Week 4 Flex Rankings

The NFL had plenty of standout performances last week. Unfortunately, a slew of injuries also forced fantasy football managers to adjust. Fantasy value often shifts based on these situations and upcoming matchups. With that in mind, here are my Week 4 Flex rankings. As always, I base these rankings on Half-PPR fantasy scoring, so adjust as needed based on your league settings. I have also included a few notes on players at each primary offensive skill position who fall within the range of borderline Flex players in most leagues.

Running Back Notes

De’Von Achane’s season-ending injury is a tough blow for fantasy football managers. It is also a bitter pill for a Miami Dolphins offense that wasn’t exactly thriving with Achane in tow. Ollie Gordon II and Jaylen Wright will be among this week’s most popular waiver wire adds in leagues where they are available. I would be lying if I said I had a strong lean towards one over the other. I’m also not convinced either player needs to be in your starting lineup until we get clarity on the pecking order. Miami is not likely to be playing from in front very often, and they have a daunting matchup against a Minnesota Vikings defense that has been stout against the run. I don’t currently rank either Dolphins running back among my top 100 Week 4 Flex options.

Breece Hall of the New York Jets was injured late in last week’s loss to the Detroit Lions. He is reportedly week-to-week. Braelon Allen will likely take over as New York’s primary running back this week. The matchup is excellent against a run-funnel Chicago Bears defense. Chicago enters Sunday’s game ranked second in pass defense based on Expected Points Added (EPA), but just 29^th against the run. However, the Jets have profiled in the opposite direction on offense. New York is seventh in EPA as a passing offense but just 29^th on the ground. Ultimately, I’ll probably start Allen in Week 4 in most cases, but I am not forcing him into starting lineups ahead of established studs.

Travis Etienne Jr.’s tenure in New Orleans has not exactly gotten off to the best start. He has yet to score or register more than 80 scrimmage yards in any of his first three games. Etienne will now miss time with a hamstring injury. Enter Alvin Kamara, who has a grand total of 63 yards on 24 touches across two games. The Saints are set to face more of a pass funnel defense when they take on the Atlanta Falcons. That could work to Kamara’s advantage from a fantasy perspective, at least in PPR formats. He should get most of the receiving work out of the backfield, while Kendre Miller gets more carries. I currently rank Kamara just outside the top 50 overall in this week’s rankings, making him worthy of Flex consideration depending on your needs and other options.

Wide Receiver Notes

Through three weeks, Marvin Harrison Jr. looks like one of those picks that bury fantasy teams. His potential and draft pedigree make it hard to drop him, but the production simply isn’t there. Harrison has four catches on nine targets for 73 yards this season. Jacoby Brissett has completed 82 passes for 652 yards, so Arizona is actively throwing the ball. Michael Wilson has 18 grabs on 31 targets, while Kendrick Bourne has caught 12 of 14 passes thrown his way. I am not quite ready to start Bourne over Harrison yet, but I am also definitely not starting Harrison over Wilson. I cannot imagine starting Harrison in any format unless injuries have ravaged your wide receiver corps.

Jameson Williams hasn’t been anywhere near as bad as Harrison. But I don’t think many of us expected Williams to go three straight games without a touchdown and with less than 50 receiving yards. Detroit has scored exactly 31 points in each of their three outings, adding to the frustration. The Lions will have to lighten the burden on Jahmyr Gibbs at some point. He is on pace for 470 regular-season touches for a team with playoff aspirations. I am still starting Williams in most formats. However, I am tempering expectations relative to preseason rankings. I currently have Williams ranked as a WR3 in 10- and 12-team fantasy leagues.

With Baker Mayfield out with a thumb injury, undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels will be thrust into the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ starting role. Daniels is a dual-threat quarterback, which is likely to be a net negative for Buccaneers pass catchers. Tampa Bay has three wide receivers with at least 100 yards in the season, but none are averaging 50 yards per contest. I have Emeka Egbuka ranked 75^th overall in my Week 4 Flex rankings. That is right on the cusp of Flex consideration, so that decision may depend more on your alternatives than on any supreme confidence in Daniels’ ability to get Egbuka going. I would not consider starting either Chris Godwin Jr. or Ted Hurst III until Mayfield returns in a few weeks.

Tight End Notes

Dalton Schultz has been the primary beneficiary of both Nico Collins’ injury and Houston’s increased passing volume. C.J. Stroud is averaging 40 passing attempts per game this year, up from a little over 31 in his first three NFL seasons. Schultz is tied for seventh in the league with 19 receptions, trailing only Trey McBride among tight ends. Collins is reportedly on track to play in Week 4 against a weak Dallas Cowboys pass defense. Schultz could still be worth starting if Collins plays, but he would benefit if the wide receiver couldn’t come back for this game. Right now, I have Schultz ranked 14^th at the position based on Half-PPR scoring.