Week 4 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Highlighting Matchups to Exploit and Avoid

Bye weeks are the scourge of fantasy football owners everywhere, which is why Week 4 figures to have many in panic mode entering the weekend.

With six teams idle, including plenty of top fantasy performers, fantasy owners will have to get creative. That means utilizing the bench and the waiver wire in order to put together a competitive squad despite being without players like Peyton Manning, Marshawn Lynch and A.J. Green.

Matchups come into play even more than usual in these types of weeks since borderline players can be elevated to starting status. With that in mind, here is a look at the best and worst plays at each skill position for Week 4.

Quarterbacks

Start: Philip Rivers (SD)

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San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers enjoyed a resurgent season in 2013, and it certainly seems to have carried over into 2014 thus far. The veteran signal-caller enters Week 4 tied for ninth in passing yardage.

Rivers has also picked apart opposing defenses from within the pocket, according to Numbers Never Lie:

While Rivers was probably drafted as a backup in many leagues, he has emerged as a reliable weekly starter. That is especially true in Week 4, since the Bolts will face the moribund Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags are allowing a league-worst 306 yards per game through the air and have surrendered eight passing touchdowns as well.

After Indianapolis Colts gunslinger Andrew Luck torched Jacksonville for 370 yards and four scores in Week 3, Rivers is a must-start option in all formats.

Sit: Joe Flacco (BAL)

While most fantasy owners in standard leagues probably don't utilize Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco as a starter, the fact that so many quality signal-callers are on the bye this week could prompt some to consider the former Super Bowl MVP.

That wouldn't be particularly wise in Week 4, though. Flacco has a tough matchup in the form of a Carolina Panthers defense that is allowing just over 200 yards passing per game this season. In addition to that, the Ravens are dealing with some injury issues on offense.

Running back Bernard Pierce missed last week's game, while tight end Dennis Pitta is out for the season with a hip problem. Even so, Flacco isn't making excuses, per Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com.

"

Good offenses aren't made up of one guy here and one guy there. They are made up of a collection of guys that play physical, play fast and can do a lot of things. And I think we have that. When you put together a team, you have to account for things to happen. It's football. Guys get hurt, and you never know how long they're going to be out. We have to be good enough to overcome them. And I think we have the ability to do that.

"

Despite Flacco's optimism, Baltimore's offense is certainly depleted, and that is a major contributing factor in why Flacco should remain on fantasy benches.

Running Backs

Start: Lamar Miller (MIA)

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Few players were bigger fantasy disappointments than Miami Dolphins running back Lamar Miller last season. Expectations were lowered significantly entering 2014 with Knowshon Moreno on the roster, but an elbow injury to Miami's new back thrust Miller back into the spotlight.

Miller stepped up in a big way during Miami's Week 3 game against the Kansas City Chiefs as he rushed for over 100 yards. In fact, Miller has been one of the league's most effective runners since the start of the season, according to Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

With Miller starting once again in Week 4, he is a fantastic fantasy play. Miami is facing an Oakland Raiders defense that is giving up nearly 160 rushing yards per game, and they should see a heavy dose of Miller with the Dolphins struggling through the air.

Sit: Reggie Bush (DET)

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A running-back-by-committee situation going up against an elite run defense is never a good combination. That is why Detroit Lions back Reggie Bush is an incredibly risky fantasy start in Week 4.

Bush's ceiling is already somewhat hampered by the presence of Joique Bell, who cuts into Bush's touches significantly. Bush is averaging just 34 rushing yards per game, although he has been serviceable in point-per-reception leagues with six catches in two of his three games.

With that said, Detroit will face the New York Jets' top-ranked rush defense Sunday, which is surrendering a mere 55 yards per game on the ground. Lions offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi is among those who are well aware of the challenges that Gang Green's defense prevents, according to the Lions' official Twitter account:

New York does have a soft secondary, though, which should mean plenty of passing attempts for quarterback Matthew Stafford. Bush might get some play in the passing game, but he is highly unlikely to do much from a rushing perspective.

Wide Receivers

Start: Golden Tate (DET)

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Much of the praise goes to Stafford and wide receiver Calvin Johnson when Detroit's offense is firing on all cylinders, but a new addition has added another dimension to the Lions' attack. Wide receiver Golden Tate was heralded as a smart signing from the Seattle Seahawks, and he has proven to be precisely that thus far.

Tate's numbers don't jump off the page from a fantasy perspective, but he has been quite solid. He has at least five catches in all three games this season, and he has been a trusted target of Stafford's in big situation. That is evidenced by this stat courtesy of DetroitLions.com's Tim Twentyman:

Tate has yet to catch a touchdown this year, but the scores will come as long as Stafford continues to target him. The Jets' secondary is extremely iffy, and one can only assume that New York's defensive commitment will focus on slowing down Megatron.

With so much attention being paid to Johnson, Tate should be a PPR monster in Week 4.

Sit: T.Y. Hilton (IND)

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While he is one of the most explosive pass-catchers in football, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton's season has gotten off to a slow start. He has yet to catch a touchdown or top 80 yards in a game, and achieving either of those feats could prove difficult in Week 4.

Indy will face the Tennessee Titans' underrated pass defense, which is allowing just 170 passing yards and one passing touchdown per contest. In addition to that, Hilton averages less than 45 receiving yards per game in his career against the Titans.

If that isn't enough, Hilton was forced to leave the Colts' Week 3 game against the Jaguars with an ankle injury, according to Stephen Holder of The Indianapolis Star:

Although Hilton seems like a good bet to play, the stats suggest that he will be in for a disappointing Sunday.

Tight Ends

Start: Jason Witten (DAL)

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Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten was drafted as a top-five player at his position in most leagues this season, but he has performed like a backup at best so far. Witten has a grand total of 10 catches for less than 100 yards through three contests.

As difficult as it may be for his fantasy owners to stick with him, Witten's long track record of success suggests that it is only a matter of time before he turns it around. Witten has logged seven straight seasons of at least 850 receiving yards, and he has long been quarterback Tony Romo's favorite target.

Even with Witten struggling, head coach Jason Garrett offered a ringing endorsement leading up to Week 4, per Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News:

The Cowboys will host the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night in a game that could easily turn into a shootout. The Saints are giving up nearly 280 passing yards per game, and there should be plenty of opportunities for Witten to do some damage.

Sit: Travis Kelce (KC)

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After catching a touchdown in Week 3, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has become one of the most popular additions in fantasy football. Kelce has an opportunity to be a low-end fantasy starter over the course of the season, but it could be tough sledding in Week 4.

The Chiefs will face the New England Patriots on Monday Night Football in a game that figures to be defense-oriented. As much as the Pats' offense has struggled, the defense has picked up the slack. New England is the best in the NFL against the pass as opponents are throwing for less than 170 yards per game, and opposing quarterbacks have a quarterback rating below 60.

With Kansas City likely committing to the running game in order to keep the ball out of Tom Brady's hands as much as possible, Kelce probably won't be a focal point in Week 4.

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