The fourth week of the 2023 National Football League season is just hours away. Here are the key injuries, difference makers and projected upsets.
Key Injury
The biggest blow from week three was the fact that the Los Angeles Chargers lost wide receiver Mike Williams of Vance, South Carolina for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. In the first three games he had 19 catches for 249 receiving yards and one touchdown. With the loss of Williams, Keenan Allen will be the primary receiver for the Chargers. Last week against the Minnesota Vikings, Allen set the Chargers franchise record for most receptions in a game with 18 in a 28-24 win. Don’t expect Allen to have 18 catches every week. Chargers receivers that will see an increased workload are the Chargers’s first round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Quentin Johnston of Temple, Texas, and Canadian Josh Palmer.
Difference Makers
Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs is the top rated quarterback of the week. The native of Tyler, Texas will be facing the New York Jets. He is projected to have 279 passing yards, two touchdown passes, and 27 rushing yards.
Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers is the top rated running back of the week. The native of Castle Rock, Colorado is projected to have 93 rushing yards, 38 receiving yards and one touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals.
Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings is the top rated wide receiver of the week. The native of Saint Rose, Louisiana is projected to have seven catches for 102 receiving yards and one touchdown against the Carolina Panthers.
Projected Upsets
I like two underdogs in week four–the Chicago Bears (+3), and the Tennessee Titans (+2). I really like the Titans because they have had more time to prepare for the Bengals with Cincinnati being on a short week. There is no doubt that Derrick Henry was awful last week for Tennessee (11 carries for 20 yards), and I just don’t expect him to be bad two weeks in a row. Speaking about awful, that is how you can describe the Denver Broncos right now. They have had minimal time to recover from their Miami beating and lose to Chicago on Sunday.
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