Welcome to our fourth Start & Sit article at Fantasy In Frames for the 2023 fantasy football season!
This week, I will be giving you my start and sit recommendations on offense and defense/special teams. I know you are as excited as I am to kick off Week 4 of the fantasy football season. Therefore, here are my Fantasy Football Starts & Sits for Week 4 (2023).
Start
Matthew Stafford (@ Indianapolis Colts)
The QB5 on the season in passing yards heads to Indy where he’ll face the 7th worst coverage unit in the NFL, according to PFF.
While his only TD came in Week 3, Stafford has big yardage passing potential and is one or two TDs away from having QB1 potential.
Oh, and the Colts have allowed the 5th most fantasy points to the position, according to Fantasy Pros.
Geno Smith (@ New York Giants)
According to PFF, only one Giants’ pass rusher has a win rate against offensive linemen above 10%, which bodes well for Geno’s performance in the pocket this week which..btw…Geno is the QB6 in completion percentage when provided with 2.5 seconds or more in the pocket and is the QB12 in yardage in that amount of time.
With the Giants allowing 17.2 PPG three weeks into the season, look for Geno to return high QB2/low QB1 value this week.
Brock Purdy (vs. Arizona Cardinals)
Remarkably, this should be a battle in the trenches with Arizona and San Fransisco, meaning this should be more of a throw-it-through-the-air assault from the 49ers, especially with Brandon Aiyuk returning to the lineup.
21.1 PPG to the quarterback position is what Arizona is allowing, per Fantasy Pros.
Purdy should have mid-QB2 value this week, making him a must-start in SuperFlex formats.
Sit
Daniel Jones (vs. Seattle Seahawks)
With Andrew Thomas trending towards being out again this week for the Giants at Left Tackle, his replacement, Joshua Ezeudu, and Right Tackle Evan Neal are the two worst pass blockers on the Giants, and they should be the ones starting for them on Monday Night Football.
This means Daniel Jones is in for a rough night on Monday night, and he should be avoided being started in fantasy this week.
Lamar Jackson (@ Cleveland Browns)
The Cleveland Browns are allowing the fewest fantasy points to QBs on the season with a whopping 6.2 PPG.
With the Ravens out Ronnie Staley this week and Center Kyle Linderbaumn being questionable, LT Patrick Mekari has already allowed one sack last week versus Indy, and now the Ravens go against an elite defense of the Browns. Find a QB with a better floor this week.
Start
James Cook (vs. Miami Dolphins)
The Dolphins allow the 10th most fantasy points per game to running backs.
James Cook is the RB5 in yards after contact, RB4 in breakaway runs of 15 yards or more, and RB18 in half PPR with an average of 12.8 points. Start him as one of your starting RBs this week.
James Conner (@ San Francisco 49ers)
While an RB1 week versus the vaunted 49ers defense is likely not in the range of outcomes in Week 4, as an RB2/FLEX, James Conner is a viable start this week as San Fransisco is middle of the pack in fantasy points allowed to RBs as well as the fact volume should be on his side.
The last time Conner faced the 49ers, he had 16 touches for 54 yards and a TD, ranking him as the RB14 that week with 12.8 points in a half-PPR format. Expect more of the same this week.
Najee Harris (@ Houston Texans)
The Texans are allowing the second most TDs to opposing team’s rushing attacks, according to FantasyData, this season. With Najee Harris being the main ball carrier this season in terms of rushing attempts and rushing yardage on the Steelers, this SHOULD be his “ get right game” for him this week.
The Texans allow over 20 points per game through three weeks to the RB position BTW.
Sit
Brian Robinson, Jr (@ Philadelphia Eagles)
Last year, when facing the Eagles, Brian Robinson, on 26 attempts, posted 86 yards rushing and one TD for a total of 14.6 fantasy points (the RB13 on the week). How?! Because he ran it up the middle of Philly’s defense, which was susceptible to the opposing team’s rushing attacks.
That’s not the case anymore, as Philly has beefed up their defensive interior with Jordan Davis taking a step forward in year two and rookie Jalen Carter playing like a man possessed.
When on the field, both Davis and Carter allow a sub-5-yard gain in rushing yardage. Combine that with Fletcher Cox’s productivity, and Washington will have to look for another answer on offense to defeat the Eagles.
Joe Mixon (@ Tennessee Titans)
The Titans allow the league’s fewest yards per attempt, with 2.8 yards on the season, to the running back position. I don’t care how well Mixon has been playing. Look for this game to favor the Bengals’ passing game, not their rushing attack.
Travis Etienne (vs. Atlanta Falcons)
The Falcons have only allowed one rushing touchdown on the season and have been fairly modest in rushing yards posted by the opposing team’s RBs.
Combine that with them allowing the 5th fewest fantasy points to RBs, and I would temper expectations of Etienne this week.
Start
Tutu Atwell (@ Indianapolis Colts)
As mentioned above, with my recommendation with Matthew Stafford, Tutu Atwell should benefit from more down-the-field throws as he is the best-rated WRi on the team in intermediate passes of 10-19 yards or more, according to PFF.
As much as we give props to Puka Nacua, rightfully so, this is the week to fire up Atwell, as Stafford will likely have to get the ball out quickly on those intermediate routes to Atwell.
He also has a team-leading 108.8 NFL passer rating when targeted on those routes for the season, in case you were wondering.
Tank Dell (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers)
What’s not to like about Dell this week?! The Steelers allow the 10th most TDs to opposing WRs on the year and the 13th most receiving yards.
If we were in a situation where Houston’s offensive line was 100% healthy, which it’s not this week, I would be 100% pro-Nico Collins. However, as Ryan Weisse from Club Fantasy FFL pointed out earlier today, the pass rush for the Steelers will make it hard for the deeper routes to develop for Collins, making Dell’s short to intermediate routes the go-to outcome for this offense.
Terry McLaurin (@ Philadelphia Eagles)
Darius Slay and James Bradberry have shown time and again that they can’t guard Terry McLaurin. With the rushing attack likely being shutdown by Philly this week, look for Sam Howell to go through the air and target Washington’s most productive receiver on the season thus far.
Sit
Amari Cooper (vs. Baltimore Ravens)
Deshaun Watson might not play this week. If not, don’t even think about starting Amari Cooper.
Calvin Ridley (vs. Atlanta Falcons)
The team leader in drops at the position, Ridley, will have a tough matchup with Falcons’ cornerback A.J. Terrell, who has only allowed 36 YAC all season long and only allows a 62 NFL passer rating when targeted.
Deebo Samuel (vs. Arizona Cardinals)
Is it an Aiyuk week?! Is it a Deebo week?! As mentioned earlier in this article, with this being a battle up front for both teams, look for Purdy to air it out to his primary 1st read since being the QB for the 49ers, that being Brandon Aiyuk.
Start
Gerald Everett (vs. Las Vegas Raiders)
The Raiders are allowing 12 fantasy points per game in half-PPR scoring.
Likely going against Devine Deablo in coverage, per PFF, with Deablo yielding an 80% catch percentage.
With no Mike Williams for the rest of the season, look for Everett to play the 3rd receiver option for the Chargers and for him to finally get into the endzone in Week 4.
Hayden Hurst (vs. Minnesota Vikings)
With Jordan Hicks seeing more work in coverage last week, he allowed an NFL passer rating of 158.3 and a 100 reception percentage.
With the Vikings allowing 9.2 PPG to the position, Hurst should provide a mid-to-high TE 2 floor.
Sit
David Njokou (vs. Baltimore Ravens)
No Deshaun Watson, no pass catchers on the Browns…even in the wasteland of TEs. And let’s face it, even with Watson…nah.
His Doubtful status heading into tomorrow’s Ravens matchup doesn’t help either.
Dalton Schultz (vs. Pittsburgh Steelers)
Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Robert Woods have 20-plus targets on the season. Dalton Schultz has 14.
He clearly hasn’t built a rapport with C.J. Stroud. Once a preseason darling at the position, he is no more than a bench clogger on your roster.
Start
1. Baltimore Ravens (@ Cleveland Brown)
A banged-up Deshaun Watson means trouble for Cleveland and their passing game.
On top of that, Baltimore has allowed the 8th fewest rushing yards on the season with the 12th lowest rushing yards per attempt as well as the 3rd fewest yards per reception.
2. Seattle Seahawks (@ New York Giants)
A horrible offensive line and no Saquon Barkley equals doom for the Giants on Monday Night Football.
Sit
Washington Commanders (@ Philadelphia Eagles)
Did you see what a mobile QB, solid defense, and elite wide receivers did to Washington last week? With no anticipated way for Washington to control the time of possession in the running game, this defense appears out of luck.
2. Chicago Bears (vs. Denver Broncos)
Denver got blown out by 50 points last week. Look for them to take out their frustrations on a hapless Bears’ offense.
3. Buffalo Bills (vs. Miami Dolphins)
Look for this game to be a track meet for both teams, giving both their D/STs a hit in Week 4.
