Week 4 of the NFL regular season brings an action-packed 11-game main slate on Draftstars, split into seven early games and four late games. That early/late window split forces a slightly different roster construction approach than bigger, more balanced slates — you’ll need to decide whether to lock into early-window chalk or leave salary and roster flexibility for the higher-ceiling late games.
Draftstars is running a large $30,000 guaranteed contest (with a sizable first prize), and there are plenty of other contest sizes for every buy-in. With strong game environments across both windows and several teams trending toward heavy usage of specific players, this Week 4 slate should produce plenty of tournament separation for the patient and creative DFS manager.
NFL 2025-26 Daily Fantasy Tips: Week 4 Monday
Quarterbacks
Daniel Jones — $14,150
Jones has been quietly effective through three weeks, helping the Colts to a hot start. He carries a steady floor via short-to-intermediate efficiency and the occasional scramble ceiling. The matchup is juicy enough: defenses that give up chunk plays or fail to generate pressure open the door for Jones to reach QB1 territory in this price tier. He’s a reliable mid-tier option for cash games and a low-variance core for GPPs.
Geno Smith — $13,980
Geno draws an exploitable Bears secondary at home. Chicago has struggled in coverage metrics this season and is allowing a heavy volume of passing production; with his offense near full health, Geno should be back in the mid-range QB conversation. He’s especially appealing as a stack option (see Jakobi Meyers below) in tournaments.
Slate strategy (QBs): Mahomes and Hurts will command heavy ownership in late games when people look for ceiling plays. For leverage, Jones and Geno provide safe-ish floors with upside and should be considered for single-entry GPPs and cash builds.
Running Backs
James Cook — $15,630
Cook’s season has been steady and reliable — high floor, touchdown equity, and workload stability. In a matchup where Buffalo is expected to control tempo, Cook profiles as a core RB1 option. He’s expensive, but his combination of volume and red-zone role makes him a justified spend for cash and tournament lineups.
Omarion Hampton — $13,880
Hampton is the week’s most obvious mid-price target after stepping into a lead role and producing both as a runner and receiver. With Najee Harris out for the season, Hampton’s volume looks locked, and he draws a soft matchup where his pass-catching chops should come into play. Expect high ownership but also high ceiling — a GPP staple.
TreVeyon Henderson — $8,760
Henderson is the cheap RB to monitor. After recent fumbles by the team’s other backs, Henderson’s snap share and target involvement spiked, and he looks poised to grab more passing-game work. Against a Panthers front that can be gashed, he’s a viable salary-saver with genuine upside if he gets enough touches.
Slate strategy (RBs): The slate presents a clear expensive-mid-cheap RB construction — you can afford a Cook/Hampton core if you mix in Henderson or other value backs. If you want leverage, consider rostering an under-owned cheap back and using the savings to squeeze in expensive WR/TE ceiling pieces.
Wide Receivers
Jakobi Meyers — $12,320
Meyers is the sort of possession, slot-centric receiver who benefits when opposing defenses shelter the deep part of the field. Chicago’s coverage tendencies funnel short routes into the slot, making Meyers a strong stack partner with Geno. His route efficiency metrics against two-high coverage are strong, and in a high-volume passing environment he’s a safe mid-range option.
Drake London — $12,320
London’s raw target numbers suggest WR1 upside; he’s had trouble converting targets into big fantasy lines, but this week’s matchup against a poor Commanders coverage unit makes him an attractive boom/bust play. If you need a cheaper WR with upside for tournaments, London is the kind of under-leveraged alpha you want.
Michael Pittman Jr. — $11,310
Pittman is an efficient target and a natural stack mate for Daniel Jones. He’s not the highest volume name, but his aDOT and red-zone role give him touchdown upside at a reasonable price for cash and singles.
Slate strategy (WRs): Most stacks will cluster around mid-priced WRs who correlate to mid-tier QBs. For GPPs, mixing a high-ceiling star with two tournament pivots (e.g., a cheaper RB and a volatility WR) will separate lineups from the field.
Tight Ends
Hunter Henry — $9,090
Henry’s recent uptick in targets makes him a nice mid-priced TE play. He’s seeing a large share of early reads and is emerging as a trusted target. In a TE landscape that’s thin this week, Henry’s target volume can lead to TE1 days.
Kyle Pitts — $7,990
Pitts’s route participation is sky-high and, at sub-$8k, he’s one of the best tournament pivots at the position. Against a defense that concedes big plays through the air, Pitts’s ability to win contested throws and break long gains makes him worth the risk in GPPs.
Slate strategy (TEs): If you want to differentiate in GPPs, take a shot at Pitts or another volatile but high-ceiling TE. Henry is a safer, higher-owned option for cash.
D/ST
Los Angeles Chargers — $6,270
A rookie QB starting against a disciplined Chargers unit is a textbook DFS defense play. The Chargers have been stingy to start the season and can generate turnovers and sacks against inexperienced pocket presence. They’re a higher floor, higher-cost defensive option.
Jacksonville Jaguars — $4,740
If you’re hunting for low-owned defensive value, the Jaguars are intriguing against a beleaguered 49ers offense that has depth issues and injury questions. Low ownership plus reasonable matchup means Jags could win you a low-cost defensive spot in GPPs.
Slate Strategy & Construction
Early vs Late Window: With seven early games and four late games, a smart approach is to decide whether you want to lock into the early window’s safer ownership landscape or save salary to take bigger swings in the late window. Building contrarian early-window stacks and then sprinkling in one or two late-game stars is a common path to separation.
Stacking: Correlation is everything. Geno + Meyers, Jones + Pittman, or Cook + Bills pass-catchers (where salary allows) are logical stacks. For late-window diversification, consider combining a late QB with a cheaper early RB build to access ceiling without overpaying at every position.
Ownership leverage: Hampton and Cook will be popular; if you’re in single-entry GPPs, consider fading the higher-priced chalk and targeting lower-owned mid-range players who can score big (e.g., Henderson or Pitts).
TE and DST leverage: With a thinner TE field this week, hitting on an under-owned Pitts or Henry can be a tournament winner. On defense, low-owned plays like Jacksonville offer GPP leverage if you need a one-off.
Final Thoughts
Week 4’s 11-game slate rewards both disciplined cash plays and creative tournament construction. The early window offers relative safety and predictable workload plays (Cook, Hampton, Meyers), while the late window supplies the ceiling pieces necessary to win large GPPs. Balance your builds: lock in one or two safety anchors, then use your remaining salary to create asymmetric upside.
Suggested Draftstars NFL Lineup
