The top options truly stand out in the DraftKings Week 4 main slate. Josh Allen, Christian McCaffrey, and Puka Nacua all have great matchups this week. And that is why it is essential to save salary in certain spots. This week will also be the start of the shortened slates.
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There are no byes this week, but with a Monday night doubleheader and an early morning game in Ireland, there are only 11 games on the DraftKings main slate today. So, while this will slightly condense exposure on DraftKings, the effects should not be too noticeable.
However, that means the popular plays like Rome Odunze, McCaffrey, and Nacua will be a bit more popular than usual. Those players that I have mentioned are all excellent plays on DraftKings, but I will not be highlighting them below. Instead, I will highlight eight other players who could make an impact on your DraftKings lineups for Week 4.
Week 4 DFS: DraftKings Main Slate Picks
Quarterback
Favorite Play: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (6K)
At this position, there are many great plays on DraftKings, including stacks with Justin Herbert, Michael Penix Jr., Geno Smith, and Jared Goff. However, Patrick Mahomes against a bad Ravens pass defense is my favorite play of the week. Xavier Worthy is back, and the Chiefs’ offense started to find something at the end of their last game.
Tyquan Thornton and Worthy will both be stackable options with their quarterback, with the Ravens third with 58 passes of 20+ yards allowed. The Chiefs are underdogs in this game against the best quarterback in the league. And the rushing attack has been largely ineffective. So, Mahomes will be throwing the ball 40+ times to keep up with Lamar Jackson’s explosive offense.
Contrarian Play: Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (5.9K)
Stafford is not getting enough love in lineups this week. Kyren Williams being -200 to score a touchdown has simmered the hype on the passing game outside of Puka Nacua. The Rams have the fourth-highest team total, with a 26.5-point total.
Stafford has yet to find his rhythm in the passing game. He has 17 attempts in the red zone and only five touchdowns to show for it. If the Colts continue their red-hot play, Stafford will have to post 25 DraftKings points to keep this competitive. I like the matchup for the veteran quarterback, along with Daniel Jones and company, to keep it close.
Running Back
Favorite Play: Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders (6.2K)
Jeanty is having a forgettable rookie season so far, with more yards after contact (145) than actual rushing yards (144). His matchup gets easier here in Week 4. The Chicago Bears are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the sixth-most rushing yards allowed in the league. They also allow 5.5 yards per carry, which is second-most. Jeanty will have every opportunity to succeed and is still an elite talent. He is fourth in the NFL with 13 missed tackles, tied with Omarion Hampton. At $6,200, his salary on DraftKings combined with the matchup makes him one of my favorite plays of the week.
Contrarian Play: Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills (4K)
This play is based on the projected spread and game script that we could very well see as the Bills play the Saints. The Bills are 16.5-point favorites and are by far the better team on paper. James Cook is the RB3 on the season, and the rushing attack for the Bills has been impressive through three weeks.
And Ray Davis has not been a part of that. I suspect that will change to keep James Cook fresh in the long run. This is a speculation punt play due to the spread being one of the largest we will see this season. I recommend it if you are trying for a combination like Puka Nacua, Christian McCaffrey, and another high-value player on DraftKings. However, Davis is not a base play for me on this Sunday.
Wide Receiver
Favorite Play: Drake London, Atlanta Falcons (5.7K)
It was a week to forget for the Atlanta Falcons. Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers have the Falcons’ number. The good thing for the Falcons is that they only have to play them twice a year. This week, they get a much softer matchup against the Washington Commanders, who are without Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin.
The Commanders are allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to receivers; that stat is courtesy of Tre Tucker. The receiver scored the quietest three-touchdown game I have seen in a long time. London is unlikely to repeat that showing, but he is set up for a fantastic week of production.
The Commanders are dead last in coverage grade according to PFF. London is still getting targeted as he is eighth in the league with 27 targets. Suppose Zac Robinson and company start to figure things out by moving Drake London around, especially in the slot where he was effective last year. He is one of my picks to end up in the optimal lineup.
Contrarian Play: Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers (6.5K)
Look, it has been a disappointing start to the first three weeks for McConkey. The New York Giants are the perfect bounce-back spot for any receiver. They are allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing receivers, and have struggled against slot receivers in the early going.
Shockingly, McConkey is third on the team in targets. And while the receiving options grow by the day, McConkey will still have enough targets in an offense that has the highest neutral passing rate in the league. The Chargers offense is set up to smash again this week, and being right above Rome Odunze in terms of salary should keep him out of a fair share of lineups. Start McConkey with confidence against a weak Giants defense.
Tight End
Favorite Play: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders (5.7K)
Funny enough, six of the seven worst defenses for fantasy points allowed to the position are not on the slate. Usually, when I see a bunch of unfavorable matchups, I will punt the position, target a high-scoring game, or use a large chunk of my salary on a star player.
Playing Brock Bowers will meet two of those goals. The star tight end has not looked like himself after sustaining a knee injury in Week 1. And it has been clear he has been playing hurt. Even with his injury, he is still fifth in targets at the position. He will continue to be more productive as the weeks go on, and I would rather be a week early than a week late.
If his salary were over $6,000, I would be more hesitant to play him. I know he is the second Raider I listed, but if you want to be different, putting both in the same DraftKings lineup is an option. I would rather play one or the other, which makes the contrarian play that much more relevant.
Contrarian Play: Sam Laporta, Detroit Lions (4.4K)
Listen, the Lions have the second-highest implied total on Sunday. I disagree with them playing arguably the best defense in the league. However, I respect the betting line and the Lions offense. Laporta is the third option in the team’s passing game.
Moving the ball against the Cleveland Browns will be difficult. However, it is easier through the air than on the ground. Tight ends have also found success in the red zone against the Browns. Noah Fant caught a touchdown, Mark Andrews dropped a touchdown, and John FitzPatrick caught Green Bay’s only touchdown. I predict the streak to continue with Laporta catching a touchdown against the Browns today.
Week 4 Final Thoughts
The chalky plays on DraftKings this week are still great plays on this slate. Puka Nacua, Rome Odunze, James Cook, Josh Allen, and others are all fantastic plays on DraftKings. I would not be overly concerned with ownership percentages this week, given the limited number of games. However, I would still want to be different in some spots. Best of luck, but don’t be afraid to play any chalk today.
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