Who To Start, Sit, And Scoop Up For Your Week 4 Fantasy Football Lineup

The first three weeks of the (fantasy) football season have been rough on us. We’ve lost a ridiculous amount of running backs, and this week, half of the top 10 in QB scoring was made up of Trevor Siemian, Brian Hoyer, Dak Prescott, Carson Wentz and Ryan Tannehill. This is costing people games, and we’re here to help stop the bleeding, or at least stuff some tissue into the gaping wound.

Your Week 4 fantasy football primer is topically-themed. You’ll see.

Start of the Week

DET WR Marvin Jones: Who’s the number one receiver in fantasy? None other than Marvin Jones. Yes, he’s just a point or so ahead of Antonio Brown and Mike Evans in PPR leagues, but his ability to make plays after the catch and the Bears defense, just the Bears being the Bears in general, will lead to another big week from Marvin Jones Jr.

This might be the move of the year:

https://twitter.com/360FFB/status/780110793736130560

He’s everywhere.

Start/Sit

Joe Flacco: Remember how those five, seemingly random QBs in the intro paragraph hit the top 10 this week? Ignore them if you can, because Flacco is available to all, and he’s playing the Raiders at home. You can depend on his volume (he’s throwing the ball around 39 times a game) and will be rebounding off a poor game against the Jaguars, in which he completed 21 straight passes (???).

Andrew Luck: You were likely thrilled by Luck’s 2016 debut in which he tossed 4 TDs and 0 interceptions, then injuries and Denver’s defense brought you back to reality. It’s okay, though, Luck is taking his 40 throws-per-game and bringing them to Jacksonville, who isn’t allowing many yards, but is giving up the 7th-most TDs to opposing teams this season. This team seems to be getting into a bit of a rhythm.

Matthew Stafford: As a Chicagoan, this Bears defense breaks my heart. Chicago actually has a middle of the road passing defense, but they have also yet to see a fully-fledged passing offense that’s running on all cylinders like the Lions currently are. Stafford is averaging 40 attempts a game, and 328 yards passing. He’s going to carve them up, and the Lions will score, be it Ebron, Riddick, Jones, or dare I say, Golden Tate.

Trevor Siemian: So, Trevor threw four touchdowns and zero interceptions against the Bengals. He threw the ball 35 times, and obviously had the most yards and touchdowns on this young season.

#Debate2016 Ladies and gentleman, Donald J. Trump! pic.twitter.com/nwE3sq59oq

— (((Joshua Malina))) (@JoshMalina) September 27, 2016

Don’t get cute. You may see the Tampa Bay matchup this week, and you’re enticed to maybe play him in a 12 or 14-team league. Maybe you have Aaron Rodgers or even Carson Wentz on bye. Don’t do it. Don’t play that game with yourself. Not yet. Take Trump’s advice: “pwouhh.”

Eli Manning: The Vikings have the No. 1 fantasy defense in standard leagues, and is holding opposing QBs this season to a quarterback rating of 69.5. Even with the Chiefs putting up a ridiculous amount of points thanks to Ryan Fitzpatrick’s incomprehensible six interception game, the Vikings reign supreme. The mobile Cam Newton was sacked 8 times by the Purple People Eaters, was held without a touchdown, and had 3 interceptions. What will this Minnesota defense do to the immobile Eli Manning?

Russell Wilson: He’s not playing well as it is, and now he’s dealing with a possible sprained MCL. Despite the magical healing properties that Pete Carroll believes Russell Wilson has, taking away Wilson’s rushing thus far has done nothing for fantasy owners, and makes his receivers easier to cover. Furthermore, no one wants to see Wilson get flattened by Muhammad Wilkerson then take off a few series. Put Wilson on your bench for this week and let him heal.

No one wants to deal with this:

RUNNING BACK STARTS

Le’Veon Bell: You made it. Le’Veon Bell is finished with his three-week suspension, and now you can unleash him into the wild with great pleasure. DeAngelo Williams did you well 2 out of 3 weeks as expected, now you can get your money’s worth. The best part for all of you wise owners who have Bell in PPR: he’s ready to catch balls. Never forget that this guy caught 83 balls in 2014. His knee is ready, and we’re all ready to watch him work.

Devonta Freeman: Dude was playing like a guy who had a historic 2015 and was losing touches for no good reason. Hey, if this motivates Freeman to do more with less, that’s fine. Stiff arms like this only come from a fierce desire to be on the field. Of course, he may be losing his red zone touches to Tevin Coleman, but Freeman still had 5 receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown on top of his 14 carries to Coleman’s 12 carries. On paper, that near-split is scary, but Freeman had 152 yards with those carries. Coleman had 42 yards (and 3 TDs), but that’s also probably Freeman was tired from running all over the Saints so hard. Freeman saw 0 targets last week, and that’s concerning, but the Falcons know what they have and I bet you won’t see a low-target week for him again this year.

Tevin Coleman: Screw it, let’s do this: we need to start thinking about playing both Atlanta backs during these bye weeks. They’re splitting carries/snaps, and it’s clear whoever is playing RB for the Falcons is going to be getting you points. It doesn’t hurt that both men are talented. Freeman had a rough first few weeks after not being targeted, but Atlanta likes to win. If they want to win, they’ll continue giving the ball to their 2nd and 3rd best playmakers after Julio. Yeah, Jones was held to a single catch on a team-high 7 targets, but that won’t happen often, and it’ll just move these backs closer to the red zone where they can’t help but score.

I know what you’re thinking…

https://twitter.com/angelnorelation/status/780593485539782660

But it’s worth considering.

RUNNING BACK SITS

Latavius Murray: It’s hard to suggest a sit on a BYE week and with most RBs on the shelf, but Murray very well could be considered bench-worthy with the Ravens on deck. Baltimore held the Jags to 31 yards on 18 carries in Week 3, and Murray’s looking at a ceiling of 12 carries with Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington breathing down his neck for touches. His 22-yard TD run saved his week.

James White: Just one more week until Tom Brady back, and everything normalizes in the Patriots offense. Right now, this is the LeGarrette Blount show and he’ll be grinding away until check downs become something Bill Belichick thinks is okay for his offense again. Some may be desperate, wondering where those PPR catches are, but they probably aren’t coming this week. Even if Garoppolo comes back.

Christine Michael: Even if Thomas Rawls gets healthy, Michael is probably going to be the guy in Seattle until it’s proven that he can’t handle the workload. His line looks great from Week 3, and his 3-week sample size of solid work is enticing, but almost half of his yards against the 49ers came on a single run, and now he plays the Jets, who are the third-best rushing defense in the league (after the Packers and Eagles), and Russell Wilson is hobbled by injury. Once again — it’s the BYE week, and there are RB injuries abound, but I’d be wary. Everyone loves this guy after a few good games when they hated him for years.

WIDE RECEIVER STARTS

Terrelle Pryor: Let’s just throw him in your flex spot for one week before things start getting weird with the return of Josh Gordon. The Browns are running a wildcat offense with him behind center along with Cody Kessler, and for now, that gives McCown the opportunity for designed run plays, and the very real possibility of throwing a touchdown along with getting 14 targets in the passing game. Yes, you should play the guy who has the ball in every phase of a football team’s offense. This is me begging the Browns to let him kick a FG or extra point next week.

Michael Floyd: This is infuriating. The targets are there — 11 this week for a 22 percent target share despite only catching 4 for 65 yards. Something has to give. The Cardinals are too good to toil in this strange hell in which they lose to the Bills. Now they’re playing the Rams who rank 19th in passing defense at home in a game that will get everyone right. Especially Floyd. The stats back this up, and he has to even out from the awfulness he’s produced the last few weeks. I’m also willing this to happen.

https://twitter.com/davelozo/status/780577738637869056

Mike Wallace: Let’s keep abusing that last-ranked Oakland pass D in this column, okay? I’m here to remind you that you should do that. Wallace is seeing 6 targets every single week. He’s touchdown dependent, but you might as well write him in for a 4/65/1 line here. It’s good for the Jordy Nelson/Jordan Matthews owner who needs a flex player. If you’re the Randall Cobb owner, you might as well be playing Wallace over him every week.

WIDE RECEIVER SITS

Julian Edelman: Under Jacoby Brissett, Edelman only caught 4 passes for 38 yards. If Garoppolo comes back, disregard this, but for now, there are plenty of wide receivers out there for you to play, and Edelman isn’t worth the risk. Especially in standard leagues. Next week, when Brady is back, everything is right again.

Tyler Lockett: The scat back had 0 targets in Week 3, which is concerning as hell. Jimmy Graham and Doug Baldwin looked absolutely fine in the Seattle passing offense, even with Wilson hurt (each had over 100 yards and a score), but Lockett seems like he’s phased out as the 4th or even 5th offensive option in this offense. It’s a shame, he can break a play anytime and almost did with a 62-yard punt return against the Niners. Drop him, and consider Good Percy Harvin’s career never beginning because he wasn’t given a chance. It’s okay to cry.

Sammie Coates/Markus Wheaton/any Pittsburgh WR not named Antonio Brown: Someone remake Rounders and have Teddy KGB saying “check dee-owns, check dee-owns, check dee-owns” with a highlight reel of Le’Veon Bell doing his thing in the passing game. Realistically, you know one of these guys will probably have a big play, but right now it seems like this is the Brown/Bell connection back in action. You probably have better options than Wheaton or Coates anyways, so use them instead. The Chiefs have a 13th-ranked passing defense.

Here’s that Rounders scene for posterity.

TIGHT END STARTS

Cameron Brate: Austin Seferian-Jenkins is gone from Tampa Bay. It’s time to make Tampa’s TE position Brate again. Brate saw 10 targets and will be going against a Denver D that gives up TE touchdowns like they feel bad for opposing offenses. With Barnidge now a non-factor, Dwayne Allen not stepping up, and Gronk and Bennett pointless plays until Brady comes back, you can probably stick him in there this week for a nice, sneaky play.

Zach Miller: The definition of a post-hype sleeper, every fantasy hipster knew about Miller, then he let them down. Now we have Brian Hoyer here to save the Bears offense and get everyone some points. Miller had 9 targets against Dallas Sunday night — good for a 20 percent target share, and he turned those targets into 8 catches for 78 yards and 2 TDs. Garbage time, sure, but points all the same. The Bears play the Lions this week, and will be throwing.

Kyle Rudolph: Sam Bradford and Kyle Rudolph have something special developing in Minnesota. Rudolph had 10 targets, a 35.7 percent target share, and caught 7 of those targets for 70 yards and a touchdown. Last week, Rudolph had 8 targets. He only caught 3, but he was saved by a touchdown. He’s clearly the second option in this passing game.

TIGHT END SITS

Gronk/Martellus Bennett: Let’s not bother until Week 4. Gronk is still on a snap count, and Bennett isn’t being looked at as a receiver with Brissett under center, he’s just being depended on to be an awesome blocker for Blount.

Clive Walford: Some fantasy managers are trying to make Clive Walford happen, and he’s starting to get picked up off the waiver wire as the sneaky dandy to stash now that Vance McDonald is hurt. I’ve even seen him played in some deeper leagues, but it’s not worth it. Not even with Carr throwing the ball constantly. Walford is averaging 5 targets and is going against a top 5 TE D in the Ravens.

Jimmy Graham: His 9 targets translated to 6 catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. That’s the most since his 8 reception, 140-yard game in Week 6 of last season. This is an outlier, and should not be taken seriously. This is a run-first offense, and Seahawk Jimmy hasn’t proved that he can play like Saints Jimmy on this team consistently enough for you to care.

Waiver Wire

DET RB Dwayne Washington: According to Yahoo and NFL.com, this guy is not owned nearly enough. That will probably change this week, considering the BYEs and how he’s clearly the lead back in a run-light offense. He only had 11 touches Week 3, but you could see him killing the clock when the Lions are killing the Bears, couldn’t you?

CHI RB Jordan Howard: Jeremy Langford is hurt, and if he misses time, you have an instant RB 3 with upside in Howard. He averaged 5 YPC against Dallas in limited time, but more importantly, caught 4 passes for 47 yards. He’ll be what you always wanted Langford to be. He runs harder and stronger, but can still do the finesse stuff.

NYG RB Orleans Darkwa: He averaged 5.3 YPC on 10 rushes taking over for Rashad Jennings, and now Shane Vereen is out with a torn tricep. Someone has to get the work in New York, and Jennings probably won’t be back until at least Week 5. You have to prioritize for Darkwa if you have any shares of the NYG backfield, and even if you’re a desperate owner looking for someone to fill in.

TB TE Cameron Brate: See TE starts.

NYJ RB Bilal Powell: You probably wanted to steer clear of Powell after being virtually touch-less the first few weeks of the season. But with each passing game, Matt Forte becomes even more of a 30-year-old back with a high touch count. Bet on Forte eventually going down, and Powell stepping in not as well, but stepping in. He’ll be a starting RB for an NFL team, and his 6 receptions for 41 yards this week will ease you ever so slightly. Stay ahead of the curve, stash him if you’ve got the space. Like winter, more BYEs are coming.

PHI RB Darren Sproles: Ryan Mathews is clearly not right with an ankle injury, and Sproles is who will benefit from this most in the air. He’s had this somewhat-defined role as the passing downs back for a while, but Mathews could eat into that at times. It’s clear Philly wants Smallwood between-the-tackles and Sproles catching passes, of which he had 6 for 128 yards and a score this week.

PHI RB Wendell Smallwood: Yep. Because who knows if he can take Mathews’ job, and who knows if Sproles can stay healthy. Since the Eagles are on BYE, they’ll be somewhat off the radar (this also gives Mathews time to heal which muddies everything).