MIAMI, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- If you look beyond the glamorous positions on your fantasy football team, you can discover an opportunity for extra points.
Picking a kicker with upside and a defense capable of putting up double-digit production can be all that you need to scrape by for a narrow victory.
Here are my top 20 defense/special teams units and top 15 kickers for Week 4. You can also look at my top add/drops for the week and visit other positional rankings, in the links below.
TOP SHELF
The New England Patriots have a shot at being the top-scoring defense/special teams unit of Week 4 with a home match up against the Buffalo Bills. Despite using its third string quarterback and other injuries to key offensive stars, the Patriots' defense has maintained steady fantasy production. I expect more of the same here, with an ailing Sammy Watkins being the Bills' best receiving threat, I see the Patriots concentrating on limited LeSean McCoy and playing a ball-control game offensively.
Justin Tucker should be set for a big performance when his Baltimore Ravens host the Oakland Raiders. I see the Ravens winning this contest and Tucker getting plenty of opportunities for extra points, as Joe Flacco slices up the Raiders secondary.
SNEAKY PLAYS
RANK | NAME | TEAM | OPPONENT |
1 | Dan Bailey | Dallas Cowboys | at San Francisco |
2 | Chandler Catanzaro | Arizona Cardinals | vs. Los Angeles |
3 | Justin Tucker | Baltimore Ravens | vs. Oakland |
4 | Stephen Gostkowski | New England Patriots | vs. Buffalo |
5 | Steven Hauschka | Seattle Seahawks | at New York Jets |
6 | Adam Vinatieri | Indianapolis Colts | at Jacksonville |
7 | Chris Boswell | Pittsburgh Steelers | vs. Kansas City |
8 | Graham Gano | Carolina Panthers | at Atlanta |
9 | Brandon McManus | Denver Broncos | at Tampa Bay |
10 | Blair Walsh | Minnesota Vikings | vs. New York Giants |
11 | Cairo Santos | Kansas City Chiefs | at Pittsburgh |
12 | Dustin Hopkins | Washington Redskins | vs. Cleveland |
13 | Will Lutz | New Orleans Saints | at San Diego |
14 | Sebastian Janikowski | Oakland Raiders | at Baltimore |
15 | Josh Lambo | San Diego Chargers | vs. New Orleans |
The Cincinnati Bengals have a solid match up against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football. Miami struggled against the Cleveland Browns and Week 3 and I don't see the offense completely turning around after a short week of preparation. The Dolphins also have a banged up offensive line and will struggle against the Bengals daunted defensive linemen. Cincinnati should bombard the Dolphins in this contest, making Ryan Tannehill throw more often in a lopsided affair.
Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell will definitely be a benefactor from the return of Le'Veon Bell. Bell will inject fire into the Steelers' already great offense, giving way to more field goal and extra point attempts for the team's place kicker. I think the Steelers win this home match up, stomping the Kansas City Chiefs.
RANK | TEAM | OPPONENT |
1 | New England Patriots | vs. Buffalo |
2 | Arizona Cardinals | vs. Los Angeles |
3 | Denver Broncos | at Tampa Bay |
4 | Seattle Seahawks | at New York Jets |
5 | Cincinnati Bengals | vs. Miami |
6 | Minnesota Vikings | vs. New York Giants |
7 | Carolina Panthers | at Atlanta |
8 | Washington Redskins | vs. Cleveland |
9 | Kansas City Chiefs | at Pittsburgh |
10 | Houston Texans | vs. Tennessee |
11 | Baltimore Ravens | vs. Oakland |
12 | Pittsburgh Steelers | vs. Kansas City |
13 | Los Angeles | at Arizona |
14 | New York Jets | vs. Seattle |
15 | Detroit Lions | at Chicago |
16 | Dallas Cowboys | at San Francisco |
17 | Indianapolis Colts | at Jacksonville |
18 | Miami Dolphins | at Cincinnati |
19 | New York Giants | at Minnesota |
20 | Jacksonville Jaguars | vs. Indianapolis |
LONGSHOTS
The Indianapolis Colts is a sleeper D/ST for Week 4. The Colts face the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday morning at Wembley Stadium. I see the Colts winning this match up and Blake Bortles adding to his season tally of six interceptions through three weeks.
Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh should be a starting kicker this week in your league. Walsh's Vikings battle the New York Giants at home in this match up. I think that this is a close contest and a low scoring affair. You can expect plenty of work for Walsh as the Giants' improved defense stalls Sam Bradford & Co.