DFS: NFL Week 4 Lineup Optimizer

After three weeks of NFL action, what do we know for sure? We know Julio Jones is the best wide receiver in football. We know Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers are the two best quarterbacks. And we know Jamaal Charles is so good, even Alex Smith can't hold him back.

Everything else? Up in the air. Is a 32-year-old Larry Fitzgerald really in the midst of the best season of his career? Possibly! Is Latavius Murray, running behind Oakland's offensive line, one of the best running backs in football? Maybe! Is Tyrod Taylor already a reliable Fantasy option? Perhaps!

But can you feel confident in any of those statements actually being true? If you're playing FanDuel this week with our Optimal lineup, you'll have to bet on at least a few of them being right -- at least for one more week. Good luck!

Here is the Optimal Lineup for FanDuel's main NFL slate, as of Thursday afternoon.

Note: The Optimizer will produce multiple lineups throughout the week based on news and other factors leading right up to kickoff. The lineup Chris spotlights in his column may be significantly different than the lineup you receive from the Optimizer later.

QB Tyrod Taylor vs. N.Y. Giants $7,600
Key Stat: Scores 20+ FD points in 46 percent of simulations

Taylor has been arguably the biggest surprise of the season so far, averaging 23.1 FD points per game. He is coming off consecutive 24-plus-point efforts, and has a pretty good matchup against a Giants team that has been middle-of-the-road in scoring, but allows 335.7 passing yards per game. With Taylor's rushing ability thrown on top, this could be a situation where he produces big numbers yet again.

RB Latavius Murray @ Chicago $7,500
Key Stat: No. 2 projected RB of the week

Murray didn't come into the season with a huge sample size of success, but he has built on the flashes of brilliance he showed as a rookie, rushing for 4.8 yards per carry and at least 11.5 FD points in each game so far. With the Bears' defense looking like one of the worst in the league, he should get plenty of work and has an excellent shot at another 100-yard game.

RB Karlos Williams vs. N.Y. Giants $6,300
Key Stat: Scores 15-plus FD points in 42 percent of simulations

Williams has managed to score double-digit FD points in each game so far, despite working as the Bills' No. 2 running back. With LeSean McCoy likely out this week, Williams should get the full workload this week. With what he's shown so far, the upside is huge here, obviously, especially since Buffalo could be playing with a lead.

WR Julio Jones vs. Houston $9,400
Key Stat: Top projected non-QB

Jones is off to the best receiving start in NFL history, so it's hard to make an argument against him. And I won't try to. I will point out, however, that he is the most expensive player on the board. He has been worth that, easily, so far, but is he really that much better than the Odell Beckham, A.J. Green and Randall Cobb? In cash, he's probably a must-play; in a tournament, it's awfully hard to get a full return on this kind of investment.

WR Larry Fitzgerald vs. St. Louis $7,400
Key Stat: Highest-projected WR below $8,000

With the way he continues to rack up huge numbers at a still relatively low price, Fitzgerald is going to be one of the most highly owned players this week. The Rams' secondary isn't great, so the potential for Fitzgerald to go off yet again remains high. However, this is probably the toughest defense the Cardinals have faced yet, so we'll see how much of his hot start he can keep up. He's obviously a good play, given his production so far, but probably more for cash games.

WR James Jones @ San Francisco $6,000
Key Stat: 10th-best chance to score a TD among WR

I've viewed Jones like a tight end for Fantasy purposes, but my view may be starting to change now that Davante Adams is dealing with an injury. Jones had his best game of the season in Week 3, hauling in seven passes for 139 yards, in addition to a touchdown. If he actually gets utilized like a wide receiver, with a half-dozen or more targets per game, the upside is much higher here.

TE Greg Olsen @ Tampa Bay $6,300
Key Stat: Top projected scorer at position

There's no Gronk this week, which means tight end could be considered pretty wide open. It's not. There is one tight end with Rob Gronkowski-like upside, and it isn't the one dubbed "Baby Gronk." Olsen has 14 receptions for 204 yards and two scores in the last two weeks, and had a touchdown waved off in Week 1 because of a penalty. Olsen is the No. 1 receiver in Carolina, and should be the top tight end this week easily.

K Brandon McManus vs. Minnesota $4,900
Key Stat: DEN projected as top scoring team

If you want to save a few hundred bucks, kicker is always a good spot to do it at, because there is so much variance from week to week. If you don't need to save money, McManus is playing for the highest projected scoring offense, which is always a good way to go.

DST Eagles @ Washington $4,500
Key Stat: 15+ FD points in 32 percent of simulations

The Eagles are an opportunistic defense that has been one of the top options for Fantasy over the last few seasons, in part because they also have impact players on special teams. Going against Kirk Cousins, they've got a good chance to produce some takeaways.