We are one month into the NFL season with Week 4 fantasy football in the books. Many players have disappointed fantasy managers, while others have had breakout performances. Let’s take a look at players that are rising and falling in the rest of the season rankings.
Risers and Fallers: Week 4 Fantasy Football
RISERS
Tee Higgins – Cincinnati Bengals
Higgins is finally getting healthy and got back up to speed in Week 4. He saw a team-high 10 targets and caught 6 passes for 60 yards in the Bengals 34-24 win over the Carolina Panthers. Higgins should continue to be more involved as the Bengals aim to turn their 1-3 start to the season around.
Bucky Irving – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Irving saw a career-high 10 touches in Week 4, resulting in 55 scrimmage yards and his first career NFL touchdown. He split carries evenly with Rachaad White after head coach Todd Bowles stated that Irving had earned the opportunity for more snaps. With White’s lack of efficiency on the ground, Irving’s goal-line opportunities should increase and could make him a weekly flex play for fantasy managers.
Brian Thomas Jr. – Jacksonville Jaguars
Brian Thomas Jr’s breakout is happening quickly. He’s seen 9 targets in each of the past 2 weeks after seeing 8 total through weeks 1-2. Having tallied his second touchdown in Week 4, Thomas Jr. is turning into one of the primary red-zone threats for this Jaguars offense. The Jaguars play the Colts in Week 5, which looks to be a juicy matchup for this emerging fantasy wideout.
Jordan Addison. – Minnesota Vikings
Addison looked excellent in his return to the field, tallying 2 touchdowns in Week 4. The Vikings look like one of the best teams in the league thus far, backed by Sam Darnold’s phenomenal quarterback play. Although Addison only saw 4 targets, his usage should ramp up and his big-play ability cannot be ignored. Managers should consider Addison a flex option as long as Darnold keeps moving the needle.
FALLERS
Breece Hall – New York Jets
Hall and the entire Jets offense were abysmal in Week 4 in an embarrassing 10-9 loss to the Broncos. Hall rushed 10 times for a mere 4 rushing yards, while back-up Braelon Allen continued to see more usage with 8 carries for 34 yards. While fantasy managers shouldn’t press the panic button on Hall yet, it’s evident the Jets offense needs a complete reset. Hall will face another tough test in Week 5 when the Jets take on the Vikings in London.
Rachaad White – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Despite going for 84 scrimmage yards in Week 4, White is falling in rankings due to the emergence of fellow rookie running back Bucky Irving. White has been an inefficient runner on the ground this season and is beginning to lose redzone touches to Irving, hurting his fantasy value. Additionally, both Bucs’ wideouts Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are having fantastic seasons, further limiting White’s receiving work. White now looks to be in a split backfield and should only be considered a fringe fantasy starter moving forward.
Anthony Richardson – Indianapolis Colts
Richardson has had a disappointing 3 weeks after a great Week 1 showing. He hasn’t scored double-digit fantasy points in the last 3 weeks and had to exit early against the Pittsburgh Steelers due to a hip/oblique injury. Additionally, Joe Flacco led the Colts to victory in Richardson’s relief, throwing 2 passing touchdowns. Richardson continues to put himself in dangerous situations with his lack of awareness, posing a risk to his NFL career and fantasy viability.
Kyle Pitts – Atlanta Falcons
Another season, another year of disappointment for Kyle Pitts’ fantasy managers. Pitts failed to catch any of his 3 targets in Week 4 and only has 6 receptions on the season. With Kirk Cousins and the Falcons’ passing attack yet to fully click, Pitts will be a difficult fantasy tight end to trust. Additionally, the emergence of both Darnell Mooney and Ray-Ray McCloud receiving more targets has further hurt Pitts’ value.
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