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2021 Fantasy Football Rankings: QBs for Week 4

Heath ranks the gunslingers.

By Heath Capps
Washington Football Team v Buffalo Bills Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images

If I were an NFL quarterback, I’d begin each game with the gunslinger’s creed:

I do not aim with my hand. He who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father. I aim with my eye.

I do not shoot with my hand. He who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father. I shoot with my mind.

I do not kill with my gun. He who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father. I kill with my heart.

Not that I’m comparing NFL quarterbacking to umm, shooting. I’m not. But everyone has to get hyped up somehow. And I’m a bit of a weirdo. I doubt many of you love Stephen King’s The Dark Tower and all things gunslingers as I do. And my walk-up music if were a pro baseball player would probably be Promontory from Last of the Mohicans. Sometimes you just have to embrace who you are, people.

From here onward, we’ll refer to all quarterbacks as gunslingers, whether referring to Patrick Mahomes or Davis Mills. If you’re in the big-time, there’s some gunslinger in you.

As always, hop into the comments and tell me who I’m too high or low on. And give me your best ways to get hyped up before a big game!

Week 4 QB Rankings

Rank Player Name Team Opponent Notes
Rank Player Name Team Opponent Notes
1 Josh Allen BUF vs HOU He steamrolled WAS last week (358 payd, 4 TDs) and this is a better matchup. The Bills are back, y'all.
2 Patrick Mahomes KC @ PHI His 9 passing scores trails only Brady (10) and he'll need no extra motivation given KC's 1-2 record.
3 Kyler Murray ARI @ LAR Brady gashed the Rams last week and I trust Murray's receiving group more than the next guy's...
4 Lamar Jackson BAL @ DEN He'll need to do damage with his legs, as DEN has been stingy via the air (4.3 NY/A, tied for best in NFL).
5 Tom Brady TB @ NE In a tough LAR matchup last week, he still passed and rushed for a score while passing for 432 yards. Count me as one of the suckers that expects a big show from Brady in New England this weekend.
6 Russell Wilson SEA @ SF Not the easiest of matchups, as San Fran has only allowed 6.2 NY/A and five passing scores through three weeks.
7 Jalen Hurts PHI vs KC The Chiefs (8.4 NY/A) are a quality matchup and being the gunslinger chasing Mahomes is a great spot for fantasy production. See Herbert last week...
8 Dak Prescott DAL vs CAR This is NOT a good matchup via the air, at only 4.3 NY/A and three passing scores allowed. How much of that is a soft opening schedule, though?
9 Kirk Cousins MIN vs CLE He's on fire (8 TDs, 0 INTs so far). Easy top 10 gunslinger every week, even though it doesn't feel sexy.
10 Justin Herbert LAC vs LV Four scores vs. KC last week. Mike Williams is ballin' and Herbert is the beneficiary.
11 Aaron Rodgers GB vs PIT PIT hasn't been as formidable as in years past, at 7.2 NY/A and six passing scores (1 pick) allowed so far.
12 Matthew Stafford LAR vs ARI The ARI pass D has been solid (5.4 NY/A). But you aren't benching Stafford at this point.
13 Baker Mayfield CLE @ MIN He's a prime streaming candidate in this matchup. OBJ looked pretty good in his return last week.
14 Sam Darnold CAR @ DAL He's been a QB1 option vs. a soft schedule, and that continues against DAL (7.4 NY/A, 7 pass TDs allowed).
15 Joe Burrow CIN vs JAC He and former LSU teammate Ja'Marr Chase are cookin'.
16 Matt Ryan ATL vs WAS Ryan (5-0) has never lost to WAS, who are fresh off of a drubbing by BUF last week. Ryan and ATL toppled the NYG last week, too. You could do worse for your QB2 this week.
17 Jameis Winston NO vs NYG He's the definition of boom-or-bust, but the Saints should have enough of an upper hand for him to give you QB2 numbers.
18 Teddy Bridgewater DEN vs BAL Like TB, strong vs. run (3.6 Y/A) so allow more passing production.
19 Taylor Heinicke WAS @ ATL You have to take a chance on Heinicke's athleticism in this matchup if you need a QB2 option. The Falcons have allowed 8 passing scores against zero picks so far.
20 Justin Fields CHI vs DET An 8.8 NY/A and a 7:1 TD:INT ratio? This is the DEFINITION of a "get-right" spot. Fields is a legitimate QB2 and strong DFS play if he's not chalky.
21 Derek Carr LV @ LAC LAC are more vulnerable on the ground (5.8 Y/A), so it may make sense for LV to establish the run despite Carr leading the NFL in passing with 1,203 passing yards.
22 Ryan Tannehill TEN @ NYJ Tannehill has underwhelmed, and this should be the Derrick Henry show against a Jets D that is more porous against the run (only one passing TD allowed so far). That, and AJ Brown and Julio could BOTH miss. He's a candidate to sit this week.
23 Ben Roethlisberger PIT @ GB The Packers have allowed NINE passing scores against two picks...it's a solid matchup on paper for Big Ben.
24 Jimmy Garoppolo SF vs SEA It's a solid matchup for Jimmy G, though it's tough to expect lots of fireworks in this divisional bout.
25 Mac Jones NE vs TB The TB run D has been excellent (3.1 Y/A) so they've allowed a lot via the air (6.9 NY/A and 9 scores).
26 Jared Goff DET @ CHI He's been better than you think, and he'll get volume due to trailing plenty--123 attempts so far is sixth-most in the NFL.
27 Jacoby Brissett MIA vs IND The Colts have (surprisingly) allowed nine scores and an 8.2 NY/A via the air. Brissett could easily outperform this ranking.
28 Zach Wilson NYJ vs TEN I'll say this--you could be streaming the Titans D/ST.
29 Trevor Lawrence JAC @ CIN The Bengals (5.0 NY/A, 4:3 TD:INT ratio) have been stingy on pass D thus far.
30 Daniel Jones NYG @ NO A huge disappointment last week vs. ATL, and NO are a much tougher draw. He's worth a stash due to his rushing upside, but you can't start him this week.
31 Carson Wentz IND @ MIA He's still dealing with sprained ankles, but is reportedly getting better each week and suffered no setbacks after last week.
32 Davis Mills HOU @ BUF You want Mills on the road against Buffalo? You're insane.

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