The Fantasy Footballers’ Starts of the Week for Week 4 (Fantasy Football)
It’s Week 4, and the Fantasy Footballers are back with another edition of their Starts of the Week Episode. There are a couple of games (DET vs CAR, CIN vs JAX) with some very nice over/unders this week, and the Ballers are targeting those games heavily with their picks. We also get our first London game of the season this week when the Colts take on the Commanders overseas. Spoiler alert – there are a couple of starts of the week in that matchup as well. Who doesn’t love Sunday morning football!? Below, I will recap all of the selections by Andy, Mike, and Jason.
If you would like to listen to the full Thursday episode, click the link:
Andy’s Starts of the Week
QB Sam Darnold vs LAC
Darnold looked good last week coming off his injury, albeit against an atrocious Washington defense. He finished the game with 379 yards and four passing TDs. The Chargers defense is similarly beatable this week, ranking 22nd in fantasy points allowed to the QB position this season, including 20.2 FPTS to Kirk Cousins in Week 2. Darnold should have a safe floor and relatively high ceiling in your QB1 spot this week.
RB Aaron Jones vs MIA
Jones has been a bell-cow for the Vikings in the absence of Jordan Mason. He has averaged an 80% snap share over that time and finished as the RB10 and RB15 despite not scoring a TD. He should continue to see a heavy workload this week and could easily find the endzone against an awful Miami team. The Dolphins’ defense currently ranks 30th in fantasy points allowed to RBs and dead last in points per drive allowed. Jones is a must-play this week with the Vikings entering the contest as 10.5-point home favorites.
WR Josh Downs @ WAS
The aforementioned Washington defense is #notgood at preventing fantasy points. Inflated by JSN’s monster week last week, they currently rank dead last in fantasy points allowed to WRs. Downs, who has been rocking a 30%+ target share since Alec Pierce went on IR, should be in a prime spot to take advantage of this matchup.
TE Darren Waller vs DET
Waller has been ramping up each week, with his snap shares climbing from 35% in Week 1 to 44% and then to 51% last week. His snap involvement, along with Jalen Coker’s injury, has resulted in an increase in targets each week as well, resulting in targets and five catches for 51 yards in Week 3. You would take that type of floor out of your TE any day of the week, but Waller has a chance to do even bigger things in what projects to be a shootout against Detroit this week.
Jason’s Starts of the Week
QB Tyler Shough vs ATL
Shough is yet to finish outside of the top eight at the QB position this year, and there is no reason to believe this week against Atlanta would be any different. In New Orleans’ up-tempo offense, Shough has thrown (and completed) more pass attempts than any other QB in the NFL. He should once again have plenty of opportunities to score fantasy points in this game with a 47.5-point over/under. Shough is looking like a locked-and-loaded QB1 for the remainder of the season.
RB Bhayshul Tuten @ CIN
Tuten is shaping up to be a solid asset for fantasy football in 2026. He is the RB13 through three weeks, and he has done it with a combination of efficiency and volume. His 16 opportunities per game place him squarely within the RB2 range, while his 4.7 yards per attempt speak to his explosiveness as a runner. Combine those pieces with the Jaguars’ overall offensive success, and Tuten is in a prime position to maintain this early-season production. He should have no problem producing RB2 numbers or better this week in a 51.5-point over/under in Cincinnati.
WR Tetairoa McMillan vs DET
Despite his slow start to the fantasy season, Tet’s usage has remained solid. His 23 targets through three games rank 18th among all WR’s. He is also on pace for 1094 yards, which would improve upon his rookie year total of 1014. His problem for fantasy has been simple – he hasn’t found the end zone yet despite four red zone targets and four end zone targets. Jason expects that to change this week against a Detroit defense that has given up nine passing TDs already this year. Start McMillan with confidence in a game that sports the highest over/under of the week.
TE Juwan Johnson vs ATL
Jason goes with the New Orleans stack in his Starts of the Week, taking the TE4 on the season, Juwan Johnson, as his TE. With the lack of a true second option at WR, Johnson has stepped up nicely to fill the void in this high-powered passing attack. He has been especially effective in the red zone, where he has already hauled in three TDs this year in as many games. Expect that streak to continue this week as he takes on a Falcons defense that ranks 26th in fantasy points allowed to the TE position.
Mike’s Starts of the Week
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QB Trevor Lawrence @ CIN
Thanks to a couple of blowout wins, Lawrence has found himself in a lot of run-heavy game scripts to start the season. Because of this, Lawrence hasn’t been lighting up the stat sheet despite continuing to play some of the best football of his career. The volume should be there this week in a game where both teams are expected to put plenty of points on the board. It almost goes without saying, but you should start Lawrence this week anywhere you drafted him.
RB Braelon Allen @ CHI
Allen finds himself in a strong situation for fantasy production this week thanks to a Breece Hall injury that isn’t expected to be long-term. Isaiah Davis may factor in a little bit, but in his only career game with Breece Hall inactive, Braelon Allen saw 16 opportunities and turned them into 81 total yards. The matchup with Chicago this week should also help Allen produce, as the Bears’ run defense ranks dead last in yards before contact allowed. If you were lucky enough to be stashing Allen or you got him on waivers this week, feel free to plug him right into your lineup.
WR George Pickens @ HOU
Pickens is off to a slow start to the 2026 campaign, but Mike thinks this is the week he breaks through with a big performance for your team. Only Michael Wilson has a greater discrepancy between fantasy points and expected fantasy points to this point in the season, a situation that is bound to correct itself for a good play such as George Pickens. Houston’s defense, despite their talented secondary, has been allowing plenty of fantasy points to the WR position this year. Lock Pickens into your lineups and watch him start to make up for lost time.
TE Tyler Warren @ WAS
Warren has given you consistency so far this year, scoring at least 8.5 fantasy points in all three weeks. Mike thinks this could be the week we see his ceiling against a Washington defense that won’t offer much in the way of resistance. They are currently ranked 31st in fantasy points allowed to the TE position. Warren remains a locked-in TE1 for fantasy.