Miami Dolphins running back Devon Achane singlehandedly won several fantasy football matchups, but can you start him with confidence in Week 4, or should you sit him until he proves that this wasn’t a fluke? Decisions like these are never easy, and making the right choice could be the difference between taking home a win or losing your matchup.
As per usual, we’ll begin this article with a disclaimer: start your studs. If you have Justin Jefferson or Christian McCaffrey on your roster, you should be playing them no matter what. This article is strictly for flex-caliber players and matchup-specific starters.
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Week 4 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em
Quarterbacks
Start: Russell Wilson
The Denver Broncos are a dumpster fire, but Russell Wilson has been surprisingly adequate for fantasy football purposes. Currently checking in as the QB9, Wilson has a favorable matchup against a terrible Chicago Bears team. The former Seahawk will be able to move the ball at will through the air and should finish the week as a low-end QB1.
Sit: C.J. Stroud
Through three weeks of action, C.J. Stroud is looking like the best rookie quarterback out there. The second-overall pick is currently the QB13 and is improving on a weekly basis. However, he starts against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 4, and that’s about the worst fantasy football matchup you can get. The future is bright for Stroud, but he’s not a matchup-proof player at this point in his career. Keep him on your roster, but try to find a better alternative for this week.
Running Backs
Start: Devon Achane
It should go without saying that Devon Achane is not going to score 50 points in every single game he plays. However, the Miami Dolphins offense is absurdly good, and the rookie running back is going to remain a start in fantasy football for the rest of the year. Even while splitting snaps with Raheem Mostert, Achane should be efficient with his touches and have plenty of scoring opportunities.
Sit: Kenneth Gainwell
Kenneth Gainwell earned the start in Week 1 for the Philadelphia Eagles. However, it didn’t take him long to lose the starting job. The longtime Eagle missed Week 2 with an injury, and D’Andre Swift immediately took the RB1 job and never let go. The two split carries in Week 3, but it’s clear that Swift is the superior talent. For the time being, Gainwell is nothing more than a good handcuff and you cannot start him in fantasy football.
Start: Alvin Kamara
Don’t overthink this one. Yes, Alvin Kamara is on the older side. Yes, Alvin Kamara is coming back from a three-game suspension and might have some rust. And yes, the New Orleans Saints offense is not the same unstoppable machine it used to be in the Drew Brees Era. All that being said, Kamara is clearly going to dominate touches in the Saints backfield, and that high volume alone justifies a start in fantasy football.
Sit: Jerick McKinnon
Jerick McKinnon was phenomenal in Week 3, finishing as the RB8 while scoring 17.8 fantasy points. However, he did all this on just five touches. Everyone who knows anything about fantasy football knows that volume is everything, and that type of workload simply cannot consistently produce starting-caliber performances. He found the endzone twice in Week 3, but you shouldn’t bank on that happening again in Week 4.
Wide Receivers
Start: Josh Palmer
Mike Williams is done for the season, which means that somebody is going to see a lot of targets from Justin Herbert. Herbert is one of the best young quarterbacks in the league, Kellen Moore is playing to his strengths, and the Chargers defense might just be the worst in football. This is a perfect recipe for fantasy football success, and all signs point towards Josh Palmer replacing Williams. Obviously, Palmer will not put up the same type of numbers, but he can be a valuable flex play.
Josh Palmer makes a crazy TD catch pic.twitter.com/KEVhNR05Lw
— 🦅 (@bigcocklockzz) September 24, 2023
Sit: Quentin Johnston
The Los Angeles Chargers drafted Quentin Johnston to be their next great wide receiver. Through three weeks of action, that hasn’t come to fruition. The first-round rookie has recorded just five receptions for 26 yards throughout the course of his career and didn’t see a notable uptick in work following the Mike Williams injury. Johnston still has plenty of time to put it all together, but you shouldn’t start him in fantasy football until you actually see the results on the field.
Start: Adam Thielen If Andy Dalton Starts
Bryce Young could very well be a great quarterback one day, but he is not in a position to succeed. The rookie has a terrible offensive line and supporting cast, so it’s no surprise the offense hasn’t looked great with him under center.
As a veteran, Andy Dalton is used to playing in subpar conditions and is capable of feeding his best receivers in this chaotic environment. Thielen had a phenomenal game last week, recording 11 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets. He faces a terrible Minnesota Vikings secondary in Week 4 and should be able to feast against his former team, provided he has a quarterback that can handle constant pressure.
Sit: Marvin Mims
Denver Broncos rookie wide receiver Marvin Mims is one of the lone bright spots in the offense. He could be a league-winning force down the stretch, but he doesn’t have the snap count or proven workload to justify a start in fantasy football. Add him to your roster if he’s on waivers, but keep him on your bench for now.
Tight Ends
Start: Sam LaPorta
Nobody told Sam LaPorta that rookie tight ends don’t make an impact in fantasy football. The second-round pick has absolutely annihilated all expeditions, entering Week 4 as the overall TE2 with 18 receptions for 186 yards and a touchdown. Regardless of matchup, you should start him in fantasy football.
Sit: Jake Ferguson
The Dallas Cowboys tight end always carries some sort of fantasy football relevance, but you shouldn’t start Jake Ferguson in Week 4. The New England Patriots have one of the best defenses in football, and Ferguson is not a matchup-proof player. This is going to be a low-scoring affair, and you should find a tight end streamer that is more likely to find the endzone.
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