Brandon Marshall's Value in Red Zone Makes Him a Safe Fantasy Play in Week 4

Fantasy owners of Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall weren't too happy in Week 3. After injuring his ankle midway through the team's Monday Night Football contest against the New York Jets, the hobbled receiver finished the game with just one reception for six yards.

Ouch.

If you lost a fantasy match due to his lackluster performance, you're not alone. In fact, several Twitter users even expressed their frustrations on Monday night—albeit to the wrong Brandon Marshall:

All kidding aside, and regardless of how you feel about the wide receiver's performance in Week 3, don't overreact and leave him out of your starting lineup heading into Week 4. Marshall has proved his worth as a must-start fantasy option time and time again, and this certainly isn't the week to think otherwise.

The reason why Marshall will continue to produce fantasy points—despite possibly being hindered with an ankle injury—is due to his value in the red zone. A post from the Bears' official Twitter account sums up his elite production:

Sure, many fantasy owners will argue that Martellus Bennett—who reeled in two red-zone scores against the Jets—will continue to reap the benefits while Marshall isn't 100 percent. The tight end may see increased targets, but discounting Marshall's ability to find paydirt isn't wise.

All we need to do is look back at his Week 2 performance against the San Francisco 49ers.

Leading up to that very important road matchup, Marshall was viewed as unlikely to play by several reports. Eye on Football tweeted the news just before the game:

Well, not only did Marshall suit up, but he produced an enormous game for his fantasy owners. In case a refresher is needed, here's a look at his final stat line:

Player	Targets	Rec.	Yds.	TDs
Brandon Marshall	8	5	48	3

Not too shabby for an injured guy.

By the way, all three of those touchdown grabs were from inside the red zone, including a one-handed grab that made SportsCenter go nuts:

Helping Marshall's case in Week 4 is his favorable matchup against a Green Bay Packers secondary that can be exposed by good receivers; before his injury early in the fourth quarter, Eric Decker accumulated four receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown in Week 2.

Through three games in 2014, the Packers are ranked a solid sixth against the pass, allowing an average of 198.3 passing yards per game; however, the team is also giving up an average of 26.3 points per game—good enough to rank just 28th in the league.

That sure sounds like a friendly situation for a receiver who excels near the end zone.

As with every injury, fantasy owners should keep an eye on Marshall over the course of the week. Although, it would be rather surprising if he didn't suit up on Sunday. As long as he suits up, consider Marshall a high-end WR1 and start him with confidence.