Week 4 Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em: Riding the Hot Hands
Three weeks into the season and the league already feels harder to pin down than usual. This offseason’s free-agent movement reshuffled more rosters than normal; however, things are starting to clarify. Committee backfields are settling into clear hierarchies faster than expected; rookies are forcing their way into every-week roles or landing permanent bench spots ahead of schedule. Not to mention, a handful of veterans have found new teams and new opportunities that look nothing like what they had a year ago. Add in the injury report and the haunting hamstring injury, which has already scrambled backfields and receiving rooms across the league, and you get a fantasy landscape where last week’s box score matters more than any preseason projection still floating around out there.
Projections Are Just That
Nothing is guaranteed, and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. The players below represent where the evidence points as of right now, based on real usage, real matchups, and real production, not name recognition or where someone was drafted back in August.
Remember, at the end of the day, this is your team and your league. You know your roster, your bench depth, and the tendencies of the people you’re competing against better than any outside voice ever will. Use this as one more data point, not the final word. If your gut is telling you something different than what’s written below or what the fantasy projection says, trust it.
The following are my Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em players for week four.
Start ‘Em
Quarterback
Shough has quietly turned into one of the most productive quarterbacks in the league, entering Week 4 leading the NFL in passing yards. The Saints’ young QB threw four touchdowns last week even in a losing effort against Las Vegas, and New Orleans has fully committed to him as the answer at quarterback going forward. He’s a fantasy starter right now, period. This week’s matchup against Atlanta could lead to another four TDs.
Quarterback
Darnold’s return from his glute injury didn’t produce a win; Seattle was favored by more than a touchdown and still lost, but the production was undeniable. He threw for a career-high 379 yards in that game, and that kind of volume tends to show up again when a team is playing from behind or trading scores. This week, he is desperate for a win and draws the Chargers, and the ingredients are there for another high-scoring, pass-heavy afternoon.
Running Back
The rookie’s slow start is officially over. Love out-touched backup Tyler Allgeier 21 carries to 6 last week, turning that workload into 90 rushing yards and a touchdown. Arizona is clearly grooming him for a bell-cow role, and a matchup against the Giants has the makings of another high-scoring affair for this offense.
Running Back
Last week was rough, just 29 total yards in a blowout loss to Jacksonville, but one bad game against a good defense shouldn’t define his outlook. New England gets a divisional matchup against Buffalo this week, and Buffalo’s defense has had real trouble containing opposing offenses so far this season. That’s the kind of matchup that can turn a bad week into a bounce-back one.
Running Back
The matchup is excellent on paper. Miami has allowed four rushing touchdowns already this season, and Jones remains the clear lead option in a Minnesota offense that should lean on the ground game against that front. The one thing worth tracking closely is his knee, which kept him out of practice earlier in the week before he returned in a limited fashion. Check the final injury report before locking him into your lineup, but if he’s active, the matchup supports a strong week.
Running Back
Washington is riding high after a 33-31 upset win over Seattle, and Croskey-Merritt gets a plus matchup to keep it going. Indianapolis ranks 29th in the league in rushing yards allowed per game and has already given up five rushing touchdowns this season. That’s exactly the kind of front seven a committee back can take advantage of.
Wide Receiver
Wilson’s role in this offense is no longer in question. He saw 17 targets last week, turning them into 11 catches, 89 yards, and a touchdown, and Arizona’s passing attack looks fully awake heading into Week 4. He draws the Giants this week, the same game as the Jeremiyah Love pick above, and there’s no reason to expect his volume to dry up.
Wide Receiver
Raymond signed with Chicago this offseason and has quietly turned into one of the more productive receivers in football over the past few weeks. Last week he caught 6 of 7 targets for 90 yards and a touchdown. He’s still behind Rome Odunze, Luther Burden, and Colston Loveland in the pecking order on a snap-to-snap basis, so this is more about riding a hot hand than trusting a settled role, but production is production. Chicago hosts the Jets this week.
Wide Receiver
Meyers made his return matchup against his old team count, going 7 of 8 for 64 yards and a touchdown against New England last week. Jacksonville now turns to a Cincinnati defense that ranks near the bottom of the league in pass defense, allowing an average of 260 yards through the air per game. That’s a green light for another heavy target share.
Wide Receiver
Allen has found a real role in Indianapolis, especially with Alec Pierce’s usage trending down. He found the end zone last week, and the matchup only gets better from here. Washington has allowed 11 passing touchdowns already this season, one of the league’s softer marks, and Indianapolis travels there this week. If you need a flex play, this is a strong one.
Quarterback
The matchup is great, but it’s time to bench him. The Patriots need to prove they can get something going on offense before you start him again. Maye is still owned by 95% in Sleeper, but if there’s another bad outing, I’d really be surprised to see him on people’s rosters
Running Back
Quinshon Judkins is averaging 3 yards per carry on the season. He had 18 carries last week, but against a Steelers Defense that has allowed only one rushing touchdown this season, the matchup is ugly. If you have a better option, I would consider it.
Wide Receiver
An afterthought in the offense with just eight catches in three games. Odunze hasn’t been able to get managers more than 7 fantasy points (PPR) in any game this season. Sit him
Disclaimer: A note before you dive in: every league is different. Scoring formats, roster sizes, and starting lineup requirements all vary widely from one league to the next, and a matchup that looks unplayable in a standard format might be an easy start in a shallow league with a thin bench or a unique scoring setup. Treat everything below as a directional guide built on real matchup analysis, not a set of rules, and weigh it against your league’s specifics before making a call.
