
Things did not go so well for the Titans. QB Marcus Mariota saved his fantasy day with his feet, rushing for 39 yards and two touchdowns, but only throwing for 96 yards and two picks before being forced from the game with a hamstring injury. Mariota will reportedly undergo an MRI tomorrow. There is little to take away from this shellacking, but the Titans did continue with their near even backfield split as starter DeMarco Murray carried seven times for 31 yards, while bruiser Derrick Henry could only manage seven yards on five carries.
Carolina- 33
New England- 30
It looked like the Panthers and the rejuvenated QB Cam Newton was going to run away and win easily in Foxboro, but QB Tom Brady and the Patriots weren’t going to let that happen. A fourth-quarter comeback tied the game before Newton and the Panthers drove for a last-second field goal to steal a win. After weeks of pitiful play, Newton took advantage of the Patriots’ subpar pass defense and threw for over 300 yards, the fourth consecutive QB to do that this year, along with a trio of touchdowns. Maybe the difference for Newton was his role in the running game, rushing eight times for 44 yards. After missing much of last week’s game with a knee injury, WR Kelvin Benjamin was uncharacteristically efficient, catching all four targets thrown his way for 104 yards, but his running mate, WR Devin Funchess, stole the spotlight with two touchdowns on a 7/70 stat line. Electric rookie RB Christian McCaffrey had a quiet day with 49 total yards on 10 touches.
Trailing for much of the second half, Brady and the Patriots were forced to throw the ball, resulting in some heavy volume for the key pass-catchers. TE Rob Gronkowski failed to score, but did catch four balls for 80 yards to lead the team. Other key contributors included WR Chris Hogan (5/60/1), RB James White (10/47) and WR Danny Amendola (6/42/1). After his huge game a week ago, WR Brandin Cooks was shut down, catching three passes for 38 yards to the dismay of fantasy players everywhere. As it has for years, this offense will continue to rely on a variety of players and days like this will continue as long as Brady and HC Bill Belichick are around.
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NY Jets- 23
Jacksonville- 20
Many didn’t expect the Jets to win a single game this season and now they carry a two-game winning streak into Week Five, holding off the Jaguars’ fourth quarter comeback attempt. The difference for the Jets was clearly their running game. Despite the absence of veteran Matt Forte, the Gang Green backfield was a force. RB Bilal Powell broke two long runs, including a 75-yard score in which he stumbled, got up and finished the run as Jags defenders watched. Powell finished with 190 total yards and the touchdown. Rookie RB Elijah McGuire got into the act and had a long touchdown run of his own. He finished with 131 total yards as both backs were active in the passing game, as well. TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, playing his second game following an early season suspension, continued to be a solid contributor, catching all four targets for 46 yards.
The Jaguars continue to be a team that wants to base their offense on the running game. Rookie RB Leonard Fournette rushed for 86 yards on 24 carries and also led the team in receiving, catching four passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. WRs Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns had been the go-to options since star WR Allen Robinson suffered a Week One injury, but both were held in check. Especially disappointing was Hurns, who saw 10 targets but only caught four for 42 yards.
Detroit- 14
Minnesota- 7
The NFC North showdown had some high-scoring potential, but was one of the more boring contests of the day. As if that wasn’t bad enough, rookie RB Dalvin Cook is feared to have suffered a torn ACL on a simple run up the middle. Cook suffered the non-contact injury and fumbled the ball, leading to an eventual Lions score to take the lead. Cook did produce another strong stat line before exiting, totaling 74 yards and a touchdown. If Cook is lost for the year, as expected, the Vikes would be left with the duo of Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon, both of whom have been largely ineffective this season. For a team already missing their QB, this is a near disaster situation. Vikings WR Stefon Diggs continues to prove he is both QB and matchup-proof as he caught four passes for 88 yards, despite QB Case Keenum managing just 153 yards in the air.
Lions RB Ameer Abdullah posted a career-high 94 rushing yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown, his first of the year, but the rest of the Lions offense offered nothing for fantasy players. QB Matthew Stafford threw for 209 scoreless yards, while typical top WRs Golden Tate (3/29) and Marvin Jones (2/42) made little noise against the solid Vikings defense. Also noteworthy, but not in a good way, was the TE usage for the Lions. Veteran Darren Fells (4/40) was the team’s top producing TE, while starter Eric Ebron (2/27) once again disappointed. Even rookie Michael Roberts (1/15) ate into Ebron’s workload.
LA Rams- 35
Dallas- 30
One of the biggest surprises of the season, the Rams offense continues to roll. The top-scoring team in the league, QB Jared Goff and his crew went into Dallas and put up 35 points. Goff has put himself into the weekly fantasy starter conversation and today he threw for 255 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Goff played well, but RB Todd Gurley was again the star of this offense, rushing for 121 yards and also leading the team in receiving with seven grabs for 94 yards and a score. Gurley is maintaining his high level of play and looks like a league-winner. Maybe the only disappointing part of the Rams offense Sunday was the play of WR Sammy Watkins, who saw only two targets, catching one for 17 yards. After his huge Week Three game, this is a letdown.
The Dallas stars performed well, but it just wasn’t enough. QB Dak Prescott threw for 252 yards and three scores, finding RB Ezekiel Elliott, TE James Hanna and WR Brice Butler. Elliott totaled 139 yards and two scores as the Cowboys were in control in the first half. WR Dez Bryant’s string of tough matchups continued as he saw 13 targets, but caught just five of them for 98 yards. After his early season splash, veteran TE Jason Witten has his second consecutive down week, posting a 1/9 line.
Buffalo- 23
Atlanta- 17
In another one of the day’s surprises, the Bills came into Atlanta and handed the Falcons their first loss of the season. While the Bills played well, especially on defense, a big part of the reason for Atlanta’s struggles was the loss of their top two wideouts, Julio Jones (hip) and Mohamed Sanu (hamstring) for the second half. After leading 10-7 at halftime, Atlanta was outscored 16-7 after the intermission. Little information has been released about the severity of Jones’ injury, but a bye in Week Five certainly comes at the right time. Bills RB LeSean McCoy totaled 108 yards, while TE Charles Clay continued to see a large share of targets, catching five passes for 112 yards to lead the team. Former Eagles WR Jordan Matthews caught his first touchdown as a Bill, though that was one of only two targets he saw on the day. Rookie WR Zay Jones also continued his disappointing play, hauling in one of five targets for 18 yards.
With Jones down, there was little to get excited about for fantasy purposes in Atlanta. Backup RB Tevin Coleman played his best game of the season, leading the team in rushing (9/79) and receiving (4/65) while starter Devonta Freeman took a backseat with a total of 78 yards and a score. Pretty good for a “down” game.
Cincinnati- 31
Cleveland- 7
In a “someone has to win” game, the Bengals offense continued to show improvement and ran away from in-state foe Cleveland. QB Andy Dalton put together his best game of the season, tossing four scores and 286 yards. Unfortunately, Dalton also led the team in rushing with 29 yards, which says more about the running game than it does about Dalton’s prowess as a rusher. It was presumed rookie RB Joe Mixon would fully takeover the backfield and while he did easily out-touch Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard combined, he was only able to rush for 29 yards on 17 carries. WR A.J. Green got going early, but was well-covered for much of the game. He finished with a 5/63/1 line, while TE Tyler Kroft, starting in place of the injured TE Tyler Eifert, had a career day, catching six passes for 68 yards and two scores. With Eifert’s short-term future in doubt, Kroft could be worth a pickup.
Browns rookie QB DeShone Kizer continued his struggles and had no splash plays to pile up quick FF points. Kizer finished with 118 yards and an interception, along with just 10 rushing yards. The Browns backfield continues to trend towards pass-catching RB Duke Johnson, while Isaiah Crowell’s role has faded. Johnson out-snapped Crowell 36-22, though Crowell did lead the team in rushing with a paltry 20 yards on seven carries. Johnson totaled 60 yards and a touchdown. Kizer’s targets were fairly evenly divided between Johnson and WRs Ricardo Louis and Kenny Britt, though neither had an impact.
Pittsburgh- 26
Baltimore- 9
The Ravens’ offensive woes continued Sunday as the division rival Steelers made things look easy, leading 19-0 at halftime and then cruising in the second half. Playing on the road in Baltimore, QB Ben Roethlisberger’s trend of subpar play continued as he threw for 216 yards and a score. The Steelers star of the day was RB Le’Veon Bell, who finally broke through with the big games fantasy players have come to expect. Bell was a factor as a runner and receiver, totaling 186 yards from scrimmage and scoring a pair of touchdowns. The other Killer B, WR Antonio Brown, seemed frustrated all day. He was seen shouting on the sidelines at times, and also required treatment from team medical staff, though he continued to return to the field. Brown finished with four receptions for 34 yards. The emergence of rookie WR Juju Smith-Schuster continued as he grabbed three passes for 47 yards and his second touchdown of the year.
Ravens QB Joe Flacco continues to be a liability for his team, but his box score was at least respectable, as he finished with 235 passing yards and a touchdown. WR Mike Wallace woke up from his early-season slump with a 6/55/1 line on a team-high 10 targets. The “name” WRs for Baltimore continue to stink. Veteran Jeremy Maclin (3/21) and Breshad Perriman (1/6) are impossible to use in weekly lineups. The Baltimore backfield now seemingly belongs to second-year back Alex Collins, who rushed for 82 yards on nine carries. If he is still on your waiver wire after last week’s solid game, it’s time to grab him.
Philadelphia- 26
LA Chargers- 24
The Eagles got out to an early lead and then held off a surging Chargers offense to get the win in Los Angeles and keep the Chargers winless in front of what felt like a home crowd. RB Melvin Gordon entered the day as questionable to play and it showed. Gordon rushed for 22 yards on 10 carries and was barely involved in the passing game. It was undrafted free agent RB Austin Ekeler who led the team in rushing, thanks to a 35-yard scamper for a touchdown. He also caught a pair of passes for 23 yards. The production might have been a bit fluky, but he’ll be a hot waiver wire target, especially in dynasty leagues. WR Keenan Allen delivered big time, catching five balls for 138 yards and TE Hunter Henry continued his on again, off again pattern, grabbing two catches for 16 yards and a score. WR Tyrell Williams played his best game of the season with a 5/115, including a 75-yard score.
The Eagles offense was headlined by their running game, despite the loss of veteran RB Darren Sproles a week ago. Big back LeGarrette Blount had his best game as an Eagle, by far, rushing for 136 yards, headlined by a punishing 68-yarder. Wendell Smallwood also was impressive though, rushing for 34 yards and a score and adding another 45 yards on four receptions. TE Zach Ertz continued to act as the go-to option for QB Carson Wentz as he caught five passes for 81 scoreless yards. WR Alshon Jeffery caught Wentz’s only touchdown of the day as part of his 3/29 line.
Cardinals- 18
49ers- 15
The 49ers and Cardinals traded scores all day so it was no surprise when it took overtime to decide this NFC West battle. The game was strictly a field goal battle until the final second of overtime when the Cardinals came from behind on a diving touchdown catch from WR Larry Fitzgerald from QB Carson Palmer. As you’ve figured out by now, there was little offense to speak of in this one, but Palmer did rack up 357 yards, along with the score. Other than the game-winning score, Fitzgerald was held in check, sporting a 3/13 line before the 19-yard score. WR John Brown (3/47) made his return to the field, but it was WR Jaron Brown (8/105) who led the team in receiving. RB Andre Ellington (9/86) was also heavily involved in the passing game and should be owned in most PPR leagues.
The Niners offense was even worse. RB Carlos Hyde had 95 yards from scrimmage, but obviously failed to reach the end zone. With WR Marquise Goodwin leaving the game with a concussion, the majority of QB Brian Hoyer’s targets went to WR Trent Taylor and WR Aldrick Robinson. The Niners remain winless, but do face Indianapolis next week.
Denver- 16
Oakland- 10
The Raiders were without WR Michael Crabtree and it showed as the entire offense struggled to put points on the board. Things got worse in the second-half when QB Derek Carr was forced from the game with a back injury. Though he was unable to return, early reports suggest the injury is not serious. As expected, WR Amari Cooper struggled against the stingy Denver defense and he continued to be plagued by drops. Cooper caught two of eight targets for nine yards. This looked like a good spot for TE Jared Cook, but he flopped with a 3/46 line. The running game was even worse as RB Marshawn Lynch rushed nine times for 12 yards. He will have some big games this year, but he just can’t be inserted into fantasy lineups at this time.
Although they were never really threatened in this game, the Broncos offense was just as ugly. Normally reliable WRs Emmanuel Sanders (4/27) and Demaryius Thomas (1/11) were bystanders as TE A.J. Derby somehow served as the Broncos leading receiver with 75 yards on four receptions, including a fancy one-handed touchdown grab.
Tampa Bay- 25
NY Giants- 23
Yet another winless team, the Giants, nearly broke the streak as they took the lead with two minutes remaining only to see QB Jameis Winston lead a game-winning drive ending with a field goal. Winston put up some huge numbers against the typically strong Giants secondary, throwing for 332 yards and three scores, and most notably, no interceptions. Winston spread the ball around as TE Cameron Brate (4/80/1), WR Mike Evans (5/67/1), TE O.J. Howard (2/63/1) and even WR Adam Humphries (6/70) put up solid fantasy box scores. Likely starting his last game with RB Doug Martin due back next week, veteran RB Jacquizz Rodgers posted a season-high 83 yards, along with 25 receiving yards. It might be smart to wait a week to get a look at Martin, but Rodgers will likely be hitting waiver wires soon.
For the Giants, WR Odell Beckham (7/90) led the way, but left the field multiple times after taking punishing hits. The other important takeaway from the Giants offense is rookie TE Evan Engram, whose role continues to grow. This week, he saw 11 targets, catching six for 62 yards. The Giants poor running game hasn’t really changed for years, but got a spark in the second-half. After the ever-struggling Paul Perkins left the game with a rib injury, rookie RB Wayne Gallman took over and totaled 50 total yards and a score on 13 touches. While this does not look like huge production, it serves as a major upgrade for the Giants. While Perkins can hit the waiver wire, Gallman will be a hot waiver wire target this week.
Seattle- 46
Indianapolis- 18
After a sluggish start that actually saw them trailing at halftime, the Seattle Seahawks poured it on and ran the visiting Colts out of the stadium with a 22-point outburst in the third quarter. Seattle QB Russell Wilson piled up the stats in the second half, finishing with 295 passing yards for two touchdowns and 38 rushing yards with another score. As usual, Wilson spread the ball around, getting WR Tyler Lockett (4/67), WR Paul Richardson (3/65), TE Jimmy Graham (4/61) and banged up WR Doug Baldwin (3/35) all involved. Facing a weak Colts defense, this game was pegged by many to be the breakout game for rookie RB Chris Carson, but instead, things went as badly as they possibly could. Carson struggled through much of the game, rushing for 42 yards on 12 carries as one-half of a timeshare with RB Eddie Lacy, but in the fourth-quarter, Carson suffered a what is being called a “significant ankle injury” that most are assuming will keep him out of action for some time, potentially the rest of the season. Carson’s leg was placed in an air cast and he obviously needed to be carted off. The injury likely ends a promising rookie season for the former Oklahoma State RB and gives new life to Lacy, Thomas Rawls, C.J. Prosise (both of whom were inactive Sunday night) and maybe even J.D. McKissic, who surprised with 65 total yards and a pair of touchdowns.
For the Colts, QB Jacoby Brissett started well, but couldn’t keep it going through the entire game. He finished with 157 yards and a touchdown, finally connecting with WR Donte Moncrief for an 18-yard touchdown. On a night largely devoid of offense for the Colts, veteran RB Frank Gore led the team in both rushing (46 yards) and receiving (34 yards) and this should not be considered a good thing. WRs T.Y. Hilton and Moncrief both finished with exactly 30 yards.
