NFL Preseason Week 4 Recap: 9 Must-Know Facts

Someone decided it would be a great idea to play all 16 NFL games in one night during the height of fantasy draft time. But no one has the time nor the desire to watch them all, in Week 4 no less. That's where I come in. Here's a position-by-position look at how the last preseason week went down, so you can plan and adjust accordingly for your remaining drafts.

Note: All player ADPs mentioned are courtesy of 4for4’s Multi-Site ADP Tool.

Quarterbacks

Cam Newton watched from home: Head coach Ron Rivera didn’t want his star QB standing on the sideline for three-plus hours while recovering from a mild foot sprain, so Newton got to chill on his couch for their last contest of the preseason. He is expected to start Week 1 and is currently being drafted as QB7.

Fitzmagic lives on, at least for Week 1: Dolphins head coach Brian Flores settled what’s kept nobody up at night, except maybe the Miami QBs, by naming Ryan Fitzpatrick as the team’s starter to begin the 2019 season. The NFL journeyman is not ideal for redraft leagues, but makes a decent dart throw in best-ball formats due to his capability for a huge game or two.

Running Backs

Christian McCaffrey may have a new backup: If you’re looking for a deep, deep RB sleeper, Reggie Bonnafon could be your guy. The undrafted rookie had 46 yards on three receptions, which included an athletic one-handed grab over the middle. The 23-year old also posted seven yards on two carries. He looks to have done enough to earn a roster spot and is competing with Cameron Artis-Payne and Jordan Scarlett to play behind McCaffrey.

Paul Perkins may have leapfrogged Wayne Gallman: Exciting stuff I know, but it’s Week 4 of the preseason. After missing all of 2018 with a torn pectoral muscle, Perkins is back. He carried the ball 11 times for 54 yards and seems to be tracking ahead of Gallman. Saquon Barkley will get everything, but keep an eye on Perkins in the event of an injury to the stud back.

Jeff Wilson could be a thing in San Francisco: The sophomore made a case for himself to make the roster this preseason, and with all the injuries piling up in the 49ers RB room, he may actually see the field. Wilson led all position players with 108 all-purpose yards which included a 41-yard touchdown run on Thursday night.

Wide Receivers

Don’t put Demaryius Thomas out to pasture yet: Just eight months removed from a torn Achilles, Thomas returned to the field for New England in Week 4 and showed he can still play football. He had seven catches for 87 yards and found the end zone twice. Thomas will try to carve out a role in a crowded Patriots receiver room, and is currently free in drafts as WR79.

Rookie Parris Campbell made his NFL debut: Finally on the other side of a nagging hamstring injury, Campbell hit the field Thursday night, catching 3-of-4 targets for 42 yards, including a 31-yarder that set up a Chad Kelly touchdown scramble. We could see the rookie in three-WR sets with T.Y. Hilton and Devin Funchess often this season, and he has a cheap price tag as WR67.

Josh Gordon played football: Flash caught 2-of-6 targets for 30 yards in his first game after reinstatement in the NFL. He certainly has upside in this New England offense and over the past week the 28-year old’s ADP has skyrocketed up to the sixth round.

Tight Ends

Jordan Thomas was in the mix for Houston: Thomas was one of the only starters to hit the field for the Texans and caught two passes for 19 yards. He has been working his way back from a hamstring issue and still appears to be the starting TE in a crowded position group. I don’t love Thomas or really any TE on this team, as there are better options in those later rounds like Geoff Swaim or Gerald Everett.