Fantasy Football Outlook: Lamar Jackson, Rachaad White, Zay Flowers, Dallas Goedert

Arguably, the most frustrating thing in fantasy football is seeing someone in your starting lineup struggle that week. Therefore, the logic behind this article is simple – identify fantasy football lineup landmines.

These are players you’re leaning towards starting this week but could end up being a landmine that blows up and destroys your starting lineup, potentially costing you your matchup.

Brace yourself and take cover. These players could blow up in your face this week.

Fantasy Football Lineup Landmines: Week 4

Lamar Jackson (QB – BAL)

Fantasy players got a glimpse of the old Jackson against the Indianapolis Colts last week. The star quarterback had 14 rushing attempts for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson has also done well throwing the ball since Week 1, completing 71.9% of his passing attempts for 6.9 yards per attempt and 0.56 fantasy points per completion. More importantly, he has been the QB3 over the past two weeks, scoring at least 22.9 fantasy points in both contests. However, the superstar has struggled in his career against the Cleveland Browns.

Jackson has scored only one touchdown and had four interceptions over his past three matchups against the division rivals. Furthermore, the superstar has thrown under 170 yards in four consecutive matchups against the Browns. Meanwhile, fantasy players shouldn’t expect Jackson’s rushing ability to save his fantasy performance. Cleveland has given up negative rushing yards to quarterbacks this season and the fewest yards per game (7.9) last season. They have also surrendered the second-fewest total rushing yards per game this year, giving up only 52 yards per contest.

Rachaad White (RB – TB)

The second-year running back has averaged 10.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game this season. However, White has taken advantage of a poor Chicago Bears defense but otherwise struggled in 2023. He scored under six fantasy points in Week 1 and Week 3, averaging under 2.8 yards per rushing attempt in both contests. More importantly, White isn’t getting enough target volume in the passing game. Last year, he averaged 3.4 targets per game while splitting the backfield work with Leonard Fournette. The second-year player has averaged only 3.3 targets per game this season despite playing over 77% of the backfield snaps.

Unfortunately, White doesn’t belong in fantasy football lineups this week despite the featured role. The New Orleans Saints have arguably the top-run defense in the NFL. They have held running backs to only 64.7 rushing yards and 13.1 fantasy points this season, both the seventh-fewest in the league. Furthermore, the leader rusher for the Buccaneers has averaged only 47 rushing yards per game over the past six matchups against the Saints, totaling under 68 yards in every contest. According to PFF, Tampa Bay has a bottom-10 run-blocking offensive line. Meanwhile, New Orleans has a top-10 run defense.

Zay Flowers (WR – BAL)

Flowers is the clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver in Baltimore. Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman are struggling with injuries and have 16 combined targets this season. The rookie receiver has averaged 8.3 targets per game this year, seeing double digits in two contests. However, the former Boston College star has scored nine or fewer half-point PPR fantasy points in back-to-back weeks. Furthermore, Flowers is averaging 1.24 fantasy points per target this season and has seen his receiving total drop in every contest.

Meanwhile, the rookie faces the Cleveland Browns in a critical AFC North divisional matchup on Sunday. The Browns’ defense has been lights out this season, surrendering only six points per game. More importantly, they have held wide receivers to only 14.9 fantasy points per game, the fewest in the NFL. Furthermore, Cleveland has shut down opposing No. 1 wide receivers. They held Ja’Marr Chase to 6.6 fantasy points in Week 1 and DeAndre Hopkins to 6.3 last week. While George Pickens had a 71-yard touchdown in Week 2, the Browns held him to only 7.1 fantasy points outside of that blown coverage play.

Dallas Goedert (TE – PHI)

Fantasy players might have drafted Goedert as a top-five tight end this year. Unfortunately, the veteran is only the TE32 for the season, averaging 3.9 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. After earning only one target in Week 1, the former South Dakota State star has seven targets in back-to-back contests. Unfortunately, that has transitioned into fantasy production. Goedert has 11 receptions for only 62 receiving yards and 11.8 fantasy points since Week 1. By comparison, Pharaoh Brown had two receptions for 71 receiving yards and 14.1 fantasy points last week.

Goedert has a few upcoming tough matchups, starting this week against the Washington Commanders. The NFC East division rivals have held tight ends to only 3.8 fantasy points per game this season, the fifth-fewest in the NFL. They have surrendered only 58 receiving yards and zero touchdowns to the tight end position. Washington hired Jack Del Rio as their defensive coordinator in 2020. Tight ends have averaged only seven fantasy points per game against the team since they hired Del Rio. More importantly, Goedert had only six receptions for 49 receiving yards in the two matchups against the Commanders last season.