Week 4 Fantasy Football Rankings: Positional Overview, Guide and Advice

Three weeks into the season, getting a read on some of this year's top fantasy standouts remains extremely tricky.

Is Devonta Freeman for real? Can Tyrod Taylor continue to befuddle opposing defenses? What steps is Dion Lewis taking to ensure he doesn't sleep through his alarm clock and incur the wrath of Bill Belichick?

Week 4 won't definitively solve any of those questions, but it will go some way toward bringing fans the right answer.

Let's look ahead to this week's slate of games and those players who could be destined for big things.

Time (ET)	Away	Home
Thurs., Oct. 1
8:25 p.m.	Baltimore Ravens	Pittsburgh Steelers
Sun., Oct. 4
9:30 a.m.	New York Jets	Miami Dolphins
1 p.m.	Jacksonville Jaguars	Indianapolis Colts
1 p.m.	New York Giants	Buffalo Bills
1 p.m.	Carolina Panthers	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1 p.m.	Philadelphia Eagles	Washington Redskins
1 p.m.	Oakland Raiders	Chicago Bears
1 p.m.	Houston Texans	Atlanta Falcons
1 p.m.	Kansas City Chiefs	Cincinnati Bengals
4:05 p.m.	Cleveland Browns	San Diego Chargers
4:25 p.m.	Green Bay Packers	San Francisco 49ers
4:25 p.m.	St. Louis Rams	Arizona Cardinals
4:25 p.m.	Minnesota Vikings	Denver Broncos
8:30 p.m.	Dallas Cowboys	New Orleans Saints
Mon., Oct. 5
8:30 p.m.	Detroit Lions	Seattle Seahawks

Quarterback

Rank	Player	Opponent
1	Andrew Luck, IND	Jacksonville Jaguars
2	Aaron Rodgers, GB	San Francisco 49ers
3	Philip Rivers, SD	Cleveland Browns
4	Cam Newton, CAR	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5	Matt Ryan, ATL	Houston Texans
6	Tyrod Taylor, BUF	New York Giants
7	Peyton Manning, DEN	Minnesota Vikings
8	Carson Palmer, ARI	St. Louis Rams
9	Andy Dalton, CIN	Kansas City Chiefs
10	Russell Wilson, SEA	Detroit Lions
11	Derek Carr, OAK	Chicago Bears
12	Alex Smith, KC	Cincinnati Bengals
13	Brandon Weeden, DAL	New Orleans Saints
14	Joe Flacco, BAL	Pittsburgh Steelers
15	Matthew Stafford, DET	Seattle Seahawks

This should be the week Andrew Luck looks more like Andrew Luck.

The 26-year-old has endured a rough start to the season, throwing seven interceptions through the Indianapolis Colts' first three games.

The Colts' Week 3 comeback against the Tennessee Titans offered hope that things are turning around.

"We're starting to slowly but surely find our offense," said Colts wideout T.Y. Hilton after Indy's Week 3 victory, per Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star.

Indianapolis should continue its winning ways, and Luck should rediscover his 2014 form against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are allowing an average of 282.7 yards and 1.7 touchdowns a game through the air.

Aaron Rodgers is another elite QB looking at a favorable matchup. The San Francisco 49ers are a complete mess on both sides of the ball, opening up the chance for Rodgers to post big numbers in Week 4.

Along the same lines, Tyrod Taylor and the Buffalo Bills could very well carve up the New York Giants secondary, which is surrendering an NFL-worst 335.7 yards a game. Throw in Taylor's running ability, and he's a must-start on Sunday.

Dallas Cowboys signal-caller Brandon Weeden is an intriguing QB1 option for desperate owners. The 31-year-old wasn't all that bad in Week 3, but he's obviously missing a dynamic playmaker like Dez Bryant.

Since the Cowboys are playing the New Orleans Saints, Bryant's absence might not be as much of an issue for Weeden. If he can be as efficient again through the air as he was against the Atlanta Falcons, then he could piece together a good fantasy day.

Running Back

Rank	Player	Opponent
1	Latavius Murray, OAK	Chicago Bears
2	Melvin Gordon, SD	Cleveland Browns
3	Le'Veon Bell, PIT	Baltimore Ravens
4	Carlos Hyde, SF	Green Bay Packers
5	Adrian Peterson, MIN	Denver Broncos
6	Jamaal Charles, KC	Cincinnati Bengals
7	Mark Ingram, NO	Dallas Cowboys
8	Karlos Williams, BUF	New York Giants
9	Devonta Freeman, ATL	Houston Texans
10	Matt Forte, CHI	Oakland Raiders
11	Giovani Bernard, CIN	Kansas City Chiefs
12	Joseph Randle, DAL	New Orleans Saints
13	Frank Gore, IND	Jacksonville Jaguars
14	Arian Foster, HOU	Atlanta Falcons
15	T.J. Yeldon, JAC	Indianapolis Colts
16	Chris Johnson, ARI	St. Louis Rams
17	Thomas Rawls, SEA	Detroit Lions
18	Justin Forsett, BAL	Pittsburgh Steelers
19	Ryan Mathews, PHI	Washington Redskins
20	Chris Ivory, NYJ	Miami Dolphins
21	LeSean McCoy, BUF*	New York Giants
22	Ameer Abdullah, DET	Seattle Seahawks
23	Andre Williams, NYG	Buffalo Bills
24	Matt Jones, WAS	Philadelphia Eagles
25	Lamar Miller, MIA	New York Jets

In the big picture, the injury to Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger should increase the number of touches Le'Veon Bell receives, thus ensuring he remains a premier running back.

Will he put up elite numbers in Week 4, though?

According to Pro Football Focus, the Baltimore Ravens have the third-best run defense in the league. And the Pittsburgh Steelers starting Michael Vick start at quarterback will likely mean the Ravens focus more on stopping the run than guarding against the pass.

Don Wright/Associated Press

You obviously want to start Bell on Thursday night, but be prepared for the possibility he has a somewhat underwhelming performance.

Somebody who could fly under the radar and have a big game is Melvin Gordon. His numbers don't jump off the page—44 carries, 190 yards—but the San Diego Chargers are matched up with the Cleveland Browns, who are allowing 158.3 yards on the ground and 4.9 yards a carry through their first three games.

If Gordon can get somewhere around 20 carries Sunday, then he could approach the first 100-yard game of his NFL career. Throw a touchdown or two in there, and you've got a great fantasy day.

Wide Receiver

Rank	Player	Opponent
1	T.Y. Hilton, IND	Jacksonville Jaguars
2	Julio Jones, ATL	Houston Texans
3	DeAndre Hopkins, HOU	Atlanta Falcons
4	Randall Cobb, GB	San Francisco 49ers
5	Steve Smith Sr., BAL	Pittsburgh Steelers
6	Larry Fitzgerald, ARI	St. Louis Rams
7	Antonio Brown, PIT	Baltimore Ravens
8	Odell Beckham Jr., NYG	Buffalo Bills
9	Keenan Allen, SD	Cleveland Browns
10	A.J. Green, CIN	Kansas City Chiefs
11	Calvin Johnson, DET	Seattle Seahawks
12	Amari Cooper, OAK	Chicago Bears
13	Percy Harvin, BUF	New York Giants
14	Jeremy Maclin, KC	Cincinnati Bengals
15	Emmanuel Sanders, DEN	Minnesota Vikings
16	Travis Benjamin, CLE	San Diego Chargers
17	Brandon Marshall, NYJ	Miami Dolphins
18	Donte Moncrief, IND	Jacksonville Jaguars
19	Demaryius Thomas, DEN	Minnesota Vikings
20	Jarvis Landry, MIA	New York Jets
21	James Jones, GB	San Francisco 49ers
22	Allen Robinson, JAC	Indianapolis Colts
23	Mike Wallace, MIN	Denver Broncos
24	Terrance Williams, DAL	New Orleans Saints
25	Ted Ginn, CAR	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
26	Malcom Floyd, SD	Cleveland Browns
27	Jordan Matthews, PHI	Washington Redskins
28	Rishard Matthews, MIA	New York Jets
29	Marvin Jones, CIN	Kansas City Chiefs
30	Doug Baldwin, SEA	Detroit Lions
31	John Brown, ARI	St. Louis Rams
32	Torrey Smith, SF	Green Bay Packers
33	Vincent Jackson, TB	Carolina Panthers
34	Robert Woods, BUF	New York Giants
35	Rueben Randle, NYG	Buffalo Bills

Like Bell, Antonio Brown suffers somewhat from Vick taking over as the Steelers' starting quarterback. Head coach Mike Tomlin's comments about his game plan against the Ravens aren't entirely encouraging, either.

"We're bringing the game to him, and allowing him to play and finding what his personality is and our personality is with him," Tomlin said Monday, per Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today. "That doesn't mean we're going to execute the offense in the manner we'd ask Ben to. We're not going to assume things. We're going to work in his comfort zone and bring the game to him."

The Steelers are working on a short week and without Roethlisberger. Keeping those factors in mind, Pittsburgh will probably lean more toward the conservative side in Week 4, which could limit Brown's ceiling.

One star wideout who should deliver is Julio Jones, who has caught more passes than any receiver in NFL history through the first three weeks of the year, per Bleacher Report:

I'm going out on a limb here, but Jones' numbers may be a bit unsustainable. Chances are he won't be the league's first 2,000-yard receiver (via ESPN Stats and Info):

Still, nobody questions Jones' talent when he's healthy. He is the perfect blend of size, speed and strength that makes him almost impossible for opposing corners to defend. As long as he stays on the field, he won't be going anywhere in terms of the WR hierarchy.

If you're feeling particularly adventurous, you might want to gamble on Jeremy Maclin.

The Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver is proof positive that garbage-time points still count the same. His eight receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's defeat landed him at No. 8 among the highest-scoring Week 3 wideouts on NFL.com.

Andy Reid looks to have finally figured out how to integrate Maclin into the offense. Now, as long as Alex Smith remembers that Maclin is still a member of the team next week, the former Philadelphia Eagle could be in line for another strong showing against a Cincinnati Bengals pass defense that has been a bit leaky this year.

Tight End

Rank	Player	Opponent
1	Greg Olsen, CAR	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2	Jordan Reed, WAS	Philadelphia Eagles
3	Jimmy Graham, SEA	Detroit Lions
4	Travis Kelce, KC	Cincinnati Bengals
5	Jason Witten, DAL	New Orleans Saints
6	Tyler Eifert, CIN	Kansas City Chiefs
7	Heath Miller, PIT	Baltimore Ravens
8	Eric Ebron, DET	Seattle Seahawks
9	Crockett Gillmore, BAL	Pittsburgh Steelers
10	Jordan Cameron, MIA	New York Jets
11	Kyle Rudolph, MIN	Denver Broncos
12	Richard Rodgers, GB	San Francisco 49ers

Last week, Fox Sports's Randy Moss argued that Jimmy Graham isn't a good tactical fit in the Seattle Seahawks' offense:

Graham may have proved otherwise with his seven receptions, 83 yards and one touchdown against the Chicago Bears. Let's see if he can follow it up against the Detroit Lions, who have allowed opposing tight ends an average of five receptions, 44 yards and a touchdown a game.

The smart money is on Graham's Week 3 being a sign of things to come.

Meanwhile, you shouldn't be quite so bullish on Kyle Rudolph.

The Denver Broncos are one of the best pass-rushing teams in the league. That's not good news for Rudolph considering Teddy Bridgewater's 48 percent completion rate when under pressure. Bridgewater is also under pressure for 40.7 percent of his dropbacks, tied for fourth-highest in the league, per Pro Football Focus.

If Denver is consistently harassing Bridgewater in the pocket, it will limit the effectiveness of the Minnesota Vikings passing game, thus hindering Rudolph's fantasy potential.

Kicker

Rank	Player	Opponent
1	Justin Tucker, BAL	Pittsburgh Steelers
2	Nick Folk, NYJ	Miami Dolphins
3	Robbie Gould, CHI	Oakland Raiders
4	Mike Nugent, CIN	Kansas City Chiefs
5	Travis Coons, CLE	San Diego Chargers
6	Chandler Catanzaro, ARI	St. Louis Rams
7	Kyle Brindza, TB	Carolina Panthers
8	Brandon McManus, DEN	Minnesota Vikings
9	Josh Brown, NYG	Buffalo Bills
10	Andrew Franks, MIA	New York Jets
11	Steven Hauschka, SEA	Detroit Lions
12	Mason Crosby, GB	San Francisco 49ers

In the last seven meetings between the Ravens and Steelers, Justin Tucker has made an average of 2.8 field goals a game. Baltimore and Pittsburgh don't tend to have low-scoring affairs, but they often rely heavily on their kickers.

That will likely prove especially true with their game on Thursday night.

When was the last well-played Thursday Night Football game? Simply put, it's extremely difficult to get players ready when they only have three full days to prepare. As a result, you get ugly performances, a trend that will only be exacerbated by the Ravens-Steelers rivalry.

Should Baltimore vs. Pittsburgh play to type, count on Tucker having a big night.

Defense/Special Teams

Rank	Team	Opponent
1	Denver Broncos	Minnesota Vikings
2	Carolina Panthers	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3	New York Jets	Miami Dolphins
4	Kansas City Chiefs	Cincinnati Bengals
5	Seattle Seahawks	Detroit Lions
6	Baltimore Ravens	Pittsburgh Steelers
7	Oakland Raiders	Chicago Bears
8	Miami Dolphins	New York Jets
9	Green Bay Packers	San Francisco 49ers
10	Atlanta Falcons	Houston Texans
11	Philadelphia Eagles	Washington Redskins
12	San Diego Chargers	Cleveland Browns

The New York Jets have been one of the best defensive teams in the league. They're allowing 298.3 yards a game (fourth), 13.7 points (first) and have a plus-five turnover differential (tied for second).

On the other side, the Miami Dolphins have looked more like their 2013 selves than the team that took steps forward in 2014. QB Ryan Tannehill is completing 61.4 percent of his passes and has five touchdowns to three interceptions. Meanwhile, running back Lamar Miller is averaging just 3.5 yards a carry.

The game is in London, which has proved to be a mixed bag in terms of fantasy prediction; some teams adjust well to the long flight and time difference, while others have a lot of trouble—and it shows up on the field.

The Jets offense remains a work in progress, but their defense is picking up right where it left off in 2014.

Based on the last two weeks from the Dolphins, New York's defense could post big fantasy numbers Sunday.

Note: LeSean McCoy hasn't officially been ruled out for Week 4, but NFL Network's Rand Getlin (via NFL.com's Chris Wesseling) reported the Buffalo Bills running back is likely to miss the game with a hamstring injury.