Week 4 of the 2023 fantasy football season featured some big surprises. Who were the big winners and losers? Which players received "A" and "F" grades?
Matt Bowen and Tristan H. Cockcroft offer their analysis, and Seth Walder provides his grades. We also asked NFL Nation reporters to answer questions about what happened in the Thursday and Sunday games.
Jump to a topic:
Ranking winners | Ranking losers
Who got an A | Who got an F
Biggest injuries and what's next
Top questions from Week 4
Ranking fantasy winners of Week 4
1. Josh Allen, QB, and Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills
Allen is on some kind of run right now, delivering three straight 20-plus-point fantasy performances capped by this 36.5 point clobbering of the rival Miami Dolphins. This one required a mere 25 pass attempts, in large part because of the Dolphins' decision to have cornerback Kader Kohou cover Diggs; Diggs scored 34.2 of his 36.0 PPR fantasy points on his six targets (out of seven total) in which Kohou was the closest defender. This quarterback-receiver duo should only keep it up as near-the-top-of-their-position performers against the Jaguars and Giants the next two weeks. -- Cockcroft
2. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
If you thought you had seen his best yet for the Niners, think again. McCaffrey scored a personal-best, and tops-overall-entering-"Sunday Night Football" 48.7 PPR fantasy points in Week 4, clobbering the Arizona Cardinals' defense for 106 yards and three scores rushing and seven catches for 71 yards and another score. He has begun his season with four straight games of 22-plus PPR fantasy points, a first for him, and is now the NFL's leader by a handy margin with his 120.0 points. -- Cockcroft
3. Justin Fields, QB, Cole Kmet, TE, and DJ Moore, WR, Chicago Bears
Two second-half turnovers dropped Fields down to 27.9 fantasy points, but this was one of his best games as a thrower that I've seen. Decisive with the ball, and attacking all three levels, Fields passed for a career-best 335 yards, with four touchdowns. And Fields' top targets made plays, as Kmet caught two touchdowns, pacing all tight ends in the early games with 27.6 PPR points. While Moore posted a season-best 27.1 PPR points, logging 131 yards receiving and a score. The Bears get Washington up next in Week 5. -- Bowen
4. De'Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
Playing 66% of the offensive snaps with 8 carries, 26 routes run and 5 targets, he scored 27.0 PPR fantasy points, thanks in large part to a pair of early rushing touchdowns that took the Bills' defense by surprise and a 55-yard fourth-quarter scamper. Achane is the real deal, even if in a time share with Raheem Mostert (and maybe soon Jeff Wilson Jr.), and might soon be leading this backfield. -- Cockcroft
5. Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Nacua delivered his best PPR fantasy point total to date (31.3) Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts thanks to his scoring a walk-off touchdown in overtime. He's now the WR4 for the season (95.5 points) and, from a historical perspective, has the most targets (52) and receptions (39) through four career games of any player in history, as well as the most PPR fantasy points by a wide receiver through that many. Cooper Kupp's prospective return will cut into that, but Nacua has established himself as an every-week fantasy force. -- Cockcroft
6. David Montgomery, RB, Detroit Lions
After missing the Week 3 game with a quad injury, Montgomery returned Thursday night to drop 31.4 PPR points on the Packers' defense. And the Lions' game plan was very telling here; get downhill with Montgomery behind a physical offensive line that can move people off the ball. He logged 32 carries in the win, finishing with 121 yards and three red zone rushing scores. Montgomery has now posted two games with 20 or more carries, and he is clearly playing the role of the lead back in Detroit ahead of rookie Jahmyr Gibbs. -- Bowen
7. Lamar Jackson, QB, and Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
Against an aggressive and attacking Cleveland defense, Jackson logged two rushing scores, and threw for two more touchdowns, as he posted 28.1 fantasy points. He has now produced 22 or more fantasy points in three straight games, with multiple rushing scores in back-to-back weeks. And the designed carries in the low red zone are easy money for Jackson managers. Plus, he found Andrews in scoring position Sunday, with the tight end catching two touchdowns on red zone concepts. Andrews finished with a season-best 25.0 PPR points here, catching all five of his targets for 80 yards. -- Bowen
8. QB C.J. Stroud, WR, and Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
I had some concerns on Stroud this week, given the matchup versus the Steelers' defense, but the rookie quarterback continued to play high-level football. Stroud logged 21.4 fantasy points in this one, finishing with two touchdowns and 306 yards passing. That makes three straight games for Stroud with multiple touchdown throws and at least 20 fantasy points. And we're also seeing the big-play ability of Collins. He caught 7 of 9 targets for 168 yards and two scores. That's good for 35.8 PPR points. With a Week 5 matchup versus the Falcons, Stroud and Collins will both elevate in the rankings. -- Bowen
9. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Things were slow going for the Eagles' offense early in Week 4, but Brown had a big say in how the team roared back during the second half, finishing with a best-from-the-1-p.m.-ET-games 38.5 PPR fantasy points. Brown routinely dominated Commanders cornerback Emmanuel Forbes in coverage, scoring 32.7 of his points on his 10 targets with Forbes the nearest defender, unsurprising for one of the game's true WR1s. Brown gets a pair of bigger tests the next two weeks against the Rams and Jets. -- Cockcroft
Ranking fantasy losers of Week 4
1. Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Burrow completed 20 of 30 attempted passes in the Week 4 loss to the Titans, but he finished with just 4.7 fantasy points and 155 yards passing, while failing to throw a touchdown for the third game this year. Yes, we can all see that Burrow's calf injury has impacted his pocket movement, but this Bengals pass game also lacks a vertical element and explosive-play ability at this stage. There should be concern here for Burrow managers, given his low-level fantasy production through four games this season, with a Week 5 matchup versus the Cardinals on deck. -- Bowen
2. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins
After the way his season had begun -- touchdowns in each of his first three games for a total of 90.2 PPR fantasy points -- Hill's 10.2-point score this week was a significant disappointment. Seeing a combination of Christian Benford, Dane Jackson and Tre'Davious White in coverage, Hill could manage only three catches on five targets, his fewest in a non-Week 18 game since... Week 3 against this same defense last year. Consider it a one-week aberration against one of the league's best defenses. -- Cockcroft
3. Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Samuel's season-low 0.6 PPR points was really unexpected when I set my Week 4 rankings. But here we are as Samuel didn't see a single target in the win over the Cardinals -- on 19 routes run -- while adding just 6 yards rushing on three carries. That's a tough day for a player who starts at the WR2 spot in most fantasy lineups. Up next for Deebo? It's a Week 5 tilt versus the Dallas defense. -- Bowen
4. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers
After missing two games with a hamstring injury, Jones returned to the lineup Thursday night versus Detroit with minimal usage and production. In a game in which Green Bay fell behind early, Jones logged just 2.4 PPR points on six offensive touches. That's brutal for your lineup to see those numbers. With a Week 5 game at Las Vegas, we expect Jones to play a much larger role in the offensive game plan, which locks him in as a midrange RB2. -- Bowen
5. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
He saw double-digit targets and scored at least 14.6 PPR fantasy points in each of his first three games, but until his 4-yard catch late in the third quarter, Olave was trending toward being shut out on the fantasy scorecard. Derek Carr's shoulder issue might've been an issue, as, although the quarterback was able to play, he wasn't nearly as comfortable airing things out to Olave as he usually would be, instead throwing 14 times (for 13 catches) to running back Alvin Kamara. Hope for better health from Carr next week, as the matchup is a tougher one on the road against the Patriots. -- Cockcroft
6. Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts
We know what you're thinking, Anthony Richardson threw for 200 yards and two scores, yet all Pittman could muster was 4.5 PPR fantasy points? Pittman caught just one of his five targets, as Richardson spread things around to eight receivers after Pittman saw at least 11 targets in each of his first three games. Fortunately, the Titans in Week 5 represent a rebound matchup for the receiver. -- Cockcroft
7. George Pickens, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
I expected much more from Pickens, given the Texans' defined coverage structure. Attack the intermediate windows versus split-safety coverage and isolate to the boundary on the backside of 3x1 sets. That works. However, Pickens caught just 3 of 7 targets for 25 yards in this one, finishing with 5.5 PPR points. And he could head into the Week 5 matchup against a tough Baltimore defense without starting quarterback Kenny Pickett (knee). Something to monitor this week. -- Bowen
8. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
The lack of rushing efficiency -- and big-play juice -- is still noticeable with Jacobs, as he averaged just 3.4 yards per carry in Sunday's loss to the Raiders. However, with a rushing score, plus a season-high eight receptions for 81 yards, he finished with 27.9 PPR points. Jacobs and the Raiders will look to find more consistent success on the ground in their Week 5 game versus the Packers at Lambeau Field. -- Bowen
Injury impact
Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
What we know: Evans left the game in the third quarter versus the Saints with a hamstring injury, and he did not return.
What's next: The Bucs head into the bye week, so we'll have to monitor the reports on Evans here. If he can't go in the Week 6 game versus the Lions, wide receivers Deven Thompkins and Trey Palmer could elevate as potential streaming options. -- Bowen
Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
What we know: Higgins injured his ribs during the third quarter versus the Titans, and he did not return to the game.
What's next: If Higgins is out for the Week 5 matchup versus the Cardinals, Tyler Boyd would elevate into the WR3 ranks. -- Bowen
Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos
What we know: Williams left in the first quarter with a hip injury and was quickly ruled out for the contest.
What's next: Jaleel McLaughlin stepped in ahead of Samaje Perine as the featured back, totaling 104 yards and a touchdown on 10 touches, and would presumably handle the bulk of the rushing work if Williams misses more time. -- Cockcroft
Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
What we know: Freiermuth injured his hamstring midway through the third quarter and was unable to return.
What's next: Darnell Washington, who had a 10-yard catch shortly before Freiermuth's departure, would step up as the Steelers' starting tight end if Freiermuth can't play in Week 5. -- Cockcroft
Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
What we know: Pickett left the game late in the third quarter versus the Texans with a knee injury, and he did not return.
What's next: If Pickett is out for the Week 6 game versus the Ravens, Mitch Trubisky would get the start for the Steelers. -- Bowen
Who earned an A from the weekend?
Josh Allen, edge, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars' pass defense struggled the first three weeks of the season. But in London, that all changed. One big reason: Allen, who sacked Desmond Ridder three times in the Jacksonville win. The advanced numbers backed up his performance, too, as Allen recorded a 36% pass rush win rate -- more than double the average for an edge rusher -- in the contest, per ESPN Analytics and NFL Next Gen Stats data. -- Walder
A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
The box score stats make him an obvious winner (see above!) on the day. But Brown -- and his blockers! -- was particularly electric on his 59-yard touchdown reception, which included 32 yards of YAC. At the time of Brown's reception, he had just a 2% chance of scoring a touchdown, per NFL Next Gen Stats numbers. -- Walder
Who earned an F from the weekend?
Kader Kohou, CB, Miami Dolphins
It's a tough assignment, going against Stefon Diggs and the Buffalo passing defense. But Kohou -- who is usually a good slot corner and has been playing outside -- allowed 112 receiving yards and three touchdowns on five receptions off six targets, according to NFL Next Gen Stats data, pretty rough. That included a missed tackle on Diggs on the receiver's 55-yard touchdown but doesn't include a 43-yard defensive pass interference penalty and a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty that were called against Kohou. -- Walder
Cincinnati Bengals' offensive line
With Joe Burrow still recovering from a calf injury, the Bengals surely hoped to protect him. They did anything but. The Bengals had a 32% pass block win rate Sunday, an awful number that is well below the team average of 56% this year. Tackle Jonah Williams and guard Alex Cappa had win rates of 64% and 67%, respectively, miles below their positional averages of 87% and 90%. -- Walder
Lingering questions from Sunday's games
Puka Nacua continues to turn heads and win contests for fantasy managers, but with Cooper Kupp's return looming in the weeks ahead, how much do you anticipate Nacua's numbers being impacted?
Nacua has a 32% target share through four weeks, which is the second-highest number in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information data. Last season, before Kupp injured his ankle in Week 10, he had a 31% target share. Something's got to give when Kupp is back, especially because Rams coach Sean McVay has said multiple times that the focus is for Kupp to "return to performance" rather than "return to play." But although Kupp is going to be the Rams' WR1 when he's back, don't expect Los Angeles to forget about Nacua. The rookie fifth-round pick might not have that same target share or workload when Kupp returns, but he'll still be worth starting every week. -- Sarah Barshop
Aaron Jones had only six touches in his first game back after missing two games with the hamstring injury. Should there be concern here, or should fantasy managers expect a big increase in touches for Jones next Monday, Oct. 9?
No real reason for concern. The Packers almost always ease guys back in when coming off an injury -- especially a soft tissue one like a hamstring. Jones played only 20 snaps. If he had been on the field for 50 snaps and had only six touches, then there'd be reason to be concerned. But Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Friday that he hopes the pitch count Jones and Christian Watson were on in their return will be lifted by the time they get to Las Vegas next Monday night. -- Rob Demovsky
This was already Joe Burrow's third game this season without a touchdown pass. Are there any signs of things turning around and this offense finding more vertical/explosive plays?
It looks bleak. Cincinnati can't muster any semblance of an offense. There is nothing to suggest the Bengals will get things turned around soon. Burrow's calf injury and its aftermath has derailed the offense, and Cincinnati doesn't seem to have the answers when it comes to scoring more points. -- Ben Baby