Fantasy Football Week 4: Top 5 quarterbacks to start

In Week 4 of fantasy football, things are finally beginning to take some shape. Some great matchups present fantasy owners with waiver-wire gold at the quarterback position.

Some of the elite NFL quarterbacks face tough match-ups in Week 4 of fantasy football. Tom Brady and Alex Smith are the two highest-scoring fantasy quarterbacks thus far. Although, their opponents, Carolina and Washington, have allowed the 6th and 7th least fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

Odds are you have at least two quarterbacks on your roster. In addition, of those two, one of them probably has a good enough matchup to start them. Although, if you don’t love your quarterback’s upside, the waiver wire is full of upside in Week 4.

Remember, if you aren’t big on your starting quarterback’s matchup, there will always be other options out there. Additionally, it’s also important to keep an eye on which defenses are allowing the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. In doing so, you will be better able to find sleepers.

As of now, three of the top 10 fantasy-scoring quarterbacks are still available in a fair amount of ESPN leagues. While the stats will change throughout the season, this just goes to show the benefits of exploring the waivers. Here are the top five quarterbacks worth starting heading into Week 4 fantasy football action.

Next: 5. He's coming off the best game of his career

5. Jared Goff

Jared Goff is coming off the best game of his career last week against the 49ers. Goff threw for 292 yards and 3 touchdowns, resulting in 23.6 fantasy points.

While Goff did this against a weak 49ers defense, he’s looked solid thus far, only turning the ball over once. Based on his first three games, this may be the year which Goff proves himself worthy of being the first overall pick in last year’s draft.

Whether or not Goff is on the verge of a breakout is still up for debate. Though there is far less debate surrounding the talent of the Cowboys pass defense. In the past two weeks, the Cowboys defense allowed over 20 points to both Carson Palmer and Trevor Siemian.

Whether this be a breakout year for Goff or not, Week 4 still presents him with a great matchup. He’s still available in 91 percent of ESPN leagues, thus he’d be a great add for Week 4. Rather than starting a more proven quarterback against a tough defense, picking up and starting Goff could be the right move for your fantasy team in Week 4.

Next: 4. He almost did something no rookie QB has done

4. Deshaun Watson

Last week, Deshaun Watson almost did something that no rookie quarterback has ever done. Watson nearly went into Foxborough and beat Tom Brady and the Patriots. Had the Texans won, Watson would’ve been the first rookie quarterback to beat Brady in New England.

Watson has looked impressive in his first two starts. He scored 17.7 and 20.1 points against Cincinnati and New England, two tough defenses. Watson may still have room to grow in his passing game, but for now, his run-game gives him massive upside.

Not only has Watson made big plays with his arm, but we’ve also seen him make plays with his legs. Watson’s big play ability in the run game means huge potential from a fantasy perspective. For example, if Watson scrambles for a 49-yard touchdown run like he did against the Bengals, that’s 10.9 fantasy points on a single play.

Watson faced two tough defenses in his first two starts. In Week 4, Watson has an incredible matchup against the Titans. Watson’s upside is huge in Week 4, as the Titans have allowed the third most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Watson is still available in 85 percent of ESPN leagues, which means it’s not too late to grab him and put him into your starting lineup!

Next: 3. Mr. Consistency

3. Dak Prescott

When it comes to picking a fantasy quarterback, consistency is key. Since quarterbacks are generally the highest-scoring position, it is important to get consistent points from them. Perhaps nobody has been a more consistent fantasy quarterback than Dak Prescott.

Prescott’s worst fantasy performance thus far came in an ugly loss in Week 2 at Denver. Despite the tough loss, Prescott still managed to put up 15.9 points. Not a great performance, but enough to keep your matchup competitive.

He is coming off a solid performance against Arizona, where he scored 22.9 points. The Cowboys offense was clicking on all cylinders last week and looks like they’ve fully recovered from their blowout loss against the Broncos.  Heading into Week 4, Prescott has a great matchup against the Rams.

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While they looked impressive in Weeks 1 and 2, the Rams defense is coming off a performance where they allowed Brian Hoyer to score 26.2 fantasy points. We can expect a high-scoring game between the Cowboys and Rams, which means big fantasy points for all players involved. If you own Prescott in your fantasy league, he’ll be a great start in Week 4.

Next: 2. You were upset if you didn't start him last week...

2. Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson didn’t look his best in Weeks 1 and 2, which may have caused many fantasy owners to bench him in Week 3. While the Seahawks failed to come up with the win, Wilson still posted big numbers, scoring 33.5 fantasy points.

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The Seahawks have gotten off to a slow start, with a record of 1-2. Although, after losing in a shootout with the Titans, a great matchup against the Colts presents them with the opportunity to bounce back and get their season back on track.

The Colts struggling offense against an elite Seattle defense means that Wilson will spend a lot of time on the field. This means he will have plenty of opportunities to put up points, against a Colts defense that has allowed the 9th most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

The Seahawks early struggles may deter some fantasy owners from starting Wilson. Although, following a solid performance in a losing effort, a mismatch against the Colts will be the turning point in the Seahawks season. The Seahawks will win this game in a blowout, making Wilson a great start in Week 4.

Next: 1. Drew Brees is a must start

1. Drew Brees

Drew Brees has consistently dominated in fantasy, each and every year, each and every week. Not only is his offense loaded with weapons for him to throw to, but some added stability in the run game can only help Brees and the Saints offense.

Brees is the fourth highest scoring fantasy quarterback this year, scoring over 20 points in his past two performances. He hasn’t turned the ball over once this year, giving him a high floor in terms of fantasy scoring.

Brees and the Saints will be facing a Dolphins defense that made Josh McCown practically look elite last week. If McCown can throw for 249 yards and a touchdown against the Dolphins, the possibilities are endless for Brees.

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There’s usually little question as to whether or not to start Brees in fantasy. This week, the explosive Saints offense has the opportunity to kick the Dolphins while they’re down. Expect Brees to have a big game this week, making him a must-start in fantasy.