Fantasy Football Week 4 Rankings: Final Outlook for Sunday's Flex, PPR Players

The NFL's global initiative makes life difficult for fantasy football players everywhere this Sunday. Rather than having the entire morning to tinker with lineups and absorb all the last-minute news, gamers will wake up to the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins clashing in London.

Anyone waiting for word on Eric Decker needed to set the alarm early. Decker investors on the west coast especially would be forgiven for deciding sleep is more important than a No. 3 fantasy wide receiver.

Luckily, more time remains to solve several other Week 4 flex riddles. Removing the early England game from the fold, here's a look at skill-position players for standard and point-per-reception (PPR) leagues. Then, let's highlight some intriguing dilemmas, starting with someone who didn't make the top 50 in either column.

Rank	Standard	PPR
1	Julio Jones, WR, ATL	Julio Jones, WR, ATL
2	Jamaal Charles, RB, KC	Demaryius Thomas, WR, DEN
3	Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN	Randall Cobb, WR, GB
4	Odell Beckham Jr., WR, NYG	Odell Beckham Jr., WR, NYG
5	Eddie Lacy, RB, GB	Jamaal Charles, RB, KC
6	Matt Forte, RB, CHI	Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN
7	Randall Cobb, WR, GB	A.J. Green, WR, CIN
8	Demaryius Thomas, WR, DEN	Matt Forte, RB, CHI
9	A.J. Green, WR, CIN	Eddie Lacy, RB, GB
10	Latavius Murray, RB, OAK	DeAndre Hopkins, WR, HOU
11	Mark Ingram, RB, NO	Emmanuel Sanders, WR, DEN
12	Frank Gore, RB, IND	Amari Cooper, WR, OAK
13	Joseph Randle, RB, DAL	Latavius Murray, RB, OAK
14	DeAndre Hopkins, WR, HOU	Calvin Johnson, WR, DET
15	Carlos Hyde, RB, SF	Larry Fitzgerald, WR, ARI
16	T.Y. Hilton, WR, IND	Mark Ingram, RB, NO
17	Emmanuel Sanders, WR, DEN	Keenan Allen, WR, SD
18	Karlos Williams, RB, BUF	Frank Gore, RB, IND
19	Amari Cooper, WR, OAK	Jordan Matthews, WR, PHI
20	Arian Foster, RB, HOU	T.Y. Hilton, WR, IND
21	Calvin Johnson, WR, DET	Joseph Randle, RB, DAL
22	Devonta Freeman, RB, ATL	Arian Foster, RB, HOU
23	Larry Fitzgerald, WR, ARI	Carlos Hyde, RB, SF
24	Melvin Gordon, RB, SD	Mike Evans, WR, TB
25	Jeremy Hill, RB, CIN	Karlos Williams, RB, BUF
26	Jordan Matthews, WR, PHI	Devonta Freeman, RB, ATL
27	Keenan Allen, WR, SD	James Jones, WR, GB
28	Isaiah Crowell, RB, CLE	Allen Robinson, WR, JAC
29	Mike Evans, WR, TB	Giovani Bernard, RB, CIN
30	James Jones, WR, GB	Donte Moncrief, WR, IND
31	Jimmy Graham, TE, SEA	Alshon Jeffery, WR, CHI
32	T.J. Yeldon, RB, JAC	Brandin Cooks, WR, NO
33	Allen Robinson, WR, JAC	Jimmy Graham, TE, SEA
34	Martellus Bennett, TE, CHI	Pierre Garcon, WR, WAS
35	Donte Moncrief, WR, IND	Danny Woodhead, RB, SD
36	Chris Johnson, RB, ARI	Greg Olsen, TE, CAR
37	Greg Olsen, TE, CAR	Martellus Bennett, TE, CHI
38	Jonathan Stewart, RB, CAR	Jeremy Maclin, WR, KC
39	Alshon Jeffery, WR, CHI	Travis Kelce, TE, KC
40	Matt Jones, RB, WAS	Michael Crabtree, WR, OAK
41	Giovani Bernard, RB, CIN	Melvin Gordon, RB, SD
42	Travis Kelce, TE, KC	Jeremy Hill, RB, CIN
43	C.J. Anderson, RB, DEN	Jordan Reed, TE, WAS
44	Marshawn Lynch, RB, SEA	Jonathan Stewart, RB, CAR
45	Jeremy Maclin, WR, KC	T.J. Yeldon, RB, JAC
46	Alfred Morris, RB, WAS	Golden Tate, WR, DET
47	Pierre Garcon, WR, WAS	Percy Harvin, WR, BUF
48	Ryan Mathews, RB, PHI	Darren Sproles, RB, PHI
49	Percy Harvin, WR, BUF	C.J. Anderson, RB, DEN
50	Danny Woodhead, RB, SD	Lance Dunbar, RB, DAL

Todd Gurley, RB, St. Louis Rams

Billy Hurst/Associated Press/Associated Press

Hype is a dangerous thing. Shouldering the hopes and dreams of fantasy managers everywhere, Todd Gurley made his highly anticipated debut last weekend. The rookie running back finished with just nine yards on six carries.

According to Pro Football Focus, the St. Louis Rams eased their first-round pick into action with 14 snaps, fewer than Tre Mason and Benny Cunningham. Aware of that tally, head coach Jeff Fisher told USA Today's Tom Pelissero that he plans to get Gurley more involved on Sunday:

That's good news for a star talent who averaged 7.4 yards per run for the Georgia Bulldogs last year before tearing his ACL. Once he gets fully healthy and acclimated to the NFL, he has the skills of a top-tier rusher.

Patience, however, is necessary as the 21-year-old returns from a major injury in a backfield timeshare. In the ideal scenario, Gurley owners can keep him stashed on the bench until he earns a starting spot.

Against the Arizona Cardinals, who have yielded 3.5 yards per carry, he's no more than a desperation flex play for owners with no better alternatives. If it's down to him, Shane Vereen or Doug Baldwin, roll the dice. Just don't start him over a sturdier choice like Chris Johnson or Pierre Garcon.

Allen Robinson, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press

Drafters entered the season head over heels for Allen Robinson, who opened 2015 with one catch for 27 yards. They then started to sweat their breakout selection, perhaps benching him before his 155-yard, two-touchdown outburst in Week 2. Upon reverting to their appraisal of him as a must-start wideout, he tallied a pedestrian four catches and 68 yards against the New England Patriots.

He's still on pace for 1,333 yards, and only 16 pass-catchers have received more than his 28 targets in 2015. All in all, he's probably going to be fine as a No. 2 or 3 receiver, even if he needs to accumulate most of his production in garbage-time moments.

The Indianapolis Colts have struggled defensively, allowing a 64.9 completion percentage and 8.3 yards per passing attempt. If their offense gets their act together, the Jacksonville Jaguars will have to air it out often.

Unfortunately for Robinson, Vontae Davis isn't their problem. According to Pro Football Focus, he has allowed eight catches on 15 targets for 103 yards this season. Per Football Outsiders' Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA), the Colts' weakness lies past shielding the opponent's No. 1 receiver:

POS	DVOA	Rank	YD/G
No. 1 WR	-10.2 %	8	57.9
No. 2 WR	31.4 %	22	67.4
Other WR	35.1 %	28	31.0
TE	-26.5 %	8	42.7
RB	26.2 %	26	48.4

If it's any consolation, Davis has already stood on the wrong end of two touchdowns in consecutive weeks. Don't sit Robinson unless flushed with depth, but temper expectations.

Martellus Bennett, TE, Chicago Bears

David Banks/Associated Press

If Gary Barnidge can torch the Oakland Raiders, so can Martellus Bennett.

Entering Week 3, Barnidge averaged 0.5 receptions and 7.0 yards per game over his career. He hadn't eclipsed 50 yards in a single game since 2009 before registering a career-high 105 yards, along with his first touchdown since 2013, against Oakland.

The Raiders now have relinquished a touchdown to all three opposing starting tight ends, including a pair each to Tyler Eifert and Crockett Gillmore. According to ESPN.com, they rank last across the board defending the position:

Category	#	Rank
Receptions	21	Last
Receiving Yards	305	Last
Touchdowns	5	Last
Fantasy Points/Game	19.3	Last

A year removed from grabbing 90 catches, Bennett has experienced a relatively quiet start. Although a stable target for the Chicago Bears, he has a humdrum 13 catches for 118 yards and a score. Without Jay Cutler, he mustered 15 yards versus the Seattle Seahawks.

The team listed Cutler as questionable for this week, and his absence would derail a glorious matchup for Bennett. With his starting quarterback, he's easily a top-five tight end, perhaps even the No. 1 option with Rob Gronkowski on a bye. If Jimmy Clausen makes another appearance, keep calm and remember that Josh McCown led Gary Barnidge to 105 yards against these Raiders.