NFL 2021: Week 4 Fantasy Football He’s Hot…He’s Not
Okay, so we can all agree that hotness is relative (kinda). And this hotness quotient does change from week to week.
These are players who, because of their weekly match-up, could win you the week or that DFS pot o’ gold – per your resident LAFB Fantasy Football analyst.
QUARTERBACK
HOT
JALEN HURTS vs KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
So the last time we saw Hurts, it hurt. Against the Dallas Cowboys, Hurt attempted 39 passes, completed 25 for 326 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and two sacks. He carried the ball nine times for 35 yards. That was then. This week Kansas City comes to Philadelphia. The Chiefs are a seven-point favorite, and the over/under is 54.5.
Kansas City is allowing 269.7 passing yards per game (23rd ranked), 1.7 passing touchdowns per game (14th ranked), and are giving up the third-most fantasy points to the quarterback position (25.25).
[pickup_prop id=”12870″]
NOT
DANIEL JONES @ NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Jones has actually played pretty well through three games, at least in fantasy. The Saints defense is on that “bend but don’t break” mold. Although they are giving up 243.7 passing yards per game (15th ranked), they are second in the least amount of fantasy points to the quarterback position (10.85).
Then there are also the injuries to Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard. Both have been ruled out for the game. I am OUT on Jones this week.
RUNNING BACK
HOT
JONATHAN TAYLOR vs MIAMI DOLPHINS
The Dolphins are ranked 27th in rushing yards allowed per game (136). They have also given up 26.87, 28.90, and 31.97 fantasy points to the last three running backs they have faced.
The Colts are attempting to run on 38.34% of their offensive plays. With an injured quarterback and need for a win, look for that percentage to increase and Taylor to reap the benefits.
NOT
TONY POLLARD vs CAROLINA PANTHERS
Did you know that Carolina Panthers’ defense is ranked number one in opponent rushing yards per game? Yep, that is right. Opposing running backs are averaging 45 rushing yards per game against them. Fantasy wise the opposing rushers are averaging just 8.03 fantasy points per game.
This is not a knock on the Pollard faithful. This is just a friendly reminder that two running backs in that backfield will have to get past a defense that makes first contact with running backs .22 yards behind the line of scrimmage and has allowed only one rushing touchdown this season (Jameis Winston).
WIDE RECEIVER
HOT
CALVIN RIDLEY vs WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM
It has to be Ridley’s time soon, right? Ridley has been targeted a whopping 29 times. He has just 175 yards and only one touchdown through three games. The Atlanta offense has been dreadful.
However, I think that time is now. This WFT defense is not the defense we witnessed last season. In addition to giving up the second-most fantasy points to the wide receiver position (53.53), they are ranked 28th in passing yards allowed (307) and 29th in points allowed (30.7).
NOT
BRANDIN COOKS vs BUFFALO BILLS
If Tyrod Taylor were under center, this might be a different story. The Texans come into the game a 17 point underdog, which means they will be playing from behind and theoretically could be chucking the ball downfield in garbage time.
However, Davis Mills will be playing his second NFL game and this is a big test for the former Stanford quarterback. The Bills are ranked fourth in passing yards allowed per game (178) and eighth in sack percentage (8.26%). They are also allowing the second-fewest fantasy points to the wide receiver position (25.23).
TIGHT END
HOT
NOAH FANT vs BALTIMORE RAVENS
The Broncos will be without Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler. Running back Melvin Gordon is questionable.
Fant has an 83.7% snap share and an 18.3% target share. He has 17 targets, five of which are red-zone targets. And oh yeah, the Ravens are giving up the most fantasy points to the tight end position (20.63).
NOT
ROB GRONKOWSKI @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
I want to believe in the revenge narrative. But Gronkowski has been nursing a rib injury that has held him out of practice. But more importantly, the Patriots are surrendering the least amount of fantasy points to the tight end position (2.23).
(Editor’s Note: Gronkowski was declared OUT after this article was written.)
Jalen Hurts has the 5th most total offensive yards by any QB through first 6 starts in NFL history.