Editor's note: The Patriots-Chiefs game is being rescheduled for Monday night according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
This week presents a lot of fantasy managers with their most difficult start/sit decisions to date.
With Cam Newton testing positive for COVID-19 and the NFL postponing the Patriots-Chiefs game without a rescheduled date (as of Saturday evening), you may be wondering what to do with key fantasy players on either team.
This is an extremely complex yet simple issue.
It’s simple in that it’s binary — they will either play on Monday or Tuesday and those players will be counted toward your Week 4 matchups on platforms like ESPN and Yahoo, or the game will be rescheduled for much later.
It's complex in the sense we have to weigh risk against reward.
For example, if you have Patrick Mahomes, you could roll the dice and hope they play by Tuesday. But if they don't, you risk taking a zero at quarterback. An alternative could be picking up a quarterback like Nick Mullens (who plays Sunday night), which would allow you more time to get clarity on the Patriots-Chiefs situation before making a decision. In that case, if they do postpone the game for later in the season, you could plug in Mullens.
Ultimately, though, it's on you to manage your own risk management — no expert (including myself) can project or predict the outcome here.
With all that said, I've outlined the latest version of my Week 4 fantasy football rankings into tiers so you can better visualize the drop-off in expected production at each position. Note that these are as of Saturday night and final inactives could still impact certain players, so be sure to check my updated rankings before making your final decisions.
Week 4 Fantasy Tiers
QUARTERBACKS
Tier 1
Russell Wilson (@ MIA)
Dak Prescott (vs. CLE)
Lamar Jackson (@ WAS)
Josh Allen (@ LV)
Tier 2
Kyler Murray (@ CAR)
Patrick Mahomes (vs. NE)
Deshaun Watson (vs. MIN)
Tier 3
Aaron Rodgers (vs. ATL)
Joe Burrow (vs. JAX)
Tier 4
Jared Goff (vs. NYG)
Matt Ryan (@ GB)
Ryan Fitzpatrick (vs. SEA)
Tier 5
Matthew Stafford (vs. NO)
Gardner Minshew (@ CIN)
Teddy Bridgewater (vs. ARI)
Tom Brady (vs. LAC)
Drew Brees (@ DET)
Tier 6
Kirk Cousins (@ HOU)
Baker Mayfield (@ DAL)
Nick Mullens (vs. PHI)
Derek Carr (vs. BUF)
Tier 7
Daniel Jones (@ LAR)
Sam Darnold (vs. DEN)*
Carson Wentz (@ SF)
Nick Foles (vs. IND)
Philip Rivers (@ CHI)
Justin Herbert (@ TB)
Brian Hoyer (@ KC)
Brett Rypien (@ NYJ)*
Tier 8
RUNNING BACKS
Tier 1
Alvin Kamara (@ DET)
Tier 2
Ezekiel Elliott (vs. CLE)
Tier 3
Aaron Jones (vs. ATL)
Dalvin Cook (@ HOU)
Tier 4
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (vs. NE)
Josh Jacobs (vs. BUF)
Jonathan Taylor (@ CHI)
Tier 5
Miles Sanders (@ SF)
Kenyan Drake (@ CAR)
Nick Chubb (@ DAL)
David Johnson (vs. MIN)
James Robinson (@ CIN)
Tier 6
Darrell Henderson (vs. NYG)
Mike Davis (vs. ARI)
Melvin Gordon (@ NYJ)*
Austin Ekeler (@ TB)
Ronald Jones II (vs. LAC)
Tier 7
David Montgomery (vs. IND)
Devin Singletary (@ LV)
Kareem Hunt (@ DAL)
Joe Mixon (vs. JAX)
Jerick McKinnon (vs. PHI)
Tier 8
Myles Gaskin (vs. SEA)
Todd Gurley (@ GB)
Chris Carson (@ MIA)
Tier 9
Jeffery Wilson (vs. PHI)
Adrian Peterson (vs. NO)
Mark Ingram (@ WAS)
Tier 10
Latavius Murray (@ DET)
Frank Gore (vs. DEN)*
Antonio Gibson (vs. BAL)
James White (@ KC)
Malcolm Brown (vs. NYG)
Tier 11
J.K. Dobbins (@ WAS)
Sony Michel (@ KC)
Nyheim Hines (@ CHI)
Devonta Freeman (@ LAR)
LeSean McCoy (vs. LAC)
Carlos Hyde (@ MIA)
Giovani Bernard (vs. JAX)
Rex Burkhead (@ KC)
Alexander Mattison (@ HOU)
Jamaal Williams (vs. ATL)
Chase Edmonds (@ CAR)
Tier 12
J.D. McKissic (vs. BAL)
Zack Moss (@ LV)
Kerryon Johnson (vs. NO)
Joshua Kelley (@ TB)
Gus Edwards (@ WAS)
Chris Thompson (@ CIN)
La'Mical Perine (vs. DEN)*
D'Andre Swift (vs. NO)
Brian Hill (@ GB)
Dion Lewis (@ LAR)
Boston Scott (@ SF)
WIDE RECEIVERS
Tier 1
Davante Adams (vs. ATL)
Tier 2
DeAndre Hopkins (@ CAR)
Tyler Lockett (@ MIA)
Calvin Ridley (@ GB)
Tyreek Hill (vs. NE)
D.K. Metcalf (@ MIA)
Amari Cooper (vs. CLE)
Tier 3
Cooper Kupp (vs. NYG)
Adam Thielen (@ HOU)
Stefon Diggs (@ LV)
Odell Beckham Jr. (@ DAL)
Julio Jones (@ GB)
Robert Woods (vs. NYG)
Mike Evans (vs. LAC)
D.J. Moore (vs. ARI)
Allen Robinson (vs. IND)
Tier 4
Julian Edelman (@ KC)
Kenny Golladay (vs. NO)
DeVante Parker (vs. SEA)
Keenan Allen (@ TB)
Will Fuller V (vs. MIN)
Robby Anderson (vs. ARI)
Tyler Boyd (vs. JAX)
Michael Gallup (vs. CLE)
Tier 5
Terry McLaurin (vs. BAL)
CeeDee Lamb (vs. CLE)
Marquise Brown (@ WAS)
Marquez Valdes-Scantling (vs. ATL)
Justin Jefferson (@ HOU)
Brandin Cooks (vs. MIN)
T.Y. Hilton (@ CHI)
Hunter Renfrow (vs. BUF)
Tre'Quan Smith (@ DET)
D.J. Chark (@ CIN)
Jarvis Landry (@ DAL)
Jerry Jeudy (@ NYJ)*
A.J. Green (vs. JAX)
Marvin Jones (vs. NO)
John Brown (@ LV)
Darius Slayton (@ LAR)
Tier 6
Jamison Crowder (vs. DEN)*
Curtis Samuel (vs. ARI)
Greg Ward Jr. (@ SF)
Deebo Samuel (vs. PHI)
Brandon Aiyuk (vs. PHI)
Russell Gage (@ GB)
Tier 7
Tee Higgins (vs. JAX)
Sammy Watkins (vs. NE)
Emmanuel Sanders (@ DET)
N'Keal Harry (@ KC)
Golden Tate (@ LAR)
Preston Williams (vs. SEA)
Laviska Shenault (@ CIN)
Keelan Cole (@ CIN)
Cole Beasley (@ LV)
Tier 8
Randall Cobb (vs. MIN)
Zach Pascal (@ CHI)
Scott Miller (vs. LAC)
Damiere Byrd (@ KC)
Nelson Agholor (vs. BUF)
Braxton Berrios (vs. DEN)*
Danny Amendola (vs. NO)
Larry Fitzgerald (@ CAR)
Anthony Miller (vs. IND)
Tier 9
K.J. Hamler (@ NYJ)*
Andy Isabella (@ CAR)
Isaiah Ford (vs. SEA)
Mecole Hardman (vs. NE)
Miles Boykin (@ WAS)
Kendrick Bourne (vs. PHI)
Tim Patrick (@ NYJ)*
Tier 10
Dontrelle Inman (vs. BAL)
Darnell Mooney (vs. IND)
Deonte Harris (@ DET)
Chris Conley (@ CIN)
Christian Kirk (@ CAR)
Chris Hogan (vs. DEN)*
Willie Snead (@ WAS)
TIGHT ENDS
Tier 1
Travis Kelce (vs. NE)
Tier 2
Darren Waller (vs. BUF)
Zach Ertz (@ SF)
George Kittle (vs. PHI)
Tier 3
Mike Gesicki (vs. SEA)
Mark Andrews (@ WAS)
T.J. Hockenson (vs. NO)
Noah Fant (@ NYJ)*
Hunter Henry (@ TB)
Tyler Higbee (vs. NYG)
Tier 4
Evan Engram (@ LAR)
Hayden Hurst (@ GB)
Dalton Schultz (vs. CLE)
Logan Thomas (vs. BAL)
Austin Hooper (@ DAL)
Tier 5
Chris Herndon (vs. DEN)*
Adam Trautman (@ DET)
Tier 6
Jordan Akins (vs. MIN)
Rob Gronkowski (vs. LAC)
Greg Olsen (@ MIA)
Drew Sample (vs. JAX)
Robert Tonyan Jr. (vs. ATL)
Jimmy Graham (vs. IND)
O.J. Howard (vs. LAC)
Tyler Eifert (@ CIN)
Tier 7
Mo Alie-Cox (@ CHI)
Dan Arnold (@ CAR)
Ian Thomas (vs. ARI)
Kyle Rudolph (@ HOU)
Dawson Knox (@ LV)
Irv Smith Jr. (@ HOU)
Darren Fells (vs. MIN)
Tier 8
Jack Doyle (@ CHI)
Harrison Bryant (@ DAL)
Josh Hill (@ DET)
Will Dissly (@ MIA)
James O'Shaughnessy (@ CIN)
Nick Boyle (@ WAS)
Gerald Everett (vs. NYG)
KICKERS
Tier 1
Harrison Butker (vs. NE)
Justin Tucker (@ WAS)
Greg Zuerlein (vs. CLE)
Tier 2
Mason Crosby (vs. ATL)
Jason Myers (@ MIA)
Wil Lutz (@ DET)
Sam Sloman (vs. NYG)
Ka'imi Fairbairn (vs. MIN)
Tier 3
Tyler Bass (@ LV)
Matt Prater (vs. NO)
Robbie Gould (vs. PHI)
Zane Gonzalez (@ CAR)
Cody Parkey (@ DAL)
Tier 4
Randy Bullock (vs. JAX)
Dan Bailey (@ HOU)
Ryan Succop (vs. LAC)
Jason Sanders (vs. SEA)
Joey Slye (vs. ARI)
Daniel Carlson (vs. BUF)
[Play NFL DFS? Access Our Industry-Leading Tools & Projections For Just $4.95]
Tier 5
Elliott Fry (@ GB)
Stephen Hauschka (@ CIN)**
Rodrigo Blankenship (@ CHI)
Nick Folk (@ KC)
Brandon McManus (@ NYJ)*
**Be careful with Hauschka as he is a game-time decision. I would advise to look elsewhere
Tier 6
Sam Ficken (vs. DEN)*
Michael Badgley (@ TB)
Jake Elliott (@ SF)
Cairo Santos (vs. IND)
Tier 7
Dustin Hopkins (vs. BAL)
Graham Gano (@ LAR)
DEFENSES
Tier 1
Baltimore Ravens (@ WAS)
Los Angeles Rams (vs. NYG)
Tier 2
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. LAC)
San Francisco 49ers (vs. PHI)
Kansas City Chiefs (vs. NE)
Indianapolis Colts (@ CHI)
Tier 3
Seattle Seahawks (@ MIA)
Denver Broncos (@ NYJ)*
New York Jets (vs. DEN)*
Cincinnati Bengals (vs. JAX)
Tier 4
Arizona Cardinals (@ CAR)
New Orleans Saints (@ DET)
Dallas Cowboys (vs. CLE)
Chicago Bears (vs. IND)
Green Bay Packers (vs. ATL)
Houston Texans (vs. MIN)
Jacksonville Jaguars (@ CIN)
Tier 5
Philadelphia Eagles (@ SF)
Carolina Panthers (vs. ARI)
Buffalo Bills (@ LV)
Minnesota Vikings (@ HOU)
Las Vegas Raiders (vs. BUF)
Los Angeles Chargers (@ TB)
Tier 6
Cleveland Browns (@ DAL)
Miami Dolphins (vs. SEA)
Detroit Lions (vs. NO)
New York Giants (@ LAR)
Washington Football Team (vs. BAL)
New England Patriots (@ KC)
Tier 7
Atlanta Falcons (@ GB)
