NFL First Look: Week 4

by Derek Farnsworth (Notorious) Last Updated 2014-09-29 17:41:53

NFL First Look provides you with a quick overview of the most noteworthy DFS tidbits for this week’s NFL matchups and player pools, and is brought to you by none other than Derek Farnsworth aka Notorious (#7 Ranked Overall, DraftDay MLB Champion, DSBC Finalist x3, DSBBC Finalist, DFBBC Finalist). Each Tuesday night, Notorious will give you his initial thoughts on the matchups for the upcoming week and who he is looking to target.

Week 4 NFL Schedule

1) Running Back Rampage

DeMarco Murray – Murray continues to run all over any defense thrown his way. Even though the Cowboys got down big against the Rams, they never abandoned the running game which is an extremely new look for the Cowboys. Murray has now rushed for over 100 yards in each of the first three weeks and he leads all NFL running backs with an average of 27.7 touches per game. This week he squares off against a Saints defense that has been average against the run despite facing three subpar rushing attacks (Atlanta, Cleveland, Minnesota).

Lamar Miller – Miller performed well as the Dolphins primary running back in Week 3. He rushed for 108 yards on only 15 carries and added another 24 yards on 4 catches out of the backfield. With Knowshon Moreno out again this week, Miller will once again get the lion’s share of work. He has one of the best matchups on the board this week as he faces a Raiders defense that has allowed the second most rushing yards per game (159) this season. Miller should see upwards of 20 touches in this favorable matchup.

2) Top QB/WR/TE Handcuffs

Drew Brees/Jimmy Graham/Brandin Cooks – Brees has yet to have a huge fantasy outing, but don’t give up on him just yet. This week he faces a Cowboys defense that allowed the second most fantasy points to opposing QB’s last season. The Cowboys have already given up 6 passing TD’s this season and Brees should have no problems carving them up on Sunday night in primetime. Pair him with his favorite target Jimmy Graham as well as the rookie Brandin Cooks who is averaging 8 targets per game through the first 3 weeks. This game features the highest total of the week and Brees could be in line for his first 3+ touchdown performance of the season.

Kirk Cousins/Pierre Garcon/DeSean Jackson – This combination is coming off of a huge performance against the Eagles that propelled many fantasy teams to the very top of GPP’s. While I typically don’t like to chase points, their matchup against the Giants deserves GPP consideration again this week. The Giants have allowed the sixth most fantasy points to opposing QB’s this season and Cousins has looked great in Jay Gruden’s offense. Pair him with his two top weapons and hope for another big outing from the Redskins passing attack.

3) Target Watch

This section is all about targets in the passing game. It can include players to watch for that are seeing a lot of targets, players to avoid, or anything else that I feel pertinent for the week ahead.

Matt Forte – Forte leads all RB’s with 24 targets through the air. That’s an average of 8 targets per game which is more than most WR’s in the NFL see per game. Due to his involvement in the Bears passing game, Forte is a terrific target on full PPR sites. After a string of bad matchups (Buffalo, San Francisco, New York Jets), Forte should be able to find some running room against a Packers front that has allowed the fifth most fantasy points to running backs this season.

Kelvin Benjamin – Benjamin has seen a steady dose of targets through the first 3 weeks. After 8 targets in Weeks 1 and 2, Benjamin saw a career high 11 targets in Week 3. He made the most of those targets with 8 receptions for 115 yards and a TD against the Steelers. This week he faces a Ravens secondary that gave up 262 yards to the Browns wide receivers last week.

Larry Donnell – Donnell continues to be heavily involved in the Giants passing game. He has the 6th most targets of any TE through the first 3 weeks and still has an affordable price tag across the industry. Don’t let his matchup against the Redskins scare you off of him this week. While the Redskins have allowed the fewest number of catches to TE’s this season, they have faced two below average passing attacks in the Texans and Jaguars.

4) DvP Standout

Colin Kaepernick – Kaepernick continues to show signs of fantasy brilliance, but he has yet to put it together into a complete game. Part of that has to do with the fact that the Niners have not yet opened up the playbook. Look for Kaepernick and the Niners to take a few more shots down the field this week as they take on the high-flying Eagles who play at the fastest pace of any team in the NFL. The Eagles have given up the second most fantasy points to opposing QB’s this season and you have to love Kaepernick’s fantasy potential in this one.

5) Week 4 Injury Notes

Donald Brown – The Chargers are extremely thin at RB this week with both Ryan Mathews and Danny Woodhead out for the foreseeable future. After seeing 31 carries last week, Brown should be in line for another heavy workload this week as the Chargers take on the Jaguars. Not only does he face a defense that allowing the most rushing yards per game this season, but the Chargers are 13 point favorites and will likely employ a run-heavy game plan.

Owen Daniels – With Dennis Pitta out for the season, Daniels should see a major boost in fantasy production. Daniels didn’t do much after Pitta went down last week, but the Ravens employed a run-heavy game plan against the Browns. Look for Daniels to get more involved this week as the Ravens take on the Panthers. He should make for a solid value play at tight end this week.