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Predicting Week 4 upsets, best sophomore quarterbacks and preseason picks we regret: NFL buzz
Week 4 Field Pass: How to value Saquon Barkley, Tom Brady and NFC North backup RBs
Stacking the 10 best NFL draft quarterback duos of all time: Can Allen-Jackson catch Elway-Marino?
bold prediction: saints cb marshon lattimore will keep vikings receiver justin jefferson to less than 50 receiving yards. Lattimore uses the same kind of close physical approach that Eagles CB Darius Slay and Lions CB Jeff Okudah have used to slow down Jefferson over the past two weeks. Until Jefferson proves he can beat that kind of approach, opponents will continue to use it. – kevin seifert
Stat to Know: The Vikings have 13 total penalties through Week 3, the second fewest in the NFL this season. but the Saints have 28, tied for second.
injuries: vikings | saints
What you should know about fantasy: “Air yards” aren’t a fantasy stat, but they do have a way of hinting at an advantage. Olave leads the league in that category… by 164! see week 4 rankings.
nugget betting: the favorites are 18-12 against the spread (ats) in the london games. overs and unders are split 15-15. read more.
moody’s pick: vikings 23, saints 20 walder’s pick: vikings 27, saints 13 fpi prediction: no, 51, 3% (for an average of 0.4 points)
Must-read matchups: o’connell’s aggressive plays before halftime have paid off for the vikings…saints rookie wr olave ​​is a bright spot lone on offense struggling… winston says he plans to play sunday
The nfl week 4 schedule for the 2022 season is packed with big matchups, and we’ve got you covered with what you need to know before the weekend. Our NFL national reporters give us the biggest clues from every game and a bold prediction for every matchup.
also, espn stats & The information provides a great stat to know and a betting nugget for each contest, and our Football Power Index (fpi) goes into the numbers with a matchup rating (on a scale of 1 to 100) and a projection of play. espn researcher kyle soppe also provides some helpful information on fantasy football. Finally, Seth Walder and Eric Moody provide us with final score picks for each game. everything you want to know is here in one place to help you prepare for a packed weekend of nfl football.
let’s get into the full week 4 roster including our first game of the season in london, josh allen vs. lamar jackson, jaguars coach doug pederson taking on his old team in philadelphia, derrick henry vs. jonathan taylor and a big boss- bucs meeting on sunday night. It all culminates with a Monday night football game between the Rams and 49ers on ESPN. (Game times are on Sundays unless otherwise noted.)
jump into a matchup: min-no | buf-bal | jax-phi chi-nyg | wsh-dal | cle-atl nyj-pit | mar-det | ten-ind lac-hou | ari-car | ne-gb den-lv | kc-tb | lar-sf
Thursday: Cin 27, Mine 15
bills (2-1) to the ravens (2-1)
1p. m. and | cbs | spread: buf -3 (51)
What to Look Out For: Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are two of the most impactful running quarterbacks in the NFL. The accounts are 12-3 (.800) when Allen rushes for 50-plus yards, and the Ravens are 16-1 (.941) when Jackson rushes for 90-plus yards. Allen and Jackson are among the favorites for NFL MVP this season because they are two of three quarterbacks to account for more than 83% of their team’s total yards (passing and rushing) through the first three games. – jamison hensley
Bold Prediction: Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs will have 125+ receiving yards for the second time this season as the team’s receiving corps deals with multiple injuries. Jake Kumerow (ankle high) is not expected to play, nor is Gabe Davis (ankle) trending in a positive direction for the game against the Ravens. allen hooking up with diggs at a high level would help the bills a lot and pick up a win. Baltimore has allowed a total of 95 completions and a league-high 353.3 yards per game, which should provide opportunities for the Bills’ passing offense despite injuries. – alaina getzenberg
Stat to Know: Buffalo has allowed just 173 total rushing yards, second-fewest in the NFL (Jaguars, 165), including seven runs for 20 yards by opposing quarterbacks.
injuries: invoices | crows
Fantasy Facts: No team has allowed deeper completions this season than the Ravens, and Gabe Davis’s career average depth is more than 14 yards. see week 4 rankings.
betting point: baltimore is 12-2-1 ats when the line is between +3 and -3 since 2019. read more.
moody’s pick: bills 37, ravens 30 walder’s pick: ravens 33, bills 30 fpi prediction: bal, 55, 5% (for an average of 1.6 points)
Must-Read Matchups: Winning Close Matches Could Be Bills’ Achilles Heel… Why The Ravens’ Jackson Is Playing Better Than During His MVP Season… Bills, plagued by injuries in secondary, sign cb rhodes to practice squad… ranking of best qb combos in nfl draft history: allen, jackson in top 10?
jaguars (2-1) to eagles (3-0)
1p. m. and | cbs | spread: fi -6.5 (45.5)
What to watch out for: Doug Pederson, the only Super Bowl-winning coach in Eagles history, returns to Philadelphia as leader of the Jaguars. qb trevor lawrence has grown by leaps and bounds under him. The current AFC Offensive Player of the Week has completed 69.4% of his passes with six touchdowns against a single interception. the coach-qb pairing will face an eagles defense that ranks sixth in passing defense (186.7 ypg) and second in sacks (12). “I have a very high opinion of Doug,” Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon said. “He’s very good at calling plays. He doesn’t have a lot of tendencies. You can’t trust certain things to come. He’s doing a good job with the quarterback playing extremely fast.” -tim mcmanus
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bold prediction: eagles qb jalen hurts will rush for 100 yards and a touchdown. Jaguars defense has been very good for three games, but has yet to face a mobile QB like it hurts (Carson Goz, Matt Ryan and Justin Herbert with torn rib cartilage). while the pass rush has been good (21 qb hits, 7 sacks), hurting’s ability to escape pressure will allow him to make some plays with his legs, especially if the jaguars are in man coverage. – mike dirocco
Stat to Know: Hurts ranks first in yards per attempt (9.35) this season, and his 13 offensive plays (12 passes, 1 rush) of 20+ yards are tied for most. most in the nfl.
injuries: jaguars | eagles
what to know about the fantasy: the jaguars have been a big surprise so far, and running back james robinson is a big reason why. Coming off the achilles tendon injury, Robinson ranks third in the fantasy points position this season, trailing only Saquon Barkley and Nick Chubb. see week 4 rankings.
Betting Nugget: Philadelphia and Miami are the only teams to start 3-0 both outright and ats. read more.
moody’s pick: jaguars 31, eagles 28 walder’s pick: eagles 27, jaguars 21 fpi prediction: phi, 67, 3% (for an average of 5.1 points)
Matchup must-reads: Are the Jaguars, Lawrence finding his stride? …it hurts to add to the eagles’ black qb lineage…collegiate chemistry is paying off for six qb-receiver duos in the nfl…what’s in store for doug pederson in philly’s return? four coaches share their ‘homecoming’ stories
bears (2-1) vs. giants (2-1)
1p. m. and | fox | spread: nyg -3 (39.5)
What to watch out for: These are two of the best rushing teams in the NFL in four weeks. The Bears with the duo of David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert are second in the NFL, averaging 186.7 yards per game. Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale considers Chicago’s running game to be “elite.” The Giants, meanwhile, ride Saquon Barkley. They are fourth in the NFL, averaging 169.3 rushing yards per game. this is expected to be the lowest scoring game of the week at over/under 39.5 according to caesars sportsbook. – jordan raanan
Bold Prediction: The Bears leave MetLife Stadium with three sacks, matching half of their current three-week total, including two from Robert Quinn. Daniel Jones was pressured 24 times by Dallas, the most pressure a Giants QB has faced since 2009. Chicago’s passing rush hasn’t been as effective (33 pass-blocking wins, ranked 31st in the NFL), but this is the week it finally comes home with a heavy dose of new pressure and blitz not normally seen in this scheme. – courtney cronin
Stat to know: The Bears have attempted 45 passes this season, the fewest by any team in three games since the 1982 Patriots (44). Justin Fields has been intercepted on 8.9% of his attempts this season, the most in the NFL. and his 23.0 qbr ranks 31st among the 32 qbs rated this season (only baker mayfield is worse).
injuries: bears | giants
what to know about fantasy: don’t call it a comeback. Barkley is touching the ball 22 times a game and is on pace for more than 2,000 total yards. For most, that would be the product of a small sample size, but for Barkley, he’s just preparing to repeat his rookie season in 2018. Check out the Week 4 rankings.
Betting Nugget: New York is 6-0 ATs with little rest since 2020. Read more.
moody’s pick: giants 17, bears 14 walder’s pick: giants 20, bears 9 fpi prediction: nyg, 65, 0% (for an average of 4.4 points)
Must-read matchup: hopeful herbert can continue to ‘punch forward’ in montgomery’s absence… can the giants’ offensive line fix their pass-blocking woes? ? …bears legend butkus continues to tweet from the team’s twitter account…giants lose top receiver shepard to torn acl
commanders (1-2) to cowboys (2-1)
1p. m. and | fox | propagation: dal -3 (41.5)
What to watch for: The Cowboys have won seven straight NFC East games while hosting the Commanders at AT&T Stadium. Cooper Rush will look to become the first Cowboys quarterback to win his first four career starts. while the passing game has been efficient, the running game has also helped, with ezekiel elliott and tony pollard amassing 274 yards on 52 carries in fast starts. Carson Goz is 4-4 against Dallas in his career, but he is coming off a game in which he was sacked nine times. The Cowboys enter Week 3 with an NFL-best 11 sacks and have three players — Micah Parsons, Demarcus Lawrence and Dorance Armstrong — with six sacks. – archer todd
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bold prediction: dallas speedy receiver michael gallup will make a splash in his debut. He is returning from a torn ACL and will take advantage of a Washington defense that has produced big plays by catching a 40-yard touchdown pass. Commanders have allowed five passes of more than 40 yards and 12 plays overall of that length. They played better defense in Week 3 against the Eagles, but the big plays are still the problem. – Juan Keim
Stat to Know: Washington wide receiver Terry McLaurin is coming off his 11th career game with 100+ receiving yards, but has never had one against the Cowboys.
injuries: commanders | jeans
What to know about fantasy: The Commanders have thrown a 100-yard receiver in each of the first three weeks of this season, and Ceedee Lamb was one step away from a career night against the giants in Monday night football last week. see week 4 rankings.
Betting Nugget: Ten of the last 13 meetings have gone over the total. read more.
moody’s pick: commanders 24, cowboys 20 walder’s pick: cowboys 19, commanders 16 fpi prediction: wsh, 53, 3% (for an average of 1.1 points)
Matchup Must-Reads: Commanders must find an offensive identity…how Ceedee earned redemption in the Cowboys’ victory over the Giants…lamb ready to charge the number of the Cowboys. legacy of 88 established by pearson, irvin and dez… speeds up rallies to win third straight career start
browns (2-1) in hawks (1-2)
1p. m. and | cbs | spread: cle -1 (47.5)
What to watch for: This game will theoretically feature two of the top three running backs in the NFL: Cleveland’s Nick Chubb (#1, 341 yards) and Atlanta’s Cordarrelle Patterson (#3, 302 yards). Patterson, however, didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday, so he could take some of the shine out of the matchup if he can’t make it. These two teams also have some interesting ties, including Falcons offensive coordinator Dave Ragone and defensive coordinator Dean Pees, who grew up in Ohio as Browns fans. -michael rothstein
Bold prediction: Atlanta tight end Kyle Pitts will double his career reception total, with two against the Browns. The Falcons, and his underrated offense, will stick with Cleveland in the fourth quarter. – jake trotter
Stat to Know: The Browns have scored on 14 consecutive red zone drives since last season, the third-longest active streak in the NFL behind the Cowboys (24) and Titans ( 16).
lesions: brown | hawks
What You Should Know About Fantasy: Amari Cooper dropped 23.1 fantasy points over the Steelers last week, giving her back-to-back 20-point games for the first time since Weeks 5 and 6 of the 2016 season. See rankings for week 4.
Betting nugget: Both teams have gone over the total in each of their first three games. The only other team 3-0 at the end is Detroit. read more.
moody’s pick: browns 31, hawks 23 walder’s pick: hawks 22, browns 17 fpi prediction: atl, 50, 1% (for an average of 0.1 points)
must read matchup: browns offense thrives with brissett on qb…patterson drives falcons running game…garrett injures shoulder, biceps in car accident …browns lb walker out for season with torn quad
jets (1-2) at steelers (1-2)
1p. m. and | cbs | spread: well -3.5 (41.5)
What to watch for: Jets QB Zach Wilson makes his season debut. The Steelers’ lack of experience against him, coupled with his mobility, creates challenges for a defense still struggling to find an identity without T.J. watt. The Steelers have just two sacks total since Watt injured his pectoral, and the run defense again ranks near the bottom of the league after giving up 171 rushing yards to the Browns. – brooke pryor
Bold Prediction: Rookie running back Breece Hall will post the first 100-yard dash day of his career. After throwing a league-high 155 times in the first three games, the Jets want to balance out Wilson back. Michael Carter, and especially Hall, will be the beneficiaries of the strategic shift as they cut through the Steelers’ suspect run defense. – rich cimini
Stat to Know: The Steelers have a 33% third-down conversion rate this season, second-worst in the AFC behind the Texans. They went 1-9 on third-down conversions against the Browns in the Week 3 loss, tied for the third-worst conversion rate since Mike Tomlin took over in 2007.
injuries: jets | steelworkers
what to know about the fantasy: new year, same problem. Last season, Najee Harris was the volume king, but his runs were only as valuable because he was hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on 30.6% of his totals. this season… 35%. see week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Pittsburgh is 16-1 with extra rest since 2017 (8-7-2 ats). read more.
moody’s pick: steelers 28, jets 17 walder’s pick: steelers 27, jets 20 fpi prediction: hole, 67, 9% (for an average of 5.4 points)
must read on matchup: wilson medically cleared to start against steelers… three signs of progress for steelers offense, and three things they need to improve… jets delivered another hit to offensive tackle as fant put on go
sea hawks (1-2) to lions (1-2)
1p. m. and | fox | spread: det -4 (48)
What to Watch Out For: A limping Lions team could limp into the Week 4 matchup after losing several key players during practice throughout the week, including running back d’andre swift (ankle/shoulder), tight end t.j. hockenson (foot) and wide receivers amon-ra st. brown (ankle) and josh reynolds (ankle). both teams enter the contest with equal 1-2 records, trying to bounce back after close one-point losses the previous week. An interesting matchup to watch is Lions cornerback Jeff Okudah vs. DK Metcalf. The Seahawks wide receiver recently said Okudah isn’t really “closing people up” and has a safety to help him. -eric woodyard
bold prediction: the seahawks will hold detroit under 115 rushing yards. That qualifies as bold given that Seattle has allowed the second-most rushing yards per game this season, including 189 and 179 in the last two weeks. They could get a bye Sunday with the speedy Lions injured, and they could get a boost with outside linebackers Boye Mafe and Darryl Johnson playing more early downs in place of Darrell Taylor, who has struggled against the run. -brady henderson
Stat to Know: The Lions are shooting 31.7 ppg, second-most in the NFL, and allowing 31.0 ppg, the most in the NFL.
injuries: sea hawks | lions
Fantasy Facts: For three weeks, both running backs from Detroit rank in the top 10 players at the position, but only one of them will be active this week. jamaal williams and his four rushing touchdowns are set to take center stage with swift’s shoulder injury set to sideline him for the short term at least. see week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Detroit is 3-0 ATs this season and 14-6 ATs under Dan Campbell. read more.
moody’s pick: lions 31, seahawks 21 walder’s pick: lions 30, seahawks 15 fpi prediction: det, 65.3% (for an average of 4.5 points)
Must-read matchup: The Seahawks’ defense faces a familiar challenge: turning around another bad start…the lions’ fast week-to-week run with a sprained shoulder
titans (1-2) vs colts (1-1-1)
1p. m. and | fox | spread: ind -3.5 (43)
What to watch out for: Colts currently have a turnover margin of minus 3, an alarming number for a team that ranked first in this category in 2021 and second in 2020. There are Two reasons: Matt Ryan has had an extremely rare stretch, turning the ball over six times in three games. and the defense, after finishing second in takeaways last season, has produced just three turnovers to date. Alternately, Titans QB Ryan Tannehill has thrown just three interceptions in three games. if the Colts’ defense can somehow force turnovers, and not commit turnovers, they will have a better chance of earning their second win of the season. – stephen’s headline
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Bold prediction: Titans running back derrick henry will get his first 100-yard rushing performance this season. that’s bold considering the Colts are allowing a league-low 2.6 yards per carry. Henry had a season-high 65 yards after contact last week. Offensive coordinator Todd Downing feels Henry is about to break a long run if “they can finish the blocks, that last push, the last push to get him to the secondary.” – nougat sofa
Stat to Know: Ryan has been sacked 12 times, the fourth most in the NFL so far this season. that’s the second-most sacks he’s taken in his team’s first three games of a season in his career (13 in 2011). That’s also the second-most sacks by a Colts QB since the franchise moved to Indianapolis in 1984 (Jim Harbaugh took 16 sacks in 1997).
injuries: titans | foals
what you should know about fantasy: may not be what you signed up for, but don’t panic… jonathan taylor is 14.8 more fantasy points in three games this season than he did during his historic 2021 campaign. see week 4 rankings.
Betting Point: Eight straight Indianapolis games have gone under the total, including all three this season. read more.
moody’s pick: colts 27, titans 24 walder’s pick: colts 20, titans 17 fpi prediction: ind, 60, 4% (for an average of 3.0 points)
matchup must reads: titans train vrabel by searching inside (and outside) the building for answers to secondary problems… ryan, imperfect colts finding ways to win while also finding his way… titans lt lewan out of season with knee injury
chargers (2-1) at texans (0-2-1)
1p. m. and | cbs | spread: lac -5 (45)
What to watch for: Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has the fourth-most passing yards in the NFL (910), but the Texans’ pass defense has been exceptional. They’ve held the opposing quarterbacks completion percentage to 55.1%, which is second-best in the NFL, according to Next-Gen stats. the texans have 10 sacks on the year, ranking fourth best. Coverage in the secondary has been solid, with quarterbacks completing just 44% of their passes when targeting cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. this should be interesting as the chargers are coming off a bad week, losing to the jaguars in week 3. – dj bien-aime
Bold prediction: The Chargers will clamp down on the defense and keep the Texans out of the end zone. This is bold considering the Chargers defense is averaging the most points allowed in the AFC at 28 per game. But the Texans are among the teams that struggle to score, averaging 16.3 points per game. Keep an eye on the Bolts defense behind Khalil Mack and Derwin James for inspired play, wanting to prove he shouldn’t be written off despite losing star running back Joey Bosa indefinitely. – lindsey thiry
Stat to Know: Los Angeles’ Austin Ekeler is the only running back in the NFL who currently leads his team in both goals (22) and receptions (21).
injuries: chargers | jeans
fantasy facts: dameon pierce got 87% of the texans’ rb carries last week in chicago. he’s not a bad role for a matchup with the Chargers, the third-worst defense in terms of yards per carry since the start of last season. see week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: Los Angeles is 0-3 as an away favorite under coach brandon staley. read more.
moody’s pick: chargers 31, texans 20 walder’s pick: chargers 26, texans 10 fpi prediction: lac, 70, 4% (for an average of 6.3 points)
Must-read matchups: A guide to all the Chargers’ injuries and how they’ll try to overcome them… Texans coach Smith isn’t sure “exactly why” Mills, offense struggling…herbert injured ‘didn’t want to leave team’ in jags loss…throws lt slater out for season
cardinals (1-2) and panthers (1-2)
4:05 PM m. and | fox | spread: car -1 (43.5)
What to watch out for: Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield ranks 31st in the NFL in completion percentage (51.9), and a big problem has been the game poor footwork due to a lack of total confidence in their offensive line. he has allowed nine sacks. He should have more confidence facing an Arizona defense that ranks 31st in sacks with just two to three games. -david newton
Bold Prediction: With the weather playing a factor, the Cardinals will commit to the run, with James Conner having 100 yards for the first time this season and Kyler Murray outshining 50 for the first time. – josh weinfuss
Stat to Know: christian mccaffrey has two straight games of 100+ rushing yards after going 18 games without reaching 100. he hasn’t had three straight 100+ rushing games since weeks 8-10 in 2019.
injuries: bruises | panthers
what to know about fantasy: It’s hard to know what will happen in four weeks when deandre hopkins returns after week 6, but marquise brown is coming off a career day and is the ninth-best receiver scoring fantasy this season (just ahead of first-round picks justin jefferson and davante adams). see week 4 rankings.
bet point: arizona has won seven straight underdogs on the road, tied for the longest streak since the afl/nfl merger in 1970. read more.
moody’s pick: cardinals 28, panthers 17 walder’s pick: cardinals 31, panthers 14 fpi prediction: car, 52, 8% (for an average of 0.8 points)
Must-read matchup: Kingsbury still trying to work out first-quarter woes for Cardinals offense…as Mayfield struggles, Panthers defense shines on first win.. .college chemistry pays off for six qb-receiver duos in the nfl
Patriots (1-2) vs. Packers (2-1)
4:25 PM m. and | cbs | spread: gb -9.5 (40)
What to Look Out For: There are some telltale streaks in the game: Aaron Rodgers has won five straight against AFC opponents; The Packers have won 14 straight regular-season home games, which is the longest active streak in the NFL; And Patriots starting quarterback Brian Hoyer has likely lost 11 straight starts, which is the longest streak among quarterbacks currently on NFL rosters. – rob demovsky
Bold prediction: Patriots running backs Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson will come within 200 total rushing yards between them. This will have to be the formula for New England to have a chance to spring an upset. The Packers have shown some vulnerability against the run, with the Bears totaling 180 yards on 27 carries in Week 2, and the Vikings having 126 yards on 28 carries in Week 1. But here’s a potential problem for New England: with Rodgers. completing 75% of his passes in consecutive games, the prospect of falling behind early could make the Patriots more one-dimensional than they like. – mike reiss
Stat to Know: The Patriots defense has a 9.3% sack rate this season, which is third-best in the NFL. And Rodgers has taken eight sacks in three games this season.
injuries: patriots | packers
Fantasy Facts: Romeo Dudas saw 23.5% of goals last weekend at Tampa Bay, the highest rate for a Packer this season and potentially a sign of what that will come for the promising rookie. . see week 4 rankings.
Betting Nugget: Green Bay is 17-7 ATs as a local favorite under coach Matt Lafleur, including 7-1 ATs since the start of last season. read more.
moody’s pick: packers 28, patriots 13 walder’s pick: packers 24, patriots 0 fpi prediction: gb, 88, 8% (for an average of 14.7 points)
dueling must-reads: why training is a family affair for belichicks, from bill to amanda to steve to brian…what’s next? … belichick asks with stiff arms about jones’s injury with the ‘day to day’ refrain… the rodgers-brady matchup fizzled out, but the packers found other ways to win… matthews hoped to end his career with the packers
broncos (2-1) vs raiders (0-3)
4:25 PM m. and | cbs | spread: lv -2.5 (45.5)
What to watch out for: Raiders running back Chandler Jones has zero sacks in three games and is quickly becoming a target for impatient fans. So be on the lookout for the four-time pro bowler not being tracked against his favorite target in Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson. Jones has sacked Wilson 16.5 times in his career, the most sacks Jones has against any QB. It’s a rivalry that dates back to the days of Jones in Arizona and Wilson in Seattle. “He thought he could walk away from me, leaving [NFC West],” Jones said with a laugh in March, “but I’m here with him again. So it’s going to be fun, chase him down a little bit.” – Pablo Gutierrez
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bold prediction: fire the confetti cannons on denver, broncos quarterback wilson will have his first multi-touchdown game with the team after having just two touchdown passes in the first few three games. And while that might not move the needle on the “bold” meter at some NFL outposts, the Broncos still say they’re close to something resembling the offense they expected to have when the preseason ended. Additionally, the Raiders have given up four pass plays of at least 30 yards in the first three games to go with five passing touchdowns from opposing quarterbacks. – Jeff Legwold
Stat to Know: The Broncos are averaging 14.3 points per game, second worst in the NFL. forty-three total points in the first three games is the fewest since 2006.
injuries: bronchos | assailants
What you should know about fantasy: Denver’s passing game has yet to catch up, and yet only four receivers in the entire league have more receiving yards than Courtland Sutton. see week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: All three of Denver’s games have been under the total by more than 10 points this season. read more.
moody’s pick: broncos 26, raiders 17 walder’s pick: raiders 30, broncos 19 fpi prediction: lv, 58, 3% (for an average of 2.4 points)
Must-read on matchups: Should the Broncos panic? … adams shrugs off green bay comparisons amid adjustment period with carr, raiders … learning curve has been a bumpy road so far for broncos hackett … los Raiders hope to turn frustration into redemption to bounce back from an 0-3 start
chiefs (2-1) to buccaneers (2-1)
8:20 p.m. and | nbc | spread: par (45.5)
What to watch for: The Bucs will have wide receivers Mike Evans (suspension) and Julio Jones (knee) back this week, with wide receiver Chris Godwin (hamstring) and left tackle Donovan Smith (elbow) also likely. Having scored just three offensive touchdowns in three games so far this year, they need all hands on deck to keep pace with a Chiefs team averaging 29.3 points per game. On the other side of the ball, the Chiefs’ rebuilt offensive line is eager to prove that this wasn’t the same group from Super Bowl LV: Their two sacks allowed are tied for the fewest in the league right now. – jenna laine
bold prediction: the sixth meeting between tom brady and patrick mahomes will be the lowest scoring yet. The Chiefs and Bucs are struggling to score, with the Chiefs offense producing just 37 points in the last two games and the Bucs averaging just 17 points per game in the first three. These teams don’t seem to combine for 39 points, the lowest production yet for a Brady-Mahomes game. It certainly won’t come close to the 83 points the two generated in a 2018 game between the Chiefs and Patriots. – adam teicher
Stat to Know: The Buccaneers are looking to avoid a fourth straight under-20 game. Only one team led by Brady has stayed under 20 points in four straight games: the 2002 Patriots.
injuries: bosses | buccaneers
what to know about fantasy: leonard fournette broke loose in week 1 for 127 yards on 21 carries. In the two games since (Mike Evans was ejected in one and suspended in the other), he’s only had 100 yards on 36 carries. The Bucs welcome back their WR1 this week in hopes of reopening the lanes that were there in the Week 1 win at Dallas. see week 4 rankings.
Betting Nugget: All three of Tampa Bay’s games have gone under total this season. read more.
moody’s pick: buccaneers 24, chiefs 21 walder’s pick: chiefs 30, buccaneers 17 fpi prediction: tb, 63, 3% (for an average of 3.9 points)
Must-read on matchups: Are the bosses in trouble? …buccaneers bowling, brady worried about lack of production…how bosses have kept mahomes happy in kansas city…buccaneers move to south florida before hurricane ian, intern in the dolphin facilities
Rams (2-1) at 49ers (1-2)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. m. and | espn | spread: sf -1 (42.5)
What to watch out for: The 49ers have had the Rams’ number in recent years, winning six straight regular-season games, but the Rams won the one that mattered most in January, advancing to the super bowl with a surge in the fourth quarter in the nfc championship game. After a road loss last week in Denver, the Niners are in danger of falling two games behind the Rams in the NFC West with a loss here. To avoid that, they’ll need quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to quickly find a rhythm behind an offensive line that’s missing star tackle Trent Williams. Garoppolo is 6-1 as a starter against Los Angeles, but his eight interceptions are the most he has thrown against any opponent. -nick waggoner
Bold Prediction: Cooper Kupp sets a career high in receptions with 14 catches. He leads the NFL with 28 receptions, including tying a career high of 13 in Week 1 against the Bills. Kupp’s goal percentage through three games (35%) is higher than it was during the 2021 season (32%), and that continues against the 49ers on Monday night. -sarah’s bar
Stat to Know: The Niners’ Deebo Samuel has 111 rushing yards this season, the most among players who are primarily wide receivers. he’s also one of two receivers with a rushing touchdown in 2022. the other? kupp.
injuries: rams | 49ers
what to know about fantasy: allen robinson ii is one of only seven players to have seen a goal in the end zone in each of the first three weeks. His managers may be impatient, but converting goals like that could make up for a slow start in no time. see week 4 rankings.
Betting nugget: San Francisco has covered all five meetings since 2020, including the playoffs. read more.
moody’s pick: 49ers 24, rams 21 walder’s pick: 49ers 23, rams 17 fpi prediction: lar, 60, 0% (for an average of 3.0 points)
Must-read matchups: Kupp is off to a great start, but the Rams offense is still in progress…helping muzzle the Cardinals…williams of the 49ers, al -shaair dealing with weeks long injuries
vikings (2-1) in saints (1-2) in london
9:30 a.m. m. et | nfl network | spread: min -2.5 (43)
What to watch out for: The Saints could rely heavily on wide receiver Chris Olave, who was just named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Month. He has seen a lot of targets recently and that should continue with wide receivers Michael Thomas and Jarvis Landry dealing with injuries. Quarterback jameis winston’s back injury also persists, which has contributed to this season’s offensive woes. maybe a reunion with minnesota is just what new orleans needs. The Vikings have allowed 1,240 yards this season, the third-most in the NFL, and at least 300 yards from scrimmage in 11 straight games. -katherine terrell
