Week 4 Start ‘Em & Sit ‘Em is here to highlight a few players at each position that we would like to sit or start (where possible).
This series will avoid the “obvious” answers. So, just because I don’t tell you to start the RB1 in the week doesn’t mean you should sit him. It means I just felt it was a no-brainer and didn’t need to be discussed. Also, consider these suggestions in the context of your lineup. When I say to sit a player, there are obviously going to be situations where you have no choice but to play them. Bye weeks and injuries can cause us to start players with whom we are uncomfortable. Examine your squad’s situation before blindly following this column.
Week 4 Quarterback Starts Of The Week:
Jordan Love, Packers @ DAL
Love has only topped 200-yards passing in one of three weeks. He has also thrown for more than one touchdown only once. Despite Green Bay looking solid, Love has not been a world-beater for fantasy.
Love currently ranks as QB18 on the season, but in Week 4, he gets the juiciest of matchups in the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys’ defense is so bad that they made Caleb Williams look like an MVP candidate in Week 3. Dallas is allowing 28.1 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks and will be an easy spot for Love to put up 300 yards and 3 touchdowns. Here comes the Boom week!
Geno Smith, Raiders vs. CHI
Smith sits as QB12 on the season and has quietly been productive in his new home. He has thrown for more than 280 yards in two out of three games this week and had an impressive 3-touchdown performance last week against Washington, where he threw for 289 yards.
In Week 4, Smith gets the third-best matchup for quarterbacks. The Chicago Bears are allowing 24.0 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks and will allow Smith to continue his roll. Look for him to be a low-end QB1 at worst with top-6 upside in this great spot.
Week 4 Quarterback Sits Of The Week:
Dak Prescott, Cowboys vs. GB
Prescott has gone over 250 yards passing in back-to-back games. Unfortunately, it appears as if he is going to be without star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb for the immediate future. While he still has the likes of George Pickens to throw to, Pickens has proven to be more of a big-play threat than a high-volume producer.
This week, Prescott will go up against the Green Bay Packers, who looked like a defense to be feared before a dud in Week 3 against Cleveland. The Packers are the second-worst matchup for opposing quarterbacks and are allowing only 11.2 fantasy points per game to the position. Dak is in a bad spot against a great team, without his best weapon. Steer clear if you can.
Drake Maye, Patriots vs. CAR
Maye has gone over 230 yards passing in all three games this season. He has also thrown five touchdowns so far and ranks as QB6 on the year. The Patriots’ offense is still not world-class, but it looks to be greatly improved.
Sadly, Week 4 appears to be the end of Maye’s hot streak against a Carolina Panthers defense that ranks as the worst matchup for opposing quarterbacks. The Panthers are allowing only 11.2 fantasy points per game and made short work of Michael Penix Jr. last week. While Maye is a far superior quarterback to Penix Jr., I expect a similar result in Week 4 for Maye.
Week 4 Running Backs Start Of The Week
Omarion Hampton, Chargers @ NYG
Hampton RB1 SZN has arrived! As sad as it is to say, the loss of Najee Harris to a season-ending Achilles injury is wheel’s up for Hampton. After failing to top 50 yards on the ground through two weeks, he rushed for 70 yards last week after the Harris injury. He is going to be a three-down workhorse this week against the New York Giants, who are awful pretty much across the board.
The Giants are allowing 24.1 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs and are the fourth-best matchup for the position. Not only is Hampton going to finish as an RB1 this week, but this could be the first of many top-3 performances in his career.
J.K. Dobbins, Broncos vs. CIN
Dobbins has been surprisingly useful for fantasy managers, checking in as RB12 after being left for dead by R.J. Harvey truthers. Dobbins has rushing totals of 63, 76, and 83 yards so far this season, and has scored in each week. It turns out, maybe he wasn’t dead for fantasy after all.
This week, he gets a matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, who looked like a high school team last week against the Minnesota Vikings. The Bengals are allowing 27.7 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs and are the second-best matchup to the position. It’s a scary thought, but after the first month of the season, Dobbins is going to be among the top-10 in running backs’ points scored. He is a sneaky league-winner.
Week 4 Running Back Sits Of The Week
Cam Skattebo, Giants vs. LAC
Skattebo is one of the other running backs who saw an injury to his backfield mate. However, I think Skattebo is the one who will be a bust this week. In Week 3, he rushed for 60 yards and one touchdown against a stout Chiefs defense. Tyrone Tracy Jr. suffered a shoulder injury in that game and is slated to miss multiple weeks, which has most fantasy managers foaming at the mouth.
The problem, as I see it, is his Week 4 matchup. Skattebo will go up against the Los Angeles Chargers, who rank as the fourth-worst matchup for running backs. They are allowing only 12.1 fantasy points per game to the position. A bad matchup and a rookie quarterback making his first NFL start in Jaxson Dart, and this has the makings of being a major bust week for Skattebo.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Commanders @ ATL
Croskey-Merritt appeared to be destined for stardom after the trade of Brian Robinson Jr. and the season-ending injury to Austin Ekeler. Somehow, though, he now finds himself in a messy committee backfield with Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez. Yes, you read that correctly.
After an 82-yard rushing performance in Week 1 against the Giants, he has rushed for less than 30 yards in back-to-back weeks. In Week 4, with the potential of Marcus Mariota starting for the Commanders, he faces the Atlanta Falcons, who are currently a pass-funnel that clamps down on the run. The Falcons are the sixth-worst matchup for running backs and allow so much through the air that a run game may not be needed. Between backup quarterbacks, an underachieving star receiver, and an odd committee backfield, this offense is giving off must-avoid vibes for Week 4.
Week 4 Wide Receiver Starts Of The Week
Matthew Golden, Packers @ DAL
Golden has 6 catches and 68 yards receiving through his first games. Certainly not what we hoped for from a first-round pick. Through three games, the Packers have been run-heavy, and when they have passed, they have spread the ball around to all their receivers and tight ends. While Week 3’s 4 catches and 52-yard performance were definitely an encouraging sign, he isn’t there yet.
Have no fear! The Dallas Cowboys’ awful defense is here to provide Golden with a Week 4 breakout. The Cowboys rank as the best matchup for receivers and are allowing 19.9 fantasy points per game to the position. This is Golden’s chance to build a rapport with quarterback Jordan Love and announce himself to the fantasy community. Matthew Golden’s breakout game is incoming!
Tre Tucker, Raiders vs. CHI
Tucker has typically been a boom-or-bust type receiver that I have avoided outside of best ball. He just isn’t predictable enough to ever trust in your starting lineup. So, when fantasy managers flocked to waiver wires to add Tucker after his 8 catch, 143-yard, and 3 touchdown performance, I was skeptical. Tucker is someone whom I would love to stash, but would prefer to leave on my bench until he has proven himself reliable.
The catch here is, he faces the Chicago Bears in Week 4. This matchup may be just nice enough to keep him rolling for another week. The Bears rank as the third-best matchup for opposing wide receivers and are allowing 36.3 fantasy points per game to the position. Geno Smith has been solid this season, and somehow, a team with Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers on it is being paced by Tre Tucker. As crazy as it sounds, it looks like it’s another Tre Tucker Boom week.
Week 4 Wide Receiver Sit Of The Week
D.K. Metcalf, Steelers vs. MIN
Metcalf sits at WR31 on the season and has produced oddly this season. IN Week 1, he was average with 83 yards receiving but no touchdowns. The past two weeks, however, would see his yardage totals plummet, with his statline being saved by touchdowns. It’s an increasingly strange statline for a player who is the only real weapon in the Steelers’ offense.
In Week 4, his uneven season will finally bottom out when he goes up against the Minnesota Vikings, who rank as the worst matchup for opposing receivers. The Vikings are allowing only 14.0 fantasy points per game and are certain to double-team Metcalf all game long. Look for Metcalf to be no better than a flex-play.
Marvin Harrison Jr., Cardinals vs. SEA
Harrison Jr. ranks as WR43 currently, and the word bust is starting to be thrown in his direction. It took his father nearly four NFL seasons to be a solid NFL producer, and Harrison Jr. may be on that same pathway. Kyler Murray has looked erratic through three games, and Harrison Jr. has looked slow and lacking explosiveness.
This week, he faces the Seattle Seahawks, who are allowing only 16.5 fantasy points per game to the position. They are the second-worst matchup for receivers and aren’t likely to be the tonic that cures Harrison Jr. of his struggles. Leave him on your bench again if you can.
Week 4 Tight End Starts Of The Week:
T.J. Hockenson, Vikings @ PIT
Hockenson had his best game of the season last week with 5 catches for 49 yards and a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. He appeared to feast on the weak matchup. Luckily for him, the Steelers are even worse against tight ends.
Pittsburgh is the second-best matchup for tight ends, and is allowing 15.9 fantasy points per game to the position. Look for Hockenson to feast once again and finish as a top-5 tight end for the week.
Jake Ferguson, Cowboys vs. GB
Ferguson has been on a tear over the last two weeks, putting up a combined 160 yards against the Giants and Bears. This week, he will be in an even better situation when he steps on the field without CeeDee Lamb in the lineup. Not only is that great for his fantasy production, but so is his matchup.
The Packers have been a solid defense, but they have been terrible against the tight end position. Green Bay is allowing 12.7 fantasy points per game to the position and checks in as the sixth-best matchup. I fully expect 100 yards or more from Ferguson this week. If he can manage to find the endzone, he has TE1 overall potential in this matchup.
Week 4 Tight End Sits Of The Week
Juwan Johnson, Saints @ BUF
Johnson has found himself as TE2 on the season in perhaps the most boring fashion imaginable. He has been in the 45-75 receiving yard range in each game and has scored once. While he has been the lone bright spot in the Saints’ offense, that isn’t likely to continue this week.
His Week 4 matchup against the Buffalo Bills is a nightmare. The Bills are the second-worst matchup for tight ends and are only allowing 3.9 fantasy points per game to them. Buffalo is going to win big this week, and the Saints are going to struggle to move the ball. Add in a likely change at quarterback on the horizon, and the Juwan Johnson TE1 SZN may be about to fade into the distance.
Mark Andrews, Ravens @ KC
Andrews posted 6 catches for 91 yards and 2 touchdowns on Monday Night against the Lions. The problem is, it was without Isaiah Likely and was mostly aided by the Lions playing prevent defense while nursing a late-game lead. Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers also struggled, and that isn’t likely to happen again.
In Week 3, the Ravens face the Chiefs, who are only allowing 4.8 fantasy points to tight ends. Add in the likely return of Isaiah Likely, and I prefer to sell-high on Andrews instead of starting him against the fourth-worst matchup for the position.
For your final lineup decisions, check out the FSAN Rankings Page or check out our Sit & Start video.