RADIO
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting sick of all the injuries in the NFL.
Trying to field a lineup in fantasy football lineup in standard leagues, dynasty leagues or DFS contests is harder than finding a decent player on the New York Jets offense or New York Giants Defense. Injuries create openings for other players, though, and also create opportunities for fantasy booms from players you would never expect and fantasy busts from players you would expect a lot more from.
Without further ado, here are my under-the-radar booms and busts for Week 4!
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Week 4 Lineup Booms
Melvin Gordon (DEN, RB) at NYJ (Thursday)
In a battle of 0-3 teams that will not set TV-ratings records, the injury-riddled Broncos face the injury-riddled and talentless Jets this Thursday night. Gordon has done no one any fantasy favors despite having all the touches to himself the past two weeks in the wake of Philip Lindsay’s toe injury. Gordon only mustered 38 yards on 12 touches versus Tampa Bay last week, and now he has a quick turnaround with a banged-up offensive line and a third-string quarterback who probably will not keep the Jets front seven honest. But the Jets are the Jets. They find ways to make opposing players extremely great fantasy-wise. The Jets are ranked 24th against the run and will probably hand Gordon scoring opportunities thanks to Sam Darnold turnovers. Look for Gordon to score a couple touchdowns and get 100 combined yards in a game that will make football fans beg for the XFL to come back.
David Johnson (HOU, RB) vs. MIN
I know Johnson has only rushed for 138 yards in three games and looks at his wrists more often than I do after I buy a new watch. If he cannot rack up some points for his fantasy managers this week, though, then he should be shipped to Siberia or the CFL. Minnesota is allowing 147 rushing yards per game and is softer up the middle than a Krispy Kreme donut. Johnson has received 24 of the past 25 rushing attempts afforded to Texans running backs since the depth behind him is razor thin since Duke Johnson is ailing. He should get just as many if not more touches in a must-win game against a Minnesota team whose practice schedule has been shortened due to Tennessee’s COVID-related issues. I think Johnson will have his most productive fantasy effort of the year so far this Sunday.
Jarvis Landry (CLE, WR) at DAL
Landry has been church-mouse quiet during the opening three weeks of the season, totaling just a dozen receptions for 143 yards and no touchdowns. Cleveland’s run-first offense has not helped, and neither has Odell Beckham’s re-emergence as a healthy top target for Baker Mayfield. But Dallas has the fifth-worst pass defense in the NFL and could not cover Seattle’s terrific tandem of Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf if they had 15 defensive backs on the field last week. I think Dallas will double Beckham and force Landry to beat them when Mayfield throws. That means Landry could have a boomtastic day, especially in PPR leagues.
Derek Carr (LV, QB) vs. BUF
Carr is rated towards the bottom of the quarterback pool in DFS leagues this week in terms of price tag, but why? He is home against an overrated Buffalo defense that allowed Miami’a Ryan Fitzpatrick and Los Angeles’ Jared Goff to throw for over 320 yards in back-to-back weeks. Meanwhile, Carr has not thrown an interception yet and has averaged 260 passing yards and two touchdown tosses per game over the first three games. If Carr and his improved receiving corps were able to throw successfully against New England’s stingy secondary on the road, there is no reason he cannot match those numbers at home against the slumping secondary Buffalo has. Carr’s price point is perfect in DFS, even if his numbers turn out to be solid but not spectacular.
Week 4 Lineup Busts
Rex Burkhead (NE, RB) at KC
I know Burkhead scored three touchdowns against Las Vegas in Week 3 and was a weapon in all sorts of ways. He is definitely the most complete back on New England’s roster. That said, Sony Michel is looking healthier and should get more carries after turning nine into 117 yards last week, James White will probably return after missing two games due to the death of his father, and Damien Harris was activated off injured reserve. It all adds up to Burkhead having fewer touches and scoring opportunities against a Kansas City defense that bottled up Baltimore’s high-powered rushing attack this past Monday.
Myles Gaskin (MIA, RB) vs. SEA
The former seventh-round pick has surprisingly leaped over veterans Jordan Howard and Matt Breida to become Miami’s top tailback. He carried the ball 22 times in Week 3 and looks like he will dominate the backfield touches again in Week 4. While Seattle’s pass defense has been shredded like mozzarella this year, the Seahawks are second against the run and normally get teams into shootouts where their opponents are forced to keep up via the air and not the ground. Gaskins has a better chance of getting 10 carries for 28 paltry yards than he has at getting 22 carries and five receptions again. Stay away.
D.J. Moore (CAR, WR) vs. ARI
Moore has not gotten off to a bad start (14-239-0), but newcomer Robby Anderson has been slightly better (20-278-1). Whether Arizona’s top cover corner Patrick Peterson covers Moore this week or not is irrelevant because the Cardinals secondary is solid all around and is a top-10 unit against the pass. Teddy Bridgewater does not elevate the fantasy values of his receivers, and the Cards will be focused more on Moore with Christian McCaffrey out for another week due to his ankle sprain. I would not trust Moore to have a 100-yard-game or score a TD this week compared to other weeks.
Indianapolis Colts Defense at CHI
You have to hand it to Indianapolis and defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. The Colts have seemingly had an average or below-average defense for decades. Now they are No. 1 in total defense and scoring defense. But look who they played! Who cannot stop Kirk Cousins when he is having one of his brutal games? What flag football defense wouldn’t look like the 1985 Chicago Bears when the New York Jets are trotting Frank Gore and Chris Hogan out on offense? It is not that the Colts defense is not good. It’s just not this good. Chicago’s Nick Foles-led offense should be able to score 20-27 points and not allow many sacks or turnovers to make the Colts defense a worthwhile play this weekend.
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