Starts and Sits: Week 4
Week 4 is here, so we need to know who to start and who to sit. Our start/sit article is not going to discuss the obvious players who should always be played. We aim to help you with the players that you might be on the fence about heading into the weekend. Good luck this week and don’t overthink it.
Here are the Starts/ Sits for Week 4:
Quarterback
Starts
Russell Wilson, QB, Denver Broncos Vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Wilson is usually on my sit list, but a good matchup against the Raiders in week 4 has him as a start. Wilson has plenty of talent surrounding him. Jerry Jeudy should be much healthier this week as he will be two weeks removed from his injury that had him questionable heading into last week. The Raiders defense is nothing to worry about as well. This matchup could certainly turn into a good ol’ AFC West shootout, which has me excited to play most of the players involved. Wilson is a low-end QB1 and should finally produce for his fantasy managers.
Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions Vs. Seattle Seahawks
Goff hasn’t been a week-winning option, but he hasn’t lost you your matchup either. His floor is decently safe and his ceiling can be as high as a high-end QB2/low-end QB1 depending on the matchup. The Lions will be without Swift and St. Brown this week, so the ceiling is not as high as I would like for Goff. Regardless, I still like Goff as a streaming option in a good matchup against the Seahawks. Goff has enough weapons to be a streaming option for your team. He is a high-end QB2 with an upside in week 4.
Marcus Mariota, QB, Atlanta Falcons Vs. Cleveland Browns
Mariota has been great considering we didn’t think he would hold onto the starting job this long. He offers a solid floor on a weekly basis and a decent ceiling due to his running ability. He has a great connection with his WR1, Drake London, and is starting to form a better relationship with his star TE, Kyle Pitts. What is even more interesting is that you were probably able to get Mariota off the waiver wire for free this week. Mariota is a serviceable streaming option with a safe floor and decent ceiling against the Browns. Mariota is a mid-tier QB2 with an upside.
Sits
Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams Vs. San Francisco 49ers
Compared to last year, Stafford has been a really bad starting option at the QB position. Even though the Rams have been a good overall offense, it is hard to trust Stafford. This week’s matchup should be difficult, as the 49ers have been one of the better defenses through the first 3 weeks of the season. If you can bench Stafford this week, I would. Stafford is a mid-tier QB2 with a low ceiling this week.
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars Vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Lawrence has been great this year, so this is not a slight against his potential season-long potential. It has to do with how well the Eagles defense has been playing this year. The Eagles have a top 5 defense and one of the better CB duos in the league, which should give Lawrence some trouble on Sunday. I believe Lawrence will be one of the better QBs that you could have gotten off your waiver wire, but I am hesitant to play him in week 4. Lawrence is a mid-tier QB2 with the potential for a low ceiling this week.
Carson Wentz, QB, Washington Commanders Vs. Dallas Cowboys
I wasn’t high on Wentz going into week 3 and I am not high on him this week against a good Dallas defense. The Washington offensive line could not stop the Eagles from sacking Wentz 9 times in week 3, they should have a hard time stopping Dallas from doing the same. I would look elsewhere this week for a QB with a better matchup and more upside. Wentz is a low-end QB2 in week 4.
Running Back
Starts
Dameon Pierce, RB, Houston Texans Vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Most had high expectations for Pierce coming into the season but didn’t start hot right out of the gate. Last week was a different story and I believe that should be what continue’s going forward. Rex Burkhead will still have a role, but Pierce’s role will continue to grow as the weeks go on. This week’s matchup against the Chargers is decent and Pierce should have no problem putting up a solid stat line. Pierce is a low-end RB2 with an upside in week 4.
Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles Vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Sanders has been the complete opposite of what most had thought he would be coming into the season, he’s been reliable. He has only had one touchdown this year, but his carry total is what makes me confident in him. He hasn’t had less than 13 carries since week 1. The Eagles offense as a whole has been performing at a high level and I don’t see that changing this week. Sanders is a low-end RB2 with an upside in a good matchup in week 4.
Kareem Hunt, RB, Cleveland Browns Vs. Atlanta Falcons
If there is one position that I am not worried about putting in my starting lineup for the Browns, it’s their RBs. Both Chubb and Hunt have been solid values so far this season. At a position that hasn’t had much consistency throughout the first 3 weeks, the Brown’s RBs have offered their managers safe floors with massive ceilings. Hunt is in a position to feast in week 4 against a terrible Falcons defense. I am completely confident in Hunt this week. Hunt is a high-end flex with an upside this week.
Sits
Clyde Edwards- Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs Vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Clyde has been good for fantasy this year, but it is mainly due to touchdowns and not from the amount of carries/targets he has received. I worry that if he doesn’t receive a touchdown this week, he will leave you with an extremely low-point total. The Bucs run defense has been elite since last year, and they will continue to limit all of the Chiefs running backs in week 4. I would look for an option with a safer floor and higher ceiling this week. CEH is a risky flex play this week.
Damien Harris, RB, New England Patriots Vs. Green Bay Packers
Harris has been solid for his fantasy managers throughout the season, offering a safe floor with a decent ceiling. The issue at hand is that the Patriots will have a tough matchup against the Packers this week and they will most likely be without their starting QB. Even if Jones plays, I do not expect him to play well. That will limit the offense as a whole. If that is the case, then the Packers should be in the lead for most of the game which will leave the Patriots forgoing the run game and focusing on the passing game. That combined with the fact that Harris will share the workload with Stevenson, leaves me not wanting to play him in week 4. Harris is a flex option with a capped ceiling in week 4.
Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams Vs. San Francisco 49ers
Akers looks like he is the 1a of the backfield for the Rams, but it is hard to know what that role will look like on a weekly basis. The matchup against the Niners this week is less than stellar and should prove to be the hardest matchup the Rams have had all year. Until we see Akers have the lion’s share of the backfield, I would be hesitant to throw him into my starting lineup. Akers is a low-end flex with limited upside in week 4.
Wide Receiver
Starts
Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos Vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Sutton is the WR1 in Denver, there is no question about that anymore. He has the best connection with Russell Wilson and has a solid stat line every week so far this year. This week’s matchup against the Raiders is as good as it gets and Sutton should feast. If you had any doubts about starting Sutton, don’t. He is a surefire plug-and-play option. Sutton is a high-end WR2 with WR1 upside in week 4.
Amari Cooper, WR, Cleveland Browns Vs. Atlanta Falcons
Cooper has been an absolute stud over the last two weeks, and I would be a fool to think it would stop this week against the Falcons. Brissett and Cooper have developed a great relationship and it should only continue to grow as the weeks continue. I would bank on Cooper either getting 100 yards or getting a touchdown for sure this week. Cooper is a low-end WR2 with an upside this week.
Rashod Bateman, WR, Baltimore Ravens Vs. Buffalo Bills
Bateman had a down week in week 3, but I think he will turn it around in week 4 against a banged-up Bills secondary. This game has an extremely high potential score total, so there should be plenty of scoring opportunities for Bateman. I would bet that Bateman comes back strong this week. Bateman is a high-end flex option with an upside in week 4.
Sits
Brandin Cooks, WR, Houston Texans Vs. Los Angeles Chargers
Cooks has been receiving a great target share in Houston but it hasn’t translated to fantasy production this year. I would expect a rebound for him at some point but have a hard time seeing it happen against a solid Chargers defense this week. Unless you’re in a full PPR league and are just looking for targets, I would look for a better option in week 4. Cooks is a flex option with a low floor and low ceiling this week.
DJ Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers Vs. Arizona Cardinals
It has been a rough year for DJ Moore, and I wish I could tell you that it is going to get better. But I can’t. The QB situation may have gotten better for the Panthers but it certainly did not get better for Moore. The targets have been spread out far too much, and there is no way to know who will receive them on a week-to-week basis. Due to the inconsistency, I am sitting Moore this week. Moore is a low-end flex with limited upside in week 4.
Juju Smith- Schuster, WR, Kansas City Chiefs Vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Similar to Moore, the targets have been spread out among all of the Chiefs receiving options throughout the first 3 weeks of the season. The major difference though is that Juju has an elite QB and is on a great offense. The Bucs defense has been solid against the run and passing game alike this year, which limits all receiving options outside of Travis Kelce on the Chiefs offense. Juju has the ability to put up a decent stat line, but that really depends on if he receives enough targets to give him the production needed for fantasy managers to be happy. Juju is a risky low-end flex with a capped ceiling in Tampa this week.
Tight Ends
Starts
David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns Vs. Atlanta Falcons
I never thought I would be writing about so many Browns in one week, but here I am. Njoku looked amazing last week and I like his chances of having success again this week against the Falcons. He is definitely securing the #2 receiving spot behind Amari Cooper and should continue to offer those who start him a safe floor with great upside on a weekly basis. Njoku is a high-end TE2 with TE1 upside.
Gerald Everett, TE, Los Angeles Chargers Vs. Houston Texans
I am going to write off last week as an anomaly for the Chargers offense, as it was just a bad game for everyone involved. This week the Chargers have no problem turning things around against a weak Texans defense. The Chargers will also be without Keenan Allen once again, which means Everett should receive part of his target share. Everett is once again a solid streaming option at the TE position. Everett is a high-end TE2 with an upside in week 4.
Robert Tonyan, TE, Green Bay Packers Vs. New England
Tonyan’s snap percentage has been steadily increasing over the first 3 weeks of the season. The New England Patriots are one of the worst teams at covering the TE position, which leaves me thinking that Tonyan is going to feast against them this weekend. If you are in need of a high upside streaming option, I would roll Tonyan out in my starting lineups this week. Tonyan is a mid-tier TE2 with a TD upside.
Sits
Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers Vs. New York Jets
Pat looked like he drew the short straw last week as he did not record a catch until the last quarter of last week’s game. I wish I could tell you that this week will be better but there’s no guarantee with the current QB situation in Pittsburgh. Without receiving a higher target share, Pat is nothing more than a boom/bust TE option in week 4. He offers a low floor and a very low ceiling.
Tyler Conklin, TE, New York Jets Vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
I know what you’re thinking, Conklin has been a stud for fantasy football this year. I know, and I agree but that was with Flacco behind center. Zach Wilson is supposed to be starting this week, which means the targets for the Jets offense could be completely different than the previous 3 weeks. Until we see how Conklin is utilized, I would look for an option with a higher floor in week 4. Conklin is a risky high-end TE2 in week 4.
Dawson Knox, TE, Buffalo Bills Vs. Baltimore Ravens
Knox has been a major disappointment at the TE position, and unfortunately, I do not see that changing this week against the Ravens. You’re pretty much wishing for a touchdown with Knox and it most likely will never come. He has a very minimal target share and there’s no reason that should increase going forward. Knox is a mid-tier TE2 with an extremely low floor in week 4.