Week 4 Fantasy Streamers: Top QB, TE, and DEF Picks

I won’t beat around the bush; it’s been a rough start to streaming this season. There have been a few bright spots; Hunter Henry was the TE1 last week, but all in all, it’s been mediocre, at best. I usually am not one for excuses, but one thing has stood out to me: the rostership percentage for these start-one positions is sky high. Currently, 19 quarterbacks and 18 tight ends are over 50% rostered on ESPN. Half of the teams in your league are holding onto backups, which makes the streaming life hard. We will fight through, but it does lead to some valuable advice.

If you can make a trade to get out of the streaming game, do it. There is a peacefulness to “Set it and Forget it” and this season, that could make a massive difference in making the playoffs. If you can’t trade for a weekly starter at QB or TE, it might be time for you to carry two as well. You might have to sacrifice that lottery ticket at the end of your bench and start thinking a week ahead. I am even going to add a “Week Ahead” pick to this article. Now, let’s see how this week goes.

Each week, I highlight five streaming options at QB, TE, and DEF. These players are available in at least 50% of ESPN leagues and can still provide a matchup edge. Let’s dive into this week’s picks and find you the upside you need.

Accountabilty

Am I any good at this? I’ll let the numbers speak for themselves. In this section, you’ll see how my Stream of the Week (SOTW) and Best Pick finish every week. Since I always provide five options, my Best Pick is the one that scores the most points, even if I didn’t designate it as the Stream of the Week. Essentially, Best Pick showcases what streaming is capable of.

Scores and rankings are based on PPR scoring and 4-point passing touchdowns. Although the world uses 6-point passing touchdowns, data providers prefer 4-point systems, and I am trying to keep this simple.

If you want to see my old picks, this link will take you to my past Stream of the Week articles.

Week 4 Fantasy Streamers

Quarterback

Geno Smith vs. CHI

Smith looked great last week. Smith looked terrible in Week 2. The truth is, the real Geno Smith probably falls somewhere in the middle, but this week’s opponent, the Chicago Bears, could yield some big points. Two weeks ago, Smith threw no TDs and three interceptions. Last week, it was three TDs and no interceptions. On average, the Bears are giving up 2.7 TDs and 1.3 INTs, so it’s safe to say two touchdowns and one interception is Smith’s baseline this week. If he tosses that third TD, Jared Goff had five against Chicago in Week 2, Smith will be a top-12 play again this week.

Other Options

• Carson Wentz vs. PIT (Ireland)
• Sam Darnold @ ARZ (Thursday)
• Tua Tagovailoa vs. BUF
• Bryce Young @ NE (Look-Ahead Option, gets MIA in Week 5)

Tight End

Brenton Strange @ SF

Tight end is undoubtedly where the hoarding hits hardest. Strange is a decent option, but he does not have the upside that we saw from Hunter Henry last week. The 49ers are middle of the road when it comes to points surrendered to tight ends. So far, in three games, two tight ends have scored 15+ fantasy points against them, but they also shut the position down against SEA in Week 1. Strange is nowhere near as good as Trey McBride, and he falls behind Juwan Johnson, too, the two tight ends that beat up on the 49ers. But Strange is also far better than what the Seahawks have, so a quiet 10 points feels like a solid projection. If he finds the endzone, he will be a pleasant top-10 surprise.

I want to end this section with a quick note. If David Njoku misses this game, pivot to Harold Fannin, if he’s an option. Detroit can get beaten by tight ends, and if Fannin has the field to himself, he could break out in a big way this week.

Other Options

• Harold Fannin @ DET
• Chigoziem Okonkwo @ HOU (Look-Ahead Option, gets ARZ in Week 5)
• Dalton Schultz vs. TEN
• Mason Taylor @ MIA

Defense

New England Patriots vs. CAR

I am trying a slightly different strategy with DEF/ST this week, focusing on the ST part. It is no secret that the NFL has put a focus on kick returns this season, and so far, we have seen seven return touchdowns through three weeks. To put that into perspective, there were only 19 return TDs all of last year, and we are pacing for almost 40 this season. Will it hold? I hope so, and I think it will be much easier to predict a return TD than a defensive TD. And New England already has one this year. Throw in a matchup with Carolina, which allows two turnovers and two sacks on average, plus they have already allowed a defensive TD this season, and I like our chances of seeing a DEF/ST in this game.

Other Options

• Chargers @ NYG
• Commanders @ ATL
• Colts @ LAR (Look-Ahead Option, gets LV in Week 5)
• Titans @ HOU

Be sure you’re following Ryan on Twitter! If you’re looking for more, you can find Club Fantasy’s Week 4 rankings here!