Can you believe we are a quarter of the way through the season already? In fantasy terms we're even further, considering most league's playoffs start in Week 15. For those of you with a 4-0 record, Congratulations! All the power to you.
This week's edition is more for those that are 0-4, 1-3, or 2-2. I'll take a look at some struggling players from each position and let you know how you should proceed with those players. These do not include any players who have missed multiple games with an injury.
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers, GB
- Current rank: QB21, 55.3 FanDuel Points
- Drafted as: QB1
- Opponents played: at MIN, CHI, at TB, NE
- Record: 3-1
- Upcoming schedule: NYG, NYJ, at WAS, at BUF
2022 fantasy points through Week 4: 55.3 - Finish???
2021 fantasy points through Week 4 72.8 QB18 - Finished QB6 (336.8)
2020 fantasy points through Week 4 103.6 QB 6 - Finished QB3 (387.8)
Aaron Rodgers won the league MVP award last year, leading the Packers to the playoffs with 4,100 yards passing and 40 total touchdowns (37 passing, 3 rushing). This season may be a challenge for him to reach those numbers, mostly due to the loss of Davante Adams. Rodgers doesn't have his top target and go-to receiver anymore, and to make things more challenging, he is not a rushing quarterback, which means his fantasy points will need to come from the air and touchdowns. In his last 20 games, he has four 300-yard games.
Result: If Rodgers can once again eclipse 35 touchdowns, he'll be in the conversation for the Top 10. If not, look for him to fall outside of the top 15 and, at worst, out of the top 20.
Russell Wilson, DEN
- Current rank: QB14 (65.9)
- Drafted as: QB1 - top 12
- Opponents played: at SEA, HOU, SF, at LSV
- Record: 2-2
- Upcoming schedule: IND, at LAC, NYJ, at JAC
2022 fantasy points through Week 4 65.9 QB14 - Finished ???
2021 fantasy points through Week 4 89.6 QB10 - Finished QB16 (248.8)
2020 fantasy points through Week 4 124.9 QB2 - Finished QB6 (372.8)
Russell Wilson's first few games with Denver have been less than desirable. He has one game out of four with multiple touchdowns, and he has one 300-yard game. He is learning a new offense which is likely the main reason for his lack of dominance so far this season. He is coming off a decent performance at Las Vegas in Week 4 and now must play on a short week by hosting Indianapolis on Thursday night. In 10 seasons, Wilson finished outside of the Top 11 once, in 2021. Historically, he has been among the league's best but is father time catching up to him? Was last year's 16th ranking the start of his decline, or was it a blip on his radar due to unhappiness playing on a run-first offense in Seattle to conclude his era?
Result: Look for Wilson to bounce back to some degree. He is a better quarterback than his current ranking.
Matthew Stafford, LAR
- Current rank: QB25 (49.6)
- Drafted as: QB1-2
- Opponents played: BUF, ATL, at ARI, at SF
- Record: 2-2
- Upcoming schedule: DAL, CAR, BYE, SF
2022 fantasy points through Week 4 49.6 QB25 - Finished ???
2021 fantasy points through Week 4 92.4 QB8 - Finished QB5 (346.7)
2020 fantasy points through Week 4 76.2 QB14 - Finished QB15 (270.6)
The buzz surrounding Matthew Stafford in the offseason and preseason was his elbow injury that could flare up and be a problem at some point in the 2022 season. So far, he claims his elbow isn't giving him any trouble. However, the Rams offensive line has struggled, especially in their two losses against Buffalo and San Francisco, who each have strong defensive lines. Like 2021, the Rams offense has heavily utilized Cooper Kupp while Allen Robinson, among other wide receivers, has struggled to find a groove. Aside from Kupp and Tyler Higbee, the Rams are missing in action.
Result: Matthew Stafford does not have the benefit of having a dual-threat skill set. If the touchdowns and yardage numbers drop off, so will Stafford from the top 12 and perhaps further.
Running Back
Jonathan Taylor, IND
- Current PPR rank: RB20 (52.2)
- Drafted as: RB1/RB2
- Opponents played: at HOU, at JAC, KC, TEN
- Record: 1-2-1
- Upcoming schedule: at DEN, JAC, at TEN, WAS
Jonathan Taylor also had some early season struggles in 2021, but then he turned it on and finished as the #1 running back. The Colts offensive line has not performed well this season, leading to a lack of offensive rhythm. To make matters worse, Taylor has found himself injured (ankle/toe) for the first time in his career. He is in danger of missing his first game as a collegiate or professional football player.
2022 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 52.2 RB20 - Finished ???
2021 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 52.5 RB21 - Finished RB1 (377.1)
2020 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 56.00 RB17 - Finished RB6 (254.80)
Result: The needle is, unfortunately, pointing down for Taylor. An ankle injury that may be a high ankle sprain could keep him out of the lineup for a game or two, if not longer. There is no guarantee that he will be healthy and 100% returned to form when he does return. Could this be a lost season for the 2021 RB1 overall? It might, and it's an all too familiar occurrence for running backs around the league.
Najee Harris, PIT
- Current PPR rank: RB25
- Drafted as: RB1 - first/second round
- Opponents played: at CIN, NE, at CLE, NYJ
- Record: 1-3
- Upcoming schedule: at BUF, TB, at MIA, at PHI
In the preseason, Najee Harris reportedly suffered a mild Lisfranc injury to his foot, but it never forced him to miss a game. Could that have some underlying effect on his play to date? He has at least 10 carries in every game so far, and he has scored twice. What's keeping him from entering the Top 20 or higher is a lack of yardage, both as a rusher and receiver. He has three games where he has failed to reach 60 rushing yards and he has over 20 yards receiving only once. The Steelers offense is in flux with a young, inexperienced quarterback under center in Kenny Pickett. To make matters worse, their schedule is a murder's row in the next month.
2022 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 47.0 RB25 - Finished ???
2021 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 57.90 RB15 - Finished RB3 (300.7)
Result: The volume will be there for Harris, but the tough schedule and uncertainty of how the offense will perform with a new quarterback is potentially problematic.
Dalvin Cook, MIN
- Current rank: RB24
- Drafted as: RB1 (top 10 pick)
- Opponents played: GB, at PHI, DET, at NO
- Record: 3-1
- Upcoming schedule: CHI, at MIA, BYE, ARI
Dalvin Cook has one touchdown in four games. He has not topped more than 20 yards receiving in a game, and he has zero 100-yard games so far. On the plus side, the volume has been there for Cook. He has 17 carries or more in three of his four games, rushing for 90+ in two outings. A shoulder injury hampered him in Week 3, but he was able to play in Week 4 and gained 76 yards on 20 carries. Cook had only six touchdowns in 13 games last year, and so far, he is seeing similar challenges. Can he turn it around, or are his best games and seasons behind him?
2022 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 47.6 RB24 - Finished ???
2021 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 45.6 RB27 - Finished RB16 (208.3)
2020 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 NA 89.4 RB4 - Finished RB2 (337.8)
Result: Dalvin Cook has ten top 20 weekly finishes dating back to last season, six of which were top 10 finishes. He has the talent to put up good numbers any given week, however, his days of being a consistent double-digit touchdown scorer may be gone. Cook should still finish in the top 20 and possibly the top 10 but the way things are going currently, he will need some big games to jump back into the fray as a top 10 fantasy back.
Wide Receiver
D.J. Moore, CAR
- Current rank: WR51 (35.9)
- Drafted as: WR2
- Opponents played: CLE, at NYG, NO, ARI
- Record: 3-1
- Upcoming schedule: SF, at LAR, TB, at ATL
The Panthers offense is struggling to find any consistency. Baker Mayfield has not shown that he can be an effective quarterback on intermediate throws, which is where D.J. Moore lives. Mayfield has connected on two long touchdowns, one to Robbie Anderson, a deep ball, and one to Laviska Shenault, a 1-yard throw that turned into a long score. The issue with Moore isn't Moore. It's that the offense, Baker Mayfield, and the coaching staff are failing to run plays to get Moore involved. We saw Odell Beckham struggle in Cleveland with Mayfield at quarterback. The answer to helping Moore may be the decision to look at Sam Darnold once he can return from a high ankle sprain, but that doesn't look like it is anytime soon.
2022 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 35.9 WR51 - Finished ???
2021 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 89.7 WR4 - Finished WR17 (237.5)
2020 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 46.8 WR31 - Finished WR27 (211.5)
Result: The future is looking bleak for D.J. Moore with Baker Mayfield under center and the Panthers coaching staff failing to get Moore more involved. Carolina is on the verge of being one of the bottom teams in the league for the season, which unfortunately will hurt Moore, especially if the reasoning behind is quarterback-driven.
Elijah Moore, NYJ
- Current rank: WR55 (33.8)
- Drafted as: WR3
- Opponents played: BAL, at CLE, CIN, at PIT
- Record: 2-2
- Upcoming schedule: MIA, at GB, at DEN, NE
From Week 9-13 last year, Elijah Moore had 28 receptions for 392 yards and 5 touchdowns. Only Justin Jefferson was ahead of him during that stretch. A quad injury landed him on IR in December, and his season was essentially over. Expectations were high for him coming into 2022, and so far, he has not shown us the results we were expecting. Rookie Garrett Wilson has elevated himself into a more prominent WR1 role with the team, Corey Davis has stepped up his game, and Tyler Conklin has seen his involvement increase. It all hurts Moore, who is now 5th in targets on the team. Will his role improve as the season wears on?
2022 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 33.8 WR55 - Finished ???
2021 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 14.6 WR 102 - Finished WR50 (138.2)
Result: Aside from that five-game stretch in 2021, Elijah Moore has been relatively non-existent. There still may be some fight in his game, but it is looking like an uphill battle to earn more targets and, therefore, consistent results as a fantasy receiver on a team that has solved their receiving issues without including Moore.
Terry McLaurin, WAS
- Current rank: WR40 (45.7)
- Drafted as: WR2-3
- Opponents played: JAC, at DET, PHI, at DAL
- Record: 1-3
- Upcoming schedule: TEN, at CHI, GB, at IND
Last season, Terry McLaurin finished as the WR24. In three years in the league, he has consistently finished 24, 19, and 25. Through four games, he is sitting at WR40. A typical season for McLaurin that we have come to expect is 70-90 receptions for 1,000+ yards and roughly 5-7 touchdowns. We've seen brilliance from him on occasion, but he hasn't shown consistent brilliance, which is what would firmly place him in the top 10, if not higher. He has the talent to do so, but the Commanders offense has struggled to make him a dominant force. Carson Wentz started strong this season which has some people excited for McLaurin and the offense in general. Washington has faced some difficult defenses in Jacksonville, Philadelphia, and Dallas. Perhaps we will see more offense in the coming weeks as the schedule gets a little easier to manage.
2022 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 45.7 WR40 - Finished ???
2021 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 78.4 WR5 - Finished WR25 (213.5)
2020 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 71.0 WR10 - Finished WR19 (225.8)
Result: Terry McLaurin figures to be more involved in the offense in the coming weeks with Jahan Dotson expected to miss time with a hamstring injury. Curtis Samuel is also in the mix, but McLaurin should see the majority of the team's targets. Look for him to bounce back with a big game soon. His talent and skill set are too good to ignore, and Carson Wentz has found early success with two 300-yard games and 8 total touchdowns in four games.
Tight End
Kyle Pitts, ATL
- Current rank: TE18 (25.0)
- Drafted as: TE1 (top 3-4 TE)
- Opponents played: NO, at LAR, at SEA, CLE
- Record: 2-2
- Upcoming schedule: at TB, SF, at CIN, CAR
Kyle Pitts has all the talent in the world to be a dominant force at the tight end position. His lack of production is concerning because he is seeing targets (22 in four games), but he only has 10 receptions (45.5% reception percentage). The Falcons' ground game has performed well lately, affecting Pitts' involvement in the offense. Will things get better for Pitts moving forward this season? Marcus Mariota and his understudy, Desmond Ridder, are not pass-first quarterbacks, and the team is seeing success on the ground.
2022 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 25.0 TE18 - Finished ???
2021 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 33.9 TE20 - Finished TE6 (176.6)
Result: It seems wise to bench Pitts until he turns things around, especially if you have a better option on your roster. It would be shocking if he plays at this low of a level consistently through the season.
Cole Kmet, CHI
- Current rank: TE46 (10.6)
- Drafted as: TE2
- Opponents played: SF, at GB, HOU, at NYG
- Record: 2-2
- Upcoming schedule: at MIN, WAS, at NE, at DAL
So far, Cole Kmet's lack of success is puzzling because he was often utilized in the preseason. The Bears have struggled to have any semblance of a consistent passing game averaging only 8.5 completions per game. That is not going to get it done for any receiver. The ground game has shown promise and will likely continue to do so, even with David Montgomery (ankle) likely out for a few games. As a result, Justin Fields does not need to throw the ball to be effective. If that changes, and more like when that changes, Kmet will be more involved. Until then, it's a struggle to have him on your roster.
2022 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 10.6 TE46 - Finished ???
2021 fantasy points (PPR) through Week 4 13.9 TE39 - Finished TE22 (121.2)
Result: Bench Kmet for now, or drop him if you have a better option. Be prepared to pick him up if we start to see Chicago become more consistent with the passing game.
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