Another Monday means another data point in the set plus another go-around of the Quarterback Files! I’m kicking off every fantasy week breaking down what we just saw in the free agent QB streets. With that, we look downfield for Week 4’s top streaming options, and whether or not to believe our lyin’ eyes in the games ahead..

Streaming’s so tough because one solid performance immediately plucks most good players from further contention (see Daniel Jones). Not only does free agent supply diminish through hoarding, now demand’s spiking with multiple top quarterbacks dropping like flies. It got late early this season.

Let's take a quick look at how the FA pool did in Week 3, then get you set for this week's matchups!

How Week 3’s Free Agent Fantasy QBs Fared

(All players were rostered in fewer than 50% of leagues)

• Geno Smith, LV — 289 PaYd, 3 PaTD, 0 Int; 5 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 24.1 PPR
• Marcus Mariota, WAS — 207 PaYd, 1 PaTD, 0 Int; 40 RuYd, 1 RuTD: 20.3 PPR
• Sam Darnold, SEA — 218 PaYd, 2 PaTD, 0 Int; 0 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 16.7 PPR
• Tyrod Taylor, NYJ — 197 PaYd, 2 PaTD, 1 Int; 48 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 16.7 PPR
• Carson Wentz, MIN — 173 PaYd, 2 PaTD, 0 Int; 4 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 15.3 PPR
• Matthew Stafford, LAR — 196 PaYd, 2 PaTD, 1 Int; 0 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 13.8 PPR
• Mac Jones, SF — 284 PaYd, 1 PaTD, 1 Int; -1 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 13.3 PPR
• Tua Tagovailoa, MIA — 146 PaYd, 2 PaTD,1 Int; 10 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 12.8 PPR
• Cam Ward, TEN — 219 PaYd, 1 PaTD, 1 Int; 12 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 12.0 PPR
• Aaron Rodgers, PIT — 139 PaYd, 2 PaTD, 1 Int; 1 RuYd 0 RuTD: 11.7 PPR
• Spencer Rattler, NO — 218 PaYd, 1 PaTD, 1 Int; 10 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 11.7 PPR
• Bryce Young, CAR — 121 PaYd, 0 PaTD, 0 Int; 8 RuYd, 1 RuTD: 11.6 PPR
• Trevor Lawrence, JAX — 222 PaYd, 0 PaTD, 1 Int; 9 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 7.8 PPR
• Jake Browning, CIN — 140 PaYd, 1 PaTD, 2 Int; 3 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 5.9 PPR
• Russell Wilson, NYG — 160 PaYd, 0 PaTD, 2 Int; 23 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 5.1 PPR
• Michael Penix Jr., ATL — 172 PaYd, 0 PaTD, 2 Int; 9 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 3.8 PPR
• Joe Flacco, CLE — 142 PaYd, 0 PaTD, 1 Int; 0 RuYd, 0 RuTD: 3.7 PPR

QB pickings are slim almost regardless of format, so today’s stream theme is simple - close our eyes, attack the worst defenses we can find, then hope for the best.

STREAM OF THE WEEK – Geno The Bambino Going Back-To-back

🥇 Geno Smith, LV vs. CHI in Week 4

The habitually underrated Geno Smith just sliced and diced the Commanders’ secondary for over 24 fantasy points as the weekend’s QB3. In fact, his (289-3-0) outburst represented the tenth-best single-game by EPA/attempt this season (+0.56). Not too shabby.

So what do we make of the veteran shot-caller after torching New England and Washington as bookmarks to a flattening at the hands of the Chargers? At the very least, let’s call Geno Smith a "high-ceiling matchup-based play" for the time being.

And next up on Las Vegas’ schedule? An injured Bears’ secondary allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Well-timed tasty matchups never hurt, right?

Back-to-back decimations at the hands of DET and DAL should leave the Windy City faithful concerned. Will last year’s Bears’ defensive prowess be returning anytime soon? Color me concerned.

Injuries, poor tackling, and a team-wide inability to get to the passer burned Chicago all season, with no tangible signs of reversal. Without major roster or schematic changes, the Bears will remain a prime target for shootouts.

Dennis Allen’s deploying lots of press-man under two-high shells—which isn’t a bad thing on its own, but you must create some semblance of pressure even if you rarely blitz. Sadly for his Bears, that’s been anything but the case. Long story long, nothing’s working for CHI right now.

CHICAGO BEARS DEFENSE, 2025

• 30.0 Points Allowed Per Game: T-30th
• 6.7 Yards Allowed Per Play: Last
• 47.1% Defensive Success: 31st
• 75.3% Completion Rate: 31st
• 11 +20-Yard Completions Allowed: 29th
• -0.40 EPA/Dropback: 31st
• 110.0 Opposing Passer Rating: 29th

My plan? Keep striking while Chicago’s iron is cold. (There’s a deep dish joke in there somewhere; I’ve just experienced enough pizza-based social media vitriol for one lifetime and couldn’t risk whiffing. By the way… if you need silverware, it’s closer to soup than pizza [ducks]. Thank you for attending my TED talk.)

BACKUP STREAM OF THE WEEK – The Brave Little Taylor

🥈 Tyrod Taylor, NYJ at MIA in Week 4

Justin Fields missed last week after suffering a nasty concussion. With that, he hasn’t returned to practice yet—so fantasy gamers need to keep their heads on a swivel. Be ahead of the crowd if and when the news comes down. There are plenty of mediocre options to add in the second window if New York announces Fields has cleared protocol.

The first sign of desperation when describing a quarterback? Pushing anything but his skills as a passer. That said, the rushing floor attached to Taylor’s league-leading scramble rate (16.1%) and his rushing yards (69) over a game and a half cannot be ignored in fantasy circles.

Aside from that, we’re holding our noses for hope that above-average accuracy (70.2% completion, 6.4% off-target) will win the day despite a wide array of deflating underlying efficiency metrics (5.4 yards/attempt, 94.4 passer rating, 40% to the sticks). If you watched on Sunday, that pick-6 Taylor threw basically sums up what you, inevitably, get at times.

Strap in because — shocker — it could be a bumpy ride to earn the big payday. But if you’re going to run hot for one game against anyone, why not Miami? Simply put, the Dolphins defense stinks this season…

MIAMI DOLPHINS DEFENSE, 2025

• 32.3 Points Allowed Per Game: Last
• 6.1 Yards Allowed Per Play: 31st
• 43.4% Defensive Success Rate: Last
• 41.9 Average Drive Distance: Last
• -0.40 EPA/Dropback: 31st
• 128.9 Opposing Passer Rating: Last
• 78.8% Completion Rate: Last
• 13 Deep Shots Allowed: T-31st
• 45.7% Tackle Success: 31st
• 25.3% Pressure Rate: 31st

QB Streaming Survey Says…

Deeper or SuperFlex leagues call for more diligent dives, I get it. Since there’s no way to get around to every fantasy-viable QB, check this out. Some pictures are worth more than a thousand words.

Time for our weekly check-in on the ever-growing free agent QB pool, and how their passer rating measures up to point production—which usually correlates positively to fantasy success.

Hard to avoid all-out overreactions depending on your situation, but keeping your focus on the top-right of this chart below will steer you on the correct path more often than not.

Ranking The Best Of The Rest Streams

1. Carson Wentz, MIN at PIT
2. Tua Tagovailoa, MIA vs NYJ
3. Bryce Young, CAR at NE
4. Sam Darnold, SEA at ARI
5. Spencer Rattler, NO at BUF
6. Michael Penix Jr., ATL vs. WAS
7. Cam Ward, TEN at HOU
8. Joe Flacco, CLE at DET