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Joe Nicely's DraftKings NFL DFS picks and lineup sleepers for the Week 4 (September 2023) Main Slate. His top daily fantasy football lineups to target for DraftKings NFL DFS contests.
Hi there, RotoBallers, and welcome back to our weekly DraftKings NFL DFS article! I appreciate you joining me in our season-long quest to find the best plays at each position for every DraftKings Main Slate.
The Week 3 Main Slate was an explosive one, as the Miami Dolphins lit up the scoreboard and the popular Vikings vs. Chargers matchup lived up to the DFS hype. I don't know that there are as many clear-cut spots in Week 4, though there are plenty of intriguing DFS plays to dig through on this slate!
This week's DraftKings lineup recommendations are based on matchups, projected DK points and ownership, overall upside/talent levels, and opportunity, as well as factors such as Vegas odds, home-field advantage, and more. There are quite a few great plays available on DK for Week 4. Also, be sure to check out our weekly FanDuel DFS lineup picks and lots of other great NFL DFS articles and NFL DFS tools to help you win big! Good luck with your DraftKings DFS lineups -- let's dominate this slate together!
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:- 2025 fantasy football rankings
- Running back (RB) fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver (WR) fantasy football rankings
- Tight end (TE) fantasy football rankings
- Quarterback (QB) fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- NFL rookie fantasy football rankings
- Best ball fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
DraftKings Quarterbacks - Week 4 DFS Picks
Josh Allen - MIA @ BUF ($8,200)
After an ugly outing in Buffalo's season-opening loss to the New York Jets, we've seen Josh Allen settle into "safe mode" over the last two weeks, as the Bills cruised to easy victories over the Raiders and Commanders. He likely won't have that luxury this week against the Miami Dolphins in a game that carries the highest projected point total on the Main Slate.
This is what happened the last time Josh Allen faced a Vic Fangio led defense. A 48-19 blowout in their house.
Allen 28/40 359 yds 2 TD 0 INT 2 rush TD
Diggs 11 rec 147 yds
Bease 8 rec 112 yds pic.twitter.com/LLwCOsqXLr— Renaissance Man (@Billsfandiehard) September 28, 2023
While the criticism of Allen's play in Week 1 was fair, let's not forget what this guy is capable of when things are clicking. The Bills superstar led the QB position in average DraftKings points per game last year (27.0) and topped 30 DK points on seven occasions in 2022 with his highest performance of last season coming against the Miami Dolphins in Week 15 when he went ham for 39.9 DK points.
Yes, this is a different year and a different Vic Fangio-led Dolphins defense. However, Miami has been nowhere near impenetrable through the air, as they've allowed 766 passing yards to opposing signal-callers across the first three weeks of the season.
Russell Wilson - DEN @ CHI ($5,800)
As Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos head into Week 4 fresh off a 70-20 spanking at the hands of the Miami Dolphins, it's hard to say that things are going great in the Mile High City. But despite the obvious struggles the Broncos have faced in Sean Payton's first year at the helm, Wilson's arrow appears to be trending back up.
FWIW
That was the best game I have graded on Russell Wilson since he became a Bronco.
Dude is balling despite the 0-3 start...
It ain't Russ!#BroncosCountry pic.twitter.com/ynzHO2r0FU
— Tim Jenkins (@TJenkinsElite) September 26, 2023
The former superstar was a dumpster fire in his first year in Denver, though it's fair to wonder how much blame goes to Wilson and how much goes to one-and-done 2022 Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett. Either way, the 34-year-old Wilson looks decidedly improved in Payton's offensive scheme.
He comes into this cake matchup against a Bears defense that's failed to stop anyone or anything averaging 21.4 DK points per game, as well as ranking inside the top 10 in the NFL in passing yards (791) and TDs (six).
MORE TOP QB PLAYS: Justin Herbert ($7,800); Kirk Cousins ($7,100)
DraftKings Running Backs - Week 4 DFS Picks
Alvin Kamara - TB @ NO ($6,100)
This feels like a good opportunity to use our opponents' tendency to fall victim to groupthink against them. The natural thought process when evaluating Alvin Kamara -- who is returning from a three-game suspension -- this week is to take a "wait and see" approach. In other words, most people will be scared to roster Kamara in Week 4 because they haven't seen him all year. I'll attempt to stand that thought process on its head on this slate by using the slogan "Why wait?" when it comes to Kamara.
Alvin Kamara back at practice today pic.twitter.com/EEu8VfLEbl
— NOF (@nofnetwork) September 27, 2023
We know who Kamara is and what he's capable of. We know that Saints running back Jamaal Williams is on IR and the remaining backs on the roster are unproven. We know that Derek Carr will likely miss this game and that the Saints will try to slow things down with mistake-prone Jameis Winston under center. We know that this is probably the cheapest we'll see Kamara on DraftKings all year. And finally, we know that the Tampa Bay Bucs are allowing a massive 4.98 yards per carry to opposing running backs, the fourth-worst mark in the NFL this season. Why wait?
D'Andre Swift - WAS @ PHI ($5,700)
The Philadelphia Eagles have seen what D’Andre Swift is capable of over the last two weeks. While we will probably continue to see more of Kenneth Gainwell -- who returned to the lineup and earned 14 carries against the Bucs in Week 3 -- than we'd like, it’s gonna be hard for the Eagles to put the toothpaste completely back in the tube with the dynamic Swift.
Gainwell will continue to have a role but as long as D’Andre Swift is healthy I don’t know how he isn’t PHI’s starting RB rest of the year. Via @NFL pic.twitter.com/YezHeheJ3Z
— Matthew Berry (@MatthewBerryTMR) September 26, 2023
He exploded for 181 total yards and a score in a spot start for Gainwell in Week 2. The former Lion followed that up by shredding the Bucs on the ground in Philly’s Monday night win, rushing for 130 yards on 16 carries.
While it wasn’t quite the 31 total opportunities he saw with Gainwell out of the lineup, his 18 looks upon Gainwell’s return in Week 3 is a good indicator that the Eagles intend to shift the lead duties to the Philly native. We can expect Swift to get a similar workload this week against the Washington Commanders, which should give him ample opportunity to blow past his $5.7k DraftKings price tag.
MORE TOP RB PLAYS: Christian McCaffrey ($9,200); Zack Moss ($6,000)
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DraftKings Wide Receivers - Week 4 DFS Picks
Keenan Allen - LV @ LAC ($7,900)
We aren’t going to sneak up on anybody with Keenan Allen this week, but it’s arguably one of those spots where we must be willing to swallow the chalk and lock in the Chargers’ star receiver despite his high ownership.
Despite being 31 years old, Keenan Allen has shown no signs of slowing down. One of best true route technicians the game has ever seen. pic.twitter.com/Z1j53zvI7m
— Kyle Lindemann (@LuckIsMadeFF) September 25, 2023
Allen’s running mate, Mike Williams, went down with a season-ending injury last week, and running back Austin Ekeler doesn’t appear to be ready to return for a Week 4 divisional clash with the Las Vegas Raiders. Their absence adds up to Allen getting all the targets he can handle against a Vegas squad that ranks 29th in the NFL in Pass Defense DVOA through the first three weeks of the season.
It’s not as if he even needs the boost. Allen comes into the week averaging 32.3 DK points per game and as the top DraftKings scorer in all of football through the first three weeks of the season. His 39 targets stand as the second-most in the NFL, while his 402 receiving yards are the third-most in the league. This is as close to a "set it and forget it" play as we get in NFL DFS.
Tank Dell - PIT @ HOU ($4,600)
I was 50/50 on whether to write up Nico Collins or Tank Dell in this article last week. Of course, I went with the "safer" Collins, while Dell exploded for 145 yards and a score against the Jacksonville Jaguars. So while maybe this is an attempt to make up for last week's mistake, Dell is still a terrific play in Week 4.
Dell has quickly displayed that he can be an impact player at the NFL level. He's formed an obvious connection with fellow Texans rookie C.J. Stroud and leads Houston with 17 targets over the last two weeks, which he's converted into an eye-popping 12 catches, 217 yards, and two TDs.
When it comes to big plays, these guys got you 😏 pic.twitter.com/2px4EYa1D6
— NFL GameDay (@NFLGameDay) September 28, 2023
His Week 4 opponent, the Pittsburgh Steelers, have been successful at accumulating sacks and turnovers, but have struggled mightily on the defensive back end. Pittsburgh ranks 28th in the NFL in both DraftKings points and receiving yards allowed to the WR position.
MORE TOP WR PLAYS: Justin Jefferson ($9,600); Davante Adams ($8,000); Ja'Marr Chase ($7,800); Tutu Atwell ($5,500)
DraftKings Tight Ends - Week 4 DFS Picks
George Kittle - ARI @ SF ($5,100)
The always-tough TE position feels especially barren in Week 4 with DFS mainstays such as Travis Kelce, Sam LaPorta, and Luke Musgrave not on the Main Slate.
In their absence, I'm willing to fire away with Niners wild man George Kittle -- one of the few at the position with true slate-breaking potential this week -- while working under the assumption that one or both of Brandon Aiyuk/Deebo Samuel will not suit up in this matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.
With Aiyuk out and Samuel banged up in Week 3, Kittle put forth his best production of the 2023 season, reeling in seven of nine targets for 90 yards against the New York Giants. We'll keep an eye on their injury status as the weekend nears, but if Kittle is given that type of volume again, he should feast against an Arizona Cardinals unit that's been destroyed by opposing tight ends and has allowed the third-most receiving yards in the NFL to the position.
George Kittle stiff arm 🦾
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/CA0mO2zLHA
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) September 22, 2023
Pat Freiermuth - PIT @ HOU ($3,400)
In the absence of easily identifiable "great plays" at the TE position on this slate, we'll start sifting through the options that simply make the most sense. Although this Pittsburgh Steelers passing "attack" has been toothless to this point, this Week 4 matchup against Houston could be a breakout spot of sorts.
Trusted tight end Pat Freiermuth leads the Steelers in red zone targets across the first three weeks of the season, which on a slate such as this is at least something. 'Muth also pulls a rather favorable matchup against a Texans defense that's allowing a chunky 8.1 yards per target to the TE position while ranking bottom-10 in the league in DraftKings points and receiving yards allowed to opposing tight ends.
Touchdown Pat Freiermuth pic.twitter.com/CuXpQu5djU
— PS Football U (@psufootballu) September 25, 2023
Though this is certainly not a smash spot, Freiermuth pulling in five for 40 while finding the end zone a couple of times is well within the range of potential outcomes this week.
MORE TOP TE PLAYS: T.J. Hockenson ($6,500); Dalton Kincaid ($3,200); Donald Parham Jr. ($2,800) *Gerald Everett has missed two practices this week with an illness. Parham would be a cash/single-entry slam dunk if Everett were to be ruled out.
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