Fantasy Football Week 4 Rankings: The Touchdown Machines You Must Start

Week 4 of the 2011 season is about to get rolling, and while it's still early, the wheat is beginning to separate from the chaff, and old and new superstars alike are beginning to assert themselves as the cream of the fantasy football crop.

With that in mind here are some players who should absolutely be in fantasy football lineups, as they've shown the sort of nose for finding the end zone that leads to a huge day for their fantasy owners.

1. Tom Brady: QB, New England Patriots (at OAK)

No player in the National Football League has been responsible for more touchdowns to this point in the season than New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who has thrown for a ridiculous 1,327 yards and 11 scores through three games.

You have to think Brady has a bad taste in his mouth after throwing as many interceptions in last week's surprising loss to the Buffalo Bills as he did all of last season, so look for the Golden Boy to try to redeem himself by lighting up the Raiders secondary.

2. Matthew Stafford: QB, Detroit Lions (at DAL)

A large part of the credit for the Detroit Lions 3-0 start can be laid at the feet of quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has completed over two thirds of his passes for 977 yards and tossed nine touchdown passes as opposed to only two interceptions.

Stafford returns to the state of Texas (where he played high school football) to face a banged up Dallas Cowboys secondary that will have their hands full trying to stop a Detroit offense that is tied for fourth in the National Football League in passing yardage.

3. Darren McFadden: RB, Oakland Raiders (vs. NE)

The NFL's leading rusher through three weeks, Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden has averaged well over six yards per attempt while rumbling for nearly 400 yards and finding paydirt three times for the 2-1 Raiders.

Oakland's opponent this week, the New England Patriots, are a very respectable 10th in the NFL against the run this season, but they have also allowed the seventh most fantasy points to opposing running backs, so Darren McFadden should be in for another solid statistical outing.

4. LeSean McCoy: RB, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. SF)

The Philadelphia Eagles have been something of a disappointment to this point in the season, but the blame for their 1-2 start can't be placed on fourth year running back LeSean McCoy, who has amassed nearly 400 total yards and scored five total touchdowns so far this year.

McCoy and the Eagles square off against a San Francisco 49ers defense this week that is third in the NFL against the run and has allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs, but if Philadelphia is going to get a much-needed win at home, they're going to need a solid day from "Shady" McCoy to get it done.

5. Fred Jackson: RB, Buffalo Bills (at CIN)

No team in the National Football League has been a bigger surprise to this point than the 3-0 Buffalo Bills, and running back Fred Jackson has been a big part of their hot start, racking up 418 total yards and finding the end zone three times in three games.

Jackson and the Bills travel to Cincinnati this week, and while the Bengals rank in the top 10 in rushing defense, they're in the middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, so Jackson has a decent chance of having yet another good game.

6. Calvin Johnson: WR, Detroit Lions (at DAL)

Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson has certainly lived up to his nickname to this point in the season, as "Megatron's" fantasy production has been positively robotic, with 225 total receiving yards and a pair of scores in each of the Lions first three games.

The Dallas Cowboys defense hasn't been especially kind to opposing fantasy wideouts so far this year, but the Cowboys secondary has been hit hard by injuries, and Matthew Stafford's favorite target has been all but uncoverable in the red zone, so Johnson should be in for yet another big game in Week 4.

7. Wes Welker: WR, New England Patriots (at OAK)

Wes Welker is the National Football League's leader in receiving yards after three games, with the eighth year veteran averaging a ludicrous 152.7 yards per game and nearly 15 yards a reception with four touchdowns so far this year.

Welker and the Patriots travel to the Black Hole this week to face the Raiders, who are 28th in pass defense and have allowed the eighth most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers, so Wes Welker should be in for yet another sterling statistical outing in the Bay Area in Week 4.

8. Steve Johnson: WR, Buffalo Bills (at CIN)

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Steve Johnson has picked up right where he left off in 2010, as the fifth year pass catcher has tallied 20 receptions for 256 yards and three touchdowns as the top receiving option for the surprisingly undefeated Bills.

Only two teams in the National Football League have allowed fewer fantasy points to opposing wide receivers than Buffalo's opponent this week, the Cincinnati Bengals.

However, quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will certainly target Johnson early and often, and all three of the Bengals opponents so far this season rank in the bottom 10 in the NFL is passing offense, so that stat is something of a misnomer.

9. Rob Gronkowski: TE, New England Patriots

Tight end Rob Gronkowski has been an unstoppable force so far this season for the New England Patriots, as the second year pro leads all tight ends with 281 receiving yards and is second in the league in touchdown catches with five.

Gronkowski has gashed three consecutive defenses, with at least four receptions, 80 receiving yards and a touchdown in every game so far this season, and with a tilt on tap against an Oakland defense that has struggled against the pass, there's an excellent chance Gronkowski will make it four in a row this week.

10. Tony Gonzalez: TE, Atlanta Falcons (at SEA)

Tony Gonzalez doesn't appear to be slowing down much in his 15th season in the National Football League, as the 35-year-old future Hall-of-Famer has racked up a very respectable 14 receptions for 173 yards and three touchdowns through the first three weeks of 2011.

Gonzalez and the Atlanta Falcons travel to the Emerald City to face the Seattle Seahawks this week in a game the 1-2 Falcons desperately need to win, and given that the Seahawks are a moribund 30th in the NFL against the pass so far this season, Tony Gonzalez may well be set to go "Gonzo" this week.