Fantasy Football Week 4 Cheat Sheet: Flex Rankings, Projections for Waiver Adds

After three weeks of NFL action, it's fair to draw some conclusions based on what is going on this year and no longer rely on what happened last year.

These perceptions will be even stronger next week when each team (besides the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers) has played 25 percent of the season, but there are legitimate assertions that can be made right now.

From a fantasy perspective, few thought that the Kansas City Chiefs would be the talk of the league in the early part of the season. However, the speed of wideout Tyreek Hill and the explosiveness of rookie running back Kareem Hunt have given this team the sudden-strike ability that it has not seen since it was one of the dominant teams in the old American Football League in the 1960s.

Here's our position-by-position assessment going into Week 4:

Top 10 Quarterbacks

1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay vs. Chicago, 330 yards, three TDs.
2. Tom Brady, New England vs. Carolina, 305 yards, three TDs.
3. Marcus Mariota, Tennessee vs. Houston, 275 yards, two TDs; 40 rushing yards, one TD.
4. Alex Smith, Kansas City vs. Washington
5. Kirk Cousins, Washington vs. Kansas City
6. Russell Wilson, Seattle vs. Indianapolis
7. Deshaun Watson, Houston vs. Tennessee
8. Dak Prescott, Dallas vs. Los Angeles Rams
9. Derek Carr, Oakland at Denver
10. Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay vs. N.Y. Giants

Rodgers has an opportunity to punish his favorite opponent one more time as the Packers host the Bears Thursday. His ability to escape the first wave of pressure is a given, and it's quite clear that Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams should find a way to get open against the Bears' vulnerable secondary.

The fact that the Bears defeated Pittsburgh in Week 3 will only get the Packers' attention and make sure they don't take Chicago lightly.

Look for a huge game from Brady and the Patriots. The biggest reason for this is the Panthers' weak play on offense and their inability to hold onto the football. We expect Cam Newton to turn the ball over with some frequency, which will give the Patriots offense a chance to light up the scoreboard.

Mariota seems to improve on a week-to-week basis. There has never been any doubt about his physical skills, and he is one of the smartest men at his position. As a result, he gets better with each game he plays. The experience of competing against the defense with the most individual talent in the league should bring out the best in his game.

Top 10 running backs

1. Jay Ajayi, Miami vs. New Orleans, 135 yards, two TDs.
2. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas vs. Los Angeles Rams, 125 yards, two TDs.
3. Devonta Freeman, Atlanta vs. Buffalo, 80 yards, one TD; 40 receiving yards, one TD.
4. Kareem Hunt, Kansas City vs. Washington
5. Lamar Miller, Houston vs. Tennessee
6. Tarik Cohen, Chicago at Green Bay
7. Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville at New York Jets
8. Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams at Dallas
9. Christian McCaffrey, Carolina at New England
10. LeSean McCoy, Buffalo at Atlanta Falcons

We expect Ajayi to be fine as he goes across the pond with the rest of his Miami teammates to take on the defensively porous Saints. Don't expect New Orleans to build off the defensive performance it had against the Panthers in Week 3.

Elliott looked sharp in the second half against the Arizona Cardinals Monday, and he is likely to be in top form against the Rams. The Dallas offensive line picked up its game and Dak Prescott is also sharp, so that should give Elliott the opportunity to take advantage of a number of big holes.

Freeman is going to punish the Bills with his ability to finish runs. He also excels as a receiver, and he is likely to be inspired because LeSean McCoy is on the opposite sideline.

Top 10 wide receivers

1. Julio Jones, Atlanta vs. Buffalo, 120 receiving yards, two TDs.
2. Odell Beckham, New York Giants at Tampa Bay, 115 receiving yards, two TDs.
3. DeAndre Hopkins, Houston vs. Tennessee, 105 receiving yards, one TD
4. Jordy Nelson, Green Bay vs. Chicago
5. Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh at Baltimore
6. Demaryius Thomas, Denver vs. Oakland
7. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay vs. New York Giants
8. Michael Thomas, New Orleans vs. Miami in London
9. A.J. Green, Cincinnati at Cleveland
10. Doug Baldwin, Seattle vs. Indianapolis

Jones and the Falcons have so far thrown the theory of the Super Bowl hangover in their critics' faces and they should be able to continue their winning ways at home against the Bills. While Buffalo played well at home against the Broncos in Week 3, going to Atlanta and facing the biggest and most powerful receiver in the game is a huge undertaking that will not go well.

Beckham has flaws but he is one of the most spectacular playmakers in the game. The Bucs will try to challenge him, but Beckham has too much talent for the Tampa Bay defensive backs.

The insertion of Deshaun Watson in the starting lineup is a boon for the team's skill-position players, and nobody will be in a better position to take advantage of it than Hopkins.

Top 10 tight ends

1. Rob Gronkowski, New England vs. Carolina, 125 yards, two TDs.
2. Travis Kelce, Kansas City vs. Washington, 105 yards, one TD.
3. Jason Witten, Dallas vs. Los Angeles Rams, 88 yards, one TD.
4. Delanie Walker, Tennessee at Houston
5. Coby Fleener, New Orleans vs. Miami in London
6. Zach Ertz, Philadelphia at Los Angeles Chargers
7. Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota vs. Detroit Lions
8. Evan Engram, New York Giants at Tampa Bay
9. Jared Cook, Oakland at Denver
10. Vernon Davis, Washington at Kansas City

Gronkowski will lead the way for the Patriots as he will use his size, speed and pass-catching skills to set the tone against a Carolina team that is hurting badly.

Kelce should be able to take advantage of a Washington defense that will key on stopping running back Kareem Hunt and wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Kelce is a tremendous weapon once he gets near the goal line.

Witten is the old, dependable weapon and Prescott will search him out in crucial third-down situations.

Waiver Ranking

1. QB Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills
2. RB Wendell Smallwood, Philadelphia Eagles
3. WR Mohamed Sanu, Atlanta Falcons
4. WR Marqise Lee, Jacksonville Jaguars
5. TE Vernon Davis, Washington Redskins

Taylor is a fine quarterback who often gets labeled as an athlete, but that diminishes his ability to execute tough plays when the game is on the line. The biggest thing holding Taylor back is Buffalo's management and coaching staff. Trading Sammy Watkins in training camp was a mistake, and the Bills coaching staff seems more comfortable in asking Taylor to play conservative football instead of leading an aggressive game plan.

Smallwood fits the Philadelphia offense well and Darren Sproles' season-ending injury makes him an even more valuable waiver-wire pickup.

Week 4 Flex Rankings (RB/WR/TE)

1. RB Ty Montgomery, Packers vs. Bears
2. RB Ameer Abdullah, Lions vs. Vikings
3. RB Jamaal Charles, Broncos vs. Raiders
4. RB Isaiah Crowell, Browns vs. Bengals
5. WR Alshon Jeffery, Eagles vs. Chargers
6. WR Jarvis Landry, Dolphins vs. Saints
7. WR Taylor Gabriel, Falcons vs. Bills
8. WR Allen Hurns, Jaguars vs. jets
9. TE Jermaine Gresham, Cardinals vs 49ers
10. TE Jared Cook, Raiders vs. Broncos