EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR WEEK 4! 🏈🤑

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL PREVIEW 🏈👀

Packers vs. Lions | Tonight at 8:15 p.m. ET on Prime Video

The latest chapter of the longtime rivalry between the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers will be showcased in what should be a hard-fought and interesting matchup, which is not always the case with these weekly national television games.

Both teams are 2-1, and a win for either side can make an early-season statement in the NFC North. The Lions have won the last three meetings and are looking to certify that the division will now belong to them, as many prognosticators predicted before the season.

The QB battle features Jared Goff, who is off to a good start to the season, and Jordan Love, an instrumental performer as the Packers surged back from a 17-0 deficit to beat the Saints by one point in Week 3.

Goff has completed 69.9% of his passes so far this season, and he has nine TD passes vs. two interceptions for a 98.4 rating in five career games vs the Packers. Love had career highs in completions (22) and passing yards (259) in Week 3 along with three TD passes in each of the first two weeks.

Spread: DET Lions -1.5 (-108)

The Lions have owned this series recently, and after going on the road to knock off Kansas City in the first Thursday night game of the season, handling Lambeau Field again won’t be an issue. Take Detroit to cover the -1.5 spread at -108 on DraftKings Sportsbook.

Total: Under 46 (-108)

Divisional games sometimes tend to be more of a struggle, and Goff is more potent at home. Last year, he had 23 of his 29 TD passes at Ford Field. The Packers have scored 41 points in their last two games. Go with the Under of 46 at -108.

Prop: Sam LaPorta Over 4.5 Receptions

LaPorta is the first rookie tight end in NFL history to catch five-plus balls in each of his first three career games. This prop is a slam dunk for a guy who already has 18 receptions in his first three pro games, another first-year TE record.

Scroll down for our Week 4 fantasy football and betting BREAKDOWN!

WEEK 4 START ‘EM, SIT ‘EM 🏁🪑

START Alexander Mattison:

Yes, he has generated so much negativity (some of it undeserved, of course), and Cam Akers is going to start cutting into his workload in a major way in the near future. But Mattison is still Minnesota’s lead RB for now and must show he is still worthy of at least being involved in an eventual timeshare with Akers. The Panthers have allowed six rushing TDs to RBs.

START Adam Thielen: 

There are a few interesting “revenge” games on this week’s schedule, and Thielen’s is certainly good for fantasy purposes against the Vikings. The 33-year-old is defying expectations, coming off a 145-yard performance with TD receptions in each of his last two games.

SIT Jared Goff: 

As previously indicated, the Detroit QB is well-known in fantasy circles for being a strict home streamer. He has thrown seven TD passes in his last nine road games. The Lions may have much more success running the ball this week.

SIT Terry McLaurin: 

The Washington veteran has yet to reach 55 receiving yards in a game. Sam Howell doesn’t seem to have much of a connection with McLaurin yet, and the Philadelphia defense will torment the Commanders QB nearly as much as Buffalo did.

SLEEPERS & BUSTS 😴💩

Sleeper: Jalin Hyatt, New York Giants vs. Seattle Seahawks

This is my super-deep Week 4 sleeper who should also be locked into DFS Showdown lineups for a potential bust-out performance. Do not hesitate to take the shot with Hyatt in larger seasonal leagues.

Hyatt has drawn scouting comparisons to DeSean Jackson, and no one else on the New York roster has his upside. (Parris Campbell is averaging 4.3 yards per catch.) Seattle has allowed the most receiving yards to opposing WRs among NFC teams.

Sleeper: Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos @ Chicago Bears

Both winless teams need this game badly, simply to regain respectability. The Broncos obviously need it worse after taking a historic beating from the Miami Dolphins.

Wilson was not at the center of the most recent avalanche of negativity directed at his team, and he already has two 300-yard games, a rarity for the former Seahawks star even during his best years. The Bears rank 28th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to QBs.

Bust: Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals @ Tennessee Titans

Mixon has not been much of a fantasy factor this season overall, but 65 rushing yards and a TD against the Rams offered some hope in Week 3. The reality is that the 65 yards was his highest total of the year so far, and he faces the notoriously stingy Titans defense this week. Mixon is an obvious bust type in the eyes of savvy fantasy players.

Bust: Joshua Palmer, Los Angeles Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Palmer caught a TD pass last week and was a prime fantasy football waiver wire pickup this week because of the Mike Williams season-ending knee injury. But rookie Quentin Johnston was drafted in the first round by the Chargers this season, with a likely eye on being an ideal replacement at any time for the oft-injured Williams. I say he outperforms Palmer right away in an expanded role.

PLAYER NEWS & RUMORS 🤭📰

Jamal Adams (quad):

The Seahawks’ strong safety is expected to play for the first time since Week 1 of the 2022 season when Seattle takes on the New York Giants on Monday night. Adams will be making a return to MetLife Stadium, where he started his career as a standout for the Jets, and will no doubt be fired up in front of the national audience. The three-time All-Pro will further boost a Seahawks defense that led the NFL in total pressures in Week 3 with 36, according to Pro Football Focus, and is sixth in rushing defense.

Saquon Barkley (ankle):

Brian Daboll told the media that his superstar RB is in the “day-to-day” category for now. It appears that Barkley could be a true game-time decision because the Giants really need him to have a better shot of earning a much-needed win. After the Seahawks, New York faces Miami and Buffalo, and a defeat this week could turn into a 1-5 start to the season.

MATCHUPS TO EXPLOIT ⭐️🗑

Each week, Sam Wagman breaks down his favorite matchups to exploit that weekend in the NFL, from WR/CB to RB/DL. Let’s go through a couple favorites he likes this weekend.

Panthers WRs vs. Vikings CBs:

This is quickly becoming a must-stream fantasy matchup for me as the Vikings continue to hemorrhage fantasy points to opposing pass-catchers, specifically wide receivers. Fresh off of allowing over 400 passing yards to Justin Herbert, the Panthers enter the equation.

No Bryce Young this week presumably, but have no fear, because the Red Rifle is here. Andy Dalton, who just threw for 361 yards and two passing touchdowns against the Seahawks last week in a full-on passing gamescript, should be able to feast against the primarily zone coverage scheme that the Vikings run.

Look mostly at Adam Thielen here, who gets a matchup against Josh Metellus where Minnesota allows the fifth-most fantasy points to WRs in the slot, but don't overlook D.J. Chark and Jonathan Mingo on the outside, where they get a matchup against CBs who both have allowed over 0.5 fantasy points per pass route this season.

Derek Carr/Jameis Winston vs. TB DBs:

I'd much rather see Carr getting the ball snapped to him than Winston, but we cannot deny this is sneakily advantageous, especially since Alvin Kamara will be playing his first game back from suspension this week.

All three of the Saints' WRs can make plays downfield, but more importantly, they excel in the short-intermediate passing game, which is where the Philadelphia Eagles were able to push them on last week. Jalen Hurts did a ton of damage throwing 10 yards or shorter, with his WRs making a lot of YAC plays in space.

Keep in mind that top TB linebacker Devin White is battling a groin issue, so he's not able to cover at his usual high standards.

INTRUIGING PLAYERS STATS 📊

Here are some player stats that caught our eye this week:

• Marvin Mims Jr. is averaging 27.9 yards per reception in his first three NFL games. In Week 3, the rookie had 73 receiving yards and a 99-yard kickoff return for a TD.

• James Cook ranks second among all RBs with 334 scrimmage yards so far this season. He has 110-plus scrimmage yards in his last two games.

• Kyren Williams is one of two NFC RBs (Kenneth Walker III is the other) with four TDs from scrimmage in the first three weeks. He played on 95% of the snaps in Week 2 and 100% in Week 3.

• Michael Pittman Jr. is the only NFL player with eight-plus receptions in each of the first three games of the season. He has caught a TD pass in his last two home games.

PARLAY OF THE WEEK 💰(+255)