Key Starters and Tough Calls - Week 4 Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Include Chuba Hubbard, George Pickens, Jakobi Meyers

Scott Engel’s weekly Lineup Spotlights are a key weekly feature on RotoBaller.com for the 2024 fantasy football season. Every week, “The King” focuses on players to consider as starting options when you are dealing with challenging lineup decisions.

The lineup picks included in this rundown are based on Scott’s Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available in the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. Enter the promo code KING at checkout for an additional discount and access his player rankings for all formats. Plus, you will gain access to a full library of tools and analysis for in-season use.

When considering the players included here for Week 4 lineups, also consult our staff fantasy football rankings to see if they are ranked higher or lower than your other lineup choices. The skill position analysis is tied to Scott’s Week 4 PPR rankings.

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Running Backs – Fantasy Football Week 4

Chuba Hubbard

After Week 2, many fantasy players were cutting Hubbard or were ready to drop him. As Bryce Young bogged the Carolina offense down, the team’s current lead RB rushed for just 78 yards in the season's first two games. Then Andy Dalton took over in Week 3, and Hubbard resurfaced in a big way. I saw so many trade offers that involved him this week, as his window of success is not perceived to be open for very long.

Jonathan Brooks is getting closer to returning, and once he is back, it’s just a matter of time before Hubbard starts to lose at least approximately half of his workload. For now, though, after we saw him total 169 yards from scrimmage last week, the fourth-year man must remain in lineups for Week 4.

Panthers-Bengals has an Over/Under of 47 points, which is the second-highest projected total of the week on DraftKings Sportsbook. Cincinnati will roll up a good amount of points as it tries to win for the first time this season. Dalton will try his best to keep pace against his former team.

With the Panthers' offense performing well enough, Hubbard should see some open running room based on a quality passing game loosening the defense up. Plus, he will get at least a few shots to punch in a TD run from shorter range.

Carolina’s offensive line has a positive run blocking grade of 11% against the Cincinnati defensive line on Pro Football Focus for Week 4. Hubbard is a quality RB2 starter. I have him ranked just outside my top 15 at RB. I would start Hubbard over RBs such as  J.K. Dobbins, Rhamondre Stevenson, and Jerome Ford.

Zack Moss

In the same game, I am recommending Moss as an RB2/flex option. Carolina ranks 28^th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs. The Bengals, as I previously indicated, will be pumped up to earn their first win of the season. The Cincinnati offensive line has a positive pass blocking grade of 10% on PFF for Week 4, and Tee Higgins should be back in better form in his second game of the season.

2. Zack Moss @ Panthers

The Panthers rank No. 29 in rushing yards allowed per game, and over the past two weeks, Zack Moss has been on the field for over 75% of the snaps. The Panthers have also given up at least 1 rushing TD in every game so far. https://t.co/V8orsdFWqS

— Seth Diewold (@seth_diewold) September 27, 2024

Cincinnati’s passing game should be very effective in the matchup with the Panthers and can set Moss up for some goal line opportunities. Carolina ranks 24^th in FFPG allowed to QBs.

Moss has already rushed for two TDs in the first three games, and he posted a season-high 97 yards from scrimmage last week. He has played on 80 and 76% of the snaps the last two weeks, per FootballGuys, and there is clearly no real timeshare between him and Chase Brown.

Moss is not an upside play for yardage, but he has a good projected fantasy floor for Week 4. At least one TD run is possible as he finishes off scoring drives, and four or more receptions may be provided as well. The scrimmage yard production should be adequate, and I have Moss ranked No. 20 at RB this week.

Tony Pollard

Pollard started his first season with the Titans well in the season opener, as he averaged 5.1 yards per carry, totaled 94 scrimmage yards, and rushed for a TD against the Bears. He then totaled 102 scrimmage yards vs. the Jets. Last week, though, Tennessee’s running game was scripted out of the picture in a 16-point loss to the Packers and Pollard totaled just 29 yards from scrimmage.

Tennessee also will be gunning for its first victory. The Titans take on a Dolphins team that is much more beatable without Tua Tagovailoa, and Miami ranks 30^th in FFPG allowed to RBs. This is a week when Pollard can take some needed pressure off Will Levis and post quality fantasy totals. He is ranked just outside my top 20 at RB for Week 4.

Wide Receivers – Fantasy Football Week 4

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

I have been peppered with questions about starting “JSN” in Week 4. He shined in a breakout game in Week 2, catching 12 passes for 117 yards. That was the kind of performance fantasy leaguers have been anticipating since Seattle drafted Smith-Njigba in the first round last year.

In Week 3, JSN sank to three receptions for 39 yards, and now fantasy players don't know which version of him we will see against the Lions on Monday night. Smith-Njigba may be up and down this season, as he will share a lot of targets with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, who is not ready to fade away.

This week, however, we will see a higher-scoring game against Detroit, which ranks 30^th in FFPG allowed to WRs. Geno Smith will get Smith-Njigba back into the offensive flow as the Lions try to hold down Metcalf, and their secondary just can’t cover all the Seattle WRs. I rank JSN inside my top 20 WRs for Week 4.

George Pickens

The Steelers are undefeated after three weeks, but their perfect record is certainly not due to their passing game, which ranks 29^th in the NFL. Only New England and Denver have fewer TD passes than Pittsburgh’s total of two.

George Pickens o51.5 Rec YDS -125
(Win 0.5u at DraftKings)

Pickens in an indoor game against one of the worst defenses in the NFL?

Sounds like a spike week to me. pic.twitter.com/mscQRYyenl

— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) September 27, 2024

Pickens, who is the Steelers’ unrivaled No. 1 WR, has naturally seen his production wane, mostly over the last two weeks (seven receptions. 86 yards, no TDs). Justin Fields is progressively becoming more comfortable as a starting QB, though, and can find his No. 1 WR often this week.

The Colts rank 25^th in FFPG allowed to WRs, and Pickens has an 85.0 WR/CB matchup grade against the Indianapolis corners, which is just a shade below “Excellent” on Pro Football Focus. You can start Pickens as a fantasy WR3 in Week 4.

Jakobi Meyers

Davante Adams is out with a hamstring injury, pushing Meyers into an apparent No. 1 WR for this week’s matchup against Cleveland. Will Meyers take advantage of an expanded role? Or will he not be able to deliver sufficient production when asked to operate as a top target?

Cleveland’s pass defense has not been as stingy as expected, ranking 19^th in FFPG allowed to WRs. Meyers has a 51.3 WR/CB grade against the Browns' corners, which is regarded as Average. Adams failed to crack 60 receiving yards in two of three games this season.

Despite the matchup not being adverse, I cannot envision Meyers faring much better than Adams would as a WR1 for Las Vegas this week. I have Meyers ranked at the back end of the fantasy WR3 range.

Quarterback And Tight End – Fantasy Football Week 4

Geno Smith

Seattle has the second-lowest offensive line pass blocking grade on PFF for Week 4. But other key factors point to Smith being deservedly ranked as a top 12 fantasy QB this week. The Detroit pass defense has allowed the third-most FFPG to WRs and will be overmatched against Seattle’s premier trio of pass-catchers.

Geno Smith could be in line for a strong performance against Detroit's man coverage

Smith ranks 5th in EPA/play against man coverage, which bodes well for him vs a Lions defense that ranks 3rd in man coverage rate. pic.twitter.com/bQLDRflp5b

— PFF SEA Seahawks (@PFF_Seahawks) September 28, 2024

In his last two matchups with the Lions in the past two seasons, Smith has passed for 320-plus yards and two TDs in each game. I am expecting a higher-scoring game between Seattle and Detroit, and Smith should be a good Week 4 fantasy QB streamer.

Cole Kmet

Last week, Kmet busted out for 10 receptions on 11 targets and 97 receiving yards. Keenan Allen was out, and the Chicago TE stepped forward to help fill the void. He was quiet in the first two weeks of the season, and with Allen possibly returning this week, fantasy players may be concerned that Kmet won’t be able to build on the Week 3 outing.

The tight end position has been so desolate, though, that you should still consider starting Kmet as a top 10 fantasy TE against the injury-depleted Rams. Los Angeles ranks 28^th in FFPG allowed to TEs. Kmet has the fourth-best fantasy TE advantage ranking on PFF for Week 4.

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