'Who Needs Reality?': Excellent Fantasy Football Starts for Week 4

Welcome to Week 4, fantasy heads!

This is a crucial week in fantasy football. For the 3-0 teams, it's a week to get that win that will get you halfway (or more than halfway, depending on your league's size) to a fantasy playoff berth. For the 0-3 squads, it's a week to get that win that will instill some hope back into your dwindling fantasy soul. 

Fittingly, Week 4 is also the week in the NFL where we can start to eliminate some contenders on a mathematical basis. Since the current playoff format was put into place in 1990, only 21 teams have made the playoffs after starting the season with a 1-3 record. 

Not surprisingly, the odds are even slimmer for 0-4 teams: Only one squad, the 1992 San Diego Chargers, have ever made the playoffs after going defeated through their first four games. 

Week 4 is also the first bye week of the season, and it's a big one. We have six teams—Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, St. Louis Rams, Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks—with the week off.

That means a lot of amendment likely needs to be made to your fantasy roster, and it also means that you may have to start a deep sleeper or a veteran past their prime (cough, Maurice Jones-Drew, cough).

It's not an easy week, that's for sure, but here are some start picks that can help you pull off the victory and potentially avoid the fantasy grim reaper. 

Please remember that I use a standard scoring system when projecting these points:

• one point per 10 rushing or receiving yards
• one point per 25 passing yards
• six points per each rushing or receiving touchdown
• four points for passing touchdowns
• minus-two points for interceptions and fumbles lost

Additionally, be sure to stay tuned with the official NFL Injury Report to get the official word on who is in and who is out come game day.

Quarterbacks to Start

Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers have been struggling to close out games the past two weeks, so I think this Sunday is a "get right" game for them. Thereby, Kaepernick is a great start. 

The Philadelphia Eagles have allowed opposing quarterbacks to perform quite well against them this season, and being that the Philadelphia offense is likely to put up a good number of points, Kaepernick and the San Francisco offense will need to throw the ball often. It also doesn't hurt that Kaepernick is pretty smooth on his feet. 

• 280 passing yards, two touchdowns, one interception, 45 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown= 27 points

Other Solid Ball-Throwers

• Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers: 260 yards, 4 touchdowns = 26 points
• Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers: 320 yards, 2 touchdowns = 20 points
• Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys: 330 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions = 21 points

Running Backs to Start  

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

Miami Dolphins running back Lamar Miller has performed admirably as the team's sole runner since teammate and fellow running back Knowshon Moreno went down with injury.

Last week, Miller collected 108 yards on only 15 carries against the Kansas City Chiefs. This week, he takes on the Oakland Raiders and their pitiful run defense in London. Cheerio, mate!

• 18 carries, 120 rushing yards, four receptions, 45 receiving yards and one touchdown= 22 points (26 in PPR)

Other Solid Ball-Carriers

• Donald Brown, San Diego Chargers: Brown didn't look particularly flashy or spry last week in Buffalo, yet he touched the ball 36 times, which automatically makes him valuable. This week, the Chargers have a cake matchup, at home, against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Brown will once again get a ton of work. Brown is also a fellow Jersey boy, and I watched him dominate throughout his high school career, so I'm rooting for him. 
• Matt Asiata, Minnesota Vikings: Does he look good when he runs? No, not really, but even if Asiata should really be a fullback rather than a running back, he has the job in Minnesota and should be a solid player for fantasy owners in Week 4. Rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is making his first start for the Vikings, so I expect Asiata to get a lot of rushing attempts and catch five or six balls. He'll be a shoulder to lean on for Bridgewater. 
• Bishop Sankey, Tennessee Titans: This could be a very risky start, because I don't think anyone besides Titans head coach Ken Whisenhunt knows how much playing time the rookie will get, but here are the facts: Sankey is averaging 4.9 yards per carry, the Titans are struggling to throw the ball and backup quarterback Charlie Whitehurst might be starting. Add this to the fact that the Indianapolis Colts do not have a good run defense, and the conclusion is that you could do a lot worse than Sankey during a week where six teams have a bye. 

Wide Receivers to Start 

Marc Serota/Associated Press

I feel like making a choice that could blow up in my face, so I'm suggesting Tampa Bay Bucs wide receiver Vincent Jackson as the wide receiver start of the week. Jackson has been a "boom or bust" receiver throughout his NFL career, yet through three games this season, he's only been the latter. 

In Week 4, however, Mike Glennon returns to quarterback for the Bucs, and he and Jackson had a solid connection last season. They are also likely to be playing from behind in Pittsburgh, so I will bet you a Happy Meal that Jackson catches one or two long bombs in this game. 

• seven catches, 102 yards, two touchdowns= 22 points (29 in PPR)

Other Solid Ball-Catchers

• Julian Edelman, New England Patriots: This is a wimpy pick here, as Edelman is a borderline stud at this point. Nonetheless, if you are having any doubts, stop. Edelman is Tom Brady's favorite, and really only, target. He's a reception machine and a lock for eight or nine points even if he doesn't find the end zone. 
• Eddie Royal, San Diego Chargers: With running back Danny Woodhead out for the season, someone needs to fill his role. Royal isn't a running back, yet his skill set makes him an ample replacement. He's small, quick and agile, so I expect him to catch a few balls out of the backfield and collect some serious yardage. (I am starting him in a 14-team league in lieu of Demaryius Thomas, who is on a bye.) 
• Stevie Johnson, San Francisco 49ers: San Francisco tight end Vernon Davis and wide receiver Anquan Boldin are both banged up. (Davis might not even play.) Last week, with Davis out and Boldin less than 100 percent, Johnson caught nine balls for 103 yards. I think the Niners will pass even more this week, so go Stevie. 
• Steve Smith Sr., Baltimore Ravens: I really hate projecting anyone involved in a Baltimore Ravens vs. Carolina Panthers game, but Smith gets the "start him because he's playing his former team" pick. I had similar thoughts on Washington's DeSean Jackson last week, and it worked out well. The fact that Smith is an avid fan of trash talk doesn't hurt. 

Tight Ends to Start

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

New York Jets tight end Jace Amaro just had his best game against the Chicago Bears in Week 3. The rookie caught three balls for 54 yards, so not too crazy stat-wise, but the catches were impressive. He's developing a chemistry with his quarterback, Geno Smith, and I think the Jets will play the Lions very tough this week. 

Amaro is still a pretty under-the-radar guy, so he's likely still available to pick up in your league. I like him moving forward. He won't be the best tight end this week or this season, but he's a solid play if you need a fill-in or are desperate for a flex spot. Additionally, he's a great guy to stash on your bench. I like him over Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Heath Miller, Indianapolis Colts tight end Dwayne Allen and Miami Dolphins tight end Charles Clay. 

• six catches, 55 yards and one touchdown= 11 points (17 in PPR)

Other Solid Big Guys Who Catch Balls

• Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs: The economy would be in great shape if Kelce was the stock market; he just keeps going up. 
• Owen Daniels, Baltimore Ravens: Rats, I find myself suggesting another player from the Ravens/Panthers game. Oh well, I like Daniels as a red-zone threat and a perfectly good bye-week fill-in if you're a Julius Thomas owner. 
• Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers: He's got a great matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and if you scroll up, you'll see I projected Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers to throw four touchdowns. At least one will be to Gates. 

Defenses to Start

The San Diego Chargers defense is almost too easy of a pick this week, so while I am suggesting them, I am making my defensive start of the week the Miami Dolphins defense. 

The Dolphins didn't look too hot last week against the Kansas City Chiefs, yet I love everything about them this week against the Oakland Raiders in London. The game is bound to be sloppy, the Raiders are likely to play from behind and Miami is hungry for that bounce-back win to get to 2-2 and be back in the hunt in a very winnable AFC East division. 

Other Solid Defenses 

• Pittsburgh Steelers (home against the Tampa Bay Bucs)
• Indianapolis Colts (home against the Tennessee Titans)

Those are my picks for the week, everyone. I apologize in advance for the ones I'll get wrong, and I also accept that pat-on-the-back in advance for the ones that will make me look smart. 

Best of luck this week, and I'll now leave you all with some medical advice from my doctor: 

"

"Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope. Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life's realities" - Dr. Seuss.

"

Who Needs Reality? 

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All stats courtesy of NFL.com and FFToday.com. Feel free to email any question to [e-mail] and I'll try my best to answer them before kickoff on Sunday.