Week 4 Free Agent Focus
Daniel Jones, QB, Giants
Blind-bid recommendation: 5-10%
Jones threw it well in his debut, completing 23 of 36 passes (63.9%) for 336 yards (9.3 YPA), 2 TDs and 0 INTs. More importantly, Jones flashed his rushing upside with 4 carries for 28 yards and 2 TDs, including the game-winner.
Losing Saquon Barkley hurts, but Jones will get WR Golden Tate back in Week 5. The rookie will be a spot-start option in deeper leagues in a home game vs. the Redskins next week. There's also a great Week 7 matchup at home for the Cardinals.
Wayne Gallman, RB, Giants
Blind-bid recommendation: 35-50%
He’s no Saquon Barkley. But Gallman will be a lead back for as long as Barkley is out, and that makes him worth owning in all but the shallowest of fantasy leagues.
Gallman came into Week 3 with a career 4.1 yards-per-carry average and isn’t an exciting talent. But he did rack up 3,416 yards and 34 TDs on 5.1 yards per carry — plus a 66-486-2 receiving line — across 3 seasons at Clemson. Gallman also caught 34 balls as a rookie.
QB Daniel Jones sparked the Giants offense against the Bucs, leading the group to 32 points -- 1 more point than the combined total from the first 2 weeks. The Giants reached 32 points just 3 times all last year (including 38 against the Buccaneers in November).
New York is at home and figures to be favored over Washington in Week 4. Prioritize Gallman over Burkhead if you need immediate help at RB.
Update: Barkley is expected to miss 4-8 weeks.
Frank Gore, RB, Bills
Blind-bid recommendation: 25-30%
Gore hit Sunday still available in 56% of ESPN leagues. He operated as Buffalo’s lead back in the win over the Bengals, with rookie Devin Singletary out. Gore carried 14 times for 76 yards and a score. He also caught both his targets for 13 yards.
Singletary didn’t practice all week with his hamstring injury, so Gore might get at least 1 more game of big volume. Buffalo hosts the Patriots in Week 4, which doesn't look like a good spot for Gore. We'll see about Singletary's hammy beyond that.
Rex Burkhead, RB, Patriots
Blind-bid recommendation: 20-25%
Burkhead obviously benefitted from James White’s absence against the Jets, when Burkhead tallied 47 rushing yards and a score on the ground, plus a 6-22 receiving line. But he also compiled 65 rushing yards, 7 catches and 88 receiving yards alongside White over the first 2 weeks.
Burkhead also beat Sony Michel by 2 carries against the Jets, while Michel struggled to just 11 yards on his 9 attempts. Burkhead looks set to play a real role in this backfield all season.
Jamaal Williams, RB, Packers
Blind-bid recommendation: 10-15%
Williams continues to play a bigger role in Green Bay’s backfield than everyone besides HC Matt LaFleur wants. Williams led the team with 12 carries and 59 rushing yards in Sunday’s win over the Broncos and also caught both of his targets for 27 yards.
His opportunities (carries + targets) have now climbed each week, from 7 to 13 to 14. That's at least enough to make him a RB3 or flex as the bye weeks start to hit.
Darrel Williams, RB, Chiefs
Blind-bid recommendation: 8-12%
Williams led the Chiefs with 9 rushes for 62 yards while adding a 5-47 receiving line in the win over the Ravens. LeSean McCoy entered this one with an ankle injury. But it’s noteworthy that Williams played ahead of Darwin Thompson, who didn’t enter the game until the 4th quarter. Williams compiled 23 catches as an LSU senior in 2017, so his performance isn’t an extreme outlier.
His status is tied to the health of Damien Williams (knee), who could return in Week 4.
Phillip Dorsett, WR, Patriots
Blind-bid recommendation: 20-25%
Dorsett has now posted lines of 4-95-2 and 6-53-1 in 2 games without Antonio Brown this season.
Dorsett is locked in as a top 3 WR in New England the rest of the way. And his volume projection will get a boost if Julian Edelman misses more time with his chest injury.
D.J. Chark, WR, Jaguars
Blind-bid recommendation: 20-25%
Chark surprisingly remains available in 59% of ESPN leagues, despite scoring for the 3rd straight game in Thursday night’s win over the Titans.
He's seen a solid 18.8% of Jaguars targets so far — and that share should grow if he continues to perform as the team’s best WR.
Will Dissly, TE, Seahawks
Blind-bid recommendation: 12-15%
Dissly followed his 2-TD Week 2 with a 6-62-1 line in Sunday’s loss to the Saints. His 7 targets ranked 2nd on the team behind only Tyler Lockett’s 14.
Dissly will be be squarely on the Week 4 spot-start radar against a Cardinals team that’s been smoked by TEs so far: 6-131-1 to T.J. Hockenson, 8-112-1 to Mark Andrews and 6-75-2 to Greg Olsen.
Chargers D/ST
Blind-bid recommendation: 5%
The Chargers get the next shot at Miami. Do we even need to say more than that? You should also get at least 1 more week of use, with the Chargers hosting Denver after their Week 4 trip to Miami.
Packers D/ST
Blind-bid recommendation: 3-5%
Green Bay has finished each of the season’s first 3 weeks among the top 6 fantasy defenses (at least by ESPN scoring). Sunday’s effort included 6 more sacks, 3 takeaways and just 16 points and 310 yards allowed. Only New England is allowing fewer points per game, and the Packers are allowing the 8th-fewest yards per play.
Next week brings the Eagles, how allowed 3 sacks and 2 turnovers to the Lions on Sunday. That marked the 2nd straight Philly opponent to finish among the top 6 fantasy defenses. A Week 5 trip to Dallas doesn’t look like a starting spot for the Green Bay D, but home dates with Detroit and Oakland the following 2 weeks do.
Deep-League Options:
Gardner Minshew, QB, Jaguars
Blind-bid recommendation: 5-10%
Upcoming road games against the Broncos and Panthers keep Minshew in deep-league territory for now. But if he continues playing as well as he has so far, he might be a spot-start QB1 option at home for the Saints in Week 6, at Cincinnati in Week 7 and home for the Jets in Week 8.
Minshew is sporting a 74% completion rate with 5 TDs and just 1 INT through 3 weeks.
Kyle Allen, QB, Panthers
Blind-bid recommendation: 3-5%
He threw the Panthers’ first 4 TDs of the season in the win over the Cardinals. Allen was impressive in his 2nd career start, completing 19 of 26 passes (73%) for 261 yards (10.0 YPA).
QB Cam Newton reportedly has a shot to practice Wednesday, but Allen’s performance today should make Carolina comfortable being cautious with Newton. If Allen gets the Week 4 start, he’ll be on the deep-league radar vs. a beatable Texans secondary.
Update: Newton has been ruled out for Week 4.
Preston Williams, WR, Dolphins
Blind-bid recommendation: 10-15%
Williams and QB Josh Rosen made some sweet music this preseason. The music wasn’t quite as sweet in Dallas on Sunday, with Williams hauling in just 4 of 12 targets for 68 yards. But it’s those 12 targets that are interesting.
Williams has a shot to emerge as Miami’s #1 WR the rest of the way, which at least makes him worth owning in deep leagues.
Diontae Johnson, WR, Steelers
Blind-bid recommendation: 8-12%
The rookie’s ascension up the depth chart continues. Johnson finished 2nd on the Steelers with 6 targets in the loss to the 49ers, finishing with 3 grabs for 52 yards and a score.
He remains in deep-league territory for now, though, after QB Mason Rudolph struggled in Week 3.
Jakobi Meyers, WR, Patriots
Blind-bid recommendation: 5-10%
Meyers figures to be the next man up for New England if Julian Edelman’s chest injury costs him more time. The rookie caught 2 of 3 targets for 38 yards in Sunday’s win over the Jets and tallied a big 20-253-2 receiving line in 4 preseason games.
Dawson Knox, TE, Bills
Blind-bid recommendation: 3-5%
Knox led the Bills with 67 receiving yards and a score in the win over the Bengals. He caught 3 of just 4 targets but also carried once for 9 yards. We’ll see what happens to Knox’s playing time whenever TE Tyler Kroft is ready to make his Bills debut — but the rookie appears worth stashing in deep and TE-premium leagues.