How the early week 4 slate sets the tone — and which teams must respond after week 3 losses?
This is part one of The Audible's Week 4 preview, running through the first eight games on the slate with fantasy-relevant breakdowns for each. The hosts focus heavily on which teams must respond after rough Week 3 performances (Patriots, Eagles, Buccaneers) and which ascending teams (Jaguars, Colts, Rams via Devonta Adams) can keep proving themselves, with usage notes on backfields and rookie roles throughout.
This episode is the first half of The Audible's Week 4 preview, running through every Sunday (plus Thursday night) matchup with Cecil Lammey and Sigmund Bloom. The throughline is accountability: several teams and players who lost or underperformed in Week 3 — Drake Maye's Patriots, Jalen Hurts' Eagles, Baker Mayfield's Buccaneers, Cincinnati — are being measured against whether they can respond this week, while teams on the rise (Jacksonville, the Jets, Arizona) get treated as the new standard.
The arguments
The Steelers-Browns Thursday opener hinges on whether Pittsburgh finally commits to Jalen Warren and whether Deshaun Watson's improved play is good or bad news for Cleveland. Both hosts note Pittsburgh lacks a clear offensive identity and expect this to be a low-scoring, defensive/kicker-driven game rather than a repeat of Pittsburgh's big passing day against Cincinnati. Bloom flags Darnell Washington as criminally underused given how easily he's moving the chains, while Cecil notes Cleveland's defense is better than expected despite missing Jim Schwartz and Myles Garrett.
Drake Maye faces a defining moment against Buffalo, and the hosts want nothing to do with New England's offense for fantasy purposes. Bloom argues Josh McDaniels hasn't adjusted the scheme to support Maye despite adding A.J. Brown, and calls this a test of whether Maye can "rise to the occasion" the way he did in last year's near-upset of Buffalo. Both agree: start Buffalo's defense against this Patriots offense, not any Patriots skill player.
Buffalo's turnover habit is the lone real concern on an otherwise dominant team, and the hosts want to see it corrected now rather than in the playoffs. Cecil points to last year's turnover-fueled loss to Denver as the cautionary tale, while Bloom notes Josh Allen didn't get rolling until the sixth drive against Jacksonville — unacceptable playoff pacing. James Cook, Dalton Kincaid (bounce-back after his fumble), and DJ Moore are all fine to start.
Jacksonville is operating on a tier above Cincinnati right now, and Trevor Lawrence is playing at an MVP level. Cecil cites Jacksonville pulling starters in the third quarter in multiple games this year as evidence of how dominant the offense has been, while both hosts credit Liam Cohen's scheme. They flag that Brian Thomas Jr. may not fully bounce back even in a good matchup — trusted analyst John Shipley has soured on him — while Jacoby Myers and Parker Washington look more involved.
Arizona's offense is rolling without Marvin Harrison Jr., and the hosts think he should probably be dropped. Both credit Michael Wilson's emergence and praise Trey McBride and Jeremiah Love, with Bloom admitting he was wrong to be skeptical of Love given his draft slot and recent injury history. They contrast this with the Giants, where Jameis Winston is scuffling badly enough that J.J. McCarthy could take over within a few weeks, and Cam Skattebo is the one clear bright spot.
Philadelphia's offensive struggles are real and systemic, not just injury-related, and Saquon Barkley is being badly underused. Bloom draws a direct comparison to the Chargers' Justin Herbert — a talented quarterback not being put in position to succeed — and questions why Jalen Hurts isn't getting more support given his contract situation. Both hosts are down on Makai Lemon, saying he looks ordinary and doesn't fit what this offense wants to run, while Davante Adams has been a surprising bright spot for the Rams opponent.
Green Bay's backfield is barely usable after a wave of guard signings signaled the team admitting a mistake, pushing Jordan Love into higher-volume passing situations. Bloom calls Jordan Love a streaming option given the expected 40-50 dropbacks, with Watson and Golden as the clear beneficiaries and Tucker Kraft likely kept in to block. On the other side, Baker Mayfield's Tampa Bay is 0-3, and the hosts note his career record with Tampa now mirrors his unremarkable record in Cleveland.
What it means for your roster
- Start Darnell Washington if available in TE-premium formats; the hosts expect more volume regardless of game script Thursday night.
- Avoid every Patriots skill player this week; start Buffalo's defense instead, and trust Cook/Kincaid/Moore in Buffalo's offense.
- Drop or bench Marvin Harrison Jr. — Michael Wilson is the clear beneficiary in Arizona's passing game.
- Trust Trey McBride and Jeremiah Love as locked-in starters; Love's third-round-plus draft investment is paying off despite the earlier Tyler Algiers scare.
- Lower expectations for Brian Thomas Jr. even in good matchups, per Shipley's reporting cited by the hosts; Jacoby Myers and Parker Washington are deeper-league flex options in Jacksonville's offense.
- Bench Makai Lemon and treat Eagles skill players (outside Barkley/Devonta Smith) with caution until the offense shows real functionality; Jalen Hurts' situation is structural, not just matchup-driven.
- Treat Jordan Love as a streaming QB1 only, and keep expectations modest for Green Bay's run game given the in-season guard overhaul.
“Drake May, stop being fake May. Get back to playing good football, man.” — Cecil Lammey
Players in this episode
↑ Dominant but turnover-prone; hosts emphasize he must cut down mistakes to be a true Super Bowl-caliber option.
↓ Status uncertain (doubtful) with unclear cause—injury, contract, or personal issues; team being vague.
↑ Bounce-back volume expected against Washington's defense.
↑ Expected to be heavily involved as Buffalo looks to establish rhythm earlier in games.
→ Hosts frustrated he's not getting enough volume (22-25 touches) despite being clearly effective.
↓ Facing a pivotal 'storm' game vs Buffalo after poor coaching support; hosts say avoid starting any Patriots skill players for fantasy.
↑ Hosts admit being wrong doubting him; now fully taking over as lead back and expected to shine against Arizona.
↓ Dealing with an elbow injury likely requiring surgery; expected to play through it with a brace, timeline 2-3 weeks though team may hold him longer.
↑ Expected to continue strong usage in Arizona's offense.
↓ Struggling without more help/scheme support; offense has looked stagnant three weeks in, raising long-term concerns about his situation.
→ Capable of 20-25 touches to keep the offense on schedule, but hosts worry about wear and recurring injury/recovery issues like last year.
↑ Flashing red-zone ability, close to breaking out with a touchdown.
↑ Praised for physical running style, seen as a strong play versus Arizona's defense.
↑ Possible concussion check but expected to still produce 10-12 catches if he plays.
↑ Reaching an MVP-level of play; cited as a potential MVP candidate this season.
↑ Expected to see increased work after Pittsburgh defense weakened by injuries.
↑ Playing better than expected, stepping up big in Puka Nacua's uncertain absence.
↑ Getting steady short-target usage within the condensed Colts offense.
↑ Now the clear lead back with Rico Dowdle not practicing; hosts say he's finally getting the role he's earned.
↑ Locked in as a must-start as the passing game heats up.
↑ Coming off two touchdown catches, expected to remain involved.
↑ Viewed as a high-ceiling one-week streamer given Green Bay's lack of a run game forcing more pass attempts.
↓ Hosts say he's underperforming enough that he 'probably should have been dropped by now.'
↓ Performing like a .500 quarterback again, not as prolific as last year's peak under Liam Coen's scheme.
→ Target share concerns raised after insider comments suggest usage isn't matching expectations, though hosts still believe in his long-term outlook with Jacksonville.
↑ Expected bounce-back game after a fumble last week.
↓ Has been ineffective; Rashod White looked better before leaving with a shoulder injury, muddying the backfield.
→ Called a referendum week after one strong game; could stick as a focal point with favorable Arizona matchup for tight ends.
↑ Continuing involvement despite earlier doubts from the hosts; part of a productive young Bears passing attack.
↑ Expected to have a strong Superflex outing against a weaker Washington defense after facing three tough defenses previously.
↑ Named the lead back facing a beatable Bears run defense; start him.
→ Mixed outlook—flashes of good offensive design but still turnover-prone with near-interceptions; expected to face heavy pressure vs Steelers.
↑ Hosts question why he isn't targeted more, calling for more usage given his size/mismatch advantage.
↓ Struggling and on a short leash, with J.J. McCarthy potentially taking over within a few weeks if he doesn't turn it around.
→ Playing well in relief but facing a much tougher Seattle defense next, creating uncertainty about repeat success.
↑ Expected to see a lot of targets and is a streaming option if Terrance Ferguson is out.
↑ Technician-style rookie receiver earning extra looks in McVay's offense, including a highlight touchdown.