Fantasy Football Week 4 Stock Watch Risers: Did Drake Maye Get His Groove Back? Is Kyle Monangai the Real Deal?
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Fantasy Football Stock Watch: Risers
Target share shifts, backfield takeovers, and monster passing outputs defined Sunday’s slate. While seeing massive stat lines in Week 4 creates instant waiver-wire buzz, smart fantasy football managers know how to separate sustainable, season-long momentum from temporary, circumstantial spikes.
Let's take a look at five key players who surged on Sunday, along with the fantasy verdict on whether they represent the Real Deal or Fool’s Gold.
QB Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Drake Maye put together an electrifying dual-threat performance in a 29-26 victory over Buffalo, completing 22-of-37 passes for 269 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception, while adding 54 rushing yards on 8 carries. After a rough start to the season, the MVP runner-up (and top-5 fantasy QB in most drafts) looks to be back on track.
What makes Maye even more alluring moving forward is his upcoming schedule. After surviving a brutal opening month facing three road environments and tough defenses (Seattle, Jacksonville, and Buffalo), New England's slate softens up significantly with upcoming matchups against the Raiders, Jets, and Bears. Dual-threat quarterbacks with locked-in volume and an easing schedule are fantasy gold, making Maye a rapid ascender back into weekly QB1 territory.
Verdict: Real Deal
TE T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
Hockenson provided a massive PPR game in Minnesota's 15-10 victory over Miami, hauling in all 13 of his targets for 119 yards. He acted as the primary engine of the passing offense, routinely beating coverage underneath and extending drives.
Context is everything here; however, as superstar wideout Justin Jefferson missed the game due to an ankle injury. While Hockenson reminded everyone of his elite skill set, his massive 13-target baseline will contract once Jefferson returns to command his typical high-volume share. Hockenson remains a low-end TE1/high-end TE2 in a positional wasteland, but expecting triple-digit yardage and double-digit targets on a weekly basis once the offense is at full health is a trap. View this as an absolute ceiling performance rather than the new baseline for the veteran.
Verdict: Fool’s Gold
RB Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears
Monangai put on an absolute clinic against the New York Jets, carrying the ball 30 times for 146 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns while adding a 4-yard reception in Chicago's 23-12 victory. Monangai out-touched D'Andre Swift with a 31-17 breakdown, so the usage is an interesting departure from the usual pecking order.
Ben Johnson on if D’Andre Swift was Benched due to Injury:
— Bears on Real (@BearsOnReal) October 4, 2026
“No, nothing like that.”
Fumble was costly. pic.twitter.com/0VpD94cnxa
Combined with head coach Ben Johnson's comments about Swift, Monangai could be in line for more of a bell-cow role after Swift had a costly fumble. With high-volume goal-line work locked up, Monangai has legit RB2 if this trend continues. If he is somehow still sitting on your waiver wire or sitting on a manager's bench, he should be a priority target this week.
Verdict: Real Deal
WR Romeo Doubs, New England Patriots
Romeo Doubs delivered as Drake Maye’s top target in the end zone, catching 6 of 9 targets for 58 yards and 2 touchdowns in New England’s Week 4 victory. Like Maye, Doubs has had a rough start to the season, but showed why he got a big contract in free agency with a breakout game.
While a multi-touchdown performance wins matchup weeks, chasing that specific efficiency on a weekly basis is risky. Doubs' yardage total was modest (58 yards) despite nine targets, and two-touchdown outings are tough to replicate. More importantly, his elevated target volume is on borrowed time—once A.J. Brown returns to full health and re-enters the wide receiver rotation, Doubs will see a direct hit to his snap share and target tree. View him as a temporary, touchdown-dependent FLEX play, but sell high if you can.
Verdict: Fool’s Gold
WR Keon Coleman, Buffalo Bills
Keon Coleman turned in his best game of the season despite the loss, catching 6 of 7 targets for 116 yards and a huge 34-yard go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. His breakout game showed a critical evolution in how Buffalo used him, particularly with DJ Moore leaving Sunday's contest early due to a shoulder injury.
Bills WR D.J. Moore aggravated his shoulder injury during today’s loss to the Patriots, per source. It is not considered “a long term issue as of right now.” pic.twitter.com/EB6897w4bp
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 5, 2026
It's worth noting that Coleman's fantasy value is somewhat tied to the health of Moore, but his chemistry with Josh Allen in key situations gives him a strong touchdown ceiling. Coleman is worth a look as a waiver wire add, and any extended absence for Moore would cement Coleman as a weekly flex play moving forward.
Verdict: Real Deal
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Once a top-ranked fantasy gamer on ESPN, Nick Raducanu has been playing fantasy sports for over 25 years. His written fantasy coverage includes stops at Rotoworld, Rotowire, and The New York Times.