Fantasy Football Week 4 Rankings: Tom Brady and 4 Slam-Dunk Starters

In fantasy football, there are some players who are just studs, producing every time they take the field even if their respective real-life teams don't win that week. Even a down week from one of these players doesn't warrant their benching, for they are likely to jump back up to their elite status in the following game.

Four never-benched starters are primed to have major games this weekend: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Buffalo Bills running back Fred Jackson, Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson and New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham.

Brady is coming off of a four-touchdown, four-interception performance in his team's loss to the Buffalo Bills last week and is traveling to take on the Oakland Raiders this Sunday. Even with those four interceptions, Brady ended Week 3 as a top-three fantasy quarterback, and I don't expect him to drop this week. Should you win your fantasy matchup this week, Brady will once again be a major reason why. He has too many weapons at his disposal to struggle against the Raiders on Sunday, and he's unlikely to turn the ball over so many times for the second game in a row.

Those mighty Bills that defeated Brady's Patriots last week head to Cincinnati to play the Bengals this week, and their performance will depend on their myriad offensive threats, and that includes one of the league's best rushers, Fred Jackson. The Bengals' performance against the run in their previous three games does not do much to inform how they'll likely do when faced with the most successful team they've faced thus far; Jackson's style of play is far superior than any efforts that Cincinnati can muster to stop him.

Plus, he's valuable in the passing game as well: through three games, he's had eight receptions for 115 yards, five of which he caught last week for 87 yards. This makes him extra valuable in PPR leagues, though he's a major must-start regardless of your league's scoring.

Another team rife with offensive power is the also-undefeated Detroit Lions, and their star is wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Johnson has 225 yards and six touchdowns in 16 receptions, with a 14.1 yard-per-catch average. If you have him on your team, there is no reason to not start him every week unless the Lions are on a bye. This week should be extra-major for Johnson, as the Lions take on the Dallas Cowboys and their suspect pass coverage.

It is highly doubtful that the Cowboys have a defender talented enough to stop him, and considering the Lions continue to struggle to advance the ball using the run, it's going to be an aerial affair for quarterback Matt Stafford and his most favorite receiver.

Speaking of receivers, Saints tight end Jimmy Graham is built like one, and that's one of the main reasons that quarterback Drew Brees has targeted him time and time again. The 6'6" Graham is up against a Jacksonville Jaguars defense that is ranked 25th against tight ends, and he has yet to see one as big, fast and dynamic as Graham.

Though Saints receiver Marques Colston is slated to return to action with this game, his playing time will be limited, and he shouldn't draw attention away from Graham with such a choice matchup in his favor. He had his first 100-yard game of the season last week against the Houston Texans, and there's no reason to believe he cannot surpass that figure this week. He will continue to be a major part of the Saints' offensive attack even with the receiver corps at full strength and, aside from Brees, may just be the best playmaker they have on their roster.