Hungry for More: The Fantasy Footballers’ Predictions for Week 4
The fantasy regular season is 20% over and fantasy managers are all searching for a player to take a step forward for their rosters ahead of Week 4! Andy, Mike, and Jason went back to the pantry to find something to add to their fantasy plates in this week’s Hungry for More presented by Uber Eats!
Each week the Ballers will find a player they’ve gotten a snack-sized sample of on the field and want to run back to the superstore for the 48 count!
RB – Bucky Irving (TB)
| Week 3 | ||
| Rushing Attempts | Rushing Yards | TDs |
| 9 | 70 | 0 |
It’s a spicy start with Andy wanting more of Buccaneers rookie RB Bucky Irving on his plate! Irving has worked his way onto the field consistently for Tampa Bay in their first three games, playing at least 30% of snaps every week. What’s encouraging about Irving’s emerging role for the Bucs is the efficiency he’s shown with limited opportunity, especially compared to Rachaad White in the running game. Irving has more than doubled White’s rushing output on the season so far with six fewer carries and is averaging 4.1 more yards per carry. Irving has yet to eat into White’s workload in the passing game, where White is an elite pass-catching RB, but Andy is hoping that any increase in usage could mean Irving taking some of those targets as well.
For Irving to continue to see an increase in opportunities, his efficiency will have to roll forward into the next several weeks, but with a few difficult matchups ahead. Over the next month, the Bucs face two of the top five ranked defenses against fantasy RBs and will face a defense that ranks 13th or better against the position in each game. If Irving continues to be successful for Tampa Bay on the ground consistently, there’s a chance he could turn into the main RB for this offense and leave White around for passing work
Upcoming Schedule: vs. Philadelphia, at Atlanta, at New Orleans, vs. Baltimore
TE – Dallas Goedert (PHI)
| Week 3 | ||
| Receptions | Receiving Yards | TDs |
| 10 | 170 | 0 |
Not sure what Dallas Goedert ate prior to Week 3, but his 22-point fantasy performance has Jason standing in line for seconds this week! Goedert’s sixth 100+ yard receiving game became a career day with 170 yards on 10 receptions – which was also a career-high. The big day came more out of necessity than anything with A.J. Brown missing the game and DeVonta Smith knocked out of the game due to a concussion. Regardless, Goedert showed fantasy managers the ceiling that he has as a receiving threat in what’s been one of the best offenses in the league over the last few seasons.
For Goedert to make it a double-stack of big-time fantasy performances, he’ll have a tough task ahead of him over the next few weeks, but especially in Week 4 against the Buccaneers. So far this season, Tampa Bay’s defense hasn’t allowed more than five points to opposing team’s TEs in a single game. After the Eagles’ bye in Week 5, it doesn’t get much easier for Goedert with matchups against defenses allowing seven or fewer points to the TE position until Week 11. The bright side for fantasy managers is that there could be a continued uptick in usage for Goedert if there is any extra time missed by Brown, Smith, or both WRs.
Upcoming Schedule: at Tampa Bay, bye, vs. Cleveland, at NY Giants
Carolina Panthers Offense
| Week 3 | ||
| Total Yards | Yards/Play | TDs |
| 437 | 6.2 | 4 |
There were definite signs of life from the Panthers’ offense in Week 3 after their 14-point win against the Raiders and it has Mike looking for another helping on his plate. Not only was Andy Dalton’s insertion into the starting QB role a bit of hot sauce in the Carolina pot, but it also opened up the fantasy options that were deemed dead just a week prior. Chuba Hubbard’s fourth career 100+ yard rushing game was good enough to finish as the RB5 on the week without scoring a rushing TD and marks his highest fantasy finish on a given week. Meanwhile, WR Diontae Johnson had his first 100+ yard receiving game since Week 13 of the 2021 season and should serve as the lead WR going forward with Adam Thielen headed to IR. That injury to Thielen could open up the door for rookie WR Xavier Legette or second-year WR Jonathan Mingo to emerge as a second option in this passing offense.
While the turnaround for the Panthers’ offense is encouraging, it will be more encouraging if they can keep the momentum going in the coming weeks. Dalton will have a chance at a revenge game against the Bengals this week, fresh off giving up a QB4 finish to rookie Jayden Daniels on Monday night. If the tasty treats that Dave Canales was able to bake up for fantasy managers can continue, there should be room in each fantasy manager’s kitchen for an option from this Panthers offense.
Upcoming Schedule: vs. Cincinnati, at Chicago, vs. Atlanta, at Washington
