Our Cecil Lammey talks about four game windows in an NFL season. These slices provide clarity.
Week 4 showed why.
Drake Maye entered the week as one of fantasy football's biggest red flags. Three horrible games forced focus on his playoff struggles. Naturally, he was the QB1 in Week 4. The Patriots' season felt in serious jeopardy at 1-2. Now they are 2-2, a half-game back from Buffalo, after taking a potential crucial tiebreaker in the AFC East.
Jameis Winston and Malik Nabers looked lost. Week 2, Winston entered surprisingly against an angry Rams defense. Week 3 was played through a monsoon. Week 4, in perfect football weather, Winston was the player many have come to appreciate despite the rough edges. He threw for 250 yards and 3 touchdowns, along with 2 interceptions. Nabers? Week 1 was a strange storyline about his readiness and coach John Harbaugh tackling him in practice. Weeks 2 and 3 were the same issues as Winston. Week 4? Six receptions, 112 yards, and a touchdown. The Giants are 3-1, in first place in the NFC East.
Week 1, the Panthers allowed 59 points, forcing their offense to pass to keep up. Over four weeks? Bryce Young leads the NFL with 1,268 passing yards. Nothing feels flukey with his current 5,389-yard pace. The Panthers attacked Detroit from the opening snap, surprising as home underdogs and moving into first place in the NFC South.
The Browns might be the biggest surprise of all. The Myles Garrett trade seemed a white flag on 2026. Week 1's blowout loss to Jacksonville was predictable. Dirt was thrown on the season as they entered a revenge matchup against Baker Mayfield in Week 2. The Browns surprised many, winning that game and not stopping since. Deshaun Watson looks something like the player the Browns risked so much on. Their young skill players are flashing. The next 4 games? The Jets, Ravens (potentially without Lamar Jackson), Titans, and a Steelers rematch.
Four-game samples work the other way, too.
The Chargers have shown nothing over their four-game window to suggest answers are coming soon.
Tampa Bay's Todd Bowles would easily lead the odds for First NFL Coach Fired, except he has company with Houston's DeMeco Ryans.
We now feel we have a good handle on the 2026 season.
Of course, 2025 shows we know nothing.
Last season, the Lions were living up to expectations at 3-1. They would miss the playoffs. Buffalo was 4-0 while New England was 2-2. The Patriots took the AFC East and an easier path to the Super Bowl. Tampa Bay was cruising in the NFC South at 3-1. They missed the postseason.
What do we know?
When one window closes, another opens.
Blind Resume
| Year | Player | Rushing Yards | Player | Receiving Yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | A | 537 | B | 498 |
| 1997 | C | 526 | D | 535 |
| 1995 | E | 543 | F | 522 |
| 1963 | G | 664 | H | 543 |
The NFL narrowly missed a feat that has not occurred since 1997.
Can you place this production?
Stats Of The Week
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas: 17 Receptions, 189 Receiving Yards, 1 Receiving Touchdown
Lamb came 1 reception short of Jason Witten's Cowboys single-game franchise record of 18. He jumped past Drew Pearson for fourth on the Dallas franchise yardage list. He needs 74 yards to reach Anthony Hill Jr. for third.
Lamb joined Cooper Kupp, Keenan Allen, Antonio Brown, Julio Jones, and Anquan Boldin as players with 600+ receptions through their first 100 career games.
Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina: 14 Receptions, 192 Receiving Yards, 2 Receiving Touchdowns
McMillan ended one reception short of Christian McCaffrey's Carolina single-game record. Steve Smith has the Panthers yardage record of 201; McMillan's total tied Muhsin Muhammad II for second.
Josh Allen, Buffalo: 1 Rushing Touchdown, 88 Career Touchdowns
Allen moved into sole possession of the Buffalo franchise touchdown record. He entered the week tied with Andre Reed and Thurman Thomas.
Allen moved into a tie with Priest Holmes for the 16th-most rushing touchdowns in NFL history.
Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis: 95 Rushing Yards, 2 Touchdowns
Taylor has topped 90 rushing yards with 2+ touchdowns in 3 of 4 games. LaDainian Tomlinson holds the season record of 8 in 2006. Derrick Henry (five in 2020), Bijan Robinson (five in 2024), and Saquon Barkley (five in 2024) are the only players with more than four since 2009. Taylor and James Cook III led the NFL with four each in 2025.
Taylor hit the mark for the 17th time, breaking a tie with Franco Harris and Marshall Faulk and taking sole possession of the 11th most in NFL history.
Taylor scored his 75th career rushing touchdown, tying Clinton Portis and Cam Newton for the 27th most in NFL history.
T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota: 13 Receptions, 119 Receiving Yards
Hockenson tied his career high with 13 receptions. He previously set the mark in 2022, which stands as the most by a Vikings tight end. It was his first 100-yard game since mid-2024. Kyler Murray struggled to move through multiple reads and defaulted to treating Hockenson like his new Trey McBride. The scheme likely shifts when Justin Jefferson returns from the injury he suffered in Week 3.