Fantasy Football Week 4: Struggling Stars Who Will Get Back on Track

Fantasy football is a frustrating game. No matter how much preparation owners do before the draft, even the best-laid plans can crumble when players who were predicted to serve as elite producers don't live up to sky-high expectations.

There are no shortage of disappointments at any position in the early going, surely causing a lot of fantasy teams to struggle. Let's take a look at three of the struggling stars who should start providing the expected value in Week 4.

QB: Aaron Rodgers

People who drafted Rodgers with the first overall pick, or shortly thereafter, were expecting the Green Bay Packers star to carry their team every week like he did last season. Instead, he ranks 20th in average scoring behind quarterbacks like Christian Ponder and Jake Locker.

It's important to look at the defenses he's faced, though. The Packers have faced the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks. Those are three top-tier defenses, so it's not hard to see why his numbers are lower than expected.

That should begin to change this week. He faces a New Orleans Saints secondary that has been torched twice in the first three weeks. Rodgers should have no trouble having his best game of the season so far, giving him some momentum moving forward.

WR: Marques Colston

Colston was expected to be the top wide receiver on one of the league's most explosive offenses. Normally, that would lead to huge fantasy numbers and a guaranteed spot in the starting fantasy lineups. It hasn't worked out that way.

So far, Colston has been consistent in a bad way. He's scored no more than five points in any week, mostly because he hasn't found the end zone. It doesn't help that Darren Sproles and Lance Moore have seen more targets than him, either.

One reason for the lackluster results has been a nagging foot injury. No setbacks were reported after last week, though, meaning he should be getting close to full strength. That will allow him to have his first big game of the season in Week 4 against the Packers.

TE: Antonio Gates

Gates has been a fantasy disaster so far. The San Diego Chargers tight end has scored a combined six points in the two games he's played. Even more frustrating was his late scratch in Week 2 due to injury, leaving owners in a tough spot.

Anybody who drafts Gates known the injury risks involved with having him on their roster. He hasn't played a full season since 2009. But normally when he's on the field, he produces big numbers and makes him worth the risk.

While that hasn't been the case through three weeks, he should start turning things around against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have struggled to contain tight ends and Gates should have no problem exploiting that weakness.