Fantasy Football Week 4: Bold Calls on Cook, Mariota and McMillan

Yahoo Sports projects big Week 4 fantasy performances from James Cook against New England, Marcus Mariota versus Indianapolis and Tetairoa McMillan facing Detroit.

Week 4 of the 2026 NFL season brings fantasy football managers a slate of matchups that Yahoo Sports expects to produce several standout performances. The outlet's forecasts single out three players: Buffalo Bills running back James Cook against the New England Patriots, Marcus Mariota making another start at quarterback for the Washington Commanders, and Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan facing the Detroit Lions. Each call pairs a specific statistical line with a projected finish at the player's position.

Cook draws the most aggressive projection of the group. Yahoo Sports pegs him for 125 rushing yards and three touchdowns against the Patriots, a line that would crown him the week's RB1 in fantasy football.

Recent form supports the case. Cook has gained more than 134 yards on the ground in each of his past two games while handling at least 21 carries in both, and his 6.0 yards per attempt currently paces the league. New England's defense has surrendered slightly more than 108 rushing yards per game, but the report argues that Cook has already proven he can produce against any opponent.

The three-touchdown element is acknowledged as the riskiest piece of the forecast, though Buffalo has made Cook's rushing a central pillar of its offense during the season's opening weeks. According to the report, a huge outing against New England would place him squarely in the race for the top overall fantasy performance of Week 4.

Mariota's projection calls for 250 passing yards and two touchdown throws against the Indianapolis Colts, supplemented by 40 rushing yards and one rushing score of his own. That combined output, per the forecast, would be enough to lift him into the week's top 10 at quarterback.

The veteran draws the starting assignment because Jayden Daniels has been ruled out. Mariota threw three touchdown passes in Washington's Week 3 victory over the Seattle Seahawks, and the Colts have allowed 276 passing yards per game across their first three contests. His mobility is cited as an additional path to fantasy value beyond his work as a passer.

McMillan rounds out the trio of forecasts. The projection gives him eight receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown against Detroit, output that would place him among the week's 10 best fantasy wide receivers.

The Panthers receiver managed only two catches for 17 yards in Week 3, but the matchup is viewed as a favorable rebound opportunity. Detroit is surrendering an NFL-worst 299.3 passing yards per game, and McMillan posted receiving totals of 75 and 101 yards in his first two outings of the year. Carolina could also have Jalen Coker back in the lineup while Xavier Legette is unavailable, a combination the report says could generate enough opportunities for a massive fantasy performance.