Broncos fantasy football outlook for Week 4 against the Ravens

Momentum is clearly in the side of the undefeated Denver Broncos. They are one of five teams in the NFL who boast a 3-0 record coming into Week 4. This week, the Broncos face their toughest opponent to date, as the Baltimore Ravens are coming to Denver for a big matchup on Sunday.

Fantasy football general managers are looking at this Broncos game with the idea that Denver can take advantage of a Ravens defense that is no longer what it used to be. Add in the fact that Baltimore’s offense should be able to score points against Denver means the Broncos offense is going to have to keep putting their foot on the gas in order to secure the victory.

Here is advice for fantasy GMs considering starting Broncos players in Week 4.

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Teddy Bridgewater – Borderline QB1/Streaming option

Teddy Bridgewater has proved a lot of doubters wrong, but he’s done it against poor defenses. In Week 4 against the Ravens, Bridgewater is up against a defense that has given up a ton of yards and points in just three games.

In Week 3, Bridgewater didn’t post as many points as he could have. This comes from Denver’s philosophy on offense which doesn’t put the foot on the gas when a game is at hand (see every game this year). Against the Ravens – and an offense that can fight back – expect Bridgewater’s numbers to be more along the lines of what he did in Week 2.

This makes Bridgewater a streaming option for Fantasy GMs with the upside to finish as a QB1 in Week 4. The Ravens defense is among the worst in the league against the pass, ranking 30th in the NFL by allowing an average of 314.7 passing yards per game.

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Melvin Gordon – RB2 with upside / Javonte Williams – ‘what the heck’ flex

Even though this backfield is split between two players, one of those running backs is emerging as the primary back. That’s Melvin Gordon who is producing as a runner and receiver with his opportunity. Rookie Javonte Williams has looked good, as well, but a late fumble against the Jets in Week 3 caused him to get benched late in the game.

Going forward, it looks like Gordon is the guy fantasy GMs want to rely on. Gordon has a well-rounded skill set and can thrive as a runner and receiver. Fantasy GMs in PPR leagues get more value from Gordon, but for the most part he’s best categorized as a RB2 with upside.

Williams scored his first touchdown last week, and his power is certainly a welcome asset near pay dirt. So long as he holds onto the rock, I feel there’s enough value there for Williams to at least be a “what the heck” flex for fantasy GMs in Week 4.

The Ravens rank 25th against the run, giving up an average of 79.0 rushing yards per game. There’s not going to be a lot to go around for the Broncos backfield, so adjust your lineup accordingly.

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Courtland Sutton – WR2 with upside / Tim Patrick – WR3 or flex

Bridgewater’s favorite receiver is the open guy, and two of his favorites are Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick. Against the Ravens, I believe it’s the passing game which will lead the way. With the season-ending injury for K.J. Hamler, that should open up more opportunities for Sutton and Patrick.

Sutton can go off at any time. His size/speed combination is going to be difficult for the Ravens to contend with. They may choose to bracket Sutton because of the injuries in their secondary, but Sutton could still shake free to move the chains – much like he did in Week 2.

Patrick has a nose for the end zone, and he’s a threat to score each week. His targets have been limited, but Patrick has performed like a WR3/flex play each game – and I expect that to continue on Sunday. In fact, Patrick may produce at a higher level because of more targets.

The Ravens have given up the 7th most points this year and average 28.3 points allowed per game. We could see the Broncos push for 30 points against the Ravens, with most of that coming through the air.

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Noah Fant – TE1

The tight end position is a rough one in fantasy football leagues. Unless you have Travis Kelce, Darren Waller, T.J. Hockenson or George Kittle, you’re scrambling for points at the position. You’d be happy to have Noah Fant if you don’t have one of those top four guys. In fact, Fant could be a top-5 fantasy tight end on a weekly basis if he was just used more.

His targets have gone down each week this season as have his receptions. The absence of Hamler could mean more from Fant. If you believe that, then Fant is a low-end TE1 for you again this week. However, he is running out of time to play up to that level before Fantasy GMs are going to be forced to look elsewhere.

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Broncos Defense – Not Their Normal Automatic Start

The Broncos have played three bad offenses and two rookie quarterbacks over the first three weeks of the season. This week against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, the Broncos defense is not their normal “automatic” start they usually are.

I still believe they can be a top-12 defense this week, and that means they should start in most leagues. However, fantasy GMs might have a backup (or waiver wire) defense this week like Washington Football Team (versus the Atlanta Falcons) or the Detroit Lions (versus the Chicago Bears) might be better plays.

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