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Whether due to their own play, the play of others, or injuries, players' stock increases and decreases on a weekly basis. Perhaps more than any other, the NFL is a league that experiences ups and downs at a rapid pace. With only 16 games, there’s little room for error and seemingly endless opportunities for improvement. The same goes for fantasy football; managing rosters effectively is key to winning that championship.
Throughout the season, players get hot and see an increased role while others struggle and fight to stay relevant. Experienced fantasy players know this happens every year. In this weekly column, we’ll showcase those who have taken important steps forward and those who have taken steps back.
These are the key risers and fallers heading into Week 4 of the NFL season. Dynasty owners, check out our separate Dynasty Risers/Fallers segment as well.
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Week 4 Risers
Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB, MIA)
There wasn't much in the way of surprises last week at the quarterback position. The top quarterbacks were the names you'd expect. Ryan Fitzpatrick is the one guy that's been playing well mostly under the radar. Fitzpatrick only attempted 20 passes last week, but he completed 90% of them for 160 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a third. The Dolphins won't experience positive game script like they did last Thursday that often. Fitzpatrick has legitimate gunslinger upside and is a great streaming option going forward, particularly in games where the Dolphins are facing a bad defense, but expected to lose. He is eventually going to lose his job to Tua Tagovailoa, but until that happens, Fitzpatrick is fantasy viable.
Noah Fant (TE, DEN)
There was never any question surrounding Noah Fant's talent. The biggest concerns facing him this season were quarterback play and target competition. Quarterback play remains a problem with Drew Lock out (and not very good to begin with) and either Jeff Driskel or Brett Rypien throwing him passes, but the target competition has disappeared. Fant is pretty much the last man standing with Courtland Sutton lost for the season and Jerry Jeudy banged up. Fant is averaging seven targets a game and that type of volume is invaluable at the tight end position.
Allen Robinson (WR, CHI)
The only thing shocking about Nick Foles taking over for Mitch Trubisky is that it didn't happen before Week 1. We all knew the moment Foles was signed that he was going to be the Bears' starting quarterback. For some reason, they went with Trubisky to open the year. After a truly awful pick, Matt Nagy had seen enough. Foles came in and while he's not particularly good either, he's a much better passer than Trubisky and his focus was on Allen Robinson. ARob exploded for 123 yards on 10 catches with a ridiculous touchdown he had no business scoring. With Foles presumably starting the remainder of the season, ARob is once again a WR1.
Keenan Allen (WR, LAC)
Another wide receiver that benefited from a quarterback change is Keenan Allen. It was only one week, but fantasy gamers were overall pessimistic about Allen's prospects with Tyrod Taylor under center heading into this season. He was being drafted as a WR3 and after Week 1, that looked to be too high. With Justin Herbert, an actual real quarterback taking over, Allen is back to the guy we remember with Philip Rivers. Allen has seen 29 targets in Herbert's two starts and looks every bit like a WR1.
Alvin Kamara (RB, NO)
I generally try and avoid putting obvious elite names on this list, but Alvin Kamara needs to be recognized for what he's done and what he is this season. We knew going into this season that the overall RB1 would not be Christian McCaffrey (which is not to say McCaffrey would be a bust - just that someone else would be at the very top). After three weeks, the clear frontrunner is Kamara. He's coming off a ridiculous 13 catch, 139 yard, two touchdown effort with one receiving touchdown that was a work of art. Kamara is the entire Saints' offense without Michael Thomas. He is currently the overall RB1 and should be viewed as such going forward.
Darrell Henderson (RB, LAR)
The Rams' two year hatred of Darrell Henderson may have finally come to an end last week as they were left with no choice but to use him and watch him display his abilities. Henderson ripped off 114 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown and was the clear primary back ahead of Malcolm Brown. Regardless of when Cam Akers returns, it's hard to imagine the Rams going away from Henderson while he is playing this well. Henderson is a legitimate RB1 until further notice.
Carlos Hyde (RB, SEA)
With Chris Carson going down due to a knee sprain, Carlos Hyde is going to step into the primary back role in the Seahawks' elite offense. Hyde is a pure replacement level back, but that's enough to be productive if given 15 touches, which is what we can project for Hyde in Carson's absence. Travis Homer will likely play on passing downs, but Hyde is going to be the early down and goal line back. He is an every week RB2 until Carson returns.
Week 4 Fallers
Matthew Stafford (QB, DET)
I was very high on Matthew Stafford this season after he was a top five quarterback for the first half of 2019 before getting hurt. After three weeks, things are not looking too good. Even after Kenny Golladay returned, Stafford was still unable to reach the 20 fantasy point plateau for the third consecutive game. This is despite Detroit not experiencing any positive game script yet. Stafford is hard to trust this week in a home date with the Saints and then he has a bye, which would put him at nearly the midpoint of the 2020 season without helping fantasy managers.
Jared Cook (TE, NO)
After two weeks of just a 65% snap share, Jared Cook added an ankle injury to his disappointing start to the season. Cook saw just three targets last week and now may miss time. When he returns, he may continue to rotate with Adam Trautman and Josh Hill or he may just have lost his job altogether. Cook is nearly a drop candidate.
Mike Williams (WR, LAC)
As Keenan Allen rises, Mike Williams falls. I shouldn't say falls; I should say tumbles. Williams is nothing more than a jump ball specialist, which would be great with Tyrod Taylor, who has no ability to throw timing routes, but not great for an actually talented Justin Herbert. Williams was targeted nine times in Week 1 by Taylor, but just five times in two games by Herbert. He's completely unstartable in even deep leagues.
Marquise Brown (WR, BAL)
I am ready to dismiss Hollywood Brown as a bust. He never profiled as a true alpha, but a stretch Z operating in a Lamar Jackson offense was supposed to be productive. 2020 has indicated that is far from the truth. Brown has been targeted exactly six times in all three games. He had 101 yards in Week 1, but the past two weeks have been disastrous. Brown was a non-factor in positive game script in Week 2. Then, in almost wire to wire negative game script against the Chiefs, Brown was even worse. If he can't produce in that environment, there's not much hope for him. Brown might be a sell low or the type of guy you hope snags a long touchdown next week and then you immediately try and move him.
D'Andre Swift (RB, DET)
It's about time to close the book on D'Andre Swift's rookie year. Why did the Lions even draft him? They keep drafting running backs (Kerryon Johnson, Ty Johnson, D'Andre Swift) and then signing players off the street days before a game and pushing them massive volume (Bo Scarbrough, LeGarrette Blount, Adrian Peterson). Swift is averaging four carries a game and played just 9% of the snaps last week. You can't really drop him because he is talented and the primary passing down back on a good offense, so the upside is there, but Swift is completely irrelevant while 44 year old Adrian Peterson dominates touches.
Josh Jacobs (RB, LV)
After looking like a potential league winner in Week 1, Josh Jacobs has come crashing back down to earth in Weeks 2 and 3. Jacobs is still dominating touches in the Raiders' backfield, but the problem is the matchups. Jacobs ran into the Saints and the Patriots and it doesn't get any better. Coming up, the Raiders face the Bills, Chiefs, bye, and then the Bucs. The Browns in Week 8 are Jacobs' next favorable matchup. That's a long way away for a guy that is supposed to be an RB1.
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