NFL Predictions Week 4: Fantasy Projections and Guide to Latest Vegas Odds

It's easy to blend the world of fantasy football with the world of the NFL. After all, the NFL is a star-driven league, and when its brightest stars perform well, victory often follows.

Anyone who has followed football over the years knows it is also the ultimate team sport and that great statistical performances only win games on paper—or perhaps more accurately, on screens.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, for example, passed for 422 yards with 2 touchdowns and an interception on Thursday night. Packers receiver Davante Adams caught 10 passes for 180 yards. Those are great statistical performances that will yield many fantasy football victories in Week 4. Yet the Packers fell to the Philadelphia Eagles 34-27.

This trend will likely continue in Week 4, as several strong fantasy performances are going to come in losing real-world efforts. Where might we find them? That's part of what we're here to examine. We will break down the top projected fantasy performers at quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end while also predicting the outcomes of Week 4's remaining games.

The latest odds and over/unders are from Caesars.

Week 4 Player Rankings and Stat Projections

Quarterbacks

1. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys: 360 yards passing, 3 TDs, 40 yards rushing

2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens: 290 yards passing, 2 TDs, 70 yards rushing

3. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks: 315 yards passing, 2 TDs, 30 yards rushing

4. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans: 300 yards passing, 2 TDs, 30 yards rushing

5. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs: 310 yards passing, 2 TDs

6. Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers: 310 yards passing, 2 TDs

7. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons: 295 yards passing, 2 TDs

8. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals: 290 yards passing, 2 TDs

9. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams: 285 yards passing, 2 TDs

10. Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns: 275 yards passing, 2 TDs

Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals

One only needs to look at Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton for proof that fantasy success and real-world results don't always correlate. The Bengals are 0-3, and at the same time, Dalton is thriving in the offense of new head coach Zac Taylor.

This season, only Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes have passes for more yards than Dalton, who has 979 yards and five touchdowns with three picks. Rodgers, of course, has played one more game, so Dalton could be back in the top two by the gameweek's end.

While the Pittsburgh Steelers have a good chance of dropping the Bengals to 0-4—home-field advantage should mean a lot in this game—they are not likely to dampen the hopes of Dalton owners in fantasy.

Pittsburgh has been particularly poor against the pass this season, allowing an average of 30.7 yards per game through the air. Only two teams have allowed more.

Running Backs

1. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys: 150 yards rushing, 70 yards receiving, 2 TDs

2. Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers: 110 yards rushing, 110 yards receiving, 2 TDs

3. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints: 100 yards rushing, 90 yards receiving, 1 TD

4. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers: 100 yards rushing, 80 yards receiving, 1 TD

5. Chris Carson, Seattle Seahawks: 100 yards rushing, 70 yards receiving, 1 TD

6. Mark Ingram, Baltimore Ravens: 110 yards rushing, 30 yards receiving, 1 TD

7. Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams: 120 yards rushing, 20 yards receiving, 1 TD

8. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns: 100 yards rushing, 10 yards receiving, 1 TD

9. Marlon Mack, Indianapolis Colts: 90 yards rushing, 20 yards receiving, 1 TD

10. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals: 85 yards rushing, 25 yards receiving, 1 TD

Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

Scott Eklund/Associated Press

New Orleans Saints quarterback Teddy Bridgewater played a brilliant game in his first relief start of the season, passing for 342 yards and two touchdowns. That was enough to get a road win against the Seattle Seahawks, though Bridgewater is the first to admit that he didn't do it alone.

"Just use your guys," Bridgewater said, per Mike Triplett of ESPN. "You watch Alvin [Kamara] make plays all day. You watch Mike [Thomas] when you throw it to him, it’s a for-sure catch."

Kamara, in particular, was a driving force behind New Orleans' Week 3 win. He produced 161 combined rushing and receiving yards to go with two touchdowns.

Expect the Saints to ride Kamara again in Week 4. Though he may not be special enough for New Orleans to knock off one of the league's most complete teams in the Dallas Cowboys, Kamara should again have a tremendous fantasy outing.

Wide Receivers

1. Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers: 160 yards receiving, 1 TD

2. Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons, 150 yards receiving, 1 TD

3. DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans: 145 yards receiving, 1 TD

4. Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys: 140 yards receiving, 1 TD

5. Marquise Brown, Baltimore Ravens: 130 yards receiving, 1 TD

6. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints: 120 yards receiving, 1 TD

7. Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns: 110 yards receiving, 1 TD

8. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers: 160 yards receiving

9. Kenny Golladay, Detroit Lions: 155 yards receiving

10. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks: 145 yards receiving

Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns haven't lived up to the preseason hype, but they are not a complete disaster, either. They're 1-2, with one close loss to the defending NFC champion Los Angeles Rams on their resume. Most of their issues—namely penalties, questionable play-calling and hesitancy by quarterback Baker Mayfield—are correctable.

This doesn't mean Cleveland is suddenly going to fix everything and dominate the AFC North-leading Baltimore Ravens in Week 4. However, it does mean that ignoring a regular fantasy standout like Odell Beckham Jr. would be foolish.

Expect the Browns to employ easier concepts and quicker reads for Mayfield against the Ravens. This should lead to some big catch-and-run opportunities for Beckham against a Ravens defense that isn't as dominant as some we have seen in years past—especially in the passing game.

Baltimore is ranked just 27th in pass defense through three gameweeks, allowing an average of 290.3 yards through the air. While the numbers are skewed a bit by Mahomes' Week 3 performance, let's not ignore the fact that Kyler Murray lit up the Ravens secondary for 349 yards in Week 2.

Tight Ends

1. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens: 110 yards receiving, 1 TD

2. Evan Engram, New York Giants: 90 yards receiving, 1 TD

3. T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions: 85 yards receiving, 1 TD

4. Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans: 85 yards receiving, 1 TD

5. Eric Ebron, Indianapolis Colts: 75 yards receiving, 1 TD

6. Vance McDonald, Pittsburgh Steelers: 70 yards receiving, 1 TD

7. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs: 130 yards receiving

8. Darren Waller, Oakland Raiders: 110 yards receiving

9. Austin Hooper, Atlanta Falcons: 105 yards receiving

10. Will Dissly, Seattle Seahawks: 95 yards receiving

Delanie Walker, TE, Tennessee Titans

Ron Schwane/Associated Press

The Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans both sit at 1-2, making this a desperation game for both teams. The Falcons are favored, likely due in large part to the team having offensive playmakers—like Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley—and the NFL's seventh-ranked defense (211.3 yards per game allowed).

The Falcons should win this game at home, but that won't keep at least one Titans player from starring in fantasy.

Tight end Delanie Walker has essentially been the centerpiece of Tennessee's passing attack this season. He's already caught a team-leading 16 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns. On Sunday, he will face a Falcons defense that is susceptible to receiving tight ends and that just placed starting safety Keanu Neal on injured reserve.

In Week 3, tight ends Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle combined for seven catches and 93 yards against Atlanta. Walker should have similar production here in Week 4.

NFL Week 4 Lines, Over/Unders and Predictions

Carolina Panthers (+3.5, 47.5 o/u) at Houston Texans: Texans 30-27

Cleveland Browns (+6.5, 45.5 o/u) at Baltimore Ravens: Ravens 33-27

Kansas City Chiefs (N.A) at Detroit Lions: Chiefs 30-28

Los Angeles Chargers (-14.5, 44.5 o/u) at Miami Dolphins: Chargers 28-17

New England Patriots (-7, 42.5 o/u) at Buffalo Bills: Patriots 27-24

Oakland Raiders (+6.5, 45.5 o/u) at Indianapolis Colts: Colts 30-24

Tennessee Titans (+3.5, 45.5 o/u) at Atlanta Falcons: Falcons 27-21

Washington Redskins (+3, 49 o/u) at New York Giants: Giants 26-22

Seattle Seahawks (-5.5, 48 o/u) at Arizona Cardinals: Seahawks 31-27

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+9.5, 49 o/u) at Los Angeles Rams: Rams 28-20

Jacksonville Jaguars (+3, 38 o/u) at Denver Broncos: Jaguars 24-21

Minnesota Vikings (+1.5, 38.5 o/u) at Chicago Bears: Vikings 22-21

Dallas Cowboys (-2, 47 o/u) at New Orleans Saints: Cowboys 28-23

Cincinnati Bengals (+3.5, 43 o/u) at Pittsburgh Steelers: Steelers 25-21