Ten Things We Learned From Week 4 (Fantasy Football)
Four weeks into the season, there is still much to learn. Every week brings more data, more patterns, and unfortunately, more injuries. Regardless of your record, it is not time to panic. Nor is it time to celebrate. The only guarantee is that the most unpredictable sport will keep providing surprises. So stay informed and stay water.
Here are ten things we learned from Week 4.
Reminder: On Monday’s Fantasy Footballers podcast, we react to all the performances in the Studs & Duds segment.
Aaron Rodgers Hates Everything
Rodgers set a new season high in eye rolls and temper tantrums in primetime Thursday night. The future Hall of Famer has delivered solid stats the last two weeks, and he can support two WR2s in DK Metcalf and Roman Wilson (Pittman is cooked). Coming back from a ruptured achilles to play at a high level in his forties is an incredible feat, but I’ve never seen anyone have less fun playing a game while making millions. It feels like a mid-season walk-off retirement is not out of the realm of possibilities.
Don’t Give Up on Drake Maye
Maye’s struggles since the Super Bowl have been well-documented. He added two more turnovers Sunday, bringing his season total to 11. But the 24-year-old franchise QB finally found success in Week 4, leading his team to a win over the division-rival Bills. Despite an interception and a lost fumble, he is the QB1 on the week heading into Monday Night Football, thanks to three passing TDs and 54 rushing yards. Every QB needs a number one option, and Maye hasn’t had one since AJ Brown went down. Romeo Doubs could be the guy after his double TD outing. This performance could be the confidence boost the team needs to start meeting expectations set by last year’s success.
Winston Gonna Winston
Jameis Winston wants to chuck the ball without inhibition, and fantasy managers love him for it. He was thrust into the starting role when Jaxson Dart went down in Week 2. Since then, he looked awful in the remainder of that game and the entire game last week. Winston was all but written off going into Week 4, but came out with guns blazing. He is the QB6 this week and, more importantly, got Malik Nabers going with his first big game of the season. Rookie Malachi Fields and Theo Johnson scored, while Likely collected seven more grabs in the win over the Cardinals. Winston most likely bought himself another start or two with newly acquired JJ McCarthy potentially looming.
JT Gets TDs Overseas
Jonathan Taylor has an NFL-record six TDs playing outside the United States, the same number he has in the 2026 season. He scored on the ground twice on Sunday to lead the Colts to victory over the Commanders in London. With all of his success, Taylor has surprisingly not gone over 100 yards rushing since November 9, 2025. As long as he keeps finding paydirt, he will remain elite.
Waivers Were Worth It
Ollie Gordon was the big pickup this week after De’Von Achane suffered a season-ending injury in Week 3. He came through for fantasy managers who paid up, with 17 half-PPR points, 100 rushing yards and a TD. He was clearly the lead back, out-touching Jaylen Wright 11 to five. Miami’s struggles will surely continue, but Gordon proved he is the Dolphin RB to roster.
The Need for Nico
In the two games C.J. Stroud has played without Nico Collins, he has QB ratings of 74.3 and 89.6. With Collins active, those numbers jump to 106.7 and 126.7. Stroud is averaging 17.9 fantasy points without Nico and 26.3 with him. Collins is a must-start when healthy, and you could do a lot worse than Stroud with his go-to guy in the lineup.
CeeDeez Receptions
It’s slim Pickens beyond CeeDee Lamb in the Dallas WR room. Lamb is clearly the alpha for Dak Prescott, and now leads the league in receptions with 37. He finished the comeback win in Houston with 17 catches for 189 yards and a TD. He is the WR2 on the week behind Tetairoa McMillan and the WR2 on the season behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba (before MNF). Meanwhile, George demanded only three targets (for a respectable 75 yards) while Javonte Williams scored three TDs on the ground. The consolidation of fantasy points is clear in Dallas.
Puka Picked Up Where He Left Off
Many questions swirled around Nacua’s injury that kept him out the last two weeks. Despite those concerns, he hopped right back into his role of target hog for Mathew Stafford. Puka racked up nine catches on 12 targets for 125 yards in L.A.’s dramatic win over the Eagles. The TDs went to Kyren Williams, however, who is the RB1 going into Monday following his monster day of 31.7 fantasy points. The question of the Rams’ backfield split has been emphatically answered.
The Carnell Tate Breakout is Upon Us
Even in a mostly incompetent Titans offense, Tate proved Sunday that he is a future star in this league. He went off for nine catches on 12 targets for 145 yards. Wan’Dale Robinson, who some thought could lead the team in targets this season, was a distant second with just three receptions for 19 yards. Robinson did have the team’s only receiving TD. There is a lack of volume to go around in a Cam Ward-led offense, but Tate will get his.
Hockules!
TJ Hockenson was left for dead before the 2026 season, mostly going late in fantasy drafts or not drafted at all. He was started in just 13% of sleeper leagues this week, where he’s only 40% rostered. With Justin Jefferson out for Week 4, Hockenson took full advantage, catching all 13 of his targets for 119 yards. His previous high was four grabs in Week 1, so this volume is not prescriptive when Jefferson returns – which is likely next week.
No “Split Salami Sandwich” in Seattle
Without first-round draft pick Jadarian Price, the Seahawks left no doubt who is the current leader of their backfield. Emmanuel Wilson out-touched George Holani 25 to eight on his way to scoring 27.6 fantasy points. The question remains how it will shake out when Price and Zach Charbonnet both return. The latter had his 21-day practice window opened last Thursday. There is fantasy gold to be mined in the Seahawks RB room, but the future is fuzzy.