3 Best NFL DFS Studs for Week 4

Week 4 NFL DFS Stud Picks at a Glance

• Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs ($8,000)
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seahawks ($9,500)
• Derrick Henry, RB, Ravens ($9,100)

Hitting on high-salary players is one the first steps to having success in NFL DFS on FanDuel.

These players take up the biggest chunk of your salary cap, and they need to deliver quality performances for your lineup to reach its ceiling.

With some help from our NFL DFS projections, here are four studs to target on this week's FanDuel NFL DFS main slate.

All betting odds come from the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

NFL DFS Week 4: Best Stud Picks

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs ($8,000)

Patrick Mahomes stands out as a nice combination of ceiling and salary in a road matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Kansas City Chiefs‘ passing game has been efficient through three weeks, and the Chiefs have leaned heavily on play action. In Week 3 alone, Mahomes completed 11 of 12 play-action passes for 183 yards and a touchdown. Kansas City is using play action at a league-high 36% clip, and Mahomes has been particularly good when pressured, averaging 10.9 yards per attempt on his 28 pressured dropbacks.

The scoring environment this week is appealing. Kansas City is a 4.5-point favorite in a game with a 47.5-point total, giving the Chiefs one of the healthier implied totals on Sunday's slate.

Mahomes has a few viable stacking partners and is a high-upside QB play this week.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seahawks ($9,500)

The salary is enormous, but so is Jaxon Smith-Njigba‘s role.

Smith-Njigba has opened 2026 with at least eight catches, 122 receiving yards and one touchdown in all three games. He enters Week 4 with 36 targets and 405 receiving yards, leading the NFL in targets, receptions and receiving yards. His share of the Seattle Seahawks‘ offense has been absurd: 37.5% target share, 52.6% air-yards share and 44.3% first-read share through three games.

The Los Angeles Chargers aren't an ideal matchup overall, but LA has allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to perimeter receivers, and their heavy use of two-high safety shells fits JSN's profile well. He's averaged 5.11 yards per route run against two-high looks this year.

You have to sacrifice elsewhere to reach the $9,500 salary, but his combination of volume and ceiling makes him my favorite high-salary receiver.

Derrick Henry, RB, Ravens ($9,100)

Derrick Henry is one of the more appealing high-salary running backs on this week’s FanDuel main slate thanks to a combination of elite touchdown equity, heavy volume and a favorable game script against the Tennessee Titans.

Henry has opened 2026 with 301 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns through three games. He’s coming off a 26-carry workload against Dallas last wek, turning those attempts into 89 yards and two scores. That gives him multiple rushing touchdowns in two of the Baltimore Ravens‘ first three games.

The matchup sets up extremely well for his style of play. Tennessee has allowed the ninth-most rushing yards in the league entering Week 4 while Baltimore is an 11.5-point home favorite. A comfortable Ravens lead would likely mean a run-heavy second half and plenty of opportunities for Henry to pile up carries.

His limited receiving role makes him more touchdown-dependent than some other elite backs, but few players on the slate have comparable scoring upside. Henry already leads all running backs with six touchdowns, and Baltimore’s status as a sizable favorite gives him an excellent chance to add to that total.

Check out our fantasy football sleepers for Week 4.

NFL DFS Studs FAQ

What is an NFL DFS stud?

An NFL DFS stud is a high-salary player who is expected to produce a strong fantasy score in a daily fantasy football contest. These players typically have significant workloads, high ceilings and favorable opportunities to accumulate fantasy points.

How do you choose the best NFL DFS studs?

The best DFS studs are identified by looking at factors such as expected volume, recent production, matchup, touchdown potential and projected roster percentage.

Who are the best NFL DFS plays each week?

The best NFL DFS plays change from week to week based on matchups, injuries, salaries, projected draft percentage and expected usage. High-volume quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers are often among the strongest options at the top of the salary range.

What is a good DFS lineup strategy?

A strong NFL DFS lineup typically combines a few high-upside players with lower-salary options who have favorable matchups or increased workloads while also hitting on a player or two who does well but isn’t popular that week. Finding players who can significantly outperform their salaries is one of the most important parts of building a winning lineup.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.