Week 4 of the 2021 NFL season is in the books. For the majority of the league, Tuesday morning brings a whole new week of football and preparing for their next game. However, a handful of players might not want to leave Week 4 so soon. Here’s a look at who impressed and who underachieved this week.
All point totals are based on PPR scoring.
Quarterback
Winner: Patrick Mahomes (41.72 FPTS)
Mahomes had a phenomenal week, completing 24 of 30 passes for 278 yards and five touchdowns. He did throw one interception in the process, but he still did more than enough to finish as this week’s QB1. No stranger to being featured in these articles, Mahomes showed once again that he is capable of putting up terrific fantasy finishes.
Loser: Justin Fields (7.62 FPTS)
Fields played better than his first NFL start, but he still struggled, racking up just 206 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception. He has a chance to get back on track against the Raiders next week, but there’s no guarantee that he even starts.
Running Back
Winner: Austin Ekeler (29.5 FPTS)
Ekeler exploded on Monday night, racking up 145 scrimmage yards and a pair of touchdowns. Perhaps most impressive were his 117 yards on the ground, which helped (at least temporarily) negate the suggestion that his fantasy value could be reception-dependent. He’s certainly still a pass-catching back, but Monday’s showing helped solidify his status as a top-12 running back in all formats.
Loser: Myles Gaskin (0.3 FPTS)
Gaskin rushed just two times for three yards on Sunday. His 23 percent snap share also represented less than half of his previous season-high. This showing doesn’t suggest that he’s no longer fantasy relevant, but he has definitely fallen out of the top-24 RB territory and is far from a must-start at this point. In fact, he should be benched against the Buccaneers in Week 5.
Wide Receiver
Winner: Tyreek Hill (47.6 FPTS)
Hill had one of “those” games on Sunday, accruing 186 yards and three touchdowns. Any doubt about his status as the WR1 in fantasy has been resolved. Plug him in every week, even in the toughest of matchups.
Loser: Mike Williams (2.1 FPTS)
After logging 295 yards and four touchdowns over the first three weeks, Williams hauled in just one pass for 11 yards on Monday Night Football. This doesn’t knock him out of starting lineup consideration going forward but does remind managers that he, too, is susceptible to dud outings. He’s still a low-end WR2 heading into Week 5 against Cleveland.
Tight End
Winner: C.J. Uzomah (26.5 FPTS)
As much as Dawson Knox garnered consideration for this honor, it would be foolish to overlook Uzomah, who came out of nowhere and amassed 95 yards and two touchdowns on Thursday night. He falls outside of the top-24 category in Week 5 against the Green Bay, but it’s still possible that something bigger is brewing with his involvement.
Loser: Robert Tonyan (2.8 FPTS)
Everyone’s offseason fears are coming true: Tonyan is going through regression after finding the end zone at an absurd clip last season. He has now logged 2.8 points or fewer in three of four games after totaling just eight years on Sunday. In fact, this eight-yard outing was his second-best game of 2021. He’s no longer on the starting lineup radar in most leagues.
Defense
Winner: Buffalo Bills (21.0 FPTS)
The Bills soared to a commanding shutout win on Sunday, aided by a defense that amasses four turnovers and three sacks while giving up just 109 yards. This is where the fun ends, though. Next up on the schedule is Kansas City.
Loser: Carolina Panthers (-6.0 FPTS)
The Panthers, who had emerged as one of the best defenses in football, ran into a brick wall of reality on Sunday against the Cowboys. The unit did force five sacks, but they allowed 28 points and were unable to amass a turnover. They’re still worth starting in Week 5 against the Giants, but this past game still confirmed that this defense is, at the very least, penetrable.
Check us out on our socials:
Twitter: @PTSTNews and @TalkPrimeTime
Facebook Page: Prime Time Sports Talk
Join our Facebook Group: Prime Time Sports Talk
Instagram: @ptsportstalk
Follow Andersen Pickard on Twitter @AndersenPickard
Main Image Credit:
