Hidden Gems: Why Darnell Mooney and Tyquan Thornton Could Explode This Week in Fantasy Football

Week 3 didn’t exactly set the fantasy world on fire—the sleeper page had its moments, sure. Elic Ayomanor and Kareem Hunt managed to find the end zone, but wrapping up as WR25 and RB19 isn’t precisely headline material. The rest? Well, let’s just say it leaned more toward a swing-and-miss week. Happens to the best of us. But hey, it’s a fresh slate now. Week 4’s knocking, and with it comes shiny new opportunities to turn things around, shake up your lineup, and maybe snag some unexpected points. Ready to dive into the players primed to make waves? Let’s get into it, because this fantasy season waits for no one. LEARN MORE

Week 3 was a modest week for the sleeper page. Elic Ayomanor and Kareem Hunt both scored touchdowns, but their final ranks of WR25 and RB19, respectively, were not needle-movers for the fantasy football slate. The rest of the sheet was a swing-and-miss. There will be weeks like that.

We’re onto Week 4.

Geno Smith, QB, Raiders vs. Chicago (44% rostered)

Smith has been all over the map in fantasy grades this year, charting as the QB15, QB31 and QB4. Maybe that middle collapse was more about the Chargers being one of the best teams in football. This week Smith gets to take aim at a Chicago secondary that’s allowed the third-most points to opposing quarterbacks. Surrounded by a host of signature pass-catchers — Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers, even emerging WR Tre Tucker — Smith is well-slotted for multiple touchdowns here.

Darnell Mooney, WR, Falcons vs. Washington (44%)

We’d like to forget most of Atlanta’s Week 3 loss at Carolina — getting shut out by a mediocre Panthers defense is not a good look. But Mooney did collect a team-high 11 targets in that loss, and his 4-44-0 line was held back by a couple of dropped passes. The Falcons desperately need to find a field-stretching element to their passing game, and Mooney is the best candidate to fill that void. Washington’s pass defense stats are solid thus far, though, a favorable schedule has anchored that. Mooney has WR3 appeal this week.

Elic Ayomanor, WR, Titans at Houston (29%)

Initially we were hoping that Ayomanor could pop in the middle of the year, a wait-for-it candidate who might need some time to adjust to the pro game. But he’s been just as productive as Calvin Ridley through three weeks — at least in the component stats — and Ayomanor has two touchdowns compared to zero for Ridley. And the nine-year age gap can’t be ignored, either. As Cam Ward continues to gain experience, Ayomanor’s ceiling will continue to rise. The Texans have a formidable defense, but perhaps the Texans will prioritize Ridley out of the huddle. I like the trajectory Ayomanor is currently on.

Tyquan Thornton, WR, Chiefs vs. Baltimore (25%)

I recognize Xavier Worthy is returning soon and Rashee Rice is just a few weeks away. But how can the Chiefs look away from what Thornton has done the last two weeks? He’s scored two long touchdowns and narrowly missed two more spikes. He’s getting behind defenses and has an impressive catch radius. Thornton’s average depth of target is about twice of what Worthy offers — when the Chiefs are thinking splash play, Thornton has been the focus. And the Baltimore defense enters town in a major funk, recently gashed by Buffalo in Week 1 and Detroit in Week 3. Andy Reid is no fool — he’ll have a Thornton package ready to go in this critical battle between 1-2 teams.

Oronde Gadsden, TE, Chargers at Giants (1%)

Injuries forced Gadsden into the mix last week and he was ready for the chance, posting a 5-46-0 line on seven targets. The Chargers have a bunch of veteran tight ends on the roster — Will Dissly (dealing with a knee injury) and Tyler Conklin — but Gadsden is the most athletic of the bunch. I was impressed to see Gadsden earn Justin Herbert’s trust so quickly, and I’m curious to see if this initial pop is sticky in the upcoming weeks. Even if you don’t look to play Gadsden this week, he makes sense as an upside stash on your bench.

Patriots D/ST vs. Carolina (29% rostered)

I want to steal as many fantasy points as possible every week, so let’s not ignore the opportunities with streaming a defense. New England did not harry Aaron Rodgers last week, but Bryce Young is a less-experienced quarterback and someone more likely to dispense with negative plays. Although the New England defensive scheme has not completely jelled yet, it did have nine sacks and two picks in the opening two weeks. Often the defensive streaming game is as simple as finding a home favorite up against a questionable quarterback. New England checks those boxes this week.