8 Fantasy Football Bold Predictions for Week 4: RotoBaller Staff Roundtable

October 3, 2026

RotoBaller staff's bold predictions for Week 4 of the 2026 fantasy football season. Expert start/sit predictions from RotoBaller, including George Pickens, Kalif Raymond, Josh Downs, and more.

Who doesn't love fantasy football bold predictions? In the opening month of the fantasy football season, we have seen many unexpected players deliver dominant performances and many high-end players fall well short of preseason expectations.

In this roundtable edition of bold predictions, see what RotoBaller writers have to say about Bryce Young, Kalif Raymon, Derrick Henry, Josh Downs, and more.

Below, check out these eight fantasy football bold predictions from RotoBaller staff writers Frank Ammirante, John Johnson, and Aidin Ebrahimi.

Kalif Raymond Finishes as a Top-24 WR for Week 4

Kalif Raymond might be the biggest fantasy surprise of the season so far, but it's time to stop treating it like a fluke. Ben Johnson clearly trusts him, and Raymond has rewarded that confidence with 19 catches for 214 yards and one touchdown through three games.

His best performance came Monday night against the Eagles, when Raymond caught six of seven targets for 90 yards and a touchdown. He consistently found space underneath and also showed he can create after the catch, giving Chicago a reliable option in the middle of the field.

Kalif Raymond

- Week 1: led Bears in targets and rec yds
- Week 2: 3rd on Bears in targets - more than Odunze
- Week 3: currently the Bears leading receiver

It’s time to take notice

— Michael F. Florio (@MichaelFFlorio) September 29, 2026

The most encouraging part is Raymond's role. He's operating from the slot in Johnson's offense, which is one of the most valuable spots to have because it creates opportunities for high-percentage targets and yards after the catch. Johnson has continued finding ways to get Raymond involved. That usage has translated into steady production.

At this point, I'm riding with Raymond until he gives us a reason not to. It's crazy to say, but he's become a legitimate part of the passing game. The volume is there, and Johnson keeps putting him in position to make plays.

- Frank Ammirante

Bryce Young Finishes as a Top-3 QB for Week 4

Bryce Young has an ideal setup for another spike week against the Lions. This matchup has a 51.5-point total, giving it shootout potential between two offenses capable of putting up points. If Detroit gets rolling as expected, Young should have plenty of opportunities to rack up production through the air.

Young is already QB4 in fantasy points per game through three weeks. He showed his upside with 32.4 fantasy points in Week 1. He has thrown for 939 yards with seven touchdowns this season. He's also averaging more than 40 pass attempts per game, giving him the type of volume we want when targeting a potential top-three finish.

Bryce Young plays some of his best football against Atlanta

23/36, 287 PYDS, 3 PTD, 0 INT

Young has now thrown 6 TDs through Carolina’s first 2 games. pic.twitter.com/5GF6l0oBr6

— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) September 20, 2026

Carolina could also be pushed into an aggressive game script because its defense is missing starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson. Both were placed on injured reserve this week, leaving the Panthers shorthanded against a dangerous Detroit offense. The Lions are likely to move the ball at will, creating a favorable game environment for Young to rack up fantasy points.

The matchup itself is also a smash spot. Detroit has already surrendered huge fantasy performances to Tyler Shough, Josh Allen, and Geno Smith, with Allen scoring 40.8 points and Smith reaching 26.0. The Lions have allowed more fantasy production to quarterbacks than any other team through three weeks.

I'm predicting Young to finish as a top-three fantasy quarterback in Week 4. The combination of a high total, heavy passing volume, and Detroit's struggles against quarterbacks gives him one of the highest ceilings on the slate.

- Frank Ammirante

Derrick Henry Continues His Remarkable Scoring Run

Since 1980, seven players have scored six or more rushing touchdowns in their first three games of a season. No player achieved that feat from 2006 to 2022 until Raheem Mostert did so at the start of the 2023 season.

TD NO. 2 FOR DERRICK HENRY 👑@BALvsDAL on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/6U0j4LeXns

— NFL (@NFL) September 27, 2026

Derrick Henry and Josh Allen have both done this to start the 2026 season, the first time in NFL history that two players have accomplished this during the same season.

They will be pleased to know the other five players on the list all finished the season with at least 17 rushing touchdowns. If Henry ends up scoring 17+, it would bring him even closer to Emmitt Smith's all-time rushing TD record.

I talked about my love for revenge games last week, so what if Henry has a legendary performance in his first game against his once-beloved Tennessee Titans?

If he scores a rushing hat trick (three rushing TDs), he'll become only the fourth player in NFL history to run for nine touchdowns in his first four games of a season, joining Stephen Davis (1999), Smith (1995), and the legendary Jim Brown (1958).

The Titans encourage teams to run down their throats. They have allowed the second-most rushing attempts (86) and the eighth-most rushing yards (323) so far this season.

Henry is more than motivated to face his former team. "They shipped me out," Henry initially told ESPN's Jamison Hensley, before adding, "it's always love, but it ain't going to be much love on Sunday, though."

​- Aidin Ebrahimi

George Pickens Eclipses 20 PPR Fantasy Points Against Texans Defense

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens hasn't gotten off to a great start to his 2026 season. In his first two games, he averaged under 8.0 PPR fantasy points per game. It wasn't until Week 3 that he finished with a respectable total relative to his ADP by catching seven of his 11 targets for 82 yards.

Week 4 against the Houston Texans presents a major challenge. The Texans have one of the best pass defenses in the NFL. But the Cowboys have a unique advantage of having another elite receiver on the roster in WR CeeDee Lamb. It will be difficult for Houston to shut them both down.

Dak throws it away when George Pickens had the separation for a TD. pic.twitter.com/JyP9dMytvN

— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) September 27, 2026

Pickens and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott have been close to connecting on a few big plays this season that would have changed discourse around Pickens' value markedly. At some point, you have to imagine their connection starts flourishing.

With Lamb there to draw defensive coverage away from the former Pittsburgh Steeler, Pickens should be able to make multiple big downfield catches and get into the end zone for the first time this season, finishing with an impressive statistical output and even outdoing his teammate Lamb to be the team's leading receiver.

- John Johnson

J.J. McCarthy Comes off the Bench and Leads a Scoring Drive

Bold? Very. Crazy? Maybe not.

The New York Giants shocked everyone by trading for J.J. McCarthy, and it was also a bit shocking to see the Vikings giving up on their former first-round pick after just one year as a starter despite their quarterback issues.

With Sam Darnold having won a Super Bowl and Kirk Cousins being a legitimate MVP candidate at the start of the 2026 season, there is a lot of hope for former Vikings QBs succeeding.

McCarthy, who will now wear the No. 18 shirt, will sit behind Jameis Winston initially, but it can all change as soon as this week. McCarthy has already impressed head coach John Harbaugh, brother of his former Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, and the former Ravens HC spoke about him in glowing terms.

"He had a really good practice," Harbaugh told USA Today's John Fennelly. "Seems like he picked things up we asked him to pick up really well. Was in here late, early. Studying, learning."

Winston has struggled mightily since Jaxson Dart went down, completing 25 of his 49 passes for 229 yards (4.7 yards per attempt), zero touchdowns, and an interception.

With a chance to go 3-1 with a win, the Giants might just turn to their shiny new quarterback if Winston's struggles continue.

- Aidin Ebrahimi

Jalon Daniels Outplays Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jalon Daniels is an undrafted first-year player from the University of Kansas. He worked his way up to be the second-ranked quarterback on the depth chart for his team, and after just three weeks in the 2026 NFL season, he's being called upon for his first start of pro football.

Daniels is clearly a highly unproven player. But starting QB Baker Mayfield (thumb) has not played well this season, so the bar Daniels has to beat isn't too terribly high. Mayfield injured his throwing shoulder last season and just hasn't been the same since.

VIKINGS INT 🗣️@MINvsTB on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/bXTGRshC75

— NFL (@NFL) September 27, 2026

The veteran averaged just over 200 passing yards per game in his three contests this season, throwing only two touchdowns to two interceptions and losing three fumbles. Turning the ball over two and a half times as often as getting it into the end zone through the air just isn't great.

Daniels will also likely make the Bucs receivers look better than they've looked so far this season. Mayfield's starting job could be in jeopardy if he hadn't signed a massive extension with the team this offseason. He may have pushed for a contract so hard knowing his throwing shoulder would never be the same.

- John Johnson

Jameson Williams Finishes as a Top-10 WR for Week 4

I missed on Jameson Williams last week, but I'm going right back to him against the Panthers. The matchup is simply too good to ignore, with Carolina placing starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson on injured reserve.

Williams has been quiet through three games, catching 10 passes for 127 yards without a touchdown. His longest reception is only 22 yards, which is surprising for one of the league's most dangerous deep threats. This feels like the spot where that finally changes.

Detroit-Carolina also sets up as one of the best fantasy environments on the Week 4 slate. The Lions have scored 31 points in each of their first three games, while Bryce Young enters the matchup leading the NFL with 939 passing yards. That creates legitimate shootout potential and should keep Detroit aggressive offensively.

The biggest appeal is Williams' big-play upside against a depleted secondary. Carolina is suddenly thin at corner, and Williams only needs one or two deep completions to completely change his fantasy day.

I'm boldly predicting Williams to finish as a top-10 wide receiver in Week 4. I'm looking for Jamo to finally get loose downfield, clear 100 receiving yards, and score his first touchdown of the season.

- Frank Ammirante

Josh Downs Scores 20+ PPR Fantasy Points

This is the prediction I'll be the most confident in, and there's solid reasoning behind it. Downs is the presumptive WR1 for the Colts heading into a Week 4 matchup with the Washington Commanders, who have had uninspiring play on defense against the pass this season. Downs is a good WR, though he's a slot guy.

He's an excellent separator who doesn't have the size or strength to block effectively on run plays. Thankfully, blocking doesn't matter much other than getting on the field in 2WR sets. But with WR Alec Pierce (heel) on injured reserve, Downs will get more playing time than he would otherwise.

Josh Downs Route Running. pic.twitter.com/nDEwFDKnUq

— Football Performances (@NFLPerformances) September 21, 2026

His smaller size allows him to change direction extremely quickly. It was surprising not to see him more involved in the offense when Pierce was playing -- the mostly unproductive passing offense flowed through the WR1 and top tight end, Tyler Warren.

But if Indianapolis wants to win in Week 4, they won't have a choice but to target Downs more heavily, who is already getting open at a good rate anyway. He'll have a very easy matchup. Things are falling into place for him to have a breakout.

Colts head coach Shane Steichen will have no issues with running up the score. He's fighting to keep his job for another year.

- John Johnson

You can also see the Who Should I Start tool here.

Week 4 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - George Pickens, Kalif Raymond, Josh Downs. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 4.

Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.

Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed that our 'Who Should I Start?' tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, players news, and enhanced search results with data to compare with a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!

How It Works. Each week our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.

Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do, is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circle), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.

Popular Week 4 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 4 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.

Popular Week 4 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons

Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Week 4 for George Pickens, Kalif Raymond, Josh Downs.