We had some big hits last week on FLEX Finder (Bhayshul Tuten! Jake Ferguson! Tyquan Thornton!) and we also recommended Cade Otton, who didn’t have a target, and Zach Charbonnet, who notably did not play. This is not the zone you go to for guaranteed production, is I guess what I should say every week.
Once again, my rules for this weekly article:
1) I will not recommend quarterbacks — you’re on your own there.
2) I will not recommend any running back who costs more than $5,000, wideout who costs more than $4,500, or tight end that costs more than $4,000 in DraftKings’ DFS Slate — I just figured this was an easy cutoff for what a FLEX really is.
3) I consider any player who garners over 50 yards or scores a victory for the column — anything more you get out of that, well, great for you. Let’s set expectations low because we are combing for outliers.
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▶ Running Backs
Zach Charbonnet, SEA — $4,800
This time it’s personal. Charbonnet is practicing in full ahead of Thursday night against the Cardinals. One of my favorite under-discussed effects is how TNF is often a spot where teams go deeper into their rotations and give their main players a break. Now, I don’t think Charbonnet is a true backup anyway, but I do think the Seahawks will be incentivized to take it easy on Kenneth Walker after Sunday’s workload.
Arizona’s defense has been fine — they’re ninth in rushing DVOA allowed — which makes this a volume play. A volume play is all you really get below $5000 at running back this year.
Woody Marks, HOU, $4,400
The Titans feel like an easy mark for Marks, who banished Dare Ogunbowale from the rotation last week and feels like one of the few easy buttons the Texans could have if they ever grew interested in actually scoring points. Despite the results this year — Jonathan Taylor has a lot to do with their season-long ranking of 31st in rush defense DVOA — I think the Titans have a pretty solid run defense. They held the Texans under 132 rushing yards in both meetings last year, granted one of them was in Week 18.
But Marks is the passing-downs back, and I expect he’ll be able to do alright against Tennessee’s weak non-Cody Barton linebacker corps in space should the Texans get him the rock.
Ollie Gordon, MIA — $4,500
Thursday nights are always weird and, as I said above, slanted towards the backup runners in my opinion. But Gordon did look explosive and the Dolphins seemed like they found some semblance of a running game against the Bills.
The Jets just lost LB Quincy Williams to injured reserve. They also lost his replacement in Week 3, Marcelino McCrary-Ball, to IR. They’re looking at 2025 fifth-rounder Kiko Mauigoa next to Jamien Sherwood. I will concede that the schedule hasn’t been easy, but Aaron Glenn‘s first season as head coach has not brought much in the way of good defensive results thusfar. I think Gordon could find an explosive run or two in this game.
Chris Rodriguez, WAS, $4,200
Here’s our weekly attempt to understand the Commanders backfield: Rodriguez led it in carries in Week 4, but he also notched most of those in the fourth quarter of a blowout. Still, the fact that he’s involved to the extent that he was — plenty of first-quarter snaps — makes this feel like more of a pure timeshare with Jacory Croskey-Merritt than previously indicated.
The Falcons just got ran all over last week and the fact that Marcus Mariota is a fine read-option threat in his own right gives me little fear about firing up Rodriguez hoping for 10 touches and a score.
Lamar Jackson, Christian McCaffrey, Puka Nacua, and Trey McBride highlight positional rankings for Week 4 of the 2025 NFL season.
▶ Wide receivers
Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, GB — $4,500 and $4,000
I would start anybody against Dallas’ pass defense right now. I’m not even kidding. If they played the Panthers, and he was healthy, I’d recommend Xavier Legette. I’ve watched all three of their games and I’m pretty sure “coverage bust” is one of their defensive calls.
Tre Tucker, LV — $4,200
Three touchdowns from a quarterback who loves to rip it last week, and thus far we’ve seen no reasons to trust the Chicago Bears defense. They don’t have an ace rusher to really give the Raiders’ woeful offensive line problems, while Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon are both sidelined. T.J. Edwards too. I don’t know that I believe in Tucker as a long-term fantasy football WR3 this year or anything in that realm, but this feels like a great spot for him until Brock Bowers’ leg is healed enough to take him out of decoy status.
Tyquan Thornton, KC — $4,000
The audacity to continue to shortchange the man who makes Patrick Mahomes good would be infuriating if it wasn’t also foreseeable. With Xavier Worthy on the mend, the idea is that Thornton will go back into a smaller role. I don’t trust Worthy to be healthy and think the Chiefs are trying to rush him back as quickly as they can because they’ve got nothing else going on offense. Deep shots to Thornton make up the entirety of Kansas City’s effective offense in 2025.
The Ravens allowed 41 points to the Bills and 38 points to the Lions. I don’t think the Chiefs are on that level of offensive firepower, but I am not all that worried about the Ravens suddenly strangling Kansas City’s offense either.
Parker Washington, JAX — $3,700
So let’s break it down here: Dyami Brown got hurt last week. Brian Thomas Jr. looks like he is running plays from a different offense when he’s not dropping the ball. Travis Hunter is spending more time on defense. Last week Washington got 11 targets. He looked bad on them, sure, granted. But historically he’s been much more efficient than that when given a little run.
The 49ers now are sans Nick Bosa and will have to rejigger their pass rush. I don’t see this as a scary matchup for the Jaguars even with how sloppy they’ve been in 2025 to date. I think falling into 6/50 here has a pretty reasonable chance of happening, even if I don’t think we’re ever running a waiver wire column with Washington’s face on it this year.
Hunter Renfrow, CAR — $3,800
Who is the worst pass defense in the NFL? It’s Dallas. Who is the second-worst? Miami. But who is in that conversation after five weeks? New England. The caveat is that they could be much better with Christian Gonzalez back after three weeks lost to a preseason hamstring injury. They also did pretty well last week against an Aaron Rodgers outlet that seems uninterested in throwing the ball downfield.
But the Panthers are going to throw the ball in this game, and there is a major target surplus available. Legette, as mentioned in jest, missed Week 3 with a hammy injury. Tetairoa McMillan surprisingly missed practice on Wednesday. Je’Tavion Sanders has a high-ankle sprain and isn’t expected to play. Renfrow was already second on the team in targets anyway, but unless you believe in the Brycen Tremayne train — which honestly sounds cool, hope that happens — Renfrow is going to be a volume piece against what has been on the whole a bad pass defense this year. If you’re truly plumbing the depths, he could be a decent volume play.
A close look at players who are running unsustainably hot or cold as fantasy managers make lineup decisions for Week 4.
▶ Tight ends
T.J. Hockenson, MIN, $3,900
After “going off” last week for 5/49/1 thanks to a late touchdown in what was already a blowout, Hockenson gets what has been a very exploitable Steelers secondary so far this year across the pond. Don’t expect miracles, but Pittsburgh has allowed 5.7 receptions per game to tight ends so far for 70.3 yards thanks to weak linebacker and safety coverage. Hockenson could have a nice little day if the Vikings don’t force Rodgers into hiding by the second half.
Kyle Pitts, ATL, $3,600
There’s really nothing that says you write for Rotoworld more than being fooled by Pitts once, so let me try: Washington is fifth in yards allowed to tight ends this year, averaging 71 a game. Pitts is clearly supposed to be one of the focal points of the Atlanta offense this year, getting up to 19 targets in three games. The yardage totals stink and he is not generating air yards — he’s being asked to make people miss in space. I think there’s a decent floor here and then you’re hoping for Pitts to get a goal-line grab. Not infeasible!
Oh and he’s also going to be the best tight end in the history of the NFL, right? That’s mandatory to mention? Why are you closing the tab?