Tuesday, November 05, 2024

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Fantasy Football Week 4 Studs & Duds

Another week has come to an end, and we move forward to week five of the fantasy football season. Unless you’re 4-0, stress is one word to describe your season thus far. Jonathan Taylor has not looked the part of a first-overall pick, Matthew Stafford isn’t trustworthy, and Geno Smith should be a waiver-wire priority.

Okay, maybe that last point is a reach. Or is it? The Seahawks quarterback put on a show against Detroit, throwing for 320 yards and two touchdowns. Add it all up, and you got yourself 31.7 PPR points from a guy who continues to outplay his predecessor Russell Wilson (who was finally fantasy-worthy against the Raiders).

But, we are not here to praise Smith or Wilson. There are two players we need to give recognition to. This is week four’s stud and dud of the week. Oh, hi T.J. Hockenson!

STUD OF THE WEEK: T.J. Hockenson, TE, DET (Proj: 10.9 PPR Pts)

The Detroit Lions headed into their matchup against the Seahawks without star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and running back DeAndre Swift. The biggest question was: who was Jared Goff going to throw to?

Well, the obvious answer was T.J. Hockenson, who has been disappointing during the first three weeks of the season. Josh Reynolds was another person to consider, as his rapport with Goff dates back to their days with the Rams.

But, the tight end from Iowa University showed out against Seattle. Projected to score almost 11 points, Hockenson had eight catches for 179 yards. Unreal. Oh, and he added two touchdowns to finish with 39.9 PPR points.

You could look at this and say Hockenson is a must-start for the rest of the season. Not so fast. It makes sense the tight end had a performance like this with all the injuries to Detroit’s offense. When St. Brown returns, Hockenson’s fantasy value dips because of the targets St. Brown receives from Goff.

Regardless, this is the time to give praise to a guy who led the NFL in fantasy points in week four. Who knows what the future holds from a fantasy standpoint? Regardless, T.J Hockenson: you are the stud of the week.

Other Studs: Josh Jacobs (34.5 pts), Mike Evans (30.3 pts), Mo Alie-Cox (26.5 pts)

Dud Of The Week: Najee Harris, RB, PIT (Proj: 16.1 PPR Pts.)

The only positive I got from Harris’s performance versus the Jets? He had a season-high 18 carries.

Now, onto the criticism. The running back has not rushed for 100 yards all season, which is alarming for those who drafted him in the early rounds of fantasy. Unlike the first three games, he did not record any receptions from Mitchell Trubisky or Kenny Pickett.

But, the struggles aren’t just on him. This is his offensive line.

Something else that is alarming? Pickett had two rushing touchdowns last week against the Jets. With the Steelers moving on to him as the starting quarterback, Harris’s fantasy value is in question. What if Pickett continues to get carries near the goal line?

Optimism says that Pickett has success in the passing game and opens up running lanes for Harris with fewer guys in the box. But, through four weeks of fantasy football, Harris has been a disappointment. This week is no exception.

Other Duds: Stefon Diggs (10.2), Christian Kirk (8.3), Trevor Lawrence (5.66)

Thank you for reading! If you want more fantasy football Studs and Duds, make sure to visit Belly Up Sports every week and follow me on Twitter! Thank you for your continuing support, and be on the lookout for more quality content! Also, check out my podcast here!