Three weeks of NFL action have given us a much clearer picture of how teams plan to use their players in 2026, but NFL DFS tournaments still require more than simply chasing last week’s biggest fantasy performances.
For my NFL DFS tournament/GPP picks for Week 4, I’m looking for a mix of high-upside game environments, players whose DraftKings salaries haven’t caught up to their roles, and a few lower-owned options that can separate our lineups from the field.
Below are my top NFL DFS tournament picks for Week 4, including a contrarian game stack and high-upside DraftKings GPP plays at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, and defense/special teams.
NFL DFS Tournament Strategy for Week 4
We’re finally getting enough data that snap rates, target shares and backfield usage are becoming more meaningful. Outlier performances will still happen, but three weeks gives us a better chance to identify players whose roles have legitimately changed before DraftKings fully adjusts their salaries.
In tournaments, I’m still looking for a mix of those salary discrepancies, big-play ability, and game environments that can produce multiple big fantasy performances. Week 4 also has several injury situations creating value, so keep an eye on the final practice reports.
Best Contrarian Stack for NFL DFS Tournaments in Week 4
Game Stack: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow (6,800) – Ja’Marr Chase (8,100) – Tee Higgins (6,100) – Brian Thomas Jr. (4,300)
Jacksonville-Cincinnati is one of the obvious games to target for scoring this week, but we can still build around it in a way that lets us differentiate. The game carries a 51.5-point total, the highest on Sunday’s main slate, with Cincinnati implied for 27 points. Burrow gives us access to that total for $6,800, and potentially all of the Bengals’ scoring against a pass-funnel Jacksonville defense. While you could get extremely contrarian by stacking with a backup TE or Meyers at WR, using both Chase and Higgins is still an aggressive way to bet that most of Cincinnati’s touchdowns will come through the passing game, and the higher salaries will likely dissuade a decent chunk of the field from this approach.
Chase is expensive and should attract plenty of ownership, but Higgins is where the double stack can really make gains. He’s caught 14 passes for 244 yards through three games, averaging 17.4 yards per reception, and has now topped 90 receiving yards in consecutive games. The Bengals also don’t need to throw 45 times for both receivers to hit when Higgins is producing this many explosive plays alongside Chase, which makes this stack such a great one to build around for GPPs.
If we’re honest, Parker Washington is the Jaguars best receiver right now, but Brian Thomas ($4,300) is my preferred bring-back in this spot because he hasn’t played well. He’s caught just seven passes for 88 yards through three games, and DraftKings has now dropped his salary into a range where a player with his talent and big-play ability begins to get very intriguing for GPPs. Jacksonville also has a 24.5-point implied total, so I’m willing to buy low on Thomas in a game where Trevor Lawrence may need to keep throwing to match Burrow and the Bengals. If Thomas finally reconnects on a couple of downfield opportunities, this entire stack has the kind of upside we’re looking for.
Alternatives I’m considering:
- C.J. Stroud (5,700) + Nico Collins (7,200) + Dalton Schultz (4,800) + CeeDee Lamb (7,800)
- Jacoby Brissett (5,000) + Michael Wilson (5,500) + Trey McBride (6,500) + Malik Nabers($6,000)
NFL DFS Tournament Quarterback Pick
C.J. Stroud ($5,700)
Houston’s offense has been disappointing, but once again, this is exactly the kind of spot where I’m willing to buy low. Despite being an offense that looks like it’s more suited for the 1980s than the 2020s, Stroud has still thrown for 794 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions through three games, and now gets a Dallas defense allowing 387 yards per game, 30th in the NFL. The Cowboys have also allowed the third-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks through Week 3.
Nico Collins’s potential return makes the matchup even more appealing and is the sort of catalyst that can take a QB like Stroud from fantasy dud to stud in the span of a week. Collins practiced Wednesday and Thursday after missing the previous two games, while Dallas is still dealing with multiple injuries in its secondary, so the likelihood of a Collins-Stroud breakout becomes even more intriguing this week. Cobie Durant is expected to miss the game, with Shavon Revel Jr. and Malik Hooker also dealing with injuries. Houston is also implied for nearly 26 points, and at $5,700, Stroud gives us an inexpensive way to attack one of the league’s weaker defenses without having to punt the position completely.
Alternatives I’m considering:
- Trevor Lawrence ($5,900)
- Jacoby Brissett ($5,000)
NFL DFS Tournament Running Back Picks
Higher End: Aaron Jones ($6,700)
Jones gives us a much easier salary to work with this week while still providing the kind of workload we normally have to pay significantly more to get. With Jordan Mason sidelined, Jones has handled 40 carries over the last two games, topping 90 total yards in both, and he’s still contributing in the passing game. He also caught five passes for 34 yards last week, which gives him another route to a big DraftKings day and makes him almost game-flow-proof, despite having a sub-7K salary.
Beyond the usage, we’re targeting him because of the matchup with Miami. The Dolphins have allowed 32.9 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, most in the NFL, and Jones enters the week with one of the largest projected workloads on the slate. Minnesota should be able to keep the running game involved throughout this matchup, and at $6,700, Jones gives us a three-down back in one of the week’s best RB matchups without forcing us to sacrifice the expensive pieces in any potential lineup with a Bengals-Jaguars stack.
Alternatives I’m considering:
- Christian McCaffrey ($7,700)
- James Cook ($7,400)
Lower End: Jeremiyah Love ($5,800)
Love’s Week 3 performance looks like the backfield shift we’ve been waiting for. The rookie handled 21 carries for 90 yards and caught all five of his targets for another 19 yards and a touchdown against San Francisco. More importantly, Tyler Allgeier received just two carries. Love played a season-high 64% of Arizona’s offensive snaps and out-touched Allgeier 26-6 after the two backs had shared the workload much more evenly over the first two weeks.
Now we’re getting that potentially expanded role for just $5,800 against the Giants. New York has already allowed productive fantasy games to Javonte Williams, Kyren Williams, and Tony Pollard, while PFF currently grades the Giants 25th in run defense. Love also has 10 receptions through three games, giving him a path to DraftKings production even if Arizona doesn’t control the game throughout. If Week 3 was the beginning of a legitimate 20-touch role, his salary hasn’t caught up yet. Even if there is some ownership here at under 6k, the upside is worth it.
Alternatives I’m considering:
- Braelon Allen ($5,200) — if Breece Hall is out
- Chase Brown ($6,100)
NFL DFS Tournament Wide Receiver Picks
Higher End: Tetairoa McMillan ($6,400)
McMillan gives us a much more manageable salary than the elite receivers this week without forcing us to sacrifice WR1-level usage. He’s already drawn 27 targets through three games, accounting for roughly 30% of Carolina’s targets, and has topped 70 receiving yards in every game. Beyond the near-weekly hype from the coaching staff, McMillan is also being used downfield, so we’re getting more than a possession receiver who needs double-digit catches to produce a big DraftKings score.
The Rams matchup also gives McMillan a good opportunity to turn that volume into touchdowns. Los Angeles has already allowed five TDs to opposing wide receivers through three games, while Carolina enters as a road underdog and could again be forced into a pass-heavy game script. McMillan’s combination of target share, downfield usage, and a $6,400 salary gives us legitimate 25-plus-point upside while saving $2,700 over a high-priced option like Smith-Njigba or Nacua.
Alternatives I’m considering:
- Nico Collins ($7,200) — if active
Lower End: Michael Wilson ($5,500)
Wilson’s Week 3 usage is difficult to ignore. He caught 11 of 17 targets for 89 yards and a touchdown against San Francisco and has now seen at least seven targets in every game this season. His overall route participation sits above 95%, while he’s commanding a 25.6% target share and team-high 35.1% first-read rate. Those are legit WR1 numbers for a receiver who still costs only $5,500.
The connection with Jacoby Brissett is also worth noting. Wilson saw double-digit targets in five of his final eight games last season with Brissett at quarterback, so last week’s 17-target explosion wasn’t completely out of nowhere. The Giants are a more neutral WR matchup than an obvious defense to attack, but that’s fine at this salary, especially considering that the Cardinals’ defense will likely allow points to most offenses this year. Either way, I’m more interested in betting that Wilson’s expanded role is legitimate than waiting to see DraftKings push him into the $6,000-plus range.
Alternatives I’m considering:
- Rome Odunze ($5,000)
- Malik Washington ($4,400)
NFL DFS Tournament Tight End Pick
Darren Waller ($3,700)
Waller has quickly established himself as a legitimate part of Carolina’s passing game. After scoring twice against Atlanta, he followed with five catches on eight targets for 51 yards against Cleveland, giving him eight catches, 84 yards, and two touchdowns over his last two games. The eight targets last week are particularly encouraging as, despite the low salary, we’re not simply chasing a couple of touchdowns from his first game now. Waller is legitimately earning targets and still has the size and athleticism to be a major factor around the end zone.
The matchup with Detroit makes this a good week to keep targeting that role. The Lions have allowed the most fantasy points in the league to opposing tight ends, with five different TEs already reaching 13-plus fantasy points against them through three games. Carolina should also have to throw if Detroit’s offense gets rolling, giving Waller another path to increased volume. Overall, you may want to pick your poison with which Panthers passing game target you want to use (Waller or McMillan), but if you’re hard up for a sub-4k, Waller is certainly useful, and I could certainly see scenarios where both Waller and one or more Panthers’ WRs reach their ceiling.
Alternatives I’m considering:
- Brenton Strange ($3,200)
- Dalton Schultz ($4,800)
NFL DFS Tournament Defense Pick
Defense remains the position where I’m most comfortable taking on volatility, and Arizona gives us an interesting tournament option for only $2,500. The Cardinals travel to New York to face a Giants offense that will again be without Jaxson Dart, leaving Jameis Winston under center. New York has struggled to finish drives recently and has scored just 19 offensive points over its last two games.
Winston has always been a quarterback I’m willing to target with opposing defenses because sacks and turnovers can pile up quickly when he’s forced into obvious passing situations. He currently ranks near the bottom of qualifying quarterbacks in both EPA per dropback and success rate, and the Giants have enough offensive issues that Arizona doesn’t need to dominate defensively to return value. At $2,500, a few sacks and a turnover or two would be enough, while a defensive touchdown would give us the kind of GPP upside we’re looking for.
Alternatives I’m considering:
- Los Angeles Rams ($2,600)
- Chicago Bears ($3,000)
NFL DFS Tournament Picks FAQ
What is a GPP in NFL DFS?
A GPP, or guaranteed prize pool tournament, is a DFS contest that generally rewards high-ceiling lineups capable of finishing near the top of a large field. Unlike safer lineup constructions, tournament lineups often place more emphasis on ceiling, correlation, ownership and leverage.
What should I look for in NFL DFS tournament picks?
Strong NFL DFS tournament plays should offer a combination of upside, salary value and a realistic path to outperforming their expected ownership. Correlated game stacks and lower-owned pivots from popular players can also help differentiate lineups in larger contests.
How are NFL DFS tournament picks different from cash-game picks?
Cash-game lineups generally prioritize projection, workload and consistency, while tournament lineups can take on more volatility in exchange for a higher ceiling. GPP players may also consider ownership and leverage more heavily when deciding between similarly projected options.
What is the best DraftKings NFL DFS tournament stack for Week 4?
My favorite Week 4 tournament stack is Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Brian Thomas Jr. This combination gives you exposure to one of the slate’s higher-scoring environments while offering several pieces that could carry lower ownership than other popular Week 4 options
