Welcome in, Nerds! The Dynasty Nerds have helped you throughout the NFL offseason preparing for the 2023 fantasy football season. Now that your teams are set, it is time to get to work and win some dynasty championships. Every week, our writers will help you with some of the tough decisions and give you insight that you can’t get anywhere else. I will be giving my quarterback start/sits every week to help you set your starting lineups.
Below is a list of all of our weekly positional articles. Please follow us, tweet us, and DM us. We can’t wait to talk football with all of you nerds!
- Changing the Call (QB): Mike Hicks
- The Cutback (RB): Jake Oliver
- Slant Pattern (WR): Tristan Cook
- 12 Formation (TE): Steven Pintado
- Flex on ‘Em (FLEX): Evan Brown
- IDP Start/Sit (IDP): Jon Glosser
NOTE: Rankings are based on a 12-team PPR league. So, saying WR2 means top 24, or TE1 means top 12, etc., and are pulled from Fantasy Pros consensus expert rankings
Last Week
Record: 2-2
I started off Week 3 with a perfect bullseye with CJ Stroud. He outperformed his ranking of QB25, finishing as QB12 with 280 yards and two touchdowns. He had a very efficient game against the Jaguars, having 20 completions out of 30 attempts. Baker Mayfield was not a streaming option in 1QB leagues, as I predicted. He finished as QB25 on the week, which was lower than his ECR rank of QB20.
My sits of the week were once again a moved bag of results. I was completely wrong about Deshaun Watson. I received him to struggle against the Tennessee Titans’ defense, and I was wrong. He still isn’t what some hoped he would be this season, but he finished the week as QB10. Joe Burrow was not fully healthy, but nonetheless, many fantasy owners still needed him to perform. Burrow finished as QB25 with 9.2 points.
WEEK 4 STARTS
Russell Wilson, DEN, QB15
The Denver Broncos have had a rocky start to the season, but Wilson has shown some promise. Yes, he has been under the microscope this season, but in 2023, he is QB9. Wilson has finished in the top twice this season and has had one top-five performance. Wilson is eighth in yards and sixth in touchdowns and has the receiving weapons to keep his success going this season.
The Broncos’ Week 4 matchup is against the struggling Chicago Bears. Both teams are 0-3 and are looking to get their first win of the season. The Bears’ defense has struggled all year and will try to get on track against Wilson and the Broncos. The Bears allow the sixth most points per game to quarterbacks. They are giving up a hefty 35.3 PPG, and the Broncos are the only team that is giving up more at 40.7 PPG. The over/under is currently at 45.5, and there is a path for this game to go over.
Wilson needs to have a good performance to help the Broncos get the win after being bullied by the Miami Dolphins in Week 3. Just by perception, I would have thought Wilson was struggling in 2023, but he is QB9. Wilson has plenty of options at wide receiver to help take advantage of a defense that is giving up 22.7 PPG to the quarterback position. He is averaging 263.7 YPG, and the Bears, as a defense, are giving up 288.3 YPG. Wilson will look to capitalize on a weak Bears defense and have another good performance in Week 4. He will outperform his ECR ranking of QB15 and finish as a top-12 QB.
Jimmy Garoppolo, LVR, QB24
The Raiders are 1-2 to start the season, and quarterback Garoppolo is currently average at best and is currently QB16. So far, he has two top-12 finishes and will look to improve on his current ranking in Week 4. He was banged up last week but looks on track to pass concussion protocol and play on Sunday.
The Los Angeles Chargers come into the Raiders game after getting their first win in Week 3 against the Minnesota Vikings. The Chargers offense is starting to get on track, but the defense is another story. They are the worst in fantasy points allowed to QBs, giving up 26.6 PPG. The Chargers have nine total sacks through three weeks, but the secondary is struggling. The Chargers have given up a league-high 1,079 yards. The over/under of 48.5 is the second-highest in the NFL this week. This divisional matchup could turn into a close, high-scoring matchup, which would expose the Chargers defense like they have been thus far throughout the season.
Garoppolo will need to have a good game if the Raiders want to win their second game of the season. It seems that he is starting to get on track after a Week 3 performance of 324 yards in a close game against the Steelers. The Raiders are struggling as a team, but Garoppolo looks primed to have a good week. This game has two options, one is a high-scoring affair with two weak defenses that could go down to the very end. The other option is the Chargers could go up early, but Garoppolo could try for a comeback or garbage time points. Garoppolo, either way, will outperform his ECR of 24. Garoppolo will finish right around QB15, which makes him a sneaky SF play.
WEEK 4 SITS
Lamar Jackson, BAL, QB8
After struggling in Week 1 of the 2023 season, Jackson had back-to-back outstanding performances and is currently QB7. Jackson only has two passing touchdowns thus far in the season, but he also has two rushing touchdowns as well. The Ravens as a team will look to bounce back from a disappointing loss in Week 3 to the Indianapolis Colts. Jackson will look to continue his success from the past two weeks.
The Browns defense comes into the division matchup looking to put a stop to Jackson’s recent success. As a team, the Browns are 2-1, but the defense on their own is even stronger this year. The Browns’ defense has only given up one single offensive touchdown in the first three games of the season. So far, the Browns’ defense is playing as strong as they possibly can, and have three turnovers and nine sacks in 2023. The Browns are the best defense in fantasy points allowed to the quarterbacks and have only given up an average of 6.5 PPG. This being a division matchup makes this a game that could easily be a defensive battle.
Jackson will need to use his athleticism against the Brown strong pass rush if he wants to have a good performance in Week 4. The Ravens running back room has already been riddled with injuries. Which should get Jackson involved in the running game more. He will need to get tight end Mark Andrews involved in the passing game if the Ravens want to come out with the victory. The Browns’ defense in 2023 is starting to look like an elite defense and will be the downfall of Jackson this week. Jackson will not live up to his QB7 start to the season. And will finish outside the top 12 in week 4. He is obviously still a start in superflex leagues, but I would sit him if I have other options in 1QB leagues.
Brock Purdy, SFF, QB13
Purdy has had a great start to the season after injuring his elbow in last year’s playoffs. Purdy has had two top-12 weekly finishes and is currently QB12 in the first three weeks of 2023. He is the definition of steady, averaging 245.3 YPG, which is 12th in the NFL, and also has five total touchdowns. Both of his highest-scoring games this year were somewhat predicated on game script. Purdy will look to lead the 49ers to another victory against a division rival.
In Week 4, the 49ers are facing the 1-2 Arizona Cardinals. Yes, the Cardinals had an impressive victory in Week 3, but can they repeat the performance against the 49ers? The Cardinals’ defense ranks fifth worst in the league in fantasy points allowed to QBs with 22.8 PPG. One promising aspect of the Cardinals’ defense is they are seventh in the NFL in interceptions through Week 3.
The 49ers have a strong offense and can score points. but the question is, will Purdy need to have a big game for them to get the win? I don’t mention a quarterback’s team defense often in this section, but I would be remiss if I didn’t. The 49ers defense is fourth in Points allowed at 14 PPG, and the offense is also averaging a whopping 30 PPG. Only one of those games was a close affair at the end of the game. Purdy’s performance will be predicated on the game script of this matchup.
The 49ers should be able to stop the Cardinals’ offense, and the 49ers should be able to move the ball just as easily. In the second half, the 49ers should be more of a run-heavy offense, and that i why I am calling Purdy a sit this week. IN SF leagues, he is an obvious start, but I do not see him finishing as a top 15, maybe even top 18 QB in this week.
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