NFL Week 4 Recap: Immediate fantasy football takeaways from Sunday's games

Kenneth Gainwell scores twice in a surprise start: Jaylen Warren was added to the Pittsburgh Steelers injury report on Friday, and was ultimately inactive to the dismay of several fantasy managers who slept in.
Jordan Addison returns: Addison’s suspension is over, and he immediately returned to the second wide receiver spot in the Minnesota Vikings offense.
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Estimated reading time: 60 minutes

PFF's fantasy football recap focuses on player usage and stats, breaking down all the vital information you need to achieve fantasy success in 2025.

Minnesota Vikings @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Jordan Addison returns: The Vikings' wide receiver room was back to full strength with Addison’s suspension over.

Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison was suspended for the first three weeks of the season, but he was able to return this week. Minnesota released Tim Jones and signed him to the practice squad to make room for Addison on the 53-man roster. Addison has consistently played around 90% of Minnesota's offensive snaps in most games since early in his rookie season, and he was back in that role for this game. Addison averaged 14.2 fantasy points per game last season, which was typically good enough to be a fantasy starter. His fantasy value over the rest of the season will largely depend on the play of his quarterback and the quality of his opponent, but fantasy managers won’t have to worry about his playing time. He spent the first 56 minutes of the game with a modest three receptions for 33 yards, but a blown coverage led to an 81-yard reception near the end of the game, bringing him to 114 yards.

This pushed Jalen Nailor to third on the depth chart. His role was similar to last season, where he played in most, but not all, of the three-receiver sets. Adam Thielen started over Nailor, likely out of respect for the veteran, but Thielen was a clear fourth on the depth chart. Thielen’s fantasy value was minimal in the three games he played to start the season, and now, his value will be even lower. There is little reason to hold onto him in redraft leagues. Even in dynasty leagues, I would understand moving on from the 35-year-old receiver.

Jaylen Warren was a surprise inactive: Warren emerged as an every-down running back last week but was inactive this week due to injury.

Warren was among several key Steelers players who were listed on the Wednesday injury report as not injury-related. However, on Thursday, Warren was again limited, but this time due to a knee injury. Warren was listed as questionable on Friday, and it wasn’t until 8 a.m. Eastern that we found out Warren wouldn’t play, to the dismay of every fantasy manager who slept in.

Kenneth Gainwell took 69 snaps over the first three weeks compared to Kaleb Johnson‘s four, so it was no surprise that Gainwell was the Steelers' clear every-down running back. Johnson only saw the field for a few snaps at a time when Gainwell needed a break.

Gainwell should remain on fantasy rosters in most 12-team leagues as one of the handcuffs who typically plays a noteworthy amount of snaps. However, he doesn’t need to be picked up in most 10-team leagues where he’s been available. The Steelers have their bye week next week, so there should be plenty of time for Warren to recover.

This game was a good example of why Johnson can likely be dropped in most redraft leagues. Several rookie running backs are one injury away from being the starter, but in Pittsburgh, it will take two injuries for Johnson to provide fantasy value. While there is a decent chance he can earn some playing time as the season progresses, that would either make the Steelers a three-man committee or he would cut into Gainwell’s playing time. Either way, that won’t be enough playing time to be worth starting in fantasy leagues.

Darnell Washington leads the Steelers' tight end room: Pittsburgh didn’t rotate its tight ends as much as usual. Washington led the way rather than Jonnu Smith or Pat Freiermuth.

The Steelers spent the first three weeks of the season with all three of their lead tight ends playing between 40-70% of the offensive snaps. Washington has been the primary tight end in single-tight-end sets on early downs, Freiermuth was the main guy on third downs, while Smith and Freiermuth were the typical combination in two-tight-end sets.

In this game, Washington was more consistently on the field in single-tight-end sets. The Steelers largely abandoned 11 personnel, as a lot of those single-tight-end snaps occurred with a sixth offensive lineman on the field. The Steelers also didn’t have many third-and-medium or long situations. In two-tight-end sets, Washington and Smith were the most frequent combination.

It is worth noting that Smith was questionable for this game due to a hip injury, so that may have impacted his playing time. However, the Steelers also made it clear they wanted their run-blocking tight ends on the field more often. Connor Heyward, who is fourth on the depth chart, played more in this game than usual, while Freiermuth played notably less, so this wasn’t just a reaction to Smith’s injury.

There is a chance that Washington’s usage was game plan dependent. We’ve seen Arthur Smith change things up from one week to the next with his tight ends before. While we should see more of Smith and Freiermuth in future weeks, it will still be very difficult to depend on either of them in fantasy starting lineups. While I can understand rostering Smith in 12-team leagues if your normal tight end has an upcoming bye week, there is no reason to roster either in 10-team redraft leagues.

Monitor Calvin Austin III’s health: Austin suffered a shoulder injury after an early fourth-quarter reception, quickly left for the locker room and didn’t return.

Austin has spent all season as the Steelers' No. 2 wide receiver, seeing similar playing time to D.K. Metcalf. There is a large gap between their playing time and all other Steelers wide receivers. Roman Wilson had emerged as the third receiver in three-receiver sets in recent weeks, but Ben Skowronek held that job in this game.

Austin left the game after the injury and was reportedly taken in an ambulance shortly after the injury while in a sling.

Once Austin left due to his injury, Scotty Miller took over as an every-down wide receiver. Miller is the only other wide receiver who has played any offensive snaps in one- or two-receiver sets over the first three weeks. The Steelers have their bye week next week, so ideally, Austin will have enough time to recover. If Austin’s injury costs him a few weeks, we should expect Miller to be a full-time receiver for Pittsburgh.

It still would not be surprising to see the Steelers pull off a trade for Allen Lazard, who is currently fifth on the New York Jets depth chart and isn’t expected to play much when all of the New York Jets‘ wide receivers are healthy. He would likely have a larger role in this Steelers offense, with or without Austin's injury.

Miscellaneous notes

T.J. Hockenson’s playing time continues to be on the rise, as it has all season. He is a buy-low option after a low target total this week. He played over 90% of Minnesota's offensive snaps for the first time since late in the 2023 season.
Jordan Mason took the clear majority of snaps in the first half, outside of the two-minute drill. Injuries to the offensive line made it difficult for him to find much success in the run game, with one lineman out leading up to the game, and two linemen having early exits from this game.
The Vikings elevated Cam Akers from the practice squad for a second straight week with Aaron Jones on injured reserve.
Vikings third tight end Ben Yurosek was inactive due to a knee injury, leading to veteran Nick Vannett taking over as the third tight end.
Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy missed his second straight game due to an ankle injury.
The Steelers elevated Trey Sermon from the practice squad for a second straight week, but he’s only played on special teams.

Washington Commanders @ Atlanta Falcons

The Commanders adjust at wide receiver: Two of the Commanders' top three wide receivers, Terry McLaurin (quadricep) and Noah Brown (groin, knee), were inactive this week.

McLaurin and Deebo Samuel have been the Commanders' clear top two receivers, while Brown has been the third wide receiver in three-receiver sets when healthy. The Commanders tend to rotate their wide receivers more than most teams, so Jaylin Lane, Chris Moore and Luke McCaffrey have all played at least 40 snaps during the first three weeks.

Samuel was the top Commanders’ receiver remaining, and he rarely left the field on offense. The injuries caused him to rotate out less often than usual. He not only led in snaps but also in receiving production with six receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown. The veteran Moore stepped up as the No. 2 receiver, rather than either of the young receivers. Moore had played 17 snaps in two-receiver sets during the first three weeks, which was third-most on the team this season. McCaffrey and Lane split snaps in three-receiver sets. While Moore led the backup wide receivers in routes, he didn’t have a reception. In contrast, McCaffrey and Lane both caught two passes, while McCaffrey scored a touchdown.

Typically, Samuel has been the clear slot receiver when on the field, but in this game, he played less than half of his snaps out of the slot, while Lane was often the slot receiver when he was on the field.

If McLaurin and Brown continue to miss time, it’s hard to trust any of the other Commanders' receivers, outside of Samuel, given their various combinations of playing time and production.

Zach Ertz remains in a reduced role: Ertz played on 61.4% of Washington's offensive snaps, which is below his average with the team.

Ertz is a 34-year-old tight end who will be celebrating his 35th birthday before the season ends. Washington has attempted to prolong his career by limiting his playing time. Ertz averaged 66.3% of the team's offensive snaps over the 2024 season, which led to inconsistent fantasy value. He was held under 35 receiving yards and no touchdowns in seven of 17 games. He only exceeded 50 receiving yards in four games, but he scored seven touchdowns on the year to help maintain his value.

Ertz caught touchdowns in his first two games and played nearly 90% of the snaps in Week 2. John Bates missed his second-straight game due to calf and groin injuries. If anything, we should expect Ertz to play more often with Bates out. Instead, Washington has stopped using him as much in two-tight-end sets. Ertz played 22 of a possible 32 snaps in two-tight-end sets in the first two weeks. He’s been held to 10 of 35 snaps the last two weeks, while Ben Sinnott and Colson Yankoff played the majority of the snaps in two-tight-end sets.

Ertz was restricted to two receptions for 21 yards this week. It is very difficult for Ertz to accumulate several receptions in this role. He will be highly dependent on touchdowns again this year, and there is no guarantee he scores another seven touchdowns this season. It’s OK to consider dropping Ertz, especially in leagues where Harold Fannin II or Brenton Strange are available.

Monitor Darnell Mooney’s health: Mooney suffered a hamstring injury late in the first half and didn’t return.

Mooney typically plays around 95% of Atlanta's offensive snaps when healthy as the Falcons' X receiver. That was the case this week, before his injury. Mooney also missed the first week of the season with a shoulder injury.

When Mooney missed Week 1, Casey Washington played 95% of the snaps as the Falcons' X receiver. The 2024 sixth-round pick spent all of 2024 as a backup, finishing with only one reception for 14 yards over eight games. Washington caught three passes in Week 1. He missed the following two games due to injury, but he was luckily back for this game. Once Mooney left this game, Washington played nearly every offensive snap.

If Mooney misses significant time, Washington would only be worth picking up in deeper leagues. The Falcons have too many offensive weapons, so the Falcons' X receiver hasn’t received too many targets so far this season. That will likely continue to be the case, but there are some leagues in which every starting wide receiver should be rostered, in which case Washington would be the man to add to your roster.

Miscellaneous notes

The Commanders followed the same running back rotation as last week. Jeremy McNichols played 100% of the late-down and two-minute drill snaps. Chris Rodriguez Jr. was the early-down running back for the first two drives and at times over the rest of the game. Jacory Croskey-Merritt was the primary early down back starting on the third drive, as he’s done all season.
Croskey-Merritt was questionable for this game due to a knee injury. He didn’t practice on Wednesday or Thursday but was a full participant in practice on Friday.
The Commanders elevated wide receiver Tay Martin from the practice squad due to their injuries at the position. He played a few offensive snaps.
Kyle Pitts Sr. played a season-low 73.8% of Atlanta's offensive snaps because the Falcons were playing with a two-score lead for most of the second half, and they preferred their run-blocking tight end, Charlie Woerner, more in those situations.
Falcons wide receivers Casey Washington and Jamal Agnew both missed the last two weeks due to injuries, but both were able to return this week. However, KhaDarel Hodge was inactive due to a groin injury.
Atlanta’s Nathan Carter was inactive due to a hamstring injury. Usually, teams would elevate a running back to give them a third, but Atlanta decided to stick with two running backs for this game.

New Orleans Saints @ Buffalo Bills

Kendre Miller reached double-digit carries: Miller has mixed in more often each week this season.

Alvin Kamara is one of the elite receiving running backs of the last decade. His rushing efficiency has been OK in recent seasons, but he’s remained a top-10 fantasy running back, at times, thanks to his high target rate. The Saints hired Kellen Moore as their head coach this offseason, which wasn’t great news for Kamara’s fantasy value. Moore had Ezekiel Elliott, Austin Ekeler and Saquon Barkley in their primes, and all three had notably less receiving production with Moore as their playcallers compared to before and after.

Kamara averaged 12.1 PPR points per game over the first three weeks, which ranked 23rd among running backs. He had 50 carries, which ranked in the top 10, but only nine receptions, which ranked 15th. Kamara hasn’t been particularly effective in this role but has seen a lot of volume. This has left his backup, Miller, mixing in a little more often each week. Kamara has played 100% of the two-minute drill and goal-line snaps this season, but Miller has mixed in on early downs, third downs and short-yardage situations.

Kamara is still receiving a great workload for a fantasy running back and took advantage of the Bills' run defense, but Miller played even better. On the season, Miller has more yards per carry, more yards after contact per carry, twice as many avoided tackles per carry, a higher touchdown rate and a higher rate of gaining at least 10 yards on his runs. Kamara is 30 years old, while Miller is only 23. The Saints are 0-4, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see New Orleans lean more heavily on their younger back, who could be the future, rather than their older running back, who hasn’t been as effective.

Brandin Cooks becomes a full-time starter for New Orleans: Cooks played the clear majority of the snaps in both two- and three-wide receiver sets for the first time this season.

In Week 1, the Saints had an unsurprising wide receiver rotation with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed as the main wide receivers, while Cooks joined in three-wide receiver sets. Devaughn Vele was the only other wide receiver to play, mixing in a little in both two- and three-wide receiver sets. In Week 2, Vele cut into Shaheed’s playing time significantly on two-receiver sets, playing 50% of the snaps compared to Shaheed's 44.4%. Vele missed last week due to injury, but Kevin Austin Jr. ended up playing 63.2% of the snaps in two-receiver sets, in part thanks to garbage time.

The only consistent part of their two-receiver sets is that Cooks was rarely on the field, until this week. Cooks and Olave were the two receivers in two-receiver sets, while Shaheed joined in three-receiver sets. Vele was active this week after missing last week due to a hip injury, but he was simply a backup in three-receiver sets.

Cooks should only be considered an option in deep leagues, considering he only caught three passes in this game, and there is a chance Vele will mix in. However, Shaheed has consistently been off the field more than on in two-receiver sets over the last three weeks. He’s been held under 52 receiving yards in all four games after gaining at least 73 receiving yards in four of six games last season. It’s OK to release Shaheed in most redraft formats, given his slow start and limited playing time.

Monitor Joshua Palmer’s health: Palmer’s playing time was limited throughout the game after a trip to the blue medical tent.

The Bills started the season with Keon Coleman as the X receiver, Palmer as the Z and Khalil Shakir as the slot in three-receiver sets. However, they were fine using a heavy rotation of players in two-receiver sets, while Tyrell Shavers and Elijah Moore played the most snaps in two-receiver sets in the first two weeks. Palmer only played 43.3% of the snaps in Week 3, rotating out more frequently in three-receiver sets and not playing a single snap in two-receiver sets.

This week, Palmer caught a 14-yard pass on the second offensive play of the game. There were a few reports that Palmer went to the blue medical tent after this. However, he was able to return to the game a few minutes later. Palmer only played 25.4% of the offensive snaps in this game, and it’s unclear how much of that could have been injury-related and how much was by design.

Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel was active for the first time this season, giving Buffalo six wide receivers on the game day roster. Samuel rotated significantly in both two- and three-receiver sets, giving him 33.9% of the snaps in the game. While some of Palmer’s playing time could have been due to injury, at least some of it was by design, as Samuel was on the active roster.

Palmer can be dropped in most redraft leagues where he is rostered.

Jackson Hawes leads the Bills' tight end room: The Bills' fifth-round rookie played 100% of the team's offensive snaps in both two- and three-tight-end sets.

The Bills' tight end rotation was already a nightmare for fantasy purposes in 2023 and 2024, as Dalton Kincaid did not play enough offensive snaps due to Dawson Knox‘s presence. This year, Hawes has slowly but surely worked his way into the tight end rotation.

In Week 1, Knox and Kincaid both played over 50% of Buffalo's offensive snaps. Hawes played 16 total snaps. He played in both three-tight-end sets, a well as the majority of two-tight-end sets; however, he only played three of a possible 67 snaps in single-tight-end sets. In Week 2, Hawes played 35 offensive snaps, which was nearly as many as Knox and Kincaid, but Hawes played all eight snaps in garbage time. Last week, Hawes played nearly 50% of the offensive snaps. He, again, played the majority of two- and three-tight-end sets but also took eight snaps on early downs in single-tight-end sets.

This week, he went from playing the majority of the snaps in two-tight-end sets to all of them. This caused Knox and Kincaid to rotate for the rest of those snaps. He also played 14 of the 34 snaps in single-tight-end sets on early downs. This was the most among the Bills' three tight ends.

Hawes has primarily been a run-blocking tight end, but he caught a 15-yard pass this week. His 3.6 yards per route run are the most for a tight end this season. Hawes should be picked up in dynasty leagues at the very least. This has further restricted Kincaid’s routes this season. Kincaid’s fantasy value was saved this week with a 28-yard touchdown catch, but he is a sell-high candidate. It’s at least possible that Hawes earns even more playing time as the year progresses on passing downs, which would make Kincaid no longer an option for fantasy purposes.

Miscellaneous notes

Bills running back Ty Johnson remains the third-down back, but he also played five snaps outside of third downs, compared to Ray Davis‘s four. It was the second straight game where Johnson outsnapped Davis outside of Johnson’s usual passing-down work.
Saints rookie running back Devin Neal was a healthy inactive for a second straight week, while Velus Jones Jr. was the third running back on the depth chart.
Trey Palmer missed the first three weeks due to a hamstring injury, but he was a full participant in practice on Friday and wasn’t given an injury status. However, the Saints still made him inactive.
The Saints released Kevin Austin Jr. after playing 22 offensive snaps last week with Vele and Palmer out. Austin missed his only target and returned to the practice squad after being released.
The Saints also signed tight end Moliki Matavao to the 53-man roster after releasing him before last week’s game.
Juwan Johnson has seen his playing time decrease ever so slightly each week, both in terms of percentage of New Orleans' offensive snaps and total snaps. He played 89.6% of the snaps this week, which is still excellent for a tight end for fantasy purposes.

Cleveland Browns @ Detroit Lions

Monitor Cedric Tillman’s health: Tillman suffered a hamstring injury in the first half and didn’t return.

The Browns spent the first three weeks of the season with Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman as their primary wide receivers. Isaiah Bond had slowly but surely overtaken Jamari Thrash as their third receiver. Last week, Bond started taking snaps away from Jeudy and Tillman in two-receiver sets.

During the first four drives of this game, the trends from last week continue. Jerry Jeudy played 16 snaps, while Tillman played 15, Bond played 10, and Thrash played two. The team played 23 snaps, but four of them were goal-line formations with no wide receivers on the field.

After the injury, Bond and Thrash simply played more. They joined Jeudy for all three-receiver sets, while the two split time in two-receiver sets. There was a general trend of Bond playing in passing situations while Thrash played in more neutral situations. Bond led the team in receiving production with 58 receiving yards on three receptions. Bond is worth a waiver-wire pickup if the Tillman injury is serious. Even if it isn’t, it wouldn’t be surprising if Bond becomes the No. 2 wide receiver in the offense sooner rather than later, which would also make Bond a smart add.

Harold Fannin Jr. reaches new highs in snaps: Fannin played 85.1% of Cleveland's offensive snaps, beating his previous high of 72.4%.

Fannin had an excellent stat line in Week 1 with seven receptions for 63 yards. His production has declined each week, finishing with 48 yards in Week 2, 25 in Week 3 and 24 in Week 4. However, his playing time rose in a meaningful way this week.

Part of his playing time increase was simply due to an increase in two- and three-tight-end sets. This was partially due to Cedric Tillman’s injury. However, Fannin played a season-high 37.5% of the snaps in single-tight-end sets on early downs. He also played 57.1% of the snaps in single-tight-end sets on third downs. This was the first time Fannin played more in these situations than David Njoku, whose playing time was around his average this week, thanks to the increase in two- and three-tight-end sets to counteract the decrease in snaps in single-tight-end sets.

This makes Fannin a buy-low option, as he should be the Browns' top receiving tight end going forward. Njoku has been held under 40 receiving yards each week and hasn’t scored a touchdown. There might not be better options on the waiver wire in 12-team leagues, but it may be time to drop Njoku in 10-team leagues for a higher upside option or a player at a different position.

Jahmyr Gibbs remains far ahead of David Montgomery in snaps: Gibbs ran 15 times for 91 yards and a touchdown, while Montgomery ran nine times for 12 yards.

Gibbs played 52.4% of Detroit's offensive snaps compared to Montgomery's 42.5% over the first 14 weeks of last season, before Montgomery missed time due to an injury. The Lions changed offensive coordinators this offseason, and we’ve seen them change how they use the running backs.

The first change is simple: Gibbs plays more often on early downs. Gibbs is playing 61.5% of the early-down snaps this season, compared to 51.1% last season. This is leading to Gibbs taking a higher percentage of the touches. The other major change is short-yardage situations. Montgomery took 52.1% of short-yardage situations last season, but that has fallen to 38.9% this season, while Gibbs has become the primary short-yardage back.

This has been great for Gibbs’ fantasy value, but it will be much harder to start Montgomery. While he’s still capable of big nights, like his 12-carry, 151-yard and two-touchdown performance on Monday Night Football. However, there will also be weeks like this one, where he only runs around 10 times, doesn’t contribute in the passing game and doesn’t score a touchdown. It will be hard to trust Montgomery in fantasy starting lineups, particularly in weeks where he faces a strong run defense.

Miscellaneous notes

The Browns' running back rotation was very similar to last week. Quinshon Judkins was the lead back on early downs and short-yardage situations, while Jerome Ford remained the third-down back. Dylan Sampson played a little bit more this week, cutting into Ford’s playing time on early downs.
Lions backup running back Sione Vaki made his season debut last week, leaving Craig Reynolds a healthy inactive. However, Vaki suffered a groin injury and was out this week, leading Reynolds to be the third running back.
The Lions signed tight end Ross Dwelley to the 53-man roster on Wednesday with third-string tight end Shane Zylstra on injured reserve.
The Lions elevated wide receiver Jackson Meeks from the practice squad.
Quarterback Kyle Allen, rookie running back Jacob Saylors, wide receivers Meeks and Dominic Lovett, and Dwelley only played during the last five snaps of the game.

Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans

Texans continue two-man rotation at running back: While Nick Chubb started the game, Woody Marks worked in significantly, scoring two touchdowns.

The Texans started the season with Chubb as their clear lead runner, while Dare Ogunbowale was the third-down back. Dameon Pierce was the primary backup on early downs in Week 1, while Marks mixed in a little bit. Marks made progress up the depth chart in Week 2, becoming the primary backup, while Pierce has been a healthy inactive each of the last three weeks. Marks made even more progress in Week 3, as the Texans stopped using Ogunobwale on third downs.

Houston’s rotation looked similar to last week. Chubb started the game, and Marks mixed in. On most drives, both running backs played at least one snap. They seemed to rotate which of the two would play more snaps on the drive. The drives where Marks was on the field tended to last longer than the drives Chubb was on the field, leading Marks to play more offensive snaps.

Marks ended the day with more carries, more yards per carry, more receiving production and two touchdowns. Marks has generally been the more effective runner this season, averaging 2.8 yards after contact per carry, relative to Chubb's 2.2. Marks has gained at least five yards on one-third of his carries, compared to Chubb's 27.7%. While there is a chance Marks played well enough this week to be the starter next week, that is no guarantee. Regardless, Marks will be among the top waiver-wire pickups for another week, as he could be the starter sooner rather than later and potentially retain that role over the rest of the season.

Calvin Ridley sees a reduced role: Ridley did not play his usual amount of snaps, particularly in the fourth quarter.

The Titans' wide receiver rotation was predictable over the first three weeks. Ridley and Elic Ayomanor played in both two- and three-receiver sets, and Tyler Lockett joined them in three-receiver sets. Fourth-round rookie Chimere Dike has been taking significant snaps from Lockett, while Van Jefferson mixed in at times for Ayomanor. Ridley had played 87% of Tennessee's offensive snaps in two-receiver sets and 91.6% in three-receiver sets, leading to 89.1% of the overall snaps.

In the first half, Ridley only played in 19 of 27 snaps. He only ran a route on 11 of 19 pass plays. Sometimes Jefferson took Ridley’s place, and other times, Dike played on the outside. His lost snaps were largely in three-receiver sets because the Titans only ran four plays in 12 personnel. Ridley played all five snaps in the third quarter but only three of 18 snaps in the fourth quarter. It was again a mix of Dike and Jefferson replacing him on the field. It’s unclear if Ridley was benched or injured.

In contrast, Ayomanor was rotated out less often than usual. It was his first game playing over 80% of the offensive snaps. He was the team's clear target leader, even though he only brought in two passes for 44 yards. Ayomanor needs to be on fantasy rosters because if the Titans can turn their season around, Ayomanor would be a fantasy starter.

Miscellaneous notes

Houston continued with the same wide receiver rotation as last week. Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson and Christian Kirk played in most three-receiver sets, while Collins and Jayden Higgins played in most two-receiver sets.
Texans fullback Jakob Johnson was placed on injured reserve on Friday due to a hamstring injury. British Brooks took over as the primary fullback.
Houston’s wide receiver Braxton Berrios was a healthy inactive for a second straight week. He was also out due to injury the first two weeks.
Titans third-string running back Kalel Mullings landed on injured reserve on Friday due to an ankle injury. Jordan Mims was elevated from the practice squad to take his place.
Backup wide receiver Bryce Oliver missed his second straight game due to a knee injury.

Carolina Panthers @ New England Patriots

The Patriots' backfield mostly returns to normal: Patriots running backs lost three fumbles last week, leading to TreVeyon Henderson playing more last week.

New England used Rhamondre Stevenson on 65% of its offensive snaps in the first two weeks, while Henderson played 37% and Gibson played 11.5%. Those numbers were generally closer together in normal early-down situations. Stevenson played over 70% of the snaps in clear passing situations and 80% or better in short-yardage and goal-line situations. All of those numbers went out the window last week after Stevenson lost two fumbles and Gibson lost one. Henderson ended up leading the backfield in snaps as the one running back without a fumble.

This week, the distribution of snaps was similar to the first two weeks, except Gibson mixed in a little more often. The team also stopped using as many two-back sets, leading to a general decrease in snaps for the running backs. The one big difference was in short-yardage and goal-line situations. Those were the plays where Stevenson was most likely to be on the field during the first two weeks. This week, Henderson took short-yardage snaps and Gibson took the goal-line snaps. This led Henderson and Gibson to both score touchdowns.

All three running backs averaged 4.2-4.6 yards per carry and made minimal impact on the passing game. There isn’t much reason to expect a significant change to the backfield in the near future. For the time being, it will be difficult to trust any of the Patriots' running backs unless they are favorites, given the three-man rotation.

Monitor David Moore’s health: The Panthers' wide receiver suffered an elbow injury on the first play and was carted off.

Carolina started the year with Tetairoa McMillan and Xavier Legette as their starting receivers, while Hunter Renfrow joined in three-receiver sets. Jalen Coker remains on injured reserve. Legette has missed the last two games due to a hamstring injury. Last week, Moore took over as the other outside receiver, playing 56 of a possible 58 snaps during the game. Brycen Tremayne also received an increase in snaps last week, rotating with Renfrow as the slot receiver in three-receiver sets.

Tremayne took over for Moore as the outside receiver, while Renfrow occasionally mixed in during two-receiver sets. Undrafted rookie Dalevon Campbell also mixed in for three-receiver sets, taking some snaps from Renfrow, but he suffered a hamstring injury in the second quarter and didn’t return.

McMillan remains the Panthers' only wide receiver to trust. He caught four passes for 62 yards, leading the team. There is a chance Coker can become fantasy relevant once he’s able to return. Given the several injuries in the wide receiver room, the Panthers need Coker back sooner rather than later.

Miscellaneous notes

Stefon Diggs had his best game of the season with six receptions for 101 yards. His playing time was only up slightly this week, 63.3% of New England's offensive snaps. The Patriots generally used Kayshon Boutte and Diggs in three-receiver sets, while rotating Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams and DeMario Douglas in the last spot. Boutte, Diggs and Hollins all played over 50% of the snaps in two-receiver sets. Ideally, Diggs starts to play more before you place him in fantasy starting lineups.
Tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders suffered an ankle injury last week and was inactive for this game. Tommy Tremble took over as the lead tight end, finishing with five receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown.
Both running back Chuba Hubbard (calf) and Tetairoa McMillan (calf) were questionable heading into this game. However, both played their usual amount of snaps.
Trevor Etienne ran seven times for 33 yards, but this was all in garbage time. He played one of the first 56 offensive snaps and 10 of the final 13 snaps while Andy Dalton was on the field.

Los Angeles Chargers @ New York Giants

Omarion Hampton sees an elite workload: Hampton played nearly 90% of Los Angeles' offensive snaps in the first game without Najee Harris.

The Chargers placed Harris on injured reserve on Wednesday after suffering a season-ending Achilles injury last week. Los Angeles elevated Kimani Vidal from the practice squad to give the team a third running back.

Hampton’s playing time was elite for a running back. His 88.9% snap rate was the most for a running back among the first nine games of the week. Only five running backs have played a higher percentage of their team's offensive snaps in a game this season. Most of the running back rotation was in the first half, as Hampton played 25 of a possible 26 snaps in the second half.

This was also Hampton’s best game of the year. He ran 12 times for 128 yards and a touchdown and caught five passes for 37 yards. While Hampton won’t face the Giants' defense each week, he should be considered among the best running back options over the rest of the season, given his improved play and improved playing time.

Oronde Gadsden II leads the Chargers' tight end room: The fifth-round rookie tight end turned his big Week 3 into more playing time in Week 4.

The Chargers spent the first two weeks of the season rotating Will Dissly and Tyler Conklin, while Gadsden and Tucker Fisk were healthy inactives. Dissley has missed the last two weeks of the season due to a knee injury, allowing the other two tight ends to step up.

Last week, Gadsden played 25.6% of the Chargers' offensive snaps but caught five passes for 46 yards, which was more receiving production than all of the other Chargers tight ends combined over the first three weeks.

This week, Gadsden led the tight end room in snaps, playing 47.6% of the offensive snaps. Los Angeles stayed in 11 personnel for nearly the entire game, so Gadsden’s playing time was almost all from single-tight-end sets. He played 23 of the 42 snaps on early downs and six of 10 on third downs, playing ahead of Conklin in all situations. Once Dissly is back, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Chargers continue to have three active tight ends, or if Conklin becomes the healthy inactive.

Gadsden is worth a waiver-wire pickup in deeper leagues. It might take a wide receiver injury for him to consistently see targets, but it wouldn’t be surprising if one of the wide receivers misses time at some point this season.

Monitor Malik Nabers‘ health: The New York Giants‘ elite wide receiver suffered a potential season-ending injury.

Malik Nabers suffered a knee injury late in the first half and was carted to the locker room. Initial reports suggest a torn ACL, which would cost Nabers the rest of his season.

New York had the most predictable wide receiver rotation over the first three weeks. Nabers and Darius Slay ton both played over 90% of the snaps in two-receiver sets, while Nabers, Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson played at least 92% of the snaps in three-receiver sets. Beaux Collins (11), Jalin Hyatt (six) and Gunner Olszewski (one) all played very limited snaps.

After the injury, Robinson started playing consistently in two-receiver sets. This could be huge for his fantasy value, as his playing time and targets per route should both increase. Robinson only caught three passes for 14 yards, but he is someone I would try to trade for. Slayton’s playing time can’t get any higher, but he led the team in receiving in this game, catching three passes for 44 yards. He will also see an increase in target share going forward. He becomes a clear waiver-wire target. Nabers missed two games last season, and Slayton caught 14 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown in those games.

Hyatt led a two-man rotation with Collins for the third receiver spot in three-receiver sets. Neither player was targeted despite the significant playing time. Both players can be left on the waiver wire. It wouldn’t be all that surprising to see the Giants try and make a trade to help their rookie quarterback going forward.

Cam Skattebo led the Giants' two-man rotation: Skattebo ran a ridiculous 25 times but only gained 79 yards.

Tyrone Tracy was inactive due to a shoulder injury. Most teams that have three running backs on the roster with one injured would call up a running back from the practice squad. Instead, the Giants decided to risk only having two running backs on the roster.

Skattebo was the primary running back in all situations. He and Devin Singletary split snaps with eight each over the first two drives. Then, Skattebo dominated offensive snaps over the following seven drives, playing 36 snaps compared to Singletary's five. Singletary mixed in a little more over the last two drives, finishing with six snaps compared to Skattebo's 12.

Ideally, Skattebo would have seen a little more production on his 27 touches. However, Skattebo will be a must-start for as long as Tracy is out, given the Giants are willing to feed him the football so much. Skattebo could remain a must-start player even when Tracy is back.

Miscellaneous notes

The Giants' kicker Graham Gano was placed on injured reserve on Saturday due to a groin injury. They signed Younghoe Koo early last week after the Atlanta Falcons released him. However, for this week, the Giants chose to elevate Jude McAtamney from the practice squad.
KeAndre Lambert-Smith was a healthy inactive last week but was active this week with Derius Davis dealing with a knee injury.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers take one step forward and one step back at wide receiver: Mike Evans was inactive this week due to a hamstring injury, while Chris Godwin Jr. made his season debut.

Tampa Bay started the year with seemingly too many good receiving options between Evans, Godwin, Jalen McMillan and first-round rookie Emeka Egbuka. McMillan suffered a preseason injury, costing him the first half of the season, while Godwin missed the first three weeks thanks to his dislocated ankle from last season. This simplified the Buccaneers' wide receiver rotation. Evans was the X receiver, Egbuka was the Z, and Sterling Shepard played in the slot.

The Buccaneers did not ease Godwin in, as he largely returned to an every-down player in two- and three-receiver sets. Tez Johnson took a few snaps from Godwin throughout the game, leading Godwin to see a very slight decrease compared to his usual game. Egbuka remained an every-down receiver while Shepard almost always played in three-receiver sets.

Interestingly, Godwin played primarily as an outside receiver rather than in the slot in three-receiver sets like he’s used to. Godwin notably played out wide during the 2023 season, and he was held to 60.2 yards per game, his lowest mark since 2018. He played the Z-receiver role, while Egbuka moved more to Evans’ spot as the X receiver on Sunday.

This did not give a great indication of how the wide receiver rotation will look once everyone is healthy. Presumably, Shepard will go to the bench, but no one else has played a significant percentage of Tampa Bay's offensive snaps in the slot this season. Egbuka has been the most effective wide receiver on the team this season, but he has no locked-in role. It’s possible decisions will be made based on where Egbuka is playing best or who the team views as the unit's weakest links.

A.J. Dillon remains the Eagles' primary backup running back: Will Shipley returned from injury but only played three snaps.

The Eagles moved on from Kenneth Gainwell this offseason, leading Shipley to move to second on the depth chart. He took five of the 30 offensive snaps in the first half of Week 1 before suffering an oblique injury. Dillon signed with the Eagles in free agency to be their third-string running back. He took over as the primary backup in the second half of Week 1. The Eagles traded for Tank Bigsby after Week 1, suggesting Shipley’s injury could be very serious.

Bigsby has spent the last three weeks only playing special teams, including three kick returns for 82 yards this week. Shipley was a full participant in practice all week and wasn’t given an injury designation. He also returned kicks, bringing two back for 66 yards. However, on offense, Dillon played eight snaps to Shipley's three.

The backup situation won’t mean anything for fantasy purposes as long as Saquon Barkley is healthy. However, if Barkley suffers an injury in the near future, it seems like the Eagles would rotate Dillon and Shipley.

Miscellaneous notes

Eagles undrafted rookie wide receiver Darius Cooper was placed on injured reserve due to a shoulder injury. Philadelphia claimed Xavier Gipson off waivers after a brief stint with the New York Giants to take his place on the roster. However, Gipson was inactive, leaving the Eagles with only four wide receivers on the active roster.
The Eagles signed Cameron Latu to the 53-man roster on Wednesday. Latu played 11 offensive snaps over the last two weeks as a practice squad call-up.
Philadelphia made a change at backup quarterback, making Tanner McKee the backup while Sam Howell was inactive. McKee had dealt with an injury in recent weeks.
Bucky Irving was rotated out a little more often compared to usual, particularly late in the game. This was both after he lost a fumble and he caught a 72-yard touchdown pass.
Buccaneers third-string tight end Ko Kieft was placed on injured reserve earlier in the week. The Buccaneers already had four tight ends on the roster, so Devin Culp will take Kieft’s place on the gameday roster going forward.

Indianapolis Colts @ Los Angeles Rams

Kyren Williams‘ playing time falls slightly: Blake Corum’s strong play has led him to play more snaps.

Williams has been the clear lead running back over the last few seasons. Corum has been the backup, rotating in for a few drives each game. Corum had a great start to the season, averaging 7.1 yards per carry over the first three weeks. This has also led to an increase in carries each game.

The Rams largely abandoned their rotation by drive to start the game, as both running backs played multiple snaps on each of the first three drives. Williams played 16 snaps, including seven carries on the first three drives, while Corum played 12 snaps, including six carries during those drives. While Corum had been the better runner the first three weeks, Williams was the better runner to start this game. This led Williams to play 35 snaps over the rest of the game, compared to just Corum’s 10 snaps.

This was the fourth time Williams dropped below a 70% snap rate in the last three seasons. However, given how much Williams played over most of this game, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him jump back to playing over 75% of the offensive snaps next week. While those who have Williams can safely start him next week, it was interesting to see the Rams were willing to turn their backfield into a committee over the first three drives. If Corum outplays Williams again later in the season, we could see this become more of a committee over a longer period of time.

Adonai Mitchell plays with Alec Pierce out: Pierce suffered a concussion last week, leading him to be inactive for this game.

The Colts' wide receiver rotation has remained the same over the last two seasons. Pierce was their X receiver, Michael Pittman Jr. was their Z receiver, and Josh Downs joined in three-receiver sets in the slot. Whenever any of them have dealt with an injury, their 2024 second-round pick, Mitchell, has been the typical replacement. That’s what happened last week when Pierce left the game, and that’s what continued to happen this week.

Mitchell led the Colts in receiving yards, finishing with 96 from three receptions. Most of that came on a 75-yard pass, which should have resulted in a touchdown, but Mitchell lost the ball right before entering the end zone. The ball fell out of the end zone, resulting in a touchback. Mitchell was also called for offensive holding on what would have been a game-tying 53-yard touchdown run by Jonathan Taylor. Instead, the Colts ended up punting later on the drive.

Pierce will probably be back next week and back in the starting lineup. The Colts might turn to one of their other backups next time a wide receiver is injured, given Mitchell’s two critical errors. He can be set back on the waiver wire for anyone who picked him up this past week.

Miscellaneous notes

Tyler Warren played through an injury last week, leading him to play in 68.4% of Indianapolis' offensive snaps. His playing time bounced back to 88.5% of the snaps this week.
Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) and tight ends Tyler Higbee (hip) and Colby Parkinson (shoulder) were questionable for this game. All three were able to play, which led second-round rookie tight end Terrance Ferguson to be a healthy inactive, as he’s been every game that all of the tight ends have been available.
Tutu Atwell caught an 88-yard touchdown pass, but he’s become a clear fourth on the depth chart. Jordan Whittington played over 80% of snaps in three wide receiver sets compared to 31% by Atwell. Whittington and Atwell played between 55-60% of three receiver sets each over the first three weeks.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ San Francisco 49ers

Monitor Ricky Pearsall’s health: Pearsall continues to deal with a knee injury, and he wasn’t able to finish the game.

The 49ers have spent the entire calendar year dealing with multiple wide receiver injuries. Brandon Aiyuk remains out after suffering a knee injury last season, and general manager John Lynch has stated he is not close to returning. Jauan Jennings was questionable for this week due to ankle and shoulder injuries. He suffered a rib injury in this game but was able to finish the game. Pearsall was also questionable for this game due to a knee injury. Rookie Jordan Watkins has been inactive all four weeks this season. The last two have been due to a calf injury.

On the bright side, 49ers' wide receiver Demarcus Robinson missed the last three weeks due to a suspension, but he was able to return to the 53-man roster this week. He was among the active receivers, so Marquez Valdes-Scantling was a healthy inactive.

The 49ers did not have any kind of clear wide receiver rotation in this game. Pearsall played 32 of the 34 snaps in the first half as the top wide receiver. Kendrick Bourne and Jennings played 25 and 23 snaps, respectively, while Robinson took the fourth receiver spot, playing eight snaps. The 49ers had no consistent slot receiver, as no wide receiver played over 35% of the snaps out of the slot.

Pearsall was only able to play five snaps in the second half, and four snaps came early in the third quarter. This led Robinson to play significantly more snaps, and Skyy Moore also joined the receiver rotation.

The 49ers have a short week this week, playing the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. This makes it more likely that Pearsall and Jennings' injuries could impact Week 5. Anyone who has those players on their roster should have a backup plan this week.

The weekly Travis Hunter update: Hunter had his best statistical game with three receptions for 42 yards.

Jaguars wide receiver Dyami Brown was questionable due to a shoulder injury. He didn’t practice on Wednesday and was limited on Thursday and Friday. He was ultimately inactive. That didn’t impact Hunter’s playing time in two-receiver sets, but his playing time bounced back up to 95% in three-receiver sets, which was similar to Week 1. Parker Washington took over for Brown in both two- and three-receiver sets. This left Hunter running a route on 69.7% of the Jaguars' pass plays, which was better than the previous two weeks. However, part of this was the Jaguars running fewer pass plays. Hunter has consistently played 37-42 snaps on offense throughout the season.

He was targeted on 21.7% of his routes, which was right around his season average. While this game was a step in the right direction for Hunter on offense, he will either need to start playing snaps in two-receiver sets, which he hasn’t done all season, or he will need a higher target rate to be a fantasy starter.

On defense, Hunter only played nine snaps, as Montaric Brown took over as the primary third cornerback in nickel and dime defenses. Brown was a starter for Jacksonville last season but didn’t play during the first three weeks. This meant Hunter played notably less, in general, this week than in the last two weeks. It will be interesting to see what the Jaguars try to help jumpstart Hunter’s season after a relatively quiet start.

Miscellaneous notes

LeQuint Allen played more offensive snaps than Bhayshul Tuten last week because the Jaguars ran an abnormally high number of plays on third downs or in two-minute drills. Also, Tuten wasn’t 100% healthy. This week, Tuten was back ahead, as the playing time largely resembled their Week 2 snaps.
The Jaguars elevated both tight end Quintin Morris and wide receiver Austin Trammell from the practice squad.

Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs

Kareem Hunt leads the Chiefs in rushing attempts: Hunt also led the backfield in offensive snaps.

Isiah Pacheco has been the Chiefs' starting running back, but Hunt has been the primary backup, the third-down back and the short-yardage back. This week, Hunt didn’t play as much on third downs but made up for it on early downs. The Chiefs also ran an abnormally high rate of plays in short-yardage and goal-line situations, which also helped Hunt see more opportunities than Pacheco.

Pacheco ran seven times for 35 yards and caught a touchdown, making this one of his best games in recent memory. However, Pacheco has yet to run the ball more than 10 times in a game and hasn’t had more than two receptions. If Pacheco can’t get close to 15 carries in a game and isn’t used in goal-line situations, he can’t be trusted in fantasy starting lineups. It’s worth holding onto Pacheco for now, in case this good game leads to an increase in snaps.

It’s at least possible the Chiefs make a trade at running back sometime in the next month, given the lack of production from the running back room this season.

Xavier Worthy’s triumphant return: Worthy led the team in both rushing and receiving yards in the Chiefs' decisive victory.

Worthy missed nearly all of Week 1, along with Weeks 2 and 3, due to a shoulder injury. However, he was a full participant in practice all week and back in the starting lineup. His playing time was more limited than usual this week, particularly in two-receiver sets. JuJu Smith-Schuster was the only wide receiver constantly on the field, while Tyquan Thornton played notably fewer snaps this week compared to the first three weeks.

Worthy only played 30.2% of his snaps in the slot, while Smith-Schuster was the Chiefs' primary slot receiver. Hollywood Brown had been the primary slot receiver over the first three weeks. Worthy had a 16.6-yard average depth of target on his passes. That usage resembled what Kansas City tried to do with Worthy early last season. Worthy was hit-or-miss in this role last year, but he was much more successful this time around.

Worthy can get put in fantasy starting lineups again, but there is a chance he sees a decrease in targets once Rashee Rice returns from his suspension. Rice has served four games of his suspension with two games to go.

Travis Kelce plays fewer snaps: Kelce caught five passes for 48 yards but only played in 65.8% of the Chiefs’ offensive snaps.

Kelce averaged 84.4% of the snaps during the 2024 season, and that rate increased to over 90% in the Chiefs’ final two playoff games. He started in the 2025 season where he left off last regular season, playing 83.6% of the snaps in Week 1. That dropped to 76.7% over the last two weeks. While this seemed low, he also had multiple games around 77% early last season, before his playing time picked up midseason.

Kelce playing 65.8% of Kansas City’s offensive snaps was his fewest in a game since early 2023. However, part of that was not playing at the end of the game in garbage time. His 72.7% snap rate before garbage time was still the fewest snaps he’s played in a game where he was active in the last two seasons. Most notably, he only played eight of 14 snaps in single-tight-end sets on third downs. Kelce was playing 89.2% of the snaps in single-tight-end sets on third downs last season.

While five receptions for 48 yards might not feel like a high point for Kelce, this might be the right time to trade Kelce from your fantasy team. He is losing playing time to Noah Gray, and once Rashee Rice is back, Kelce will lose even more targets. He is not someone you want in your fantasy starting lineup going forward.

Isaiah Likely makes his season debut: Likely missed the first three weeks of the season due to a foot injury.

He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, a full participant in practice on Friday and officially questionable. There were reports he would play but be limited.

The Ravens used a heavy tight end rotation throughout the game. In 11 personnel, Mark Andrews played 11 snaps to Likely's 11 and Charlie Kolar‘s two before garbage time. This was relatively similar to the splits from last season, although it was very rare for Kolar to play in 11 personnel last season. In 12 personnel, the Ravens typically stuck with Andrews and Likely last season when both were healthy. While they both played the most snaps in 12 personnel at 11 and 13, respectively, Kolar played eight snaps and Zaire Mitchell-Paden played six snaps. It’s worth noting that with Patrick Ricard out, the Ravens didn’t have a 21 or 22 personnel, which is typically when Kolar would see the field. Kolar and Mitchell-Paden played throughout garbage time.

This left Andrews running a route on 24 of the 40 pass plays before garbage time, ignoring plays with penalties, while Likely played 20. Andrews was targeted on seven passes and gained 30 yards, while Likely was not targeted. It will be difficult to trust either tight end when they are off the field so often for pass plays. Presumably, Likely will play a little more going forward, while Andrews plays a little less.

Miscellaneous notes

Chiefs fourth-round rookie Jalen Royals made his offensive debut this week as the team’s fifth wide receiver. He missed the first two weeks due to injury and didn’t play an offensive snap last week. He played seven of the 66 snaps before garbage time and all seven snaps during garbage time this week.
Rookie running back Brashard Smith was similarly used more this week than in past weeks, both with a slight increase in snaps before garbage time and a significant increase during garbage time.
Lamar Jackson left the game early in the third quarter due to a right hamstring injury. Cooper Rush took over as the backup quarterback, completing nine of 13 passes.
Justice Hill played more offensive snaps than Derrick Henry this week due to the blowout loss.
The Ravens didn’t rotate their wide receivers as much as usual, as they were passing to catch up. Most notably, Rashod Bateman played 81.5% of Baltimore's offensive snaps after playing under 60% each of the last two weeks.
The Ravens signed Zaire Mitchell-Paden to the 53-man roster after elevating him from the practice squad each of the first three weeks.
Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard missed his fourth consecutive game due to a calf injury.

Chicago Bears @ Las Vegas Raiders

The Bears' wide receivers inch towards a rotation: Luther Burden III’s big Week 3 only led to a slight increase in offensive snaps this week.

Chicago used a simple wide receiver rotation in the first two weeks. Rome Odunze played 97% of Chicago's offensive snaps, D.J. Moore was the other main receiver, playing 85% of the snaps in two-receiver sets and 93.8% in three-receiver sets. Olamide Zaccheaus played 84.6% of the snaps in three-receiver sets. This left their second-round rookie taking snaps from Moore in two-receiver sets and from Moore and Zaccheaus in three-receiver sets. Chicago also used some four-receiver sets, including Burden, as well as some single-receiver sets.

That rotation shifted slightly in Week 3. Moore and Odunze both dropped to 77.8% of the snaps in two-receiver sets, leading to more snaps for both Zaccheaus and Burden III. This week, that shifted even further. Moore and Odunze both played 70.8% of the snaps in two-receiver sets, leaving Zaccheaus and Burden II both with 29.2%.

While that isn’t what people who have Burden in fantasy want to see, it’s a slight step in the right direction. Through four weeks, Burden leads the team in receptions per route and yards per route run. Moore has only scored one touchdown on the season and has been held under 50 receiving yards in three of four games. Zaccheaus hasn’t scored a touchdown yet and has been held under 50 receiving yards in all four games. It remains possible that Burden can keep eating away from the playing time of Moore and/or Zaccheaus.

Ashton Jeanty’s playing time bounces back: Jeanty gained his snaps back on passing downs, leading to his best game in the NFL.

Jeanty played 85.7% of Las Vegas' offensive snaps in Week 1, playing at least 70% of the offensive snaps in every situation. After a quiet Week 1, the Raiders restricted Jeanty’s snaps during the last two weeks. Zamir White took over as the third-down back. He split snaps with White in short-yardage and goal-line situations, and Dylan Laube took over as the two-minute drill back. This left Jeanty playing 58.1% of the snaps in those two games.

This week was very similar to Week 1, as Jeanty played 84.6% of snaps. This includes at least 80% of the snaps in every situation except for two-minute drills. White spent the first three weeks as the Raiders' primary backup, while Raheem Mostert was a healthy inactive. This week, White was inactive while Mostert was active. Mostert gained 62 yards on four carries, making it likely Mostert will remain the primary backup. Mostert was the only other running back to see the field on offense for the Raiders.

Jeanty had by far his best game, running 21 times for 138 yards and a touchdown and catching two passes for 17 yards and two touchdowns. Jeanty has been a must-start fantasy running back throughout this four-game stretch, but now it is more likely Jeanty can live up to where people drafted him in fantasy leagues.

Miscellaneous notes

Rookie tight end Colston Loveland was inactive for this game due to a hip injury. The Bears elevated Stephen Carlson from the practice squad to take his place.
Cole Kmet was the first tight end to play 100% of his team's offensive snaps in a game this season. He caught three passes for 46 yards without Loveland. We can expect Kmet’s snaps to decrease once Loveland returns.
Running back D’Andre Swift was limited in practice all week and questionable for the game due to a hip injury. This did not impact his playing time.
Michael Mayer was inactive this week due to a concussion. The Raiders signed both Albert Okwuegbunam and Carter Runyon from the practice squad to take his place.
Brock Bowers‘ playing time remains restricted, even with Mayer out. He only played 60% of Las Vegas' offensive snaps in single-tight-end sets on early downs, while Ian Thomas took the other 40%. Bowers was held to 60% or fewer snaps in those situations in five games last season; the first four weeks of the season and Week 14, when the Raiders only ran nine plays in single-tight-end sets on early downs, and Bowers played 85.1% of snaps regardless.

Green Bay Packers @ Dallas Cowboys

Monitor Miles Sanders’ health: Sanders suffered an ankle injury in the second quarter and didn’t return.

The Dallas Cowboys have opened the season with a two-man backfield, led by Javonte Williams (69.2% snap share) and Sanders (25.9%). Williams has clearly handled short-yardage work and two-minute drills, while the two rotate more evenly in standard situations. That usage pattern held in Week 4, with Williams logging 16 first-half snaps to Sanders’ seven.

Due to multiple injuries on defense, Dallas has carried only two true halfbacks on the 53-man roster. Fullback Hunter Luepke has functioned as the emergency third option. When Sanders exited with an injury, Luepke stepped in — primarily in passing situations — while Williams handled all rushing attempts for the remainder of the game.

If Sanders misses time, Jaydon Blue would likely be active for the first time this season. The fifth-round rookie has been inactive for four straight games but would step in as the Cowboys’ primary backup. If Blue performs well in that role, he could retain it even once Sanders returns. He’s worth a speculative add in deeper leagues, especially given his opportunity to carve out a role. However, while Blue has a reasonable path to overtaking Sanders, unseating Javonte Williams—who has played well as the starter—would be a much tougher climb.

The Cowboys adjust without CeeDee Lamb: Lamb missed Week 4 with an ankle injury after not practicing all week.

The Cowboys have used CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens as their primary wide receivers this season, with Jalen Tolbert serving as the WR3 and KaVontae Turpin also playing over 40% of snaps through the first three weeks. After Lamb exited with an ankle injury in Week 3, both Tolbert and Turpin saw increased usage—rotating as the second wideout in two-receiver sets and joining Pickens in three-receiver sets.

Dallas deployed the same rotation in Week 4. Ryan Flournoy also mixed in occasionally in three-wide sets when the starters needed a breather. Just like last week, the additional volume funneled toward the Cowboys’ top weapons. George Pickens had his best performance since joining Dallas, notching his first 100-yard game of the season and the second two-touchdown outing of his career. Tight end Jake Ferguson also saw increased involvement, scoring his first touchdown of the year.

If Lamb misses additional time, Tolbert and Turpin can remain on the waiver wire, but fantasy managers can more confidently start Pickens and Ferguson.

Matthew Golden slides to third on the Packers depth chart: Dontayvion Wicks finished second in snaps played among Green Bay receivers.

The Packers opened the season with Romeo Doubs locked in as one of the outside receivers, while Dontayvion Wicks and Matthew Golden rotated at the other outside spot and Jayden Reed operated out of the slot. Reed’s significant injury opened up more playing time for both Wicks and Golden, each playing at least 70% of snaps in three-receiver sets over the past three weeks.

The competition in two-receiver sets, however, has continued. Doubs has played over 75% of those snaps, solidifying his status as Green Bay’s top wideout. Wicks out-snapped Golden in Week 1, but Golden took over as the No. 2 in Weeks 2 and 3. In Week 4, Wicks reclaimed the role, logging more snaps overall.

While Wicks had the edge in usage, Golden made more of an impact statistically, catching five passes for 58 yards. Wicks didn’t record his first reception until the middle of overtime. Golden remains a speculative stash in deeper leagues. He’s difficult to trust in fantasy lineups for now, but Green Bay’s upcoming bye could give the coaching staff time to re-evaluate the rotation and shift more playing time his way.

Miscellaneous notes

The Cowboys elevated wide receiver Jalen Moreno-Cropper from the practice squad to take CeeDee Lamb’s spot on the 46-man gameday roster.
Josh Jacobs’ playing time has been very consistent all season. He’s played roughly 75% of snaps, including around 75% of early downs, 50% of third downs and close to 100% of two-minute drill, short yardage and goal line snaps. That was true this week, as well as this season as a whole. He’s among the top-10 running backs in terms of playing time this season.
Tucker Kraft has played a minimum of 86% of snaps every game this season. He is one of five tight ends averaging at least 90% of offensive snaps this season.

Table Notes

Snaps include plays called back due to penalties, including offensive holding or defensive pass interference. The other three stats have these plays removed.
Targets may differ from official NFL sources. The most likely discrepancy would be from a clear thrown-away pass, where the NFL may give the target to the nearest receiver, while this data will not.
Carries are only on designed plays. Quarterback scrambles won’t count for the total number of carries in the game.