Fantasy Football Week 4 Rankings: Projections and Matchups to Love

The best fantasy football managers are always looking for advantages to exploit against their competition.

This is a great place to find them, as we're both compiling positional rankings and identifying the best matchups at each of the marquee spots.

No matter if you're looking to preserve an early-season edge or working your way out of a sluggish start, we're here to get you on the right track.

Quarterback

1. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (at MIA)

2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (at WAS)

3. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. NE)

4. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers (vs. ATL)

5. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (vs. CLE)

6. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (at CAR)

7. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans (vs. MIN)

8. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (at LV)

9. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons (at GB)

10. Cam Newton, New England Patriots (at KC)

Best Matchup: Aaron Rodgers vs. Atlanta

The stars are aligning for Rodgers to keep up his MVP behavior.

The 36-year-old signal-caller is off to a sizzling start (nine touchdowns with nary an interception), but he can take his production to a different level with a date against Atlanta's defense. The Falcons not only allow the most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, but they also give up more than four additional points per game than the next-most generous defense, per Yahoo Sports.

Russell Wilson and Dak Prescott both tallied four touchdowns against the Falcons. So did the Chicago Bears' combo of Mitchell Trubisky and Nick Foles, who combined for 316 passing yards.

Anything less than 300 yards and three touchdowns from Rodgers would honestly feel disappointing.

Running Back

1. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints (at DET)

2. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys (vs. CLE)

3. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers (vs. ATL)

4. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns (at DAL)

5. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings (at HOU)

6. Kenyan Drake, Arizona Cardinals (at CAR)

7. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. NE)

8. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts (at CHI)

9. James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars (at CIN)

10. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders (vs. BUF)

11. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. JAC)

12. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers (at TB)

13. Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles (at SF)

14. David Montgomery, Chicago Bears (vs. IND)

15. Todd Gurley II, Atlanta Falcons (at GB)

16. Mike Davis, Carolina Panthers (vs. ARI)

17. Devin Singletary, Buffalo Bills (at LV)

18. Darrell Henderson, Los Angeles Rams (vs. NYG)

19. David Johnson, Houston Texans (vs. MIN)

20. Kareem Hunt, Cleveland Browns (at DAL)

Best Matchup: Kenyan Drake at Carolina

The Panthers' defense allowed the most fantasy points to opposing running backs last season. They aren't dead last this year, so that's progress, right?

Not exactly. Back then, Carolina coughed up an average of 29.2 points against opposing backs. Now, it's a face-melting 37.5—which is somehow better than the Raiders' 40.2.

The Panthers have allowed 25-plus fantasy points to a running back in each of their first three games. Even the three backups they've faced—the Raiders' Devontae Booker, the Bucs' Ronald Jones II and the Chargers' Joshua Kelley—have totaled 19 carries for 95 yards and a touchdown, plus seven receptions for 36 yards.

Drake, who has 54 of the Cardinals' 66 running back carries, should be good for 90-plus scrimmage yards and hopefully at least one score.

Wide Receiver

1. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals (at CAR)

2. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. NE)

3. D.K. Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks (at MIA)

4. Calvin Ridley, Atlanta Falcons (at GB)

5. Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys (vs. CLE)

6. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. LAC)

7. Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks (at MIA)

8. Kenny Golladay, Minnesota Vikings (at HOU)

9. Allen Robinson II, Chicago Bears (vs. IND)

10. Terry McLaurin, Washington (vs. BAL)

11. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers (vs. ATL)

12. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills (at LV)

13. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams (vs. NYG)

14. Adam Thielen, Minnesota Vikings (at HOU)

15. Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns (at DAL)

16. DeVante Parker, Miami Dolphins (vs. SEA)

17. D.J. Moore, Carolina Panthers (vs. ARI)

18. Michael Gallup, Dallas Cowboys (vs. CLE)

19. Will Fuller V, Houston Texans (vs. MIN)

20. Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams (vs. NYG)

Best Matchup: DeVante Parker vs. Seattle

Parker isn't quite an automatic start in the shallowest leagues, but he's a no-brainer for Week 4.

Why? Because Seattle's secondary has transformed from the Legion of Boom to the Legion of Gloom. The Seahawks have allowed an absurd 1,292 passing yards so far. If that sounds like a giant number, that's because it's ginormous. The Falcons have the second-worst pass defense at 1,051 yards, and no one else is north of 900 through three games.

Six different receivers have cleared 100 yards against the Seahawks. Three of them also snared a touchdown catch, and two of them scored twice.

Given the likelihood of the Dolphins playing from behind, Ryan Fitzpatrick will let it fly early and often. It feels comfortable to lock in Parker for at least seven receptions and a triple-digit yardage total.

Tight End

1. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens (at WAS)

2. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers (vs. PHI)

3. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. NE)

4. Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders (vs. BUF)

5. Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles (at SF)

6. Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers (at TB)

7. T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions (vs. NO)

8. Hayden Hurst, Atlanta Falcons (at GB)

9. Evan Engram, New York Giants (at LAR)

10. Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins (vs. SEA)

Best Matchup: T.J. Hockenson vs. New Orleans

No defense has allowed more catches to tight ends than the Saints (29). Or more receiving yards (290). Or more touchdown catches (four, tied with the Eagles and Falcons).

Folks with Hockenson on your roster, are you salivating yet? You should be.

The Saints have allowed a touchdown catch by a tight end in each of their first three games. The Packers went to that well twice, with Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis both finding the end zone.

The ball should be flying around the field in this potential shootout, and Hockenson should be on the receiving end of it quite a bit. He's had at least four receptions and 50-plus yards in each of his first three matchups.

Bank on at least five more catches with his first 70-plus yard outing of the season and hopefully his second score.

Defense/Special Teams

1. Baltimore Ravens (at WAS)

2. Los Angeles Rams (vs. NYG)

3. San Francisco 49ers (vs. PHI)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. LAC)

5. Indianapolis Colts (at CHI)

6. Buffalo Bills (at LV)

7. Arizona Cardinals (at CAR)

8. Chicago Bears (vs. IND)

9. Seattle Seahawks (at MIA)

10. New Orleans Saints (at DET)

Kicker

1. Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens (at WAS)

2. Mason Crosby, Green Bay Packers (vs. ATL)

3. Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. NE)

4. Wil Lutz, New Orleans Saints (at DET)

5. Greg Zuerlein, Dallas Cowboys (vs. CLE)

6. Robbie Gould, San Francisco 49ers (vs. PHI)

7. Matt Prater, Detroit Lions (vs. NO)

8. Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks (at MIA)

9. Zane Gonzalez, Arizona Cardinals (at CAR)

10. Tyler Bass, Buffalo Bills (at LV)