4 FanDuel NFL Studs to Target in Week 4

Hitting on high-salary players is the first step to having success in daily fantasy football 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.

Here are four studs to target on this week's main slate.

All betting odds come from the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

FanDuel Salary: $9,000

Josh Allen is back on track, and it's just in time for a matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

Allen has begun to put it together in the last two weeks after a rough Week 1 against the New York Jets.

In Week 2, Allen finished with 274 passing yards, 3 TDs through the air, and -- most importantly -- no turnovers. That was good enough for a strong 23.7 FanDuel points. The Buffalo Bills' signal caller remained in control for Week 3 when he totaled 22.3 FanDuel points on 218 passing yards, a TD through the air, another on the ground, and 46 yards rushing. He also threw an interception, but when he is using his legs like that, it more than makes up for it.

The Dolphins are an interesting opponent for Allen. Obviously, Miami has scored at will this season but has been able to limit quarterbacks at the same time. In three games this season, the Dolphins are allowing just 16.9 FanDuel points per game with Justin Herbert having the most at 20.9. The other two quarterbacks they've faced are Mac Jones and Russell Wilson, which helps that mark make some sense. Expect numbers closer to Herbert's from Allen because he's going to have to keep up with Tua Tagovailoa and high-octane Dolphins offense.

Miami's defense has allowed the 13th-most passing yards in the league (694) and the 9th-most rushing yards in the league (390). They've taken care of the weaker opponents and took part in a shootout with the Chargers. Expect more of the latter in Buffalo this Saturday, which could mean a huge day for Allen as they'll surely trade scores back and forth.

numberFire's model has Allen projected as the highest-scoring quarterback for Sunday's slate, expecting him to finish with 23.7 FanDuel points.

Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

FanDuel Salary: $9,700

There's rarely ever a weekly must-start in DFS due to matchups, but Christian McCaffrey is getting closer and closer.

With all the injuries and unexpected poor play from top running backs this season, McCaffrey has proven to be the cream of the crop once again as the focal point of the San Francisco 49ers. Through his first three games, the 49ers lead back has finished with a touchdown and over 100 yards from scrimmage in each of the outings. The fear of Elijah Mitchell eating into his workload to keep McCaffrey off the field in spells hasn't affected him, either.

McCaffrey has a 66.7% red zone rushing market share and 28.7 adjusted opportunities thus far. To top off his dominance so far through the first three weeks, McCaffrey is averaging an impressive 5.9 yards per attempt to lead the NFL in rushing by 45 yards. His 65.8 total FanDuel points only trails Raheem Mostert with 20-plus points in all three weeks.

The matchup against the Arizona Cardinals is an enticing one, which was highlighted last week when we picked Tony Pollard as a start. While the Cardinals are in the middle of the league allowing -0.01 Rushing Net Expected Points (NEP) per carry, that's a big change from just a week ago when they were at -0.18. The way the 49ers can run the ball, it shouldn't be much of a worry as is.

There's a big change though through the air, as running backs rock against the Cardinals in pass-catching. Backfields are averaging 1.35 adjusted FanDuel points per target -- playing right into what McCaffrey does so well.

Don't overthink this play; McCaffrey is the top-projected non-quarterback of the week at 21.1 FanDuel points, per numberFire.

Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

FanDuel Salary: $9,600

How can you not want a piece of the Dolphins offense? There's no better member of the offense to roll with than Tyreek Hill.

Hill kicked off the 70-20 blowout of the Denver Broncos last weekend with a 54-yard touchdown from Tua. He ended up finishing the game with 9 receptions, 157 yards, and a touchdown. However, it's almost as though you'd expect more -- especially since he has a 200-yard game to his name already this season. No matter how you look at it, he was great and should continue to be great. That's where this Dolphins offense is at.

Despite only playing 67.5% of the snaps thus far, Hill has an insane 34.7% target market share (second-best in the league) and an even more insane 49.9% air yards market share. There's no player like Hill in the NFL, and with a 13.5 aDOT, he's going to keep putting up big numbers as Mike McDaniel gets him the ball by any means necessary.

The matchup with the Buffalo Bills isn't as difficult as Sam Howell and the Washington Commanders made it look.

The Bills are in the middle of the pack when it comes to allowing receiving yards, giving up 728 yards so far through three weeks. They're also a plus matchup for wide receivers, allowing 1.54 adjusted FanDuel points per target (24th in the NF)L. This is a plus matchup for Hill in a game that has an over/under of 53.5, so expect a shootout in Highmark Stadium on Sunday.

Hill is projected for 19.8 FanDuel points by numberFire's model -- 3.2 more points than the next highest wideout.

Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

FanDuel Salary: $9,500

Travis Kelce isn't on the main slate, meaning the stud tight ends aren't all too exciting. Instead, we're rolling with Keenan Allen and his unbelievable start until he slows down.

Allen has been a machine but was especially special in Week 3. The Los Angeles Chargers wideout finished with 18 receptions for 215 receiving yards, and a surprise passing touchdown. The connection between Allen and Justin Herbert destroyed the Minnesota Vikings, and with Mike Williams now out for the season, they're likely to lean on the connection even more moving forward.

Through three games, he's up to 32 receptions, 402 receiving yards, and 2 TDs. Allen is running 94.6% of routes while playing 92.2% of the snaps. Being out there, just with his history of getting banged up, is just as important as anything else. He's turned that into volume with a 33.1% target market share -- a top-five mark in the NFL. All of this output has led him to average 24.9 FanDuel points per game, including the gaudy 36.5 points in Week 3. He's the WR2, ranking just behind Hill.

Even with a hot start, a matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders makes Allen a superb play.

Pro Football Focus has the Raiders at a 65.9 grade in coverage, which 22nd in the league. The overall defense ranks 24th with a 62.1 grade. Through Week 3, Las Vegas is 28th in adjusted FanDuel points per target allowed (1.51), so this is another week you want Allen in DFS lineups.

What should not be overlooked is the running game for the Chargers. Depending on Austin Ekeler's availability in Week 4, another absence for the star runner would lead to the Chargers having to pass more often than not. Last week alone, Herbert through the ball 47 times for over 400 yards while Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller, and Herbert combined for 30 rushing yards total. Expect big passing numbers overall, but Allen is the undoubted top option in the offense.

numberFire has Allen projected for 16.3 FanDuel points on Sunday.

Interested in playing NFL DFS? Head over to FanDuel’s daily fantasy football lobby to see all the offerings for this week's slates.

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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.