Heading into Week 4 of the NFL season, the pack is beginning to separate the good from the bad. This is occurring both at the NFL level and in each individual fantasy football league.
With every little advantage or tip having the potential to give your team the edge, it is important to maximize the margins. One of the worst feelings is to leave a player on your bench during a breakout performance.
In each of these cases, your alternative options must be firmly considered as every fantasy football roster is different. But here are five players who you may not have as a lock for your lineups who should be expected to outperform their typical production.
Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears (32% rostered)
Russell Wilson continues to battle his calf injury which looks more and more like the team’s quiet way of benching the veteran. Justin Fields will start his fourth game for the Steelers, but has yet to have his fantasy football breakout.
Colts opponents are averaging 25.7 more plays per game this season including being outsnapped by 30+ plays twice this year. The Steelers also currently rank second in time of possession in the NFL.
Fields was a top-four fantasy quarterback in five of the 12 games he started and finished last year. He also finished as the seventh-best fantasy quarterback in 2022 the last time he was a full-time starter.
The long runs and breakout fantasy production is on the way and Fields should continue to improve every week. Expect this to be the week the breakout occurs as Fields receives expanded opportunity and looks to cement his role as the Steeler’s starting quarterback.
Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles (93.4% rostered)
The tight-end production across the board has been extremely poor this season. Getting production out of this position improves your fantasy outlook greatly, and Dallas Goedert should be a must-start this week in fantasy football.
The outlook for A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith is uncertain, but neither seems likely to play this week. Goedert immediately climbs up the list of targets for Jalen Hurts. Last week, Goedert tallied a career-high ten catches for 170 yards. This was enough to catapult him to the top-performing tight end across the entire season so far.
If he is available in your fantasy leagues, Goedert is a must-add. He is a must-start this week and could be for the remainder of the season.
Aaron Jones, RB, Minnesota Vikings (95.6% rostered)
Aaron Jones took his talents across the NFC North going from the Packers to the Vikings this offseason. The 30-year-old will now get his first chance at revenge against his former team in the matchup this week. Jones has impressed greatly, tallying 228 yards on the ground, 97 receiving yards, and a pair of touchdowns thus far.
There is even more potential on the table for Jones. He was stopped at the one-yard line twice last week and the Packers are allowing a porous 4.7 yards per carry to opponents thus far this season. Green Bay is hoping for Jordan Love to return to the field this week, but in all likelihood will not be 100% if he is on the field.
He likely is on the inside track to be in your lineup anyway, but expect Aaron Jones to be one of the top performers this week.
Diontae Johnson, WR, Carolina Panthers (88.1% rostered)
The Carolina Panthers got a jolt of life last week by benching Bryce Young in favor of veteran Andy Dalton. This resulted in a 36-22 victory over the Raiders in which Dalton raised the production of the offense.
Diontae Johson is one of the primary beneficiaries of this. The 28-year-old tallied eight receptions for a career-high 122 yards and a touchdown. Johnson received 37.8% of the targets after receiving just 21.8% when playing with Bryce Young. In addition to the production, Johnson was just missed on two other touchdown opportunities with one thrown over his head and the other slipping through his fingers. His usage may even grow following Adam Theilen being put on IR with a hamstring injury.
Look for Johnson to duplicate this production this week against the Bengals.
Andrei Iosivas, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (13% rostered)
Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins will take the headlines for the Bengals receiving production, but there is more opportunity on the roster. Andrei Iosivas has quietly established himself as the team’s best red-zone threat and is tied for the most receiving touchdowns in the NFL with three on the year. He ranks 33rd in fantasy production among wide receivers and 90th among all players.
Overall he has recorded 10 receptions for 85 yards and the three touchdowns. Standing 6-foot-3 and physical at the point of attack, Iosivas continues to deliver in high-leverage situations.
The Panthers have the 16th-ranked passing defense so far this season. Despite the 0-3 record, Cincinnati has not had trouble moving the ball. They rank sixth in passing yards and passing touchdowns this year. Look for them to pour on the offensive production in search of their first win and for Iosivas to find his way into the end zone once again. It is a bit of a boom-or-bust play depending on him getting in the end zone.
Weigh your options, but keep him in mind if in need a plug-and-play guy.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
