Week 4 Boom and Bust: Castoff QB Delivers Plenty of Fantasy Football Fireworks

I believe in second chances. I believe in stories of redemption.

Week 4 offered plenty of those things.

Consider the top of the quarterback board after Sunday's first window ends. Justin Fields — waived by the Bears, and the presumed backup in Pittsburgh — had a position-best 31.98 fantasy points. Baker Mayfield stood out as QB3 with 28.88 points – the same Mayfield who was shuttled from Cleveland, Carolina and Los Angeles. Sam Darnold, a Jets and Panthers castoff, was added to Minnesota as a placeholder and presumptive backup. He threw three touchdowns at Green Bay and 11 on the year, multiples in each start.

Fields gets top billing after 312 passing yards and 55 rushing yards in a 27-24 loss at Indianapolis. He accounted for three touchdowns, two on the ground and one through the air. Fields was needed to carry the offense as Naji Harris was surprisingly ineffective against a suspect rushing defense (13 carries, 19 yards).

Fields now has three rushing scores in two weeks, and he's clicking with top receiver George Pickens (7-113-0, 11 targets, one fumble lost). Every fantasy manager knows how valuable rushing quarterbacks are, and Fields has gotten better at avoiding negative plays.

Projecting fields is not an easy assignment going forward. The Steelers certainly weren't going to bench him while the team was undefeated, but a loss at least puts some doubt in everyone's mind. That said, if I ran the club, I'd stick with Fields and see what – he's 10 years younger than Russell Wilson. And I don't fear a typical Dallas defense that comes calling in Week 5.

Mayfield's season has been up and down, with an expected smash against Washington in Week 1 and disappointing returns against Detroit and Denver. But he was on point in a 33-16 rout of the Eagles, throwing for 347 yards and two touchdowns, the third on the ground. Mayfield didn't turn the ball over and only had two sacks, in a game that resembled Tampa Bay's easy win over Philadelphia in last season's playoffs.

Mayfield has plenty of help around him. Mike Evans was at the front of the line (8-94-1, 14 targets) and Chris Godwin was solid (6-69-0), though he didn't manage a touchdown. Cade Otton's 6-52-0 line is playable for tight end in 2024.

The Buccaneers look ready to tear Mayfield apart when they travel to Atlanta and New Orleans the next two weeks.

Darnold could have had a much bigger day but the game conditions worked against him. The Vikings opened a three-touchdown lead on Green Bay in the first half, which spurred second-half conservatism and capped Darnold at 28 pass attempts. Packers QB Jordan Love was a master at garbage time, orchestrating three fourth-quarter scoring drives and making the game cosmetically close, ultimately a 31-29 win for Minnesota. Love finished with 54 attempts, four touchdowns, three interceptions, 379 yards in a whirlwind of a day. Darnold easily crushes him in efficiency stats (9.8 YPA to 7.2, 123.4 rating to 83.0).

Darnold's biggest challenge will likely come next week, when the Vikings and Jets play a London game Sunday morning. New York clearly has a crappy defense, and Darnold's three seasons in New York have not been pretty. The schedule looked friendlier after that, and it helped that Jordan Addison (two scores, with one run) returned in Week 4; TJ Hockenson will eventually return, too. Throw in Justin Jefferson and Aaron Jones and this offense is overflowing with playmakers. Darnold holds Circle of Trust privileges on my clipboard.

Sorting through other Week 4 booms and busts

Nico Collins continues to ignite opposing secondaries

Collins was a target hog and an efficiency darling (12-151-1, 15 targets) as the Texans held off upset Jacksonville. Even when Tank Dale returns, Collins deserves an inflated target share. His lowest receiving yardage total in four games is 86.

De'Andre Swift is finally breaking up… on the fantasy bench 😱

Swift only started in 29% of Yahoo Leagues, which was prudent in his terrible three-game start. But Swift got his groove back against the Rams with 23 touches, 165 total yards and a touchdown. Yes, Chicago's first rushing score went to Roschon Johnson, but otherwise, Johnson was a non-factor (7-26-1 rushing, nothing in the passing game).

Jaden Reid's fantasy stock is rising with Love Back 🚀

If Love can stay healthy, Reid is headed for the moon. Reed missed just one of his targets, good for a 7-139-1 romp through the Minnesota secondary. The upcoming schedule is a daisy, with the Rams and Cardinals calling next.

Nazi Harris' slowness continues 🐢

It's a good thing Harris had three catches for 54 yards, because he didn't go anywhere on the field against the Colts — a day when Jaylen Warren didn't play and Cordarrelle Patterson left early with an ankle injury. And with Fields controlling the offense, Harris went without a touchdown for the fourth straight game.

The Bears' passing game appears to be a no-fly zone 🛑

While Swift was leading Chicago's offense, the Bears did little in the air. Caleb Williams was asked to throw just 23 passes, and while he was error-free in his game, his top downfield target was Cole Kemet (3-34-0). DJ Moore hid some touchdown deodorant, but the Chicago receiving room mustered just seven catches for 51 yards. With a good defense and an inexperienced young quarterback, the Chicago passing game looks like a temporary headache to avoid.

Quick heater

• It's strange to see the Chiefs floundering around like a mediocre offense; Patrick Mahomes game logs are frustrating to watch these days. But with Rushie Rice's unfortunate injury — that sure sounds like a season-ender — Travis Kelce is back in the game. Kelce looked like his old self in Los Angeles, amassing a 7-89-0 line. This is a huge post for any tight end in 2024. Kansas City can't soft-pedal Kelce right now, the receiver room is so barren.

• No comforting words for managers Mark Andrews and Kyle Pitts. Andrews and Pitts were the bagel twins in Week 4 — Andrews gave up his only goal while Pitts was empty in three looks. It's two straight zeroes for Andrews, while Pitts sits at 105 yards for the season. Baltimore and Atlanta offenses are rarely pass-heavy.

• After Carson Steele was sent to fumble jail, Kareem Hunt appeared in a foggy Kansas City backfield. Samjay Perine stole a goal-line carry but otherwise the offense leaned on the veteran Hunt. 17 chances (14-69 rushing, 2-16 receiving), but the volume sold and he punched in the game-deciding touchdown. Saints call next, then farewell.

• Brice Hall (10-4 rushing, 2-14 receiving) was stuck in the mud for three hours, and though the Broncos defense had something to do with it, the Jets won't commit Hall to goal-line work moving forward. Don't look back, Brees, Braylon Allen can gain on you.

• The slow Garrett Wilson liftoff has many parents — Aaron Rodgers, Nathaniel Hackett, Wilson himself. Denver CB Patrick Sartain's playbook is that he travels over the perimeter, but usually doesn't follow a key receiver in the slot (h/t, Mike Clay). The Jets need to do a better job of freeing up their primary targets. New York has scored 19, 24, 24 and 9 points in four games despite facing just one opponent with a chance to make the playoffs. It's nowhere near good enough.

• The Carolina offense is pretty simple – it's bankable to Andy Dalton, and it's a complete flush when Bryce Young returns. Diontae Johnson finally looks like a star again, Chuba Hubbard is an underrated back, and even rookie Xavier Legette is a serviceable player, though he made several rookie mistakes on Sunday. Hopefully the Panthers can stay on the periphery of the NFC South race, giving them an excuse to keep playing Dalton. Starting young would be like throwing a seven at a shuffleboard table—all the chips go down the drain.

• Shane Steichen called an RPO for Anthony Richardson after the sophomore QB left the game with a minor injury. It's coaching abuse. The irony for the Indianapolis passing game is that the receivers will theoretically be more consistent with the traveling Joe Flacco. While Michael Pittman's big day started with two Richardson downfield completions, we can see him starting more confidently in Flacco games.

• Brian Thomas Jr. is always open. Unfortunately, Trevor Lawrence is always his quarterback. Tank Bigsby looks significantly improved and is a threat for Travis Etienne. Maybe Doug Pederson is out of new ideas.

• Tasom Hill looked dominant with two rushing touchdowns before hurting his ribs. After that, the Saints went back to the Alvin Kamara show (26 touches), using him as if Kamara had planned a Halloween vacation. They need to find a second pitch in this running game. Kamara has a career high of 240 carries and has missed time in six straight seasons. He is on pace for 340 carries through four games.

• Kyle Murray's fantasy points Always on their wayBut they rarely come. QB1 that week was 1 over the Rams, but otherwise it's been QB15, QB17 and QB21. Right now, he's one of the most overrated players in fantasy football.

• Jalen Harts was a mess for three hours, but to be fair, obviously AJ Brown and Devonta Smith weren't available. I suspect most teams don't want a Week 5 bye – so soon – but this is a good time for the stumbling Eagles. We will reassess this group when they return in two weeks.

• Courtland Sutton has played this music before — Denver's passing game fell apart, but for two weeks he made up for it anyway. Things just got better with the 2023 Broncos season. Maybe Sutton's ceiling is decent, but he should have a WR3 floor most of the year. He's the only receiver Sean Payton probably believes right now.

• Speaking of design schemers, Sean McVay seems to have a thing going with Tutu Atwell — 8-175-0 over the past two weeks. Target volume will likely be modest and when the shot play doesn't click, the WR3 spec play washes out. But if you have to bet on one of the LAR replacement wideouts, this is the guy. Green Bay's secondary awaits next week, a group you can get behind.

• No one expected Jawan Jennings to go ballistic week after week, but a 3-88-0 line was a nifty validation of Jennings' skill set, even with George Kittle and Brandon Ayuk returning. I'm not going to cut him in any league; There's a lot of upside here, and an injury to any one of three different teammates could give Jennings a value spike.