FanDuel Fantasy Football: Week 4 Strategies

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Updated on September 30, 2015 3:03PM EST

Week 3 Recap

Week 3 was one of, if not the, highest scoring fantasy weekends of all time. There were some enormous games by wide receivers, a number of breakout games by running backs and numerous players that scored three touchdowns each. Aaron Rodgers capped of the weekend with a five-touchdown performance on Monday Night Football, including three touchdown passes to his favorite target, Randall Cobb. Usual suspects Julio Jones, A.J. Green, and Adrian Peterson also had big games Sunday, while young running backs Devonta Freeman and Joseph Randle exploded for three touchdowns apiece in Dallas.

Defenses to Target
Let's look at the top defenses to target by position. These teams have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers. Other useful statistics to analyze are yards allowed per rush and yards allowed per pass, which gives us insight into how efficient opposing teams have been against that defense.

Bottom 10 Defenses vs. Quarterbacks (points per game allowed)

1. Chiefs (24.0)
2. Saints (24.0)
3. Ravens (20.3)
4. Bills (20.0)
5. Texans (20.0)
6. Steelers (19.7)
7. Bears (19.3)
8. Raiders (19.3)
9. Patriots (19.3)
10. Jaguars (19.0)

Bottom 10 Defenses vs. Running Backs (points per game allowed)

1. Falcons (31.0)
2. Chargers (23.7)
3. 49ers (22.0)
4. Buccaneers (21.7)
5. Rams (21.3)
6. Cowboys (20.3)
7. Packers (20.0)
8. Browns (19.7)
9. Jaguars (19.3)
T10. Colts (18.3)
T10. Giants (18.3)

Bottom 10 Defenses vs. Wide Receivers (points per game allowed)

1. Chiefs (42.0)
2. Ravens (36.7)
3. Bills (30.0)
4. Bears (29.3)
5. 49ers (29.3)
6. Patriots (27.3)
7. Eagles (27.3)
8. Browns (26.3)
9. Colts (26.3)
10. Buccaneers (24.3)

Analysis

These statistics are through three games, and some of the numbers are inflated by huge one-game performances, such as Aaron Rodgers demolishing the Chiefs' secondary on Monday Night Football. Looking at the statistics, there is only one team that is in the bottom 10 against both quarterbacks and running backs, the Jaguars. The other teams in the bottom ten (against both quarterbacks and running backs) are either worse against the run or against the pass, so we have some useful data to analyze in choosing which defenses to target players against in upcoming weeks. There are four defenses, however, that are in the bottom 10 against both running backs and against wide receivers, which basically signifies that the defense is generally poor.

Thursday Night Football Preview

The Ravens travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers, who will be without starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Michael Vick will be replacing "Big Ben," making Vick an interesting choice at quarterback for those playing in Thursday leagues on FanDuel. Expect plenty of Le'Veon Bell, as the Steelers will likely protect Vick and play more conservatively. The Ravens' running game has struggled to start the year, but wide receiver Steve Smith has been playing at an elite level the past two weeks and should be able to have his way with the Steelers' secondary.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire.