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Scott Engel features fantasy football lineup starts/sits for Week 4 (2025). He focuses on key NFL players to start when faced with tight Week 4 fantasy football lineup decisions.
Welcome again to our Key Starters and Tough Calls feature for Week 4 of the 2025 season. Scott Engel's Week 4 Lineup Spotlights column showcases significant players to start or sit when faced with tough lineup choices. "The King" focuses on starting options that could be causing fantasy anxiety.
The fantasy football players included in this Week 4 article are based on Scott's Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. You can unlock his full player rankings and also gain access to a complete suite of tools and analysis for in-season reference. In Week 2, Scott finished as a top 10 ranker on FantasyPros and placed third overall at tight end.
To make the most ideal Week 4 lineup decisions, consult this analysis, the RotoBaller staff fantasy football rankings, and the free Who Should I Start tool for comparing up to four players. The skill position analysis here is based on Scott's Week 4 premium PPR rankings.
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Running Backs - Fantasy Football Week 4
Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings
We have featured Mason in this space already in previous weeks. Now, however, the question is not whether to start Mason, but rather who to start him over? How high should he actually be ranked for this week?
It’s not crazy whatsoever to rank Mason as a Top 10 Fantasy Football RB for Week 4 in my view, and I put him exactly at No. 10. He rushed for 118 yards and two TDs in Week 3 vs. Cincinnati, and now takes on a Pittsburgh defense that has been struggling to stop the run. The Steelers rank 27th in rushing defense after three weeks.
Pro Football Focus grades Mason’s matchup against Pittsburgh as the fifth-best for any RB in NFL Week 4. We may get a low-scoring game between the Steelers and Vikings, yet I will project over 100 yards rushing and a TD for Mason in what could be a 20-14 type of win. For this week, I have Mason ranked ahead of Bucky Irving, Kyren Williams, Ashton Jeanty, and Travis Etienne. Only the usual must-start RBs should be played over him in most instances.
J.K. Dobbins has Been a "Real Good Addition" for Broncos https://t.co/jqsnbjFClV
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 25, 2025
J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos
For Dobbins this week, the important question is also not whether to put him into the lineup or not, but who would you bench for him? The matchup vs. Cincinnati obviously makes him a very tempting starter for Week 4. The Bengals rank 25th in the league at 25.5 points per game and have looked even more suspect since Joe Burrow went down.
Without Burrow guiding the offense, the Cincinnati defense is more vulnerable to staying on the field for extended periods and becoming overworked. The matchup is great for Dobbins, yet we also cannot mark him as a must-start over more proven high-level producers such as Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley. Those sorts of fantasy standouts can rebound to show off their best form in any matchup.
Matchups should not be used to purely play one player over another, but to make decisions between players of close value. Dobbins is a fine one-week option because of who he faces, so he does rank in my top 15 at RB this week. I would start him over alternatives such as Quinshon Judkins or Javonte Williams, but don’t overreact to the matchup, either, and play him over one of your prime regulars.
David Montgomery, Detroit Lions
Here we have a different kind of dilemma, where a player is coming off a great game. His matchup, though, looks quite daunting. In cases like these, we must consider the player himself and whether he qualifies as a “must start” who should be in the lineup regardless of the matchup.
Montgomery is coming off a terrific performance against Baltimore, rushing for 151 yards and two TDs. The Ravens defense, however, is no longer performing like a unit to fear, and this week’s draw against the Browns certainly raises concerns about a dud performance to follow last week’s outburst.
Cleveland’s defense is the best in the league against the run so far this season, allowing only 57.3 rushing yards per game with one TD surrendered. Montgomery’s fantasy value is heavily derived from his TD promise, and he rushed for a total of just 82 yards in the first two weeks. Consider reserving Montgomery in close lineup decisions in Week 4.
Drake London's Heavy Involvement Keeps Him in WR1 Territory https://t.co/JhGDIQthi6
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 27, 2025
Wide Receivers - Fantasy Football Week 4
Drake London, Atlanta Falcons
Those who drafted London this season, likely in the second round, are seeing their frustrations build. He hasn’t reached 60 yards in a game or caught a TD pass so far this year. Last week, when the Falcons were shut out in a 30-point loss at Carolina, London finished with just 55 receiving yards.
After such an embarrassing defeat, Atlanta should come out fired up to take on a Commanders team that is dealing with major injuries on offense. The Falcons’ defense played very well against Minnesota two weeks ago and can bounce back at home. A good defensive outing will translate into a favorable atmosphere for the offense, which should control time of possession and enjoy good field position.
Bijan Robinson can’t continue to be the singularly consistent offensive threat for Atlanta. For Michael Penix Jr. to get rolling, he must get the ball to his best pass-catcher more often. Against Washington, which ranks 25th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to WRs, London will deliver at least satisfactory fantasy totals in Week 4.
Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers
With each passing week in 2025, Johnston is actually turning fantasy skeptics into bigger believers. One of those is me, who I actually traded for recently when losing CeeDee Lamb. In his third season, the former first-round pick is starting to tap into his fantasy potential more.
In the first two games of the season, Johnston caught three TD passes and was targeted 14 times. In Week 3, he was targeted 10 times and caught six passes for 89 yards. Despite the presence of Ladd McConkey and Keenan Allen in the Chargers' offense, Johnston is establishing himself as a favored bigger-play target for Justin Herbert.
Consistency may be an issue for Johnston over the course of a full season, as he must become a more established possession receiver. Plus, we have not seen him reach the 100-yard mark yet this year. But he does have an ideal matchup for another good week against the Giants. New York ranks 28th in pass defense after three games. Lock Johnston in as a fantasy WR3 this week.
Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers
The Packers get a prime matchup for fantasy purposes against the Cowboys. Dallas easily fields the worst pass defense in the league, allowing 288 yards per game. The second-worst pass defense, which is Baltimore, allows 266.3 passing yards per game.
Dallas has also allowed seven TD passes in three games, which is the second-most in the NFL. Only Chicago has allowed more. Jordan Love is surely a top-10 fantasy QB for NFL Week 4. His wide receivers, however, tend to fluctuate in fantasy output, and it’s never easy to pinpoint the right one that will provide the best output for the week.
With Jayden Reed out, Doubs is my preferred pick to function as the most productive Packers WR in Week 4. The fourth-year man has a good on-field rapport with Love, and he can be a frequent TD threat, as evidenced by his eight TD receptions in 2023. Start Doubs as a streamer if one is needed, or as a replacement for an injured WR.
Quarterback and Tight End - Fantasy Football Week 4
Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
Smith is annually regarded as a fantasy QB2 because of his inconsistency. While he is certainly capable of providing spike weeks, rostering Smith is a roller-coaster that fantasy players in superflex leagues are all too familiar with. “Stop this QB ride. I want to get off.”
The weekly QB finishes for Smith so far this season have continued to illustrate the wide range of outcomes. He finished as QB15, QB31, and QB4 in the first three games. Smith has no real floor, but a game where he reaches his ceiling is occasionally possible.
This will be a good week to consider starting Smith in a one-QB league if you lost Burrow or will be without Jayden Daniels. Las Vegas vs. Chicago might be one of the highest-scoring games of the week, and I have already indicated that the Bears lead the league in TD passes allowed (eight). Chicago also ranks 27th in passing yards allowed.
Harold Fannin Jr. a Solid TE2 in Week 4 https://t.co/qOIUlNR0BN
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 26, 2025
Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns
Fannin was one of the most sought-after waiver wire adds very early in the season. But after totaling only 73 receiving yards in the last two games, you might find him on the free agent list again. Pick Fannin up if you can and consider starting him as a back-end Fantasy TE1 this week.
The Lions rank 28th in FFPG allowed to TEs so far this season. After Fanning faces Detroit, he might become a hot fantasy add again. As the season progresses, his upside will become increasingly apparent. Add Fannin now before a quality performance and get ahead of the waiver pack in your league. Fannin can line up at various spots and may become one of the top pass-catchers for Cleveland this season.
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