Raiders Climb, Patriots Plunge in NFL Week 4 Rankings — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Raiders climbed six spots after going 3-0, becoming the first team in the common draft era (since 1967) to start 3-0 after selecting a QB No. 1 (Fernando Mendoza), and ended a franchise-worst 39-game regular-season streak without scoring 30 points in a win over the Saints.
- New England Patriots dropped six more spots after quarterback Drake Maye posted a 15.5 Total QBR — a career worst with at least 15 dropbacks — in a 35-6 blowout loss to Jacksonville, leaving the Patriots with the lowest EPA per play and points per drive of any team since the 2023 Jets (Zach Wilson era).
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell to 0-3, their worst start since the 2014 2-14 season, and are expected to start undrafted rookie free agent Jalon Daniels for at least three weeks in place of injured Baker Mayfield (thumb).
- Buffalo Bills held the No. 1 spot at 3-0 after beating the Chargers 24-16, with tight end Dalton Kincaid — ranked just TE15 in preseason — leading all NFL tight ends in receiving yards on a 82.4% catch rate.
- Kansas City Chiefs moved up to No. 3 after beating the Dolphins 24-10, powered by running back Kenneth Walker III's 442 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns — making him the first player in franchise history with two games of both a rushing and receiving TD within the first three weeks.
- Chicago Bears upset the Eagles 27-7 behind 11-year veteran Kalif Raymond, who was ranked WR108 in preseason but now leads the Bears with 21 targets (19 catches, 214 yards, one TD) and ranks 12th leaguewide in fantasy points per game among wide receivers.
- Week 3 produced a record-tying 12 games decided by eight or fewer points on Sunday, per ESPN Research.
Why it matters: Tampa Bay's pivot to undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels for at least three weeks signals real desperation — the 0-3 Bucs haven't started this badly since their 2014 2-14 collapse under GM Jason Licht. Meanwhile, New England's offensive output (lowest EPA per play and points per drive since the 2023 Zach Wilson Jets) marks a stunning regression for a team expected to build on Drake Maye's progress, with massive fantasy-football ripple effects for Patriots skill players.
Ask SkimNews
