Week 4 in the NFL brought more serious injuries to fantasy stars. Early round picks Nick Chubb and Austin Ekeler are the latest big names to go down, leaving fantasy owners scrambling for replacements.

Unfortunately, the direct backup to both running backs is already widely owned, meaning we’ll have to dig deeper to stop the bleeding.

RB: D’Ernest Johnson, Cleveland Browns

Chubb’s injury opens up more playing time for sophomore RB D’Ernest Johnson. Yes, we can expect Kareem Hunt to do the heavy lifting, but the Browns have been operating a two-man committee all season and there’s little reason to believe that will change.

No team in the NFL runs more frequently than Cleveland (53.26 per cent) and Johnson flashed when he got an opportunity in Week 4. The USF product rushed for 95 yards on 13 carries and is available in 100 per cent of TSN fantasy leagues.

TE: Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys

After four games, Dak Prescott is on pace to throw for 6,790 yards, or 1,313 more yards than any other QB in NFL history. We assume his pass attempts will come down, but Dallas’ pass- heavy scheme is fantasy friendly for all its skill position players, including their tight end.

Dalton Schultz has now seen at least six targets in three straight games, racking up 17 catches and two TDs over that stretch. Not bad production for a guy available in 77.4 per cent of TSN fantasy football leagues.

TE: Robert Tonyan, Green Bay Packers

Robert Tonyan is officially a thing. The third-year tight end scored three times, and set a new career high with 98 receiving yards on Monday night, after going for 5/50/1 on Sunday Night Football in Week 3.

He’s found the end zone in three straight games and, more importantly, has earned Aaron Rodgers’ trust. As long as Green Bay’s receiving corps is banged up, Tonyan is going to find himself getting as many targets as he can handle. He’s available in 92.1per cent of TSN fantasy football leagues.

RB: Justin Jackson, Los Angeles Chargers

Like the Browns, the Chargers rely heavily on two options out of the backfield. Joshua Kelley will assume lead back duties with Ekeler out, and the next man up is Justin Jackson.

The third-year back has been productive when given an opportunity in the past, racking up over 400 yards and two TDs in 2018 and 2019 combined. While Kelley is more of a bruiser, Jackson is an excellent receiver, and can help fill the huge void Ekeler leaves behind in the pass game. He’s available in 91.4 per cent of TSN fantasy football leagues.

WR: Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals

It didn’t take long for rookie Tee Higgins to usurp A.J. Green. Higgins has outproduced Green by a wide margin over the past two weeks, hauling in nine catches for 117 yards, and two TDs.

Tyler Boyd is the clear number one in Cincy, but only Dak Prescott has dropped back to pass more often than Joe Burrow. With that kind of volume, Burrow can absolutely support two fantasy relevant receivers, which means Higgins is a great add in deeper leagues. He’s available in 74.3 per cent of TSN fantasy football leagues.

WR: Tim Patrick, Denver Broncos

Denver is not an offence you typically want to invest in this season, but it’s impossible to ignore Tim Patrick’s usage over the past two weeks.

Patrick led the team in targets in Week 4, and has racked up 10 catches and two TDs over the past two weeks. Also working in his favor is the fact that both breakout tight end Noah Fant and rookie receiver K.J. Hamler are nursing injuries. Patrick is available in virtually every TSN fantasy football league.

WR: Laviska Shenault, Jacksonville Jaguars

Laviska Shenault is a Swiss Army knife. You can line him up outside, inside, in the backfield and as a Wildcat QB. That kind of versatility breeds fantasy points, and he’s hit double digit points in PPR leagues (point per reception) in three of four games this season.

He's caught five passes in back-to-back outings and is quickly becoming one of Gardner Minshew’s preferred targets. He’s available in 72.7 per cent of TSN fantasy football leagues and will be nice fill-in once the bye weeks hit.