Week 4 is upon us and we can now identify the trends created in the 2024 NFL season to help us determine the right players to add to our daily fantasy sports (DFS) lineups. We have noticed that the run game has taken over the football landscape like a zombie virus in a lousy movie. Does that mean we shouldn’t stack our quarterbacks? No, not at all. Instead, we need to correctly identify the right play for our lineups to ensure we can create leverage against our opponents.
Our stacks do not stop there, though. This week, you can stack multiple weapons in an offense, a running back with a defense and plenty more. Let’s break down all the essential information to help you break the slate in Week 4.
NFL DFS Stacking Advice & Picks (Week 4)
Justin Fields (QB – PIT) + George Pickens (WR – PIT)
A mobile quarterback always elevates your lineups. Justin Fields hasn’t run as much this year as he has as in years past, but he still has that asset to his game. Fields has recorded six or more rushing attempts in each game this season. He has also produced 25+ rushing yards in two out of three contests and scored on the ground last week for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The most significant component of Fields’ game that excites us is his passing game. We are watching Fields keep the ball safe this season and avoid multiple turnovers like last season. His passing numbers haven’t jumped off the page, but that is where his opponent will come into play.
This week, the Steelers face the Indianapolis Colts. This Colts defense has allowed the 12th-most passing yards and is tied for the fourth-most passing touchdowns allowed. If we were to see a breakout game from Fields, this week would be it.
We want to pair Fields with George Pickens this week. Pickens is the only wide receiver and pass-catching option on this team considered a playmaker. His alpha wide receiver role allows him to become hyper-targeted each game. Pickens has seen seven targets in two of the three games and has a total yards per catch of 11.4+ in all three contests.
His opponents also struggle to stop wide receivers during their matchups. The Colts’ defense allows the eighth-most receptions to wide receivers while also relinquishing the 10th-most yards to the position. The four touchdowns allowed to wide receivers are tied for the fourth-most in this NFL season.
The Colts love to run Cover 3 as they have the fifth-highest percentage of this coverage used this season. Pickens has a 24th overall win rate against this coverage this season. That number is misleading because win rate totals are broken down for any player who played against it. So, in conclusion, we are adding players who had one route against this coverage, whereas Pickens has 22 routes against Cover 3.
Jakobi Meyers (WR – LV) + Brock Bowers (TE – LV)
Davante Adams is missing Week 4 due to injury. This injury makes the Raiders hyper-fixated on only a few players within their offensive scheme. Brock Bowers will likely elevate to the pseudo-No. 1 WR of this offense. Bowers has seen eight or more targets in two out of three games this season. Gardner Minshew trusts his rookie tight end and we should expect a higher target share in a position that has struggled all season. Remember, we want players who can break the century mark for receiving yards when we target tight ends. No one has a better chance of that than Bowers this week. Our only warning is that he has struggled during Cover 1 this season, which is what the Browns love to play, but don’t shy away from a superstar player because of one statistic.
Jakobi Meyers will elevate to the true X receiver in this offense. Meyers is coming off a strong Week 3, where he saw nine targets and created seven receptions for 62 yards. Meyers has recorded over 60 yards in two of his three matchups and the Raiders will need to utilize his talents even more this weekend. It may not be the “sexy” play, but the right play puts money in our pockets, not the flash of the name.
BONUS ALERT
GPP players may want to target Tre Tucker (WR – LV). His rostership should stay low this weekend and targeting the second wide receiver in a game creates leverage that helps you break the slate. Tucker also saw nine targets last week for seven receptions and 96 yards. He is electrifying when on the field and should see his highest snap percentage this week.
Saquon Barkley (RB – PHI) + Chris Godwin (WR – TB)
Saquon Barkley is a simple play when you follow the rule that volume is king for running backs. Barkley’s lowest rushing attempt total was 17 last week. He still produced 147 yards and two touchdowns. Barkley has also recorded four receptions in each of his previous two games. The Buccaneers are tied for the fourth-most touchdowns allowed to the running back position. They also allow the most receptions and receiving yards to the running back position. The Buccaneers are allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game to the running back position. Barkley is ready to take advantage of that as the Eagles try to win with an injured and weakened wide receiver group.
Chris Godwin can blow up this week against a weak passing defense. Although the Eagles had a strong Week 3, they still are one of the worst statistical passing defenses in the NFL for 2024. The Eagles have allowed the third-most touchdowns to the wide receiver position this season. When we combine that opportunity with Godwin’s 8.3 targets per game this season, we have a player who can dominate receptions and yardage, and even fall into the end zone. The Eagles-Buccaneers game is projected for 43 total points and should allow us to dominate the DFS slates.
Remember to read all the fantastic work here at FantasyPros. If you ever need to reach out for more help with your DFS lineups, don’t hesitate to contact me over on X at @jpep20. Good luck in Week 4.
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