We got news Friday that prominent receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) and Michael Thomas (toe) will be out in Week 4. Their absences have created opportunities for other receivers in Detroit and New Orleans to step up, and we have more sleepers to use in our Fantasy lineups.
For the Lions, Josh Reynolds is in play as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver against the Seahawks. Reynolds had six catches for 96 yards on 10 targets against Minnesota, and he also scored a touchdown with three catches for 38 yards on three targets in Week 2 against Washington. Reynolds has now scored at least 12 PPR points in two games in a row, and his potential for targets could be even higher with D.J. Chark ruled out on Saturday.
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Reynolds has the potential for a big game in Week 4 against the Seahawks, who have allowed five receivers to score at least 11 PPR points this season. And with St. Brown out, there are 11 targets per game available for Reynolds, so hopefully he steps up against Seattle.
For the Saints, Thomas not being there should keep Chris Olave in play as a No. 2 receiver in all leagues. Jameis Winston (back) is likely out, meaning Andy Dalton will start, and Dalton will probably be a downgrade for Olave with fewer downfield throws.
However, Thomas being out should mean continued targets for Olave (he has 13 in each of the past two games), so I would keep him active in your lineup if you already planned to do so. But now we also have the chance for Jarvis Landry to help Fantasy managers in all leagues.
In Week 1 at Atlanta, Landry had seven catches for 114 yards on nine targets and scored 18 PPR points. The past two weeks, he combined for just six catches for 57 yards on 10 targets. But Thomas being out means there are about nine targets available based on what Thomas averaged through the first two games of the year. I like Landry as a high-end No. 3 receiver in all leagues with Thomas out.
Every Friday, you can find this column on sleepers and DFS plays on DraftKings and FanDuel. I'm also going to include our Friday show notes from Fantasy Football Today on CBS Sports HQ, which gives a game-by-game breakdown of starts, sits, favorite props and favorite DFS plays. It should help you with some lineup decisions each week.
Week 4 Sleepers
Sleepers
The reason Lawrence is listed here instead of as a starting option is because his ceiling is capped against a solid Eagles defense. But I'm expecting Lawrence to still post a respectable stat line in this matchup -- say 18-20 Fantasy points -- based on his performance so far this season. In his past two games against the Colts and Chargers, Lawrence has 52 Fantasy points with 497 passing yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. His new weapons and offensive line, along with new coach Doug Pederson, have helped Lawrence perform at a high level, and I'm excited to see him compete in this matchup. He should be considered a low-end starter in all 12-team formats and larger.
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This game has an implied total of 49.5 points, according to Caesars Sportsbook, which is among the highest in the league. Either that means the Browns will win this game in a rout, or the Falcons offense will show up. And they might get a break if pass rusher Myles Garrett is out following his car accident Monday (thankfully Garrett is OK). Mariota has yet to score 20 Fantasy points this season, but Baker Mayfield and Joe Flacco already accomplished that against the Browns this year. If Garrett is out, as well Jadeveon Clowney (ankle) still banged up, Mariota should be fired up as a low-end starter in all leagues.
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Don't look now, but Smith has more 20-point Fantasy games than Tom Brady, Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford this season with two in three games. He could have another quality outing in Week 4 at Detroit, which is down a key member of the secondary with safety Tracy Walker (Achilles) out. Detroit has allowed five touchdown passes in the past two games against Carson Wentz and Kirk Cousins, and Smith is a good flier in Superflex and two-quarterback leagues.
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I have Pollard as a borderline starter in all leagues this week, and he looked awesome in Week 3 at the Giants with 13 carries for 105 yards, including a 46-yard run in the second quarter. The Cowboys also gave him some chances to help run out the clock late in the fourth quarter. I don't think Ezekiel Elliott is going away anytime soon, and Elliott is worth starting in all leagues this week as well. But Pollard should be no worse than a flex option given the matchup with Washington at home.
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Javonte Williams remains the No. 1 running back in Denver, but Gordon continues to have a role and be productive. And he's worth using as a flex option this week against the Raiders. Gordon had 12 carries for 26 yards and a touchdown in Week 3 against the 49ers, and he also added five catches for 29 yards on six targets. The Raiders have allowed a running back to score in three games in a row, and Gordon could find the end zone once again in this matchup.
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The Seahawks are giving too many running backs playing time as Penny, Ken Walker, Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas all played in Week 3 against Atlanta. Penny still led the team in carries with 14, and he finished with 66 yards. He has a limited role in the passing game with three catches for 10 yards on the season on four targets, which is a concern. And if he doesn't score then his stat line could be minimal. But the Lions have already allowed six rushing touchdowns to running backs this year, and Penny could be a top-20 running back in all leagues if he gets into the end zone for the first time this season.
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Stevenson is starting to take over as the lead running back for the Patriots, and hopefully that continues in Week 4 at Green Bay. He's played more than Damien Harris in each of the past two games against Pittsburgh and Baltimore, and Stevenson stood out against the Ravens with 12 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown, along with four catches for 28 yards on five targets. His role in the passing game is important, and hopefully Brian Hoyer will lean on him as he takes over for the injured Mac Jones (ankle). Stevenson is a solid flex option in PPR this week.
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Jeudy looked like a breakout candidate in Week 1 at Seattle when he had four catches for 102 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. Then he hurt his chest in Week 2 against Houston and couldn't finish the game before struggling in Week 3 against San Francisco. Things should improve in Week 4 against the Raiders now that Jeudy is healthy, and this should be the best game for Russell Wilson this year. The Raiders have allowed four receivers to score at least 12 PPR points this season, and Courtland Sutton and Jeudy should both do well in this matchup. Jeudy is worth using as a high-end No. 3 receiver in all leagues.
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Lockett is another receiver I was skeptical to trust this season because of his quarterback, but Geno Smith and Lockett are locked in right now. In the past two games against San Francisco and Atlanta, Lockett has combined for 18 catches for 183 yards on 22 targets (11 in each game), and he's averaging 17.5 PPR points over that span. The two should continue to connect in Week 4 at Detroit, and the Lions have already allowed six receivers to score at least 12 PPR points this year. Lockett and DK Metcalf are both high-end No. 3 Fantasy receivers in the majority of leagues.
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The Giants are down Sterling Shepard (ACL) and potentially still Kadarius Toney (hamstring) and Wan'Dale Robinson (knee) heading into Week 4. Daniel Jones is running out of healthy weapons, and James could be a prime target against the Bears. He already has two games this season with five catches, and he should be considered a low-end starter in deeper leagues. Things could change for James if Toney or Robinson are cleared to play, but James looks like the best bet for Jones in New York's receiving corps against the Bears.
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Hunter Renfrow remained in the concussion protocol as of Friday afternoon, which means he could miss his second game in a row heading into Week 4 against Denver. With Renfrow out in Week 3 at Tennessee, Hollins became a prime target for Derek Carr, and Hollins responded with eight catches for 158 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. This came after he had five catches for 66 yards on eight targets in Week 2 against Arizona. Hollins is worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues if Renfrow is out against the Broncos.
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Keenan Allen (hamstring) missed practice Friday, and now Palmer is in play again as a high-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver in all leagues. He's averaging 14.0 PPR points per game in the past two games without Allen, and he combined for 10 catches, 129 yards and a touchdown over that span on 17 targets. Last year, Palmer faced the Texans in Week 16 at Houston and had five catches for 43 yards and a touchdown on six targets for 15 PPR points, and hopefully he'll do that again -- or better -- in the rematch this week.
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Hockenson has been tough to trust this year with one touchdown and no games over 40 receiving yards. But he could be needed this week with Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) out, and this is a great matchup against the Seahawks. Seattle has allowed two tight ends to catch five passes this season, and Jared Goff could lean on Hockenson in Week 4.
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The Patriots have been surprisingly bad against tight ends this season, and they have allowed four touchdowns to the position in the past two games. Mark Andrews beat up New England for eight catches, 89 yards and two touchdowns in Week 3, and hopefully Tonyan follows suit with a quality outing. He just had his best game of the season in Week 3 at Tampa Bay with six catches for 37 yards on seven targets, and hopefully Aaron Rodgers continues to lean on Tonyan in this matchup.
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Schultz is typically a must-start Fantasy tight end, but we'll put him in this category since we don't know his health status. He injured his knee in Week 2 against Cincinnati and was hopeful to return in Week 3 at the Giants. That didn't happen, so hopefully he's back in Week 4 against the Commanders. We'll see how he does with Cooper Rush, but Schultz was great the last time he faced Washington in Week 16 last season when he had eight catches for 82 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. Let's hope we get those types of games from Schultz soon, starting in Week 4.
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DFS GAME PREVIEWS & LINEUPS
These are game previews from our Fantasy Football Today show on CBS Sports HQ on Friday from me, Heath Cummings and Dave Richard. The player props are from Caesars Sportsbook.
Bills at Ravens (Heath Cummings)
- Injury of note: Gabe Davis (ankle), Dawson Knox (back), J.K. Dobbins (chest)
- Start or Sit: Sit J.K. Dobbins
- DFS play: Lamar Jackson (DraftKings $8,300/FanDuel $8,800
- Prop to play: Lamar Jackson over 1.5 pass TD (+114)
Jaguars at Eagles (Dave Richard)
- Injury of note: Zay Jones (ankle), Boston Scott (ribs)
- Start or sit: Sit Miles Sanders
- DFS play: DeVonta Smith (DraftKings $5,800/FanDuel $6,900)
- Prop to play: DeVonta Smith over 4.5 receptions (+120)
Jets at Steelers (Heath Cummings)
- Injury of note: None
- Start or Sit: Start Garrett Wilson
- DFS play: Pat Freiermuth (DraftKings $4,200/FanDuel $5,600)
- Prop to play: Zach Wilson over 205.5 passing yards (-121)
Browns at Falcons (Dave Richard)
- Injury of note: Cordarrelle Patterson (knee), David Njoku (knee)
- Start or sit: Sit Kareem Hunt
- DFS play: Jacoby Brissett (DraftKings $5,500/FanDuel $6,800)
- Prop to play: Marcus Mariota over 0.5 INT (+116)
Chargers at Texans (Jamey Eisenberg)
- Injury of note: Keenan Allen (hamstring)
- Start or sit: Start Dameon Pierce
- DFS play: Joshua Palmer (DraftKings $5,000/FanDuel $5,800)
- Prop to play: Dameon Pierce over 59.5 rushing yards (-121)
Commanders at Cowboys (Jamey Eisenberg)
- Injury of note: Michael Gallup (knee), Dalton Schultz (knee)
- Start or Sit: Start Tony Pollard
- DFS play: Noah Brown (DraftKings $4,900/FanDuel $5,600)
- Prop to play: Tony Pollard over 59.5 total rushing and receiving yards (+102)
Seahawks at Lions (Dave Richard)
- Injury of note: D'Andre Swift (shoulder), Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle), T.J. Hockenson (foot), D.J. Chark (ankle), Josh Reynolds (ankle)
- Start or sit: Start Rashaad Penny
- DFS play: Josh Reynolds (DraftKings $4,600/FanDuel $5,900)
- Prop to play: Geno Smith under 22.5 completions (+116)
Titans at Colts (Heath Cummings)
- Injury of note: Jonathan Taylor (toe), Treylon Burks (illness)
- Start or Sit: Sit Robert Woods
- DFS play: Jonathan Taylor (DraftKings $8,800/FanDuel $8,700)
- Prop to play: Jonathan Taylor first TD scored (+285)
Bears at Giants (Jamey Eisenberg)
- Injury of note: David Montgomery (ankle), Kadarius Toney (hamstring), Wan'Dale Robinson (knee)
- Start or Sit: Start Khalil Herbert
- DFS play: Richie James (DraftKings $4,000/FanDuel $5,500)
- Prop to play: Justin Fields under 0.5 passing touchdowns (+126)
Patriots at Packers (Heath Cummings)
- Injury of note: Mac Jones (ankle), Jakobi Meyers (knee), Allen Lazard (ankle)
- Start or Sit: Start A.J. Dillon
- DFS play: Packers DST (DraftKings $4,100/FanDuel $5,000
- Prop to play: Aaron Jones over 22.5 receiving yards (-125)
Cardinals at Panthers (Dave Richard)
- Injury of note: Christian McCaffrey (thigh), James Conner (knee)
- Start or sit: Sit D.J. Moore
- DFS play: Marquise Brown (DraftKings $6,900/FanDuel $7,700)
- Prop to play: Kyler Murray over 238.5 pass yards (-117)
Broncos at Raiders (Jamey Eisenberg)
- Injury of note: Melvin Gordon (neck), Hunter Renfrow (concussion)
- Start or sit: Sit Derek Carr
- DFS play: Russell Wilson (DraftKings $6,700/FanDuel $7,200)
- Prop to play: Javonte Williams over 13.5 rushing attempts (+104)
DraftKings
QB: Russell Wilson ($6,700) at LV
RB: Jamaal Williams ($6,100) vs. SEA
RB: Khalil Herbert ($5,700) at NYG
WR: Courtland Sutton ($6,400) at LV
WR: Brandin Cooks ($5,800) vs. LAC
WR: Joshua Palmer ($5,000) at HOU
TE: David Njoku ($6,500) at ATL
FLEX: Cordarrelle Patterson ($6,500) vs. CLE
DST: Packers ($4,100) vs. NE
This is going to be Wilson's best game of the season against the Raiders, and I'm going to stack him with Sutton. The two will finally find the end zone in Week 4 for the first time all year.
Williams and Herbert have great opportunities as starters this week, and both will be popular in lineups but worth it. I also like Patterson to build off his big game against Seattle from last week with another big outing against the Browns this week.
Palmer is a great sleeper with Keenan Allen out, and Cooks should score his first touchdown of the season opposite Palmer. That game could be high-scoring, and I'm excited to see how Palmer and Cooks perform.
FanDuel
QB: Josh Allen ($8,900) at BAL
RB: Jonathan Taylor ($8,700) vs. TEN
RB: Tony Pollard ($6,000) vs. WAS
WR: Stefon Diggs ($8,700) at BAL
WR: Brandin Cooks ($6,400) vs. LAC
WR: Richie James ($5,500) vs. CHI
TE: Robert Tonyan ($4,900) vs. NE
FLEX: Joshua Palmer ($5,800) at HOU
DEF: Cowboys ($4,700) vs. WAS
I love being able to play the No. 1 quarterback, running back and receiver this week with Allen, Taylor and Diggs, and the Bills stack should go off against the Ravens. It's worth spending money on all those players this week.
Pollard, James, Palmer and Tonyan are fantastic sleepers this week with big upside, and I'll play Cooks again with this lineup. I'm excited about this roster, and the Cowboys defense should be amazing against Carson Wentz and the Commanders.
