We are four weeks in, and we're already a quarter of the way through the season. With fantasy football playoffs often starting in Week 15, we're moving fast. If you're 4-0, congratulations. Keep it rolling, but this week's column is more for the teams fighting to turn things around at 0-4, 1-3, or 2-2. I’ll break down some struggling players from each position and discuss the best steps to take with them. We're keeping this strictly to players who have been active and haven't missed multiple games due to injury.
QUARTERBACK
Justin Herbert, LA Chargers
- Current Rank: QB24
- Opponents Played: ARI, LV, at BUF, at SEA
- Record: 0-4
- Upcoming Schedule: DEN, at KC, BYE, at LAR
Justin Herbert entered the season as a promising top-12 fantasy quarterback with high hopes stemming from the addition of Mike McDaniels as the team's offensive coordinator. However, four weeks in, the Chargers are 0-4, and the passing game has hit a wall. Herbert is averaging under 160 passing yards per game, has thrown just 4 touchdown passes against 6 interceptions, and was held under 200 passing yards for the second time this season in Sunday's 30-23 loss at Seattle.
Why is an elite arm talent sitting at QB24? A lot of it comes down to a sluggish offensive pace, turnover issues, and the health of his receivers. Top target Ladd McConkey has played through a lot in only four weeks, including a rib injury, a foot issue, which was re-aggravated in the second half against the Seahawks, and he lost a tooth. All of these misfortunes have limited the team's downfield playmaking. Most recently, Herbert's 3 turnovers against Seattle (2 interceptions and a lost fumble) led directly to 7 points in a 7-point loss. When it rains, it pours.
Can we expect a bounce-back?
The short-term path isn't easy with Denver coming to town in Week 5, followed by a trip to Kansas City. However, Herbert did show some rushing prowess in Week 4, scrambling 6 times for 40 yards. If McConkey can heal up and the Chargers clean up their turnover issues, pass volume should rebound toward 30+ attempts per game, and the yardage should follow. It is looking like McConkey (foot) may need to take a week off to get right. If so, it could keep a potential bounce back from happening right away. If McConkey does sit, Herbert becomes a highly recommended bench suggestion for Week 5.
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Result: Don't sell Herbert for pennies on the dollar right now, as his market value is at an all-time low. If you have a viable streaming option for Week 5 against Denver, you can bench him, but hold on through the upcoming BYE week for better matchups ahead.
Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
- Current Rank: QB20
- Opponents Played: at KC, JAC, LAR, at SF
- Record: 2-2
- Upcoming Schedule: at LAC, SEA, at ARI, KC
Bo Nix had a surprisingly productive 2025 rookie season in Sean Payton's offense, but four weeks into 2026, he is QB20 in fantasy scoring and looks like he may be in a Sophomore Slump. Through four games, Nix has thrown for 819 yards with 5 touchdown passes and 3 interceptions. In Sunday's 24-14 loss to San Francisco, he was held to 214 passing yards with 1 touchdown while relying heavily on short check-downs out of the backfield.
Why is Nix struggling to reach fantasy starter status?
A big part of the issue is downfield depth of target and lack of rushing production compared to his rookie season. Nix's average depth of target (ADoT) is 6.01 this season, including a disappointing 4.9 yards against the 49ers. Denver relied on high-completion, low-yardage plays and didn't press the passing game down the field. That has been the biggest change year over year: a lack of downfield passing. Also concerning, after showing solid dual-threat production as a rookie, Nix has just 25 rushing yards on the ground through four games.
Can we expect a bounce-back?
Nix has proven he can perform well in high-ceiling games when the offense pushes the ball downfield, as seen in his 2-touchdown passing and 1-touchdown rushing performance against the Rams in Week 3. His upcoming schedule offers solid opportunities to expand the passing game, starting with a Week 5 divisional matchup against a winless Chargers defense that has struggled against the pass.
- Result: Don't cut ties with Nix in Superflex or deeper formats. His touch volume is secure, and Sean Payton's scheme gives him a reliable baseline for fantasy production. If he starts taking more downfield shots to Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle, he will quickly climb back into high-end QB2 contention. Losing Pat Bryant (ankle) for a few weeks hurts his deep passing potential, but expect Troy Franklin to help fill that void.