The Week 4 NFL schedule for the 2024 season is stacked with great matchups

The Week 4 NFL schedule for the 2024 season is stacked with great matchups, and we’ve got you covered with what you need to know heading into the weekend.

Our NFL Nation reporters bring us the biggest keys to every game, and analytics writer Seth Walder makes a bold prediction for each matchup. The ESPN Research team provides a big stat to know and a betting nugget for each contest, while our Football Power Index (FPI) goes inside the numbers with a game projection. Fantasy analyst Eric Moody finds fantasy football X factors, and three analysts — Kalyn Kahler, Moody and Walder — give us final score picks for every game. Everything you want to know is here in one spot to help you get ready for a loaded weekend of NFL football.Let’s get into the full Week 4 slate, including the red-hot Vikings visiting the Packers and Lamar Jackson and the Ravens hosting Josh Allen and the Bills. It all culminates with a pair of “Monday Night Football” matchups — the Titans visit the Dolphins (7:30 p.m. ET) on ESPN, and the Lions host the Seahawks (8:15 p.m. ET) on ABC/ESPN+. (Game times are Sunday unless otherwise noted.)

Saints storyline to watch: The Saints are missing Pro Bowl center Erik McCoy (groin) for at least a month after he was placed on IR this week. Running back Alvin Kamara is also banged up (hips/ribs), and Cesar Ruiz is dealing with a knee injury. The Saints need to get their run game going again after their worst offensive output of the season against the Eagles last week, but they’ll have to do it with a host of injuries on the offensive side. — Katherine Terrell

Falcons storyline to watch: Can the Falcons’ running game get back on track after Bijan Robinson mustered only 1.9 yards per carry against the Chiefs in Week 3? Since the beginning of 2023, Robinson has amassed 950 yards on runs outside the tackles, second only to Christian McCaffrey (1,018), per NFL Next Gen Stats. But the Saints have been strong in that department, allowing only 142 yards on rushes outside the tackles this season, the ninth-lowest total in the league. — Marc Raimondi

Stat to know: The Falcons have six third-down conversions this season, which is the fewest in the NFL. Their 22% third-down conversion rate is the fourth worst in the league.

Bold prediction: Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss will lead the league in combined tackles in Week 4. The Saints are the most run-heavy team in the league, and my tackles model gives him the third-highest projection of any player this week. — Walder

Injuries: Saints | Falcons

Fantasy X factor: Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts. The tight end position in fantasy has been as barren as an apocalyptic wasteland this season. Pitts has just eight receptions and 24.6 fantasy points so far, but he could be in for a breakout against the Saints. Last week, New Orleans gave up 10 receptions and 27 fantasy points to tight end Dallas Goedert. So far, the Saints have allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. See Week 4 rankings. — Moody