Week 4 Fantasy Football QB Rankings and Tiers: Tyler Shough QB7, Drake Maye QB23, MORE

Ranked as QB28, Aaron Rodgers is coming off a positive week with 292 yards and three touchdowns, suggesting his performance may be stabilizing after early-season concerns about the offense.

Ian Hartitz ranks Bo Nix as QB13, giving him the benefit of the doubt due to his history as a QB1, but expresses significant concern that Nix is playing 'scared.' Nix has the second-lowest scramble rate and second-lowest checkdown rate in the NFL, often releasing the ball before routes develop despite clean pockets.

Ian Hartitz ranks Brock Purdy as the QB4, arguing he is playing as well as any quarterback in the league and deserves MVP consideration. Purdy leads the league in EPA per play by a massive margin—the gap between him and the QB2 (Dak Prescott) is equivalent to the gap between Prescott and the QB14. Despite injury concerns to teammates like Mike Evans and Trent Williams, Hartitz maintains Purdy as a top-five play against the Broncos.

Ian Hartitz ranks Bryce Young as QB15, noting he is playing better in a pass-happy offense that ranks second in drop-back rate over expected. Five of Young's top seven career starts in EPA per dropback have occurred since Week 11 of last season, though he faces pressure concerns this week.

Ian Hartitz ranks C.J. Stroud as QB25 for his matchup against the Cowboys, contingent on Nico Collins being sidelined. Hartitz notes that Stroud lacks playmakers and struggles with rushing efficiency, but would move him up if Collins returns.

Ranked as QB31, Cam Ward is struggling significantly, averaging only 5.8 yards per attempt, which is among the lowest marks for starters since 2000.

Ranked as QB30, Case Keenum is praised for his performance in the Ben Johnson offense, completing 70% of his passes; Hartitz suggests he might deserve a higher ranking.

Ian Hartitz ranks Dak Prescott as QB10, noting he is a top-10 option whenever his key weapons are healthy. Prescott is identified as an elite performer in the 'top right' quadrant of EPA/CPOE charts, though his matchup against the Texans' strong defense tempers expectations.

Ian Hartitz ranks Daniel Jones as QB26, citing a decline in rushing production to 6.3 yards per game and a drop in yards per attempt to 6.1 compared to his 2025 season. Hartitz also identifies Jones as a quarterback playing 'scared' due to low scramble rates and short target depth, compounded by a lack of reliable playmakers.

Ian Hartitz ranks Deshaun Watson as QB22 for Week 4, noting that while he is the QB10 in fantasy points through three weeks, his passing metrics remain mediocre. Watson is averaging 35 rushing yards per game—his most since his rookie season—which has buoyed his value, but Hartitz expresses concern regarding his upcoming matchup against T.J. Watt and the Steelers, and notes he is expected to be under heavy pressure.

Ian Hartitz ranks Drake Maye as QB23, noting he is currently the QB34 in fantasy points. Maye has finished with negative EPA per dropback in six consecutive games, has failed to reach double-digit fantasy points in any game this season, and is expected to be under heavy pressure this week.

Ian Hartitz ranks Geno Smith as QB16, noting his upward trend in fantasy points (9.3 to 15.6 to 26) and the fact that he is receiving more time to throw this season compared to last year. Smith currently leads the league in completion percentage over expected (CPOE) and is considered a viable streaming option against the Browns.

Ian Hartitz ranks Jacoby Brissett as QB12, identifying him as a top streaming option for Week 5. Despite poor efficiency metrics, Brissett provides fantasy value through high volume in trailing game scripts and is expected to have a clean pocket. He remains a viable QB1 in a potential shootout against the Lions' injured defense.

Ian Hartitz ranks Hurts as QB6, noting that while his real-life performance has been inconsistent, his fantasy floor remains high due to his goal-line usage. Hartitz attributes recent struggles to poor play design rather than player decline. Hurts is also expected to be under significant pressure this week based on combined offensive and defensive pressure rate metrics.

Ian Hartitz ranks Jameis Winston as QB29, noting he is performing poorly with the worst EPA per dropback and CPOE in the league. Hartitz expresses significant concern about Winston's job security given the presence of JJ McCarthy on the roster.

Ian Hartitz ranks Jayden Daniels as QB32 against the Packers, citing skepticism regarding his passing ability and noting a low 5.4 yards per attempt in the preseason. Hartitz clarifies there is no quarterback controversy in Washington, though he notes Marcus Mariota's recent efficiency metrics in success rate and CPOE have outperformed Daniels' rookie year numbers. Furthermore, Hartitz suggests the Commanders might delay Daniels' return from injury to avoid rushing him, especially given his history of re-aggravating his elbow injury.

Ian Hartitz does not expect Jayden Reed to be playing football in the near future due to an injury.

Ian Hartitz expresses concern over Joe Burrow's fantasy production, noting he is being outscored by Deshaun Watson and has stats closer to a 'good' than 'great' quarterback. Burrow is criticized for playing 'scared' with a high checkdown rate and low average target depth despite having healthy weapons.

Ian Hartitz ranks Jordan Love as QB11, citing the Packers' league-leading pass-heavy offense and high volume (projected 50+ attempts) against the Buccaneers. However, Hartitz also criticizes Love's recent poor play, grouping him with underperforming quarterbacks who need to improve.

Ian Hartitz ranks Josh Allen as the QB1 for Week 4. Despite a poor performance against the Patriots last week—two interceptions, a lost fumble, and only 204 passing yards—Allen remains a top fantasy asset due to his rushing floor and the 'cheat code' usage of the tush push at the goal line. Hartitz notes a minor knee injury concern but cites the team's coaching staff as downplaying the severity. Allen is also identified as a top-tier quarterback, appearing in the 'top right' quadrant of an EPA/CPOE chart alongside other elite performers.

Ian Hartitz reports uncertainty regarding Josh Jacobs' injury status, stating he does not know when the running back will be able to return to the field.

Ian Hartitz ranks Justin Herbert as QB24, noting he is playing the worst football of his career. Herbert is expected to face significant pressure this week based on combined offensive and defensive pressure rate metrics, and Hartitz groups him with Jordan Love as players who need to 'get it together' due to poor recent performance.

Ian Hartitz ranks Kyler Murray as QB19, advising fantasy managers to avoid starting him until he proves he is still effective. Murray recorded a 15.6% passing success rate in his last game, the lowest for any quarterback under Kevin O'Connell since 2022, despite being expected to have a relatively clean pocket this week.

Ian Hartitz ranks Malik Willis as QB27, noting his rushing upside after nine carries in his previous game. While Willis is expected to be under significant pressure this week based on pressure rate metrics, Hartitz suggests he could provide flex value against the Vikings in an offense currently missing Devon Achane.

Ian Hartitz ranks Marcus Mariota as QB17, citing his strong efficiency metrics since joining the Commanders in 2024, including ranking 16th in EPA per dropback, 10th in success rate, and 4th in completion percentage over expected among 47 qualified quarterbacks. Hartitz favors him as a streaming option due to his rushing upside and a favorable matchup against a 49ers defense missing Nick Bosa.

Ian Hartitz ranks Michael Penix Jr. as QB21 for his matchup against the Saints, noting his recent commitment to force-feeding Drake London. Penix is expected to have a relatively clean pocket this week based on pressure rate metrics and faces the Bears in Atlanta.

Ian Hartitz ranks Patrick Mahomes as the QB5, noting a significant improvement in his passing performance following the departure of Eric Bieniemy. Mahomes' passing metrics have returned to the high levels seen between 2018 and 2022, including a career-high 55.9% passing success rate and a 7.1% touchdown rate, his highest since his rookie season.

Ian Hartitz ranks Trevor Lawrence as the QB3 for his matchup against the Bengals. Lawrence has performed at an elite level since Week 10 of last season, consistently ranking alongside top-tier quarterbacks in both fantasy points and real-life metrics. The game is expected to be a high-scoring shootout with a 51.5-point over/under.