Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 4: Last-Minute Fantasy Football Advice for Sunday

We wish we could go back in time and tell you to sit Kirk Cousins and start Eli Manning in fantasy football for Week 4.

For one, the quarterback section of this article would already be over. More importantly, your team’s fantasy outlook would be a lot more promising heading into Sunday’s games.

With only 12 more games on tap in Week 4, the success or failure of your fantasy team may ultimately come down to the hard decisions. We aren’t talking about starting Calvin Johnson over Cecil Shorts III. These are the tough calls.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some last-minute advice for some of the difficult Week 4 lineup choices.

Start ’Em: Colin Kaepernick, QB, San Francisco 49ers

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Should you be worried about Colin Kaepernick at this point?

Of course you should. After all, the guy has three interceptions to four touchdown passes and hasn’t exactly racked up the rushing yards many expected either. He ran for 11 yards against the Dallas Cowboys, a solid 64 against the Chicago Bears and 54 against the Arizona Cardinals.

Confidence could also be an issue after a second-half collapse in the Chicago game and a divisional loss to the Cardinals in Week 3.

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

However, you should start Kaepernick in Week 4 based on his opponent alone. The Philadelphia Eagles rank 30th against the pass in the NFL and made the same Cousins who seemed to be targeting the Giants defensive backs Thursday look like a superstar. What’s more, Philadelphia’s offense is a well-oiled machine (hence, the 3-0 record despite a shoddy defense), so this one could be a shootout.

Shootouts are fantasy gold for quarterbacks. 

The Eagles have allowed the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks in NFL.com standard format leagues this year. That won’t change with Kaepernick on the field.

Sit ’Em: Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers

MIKE MCCARN/Associated Press

Cam Newton may be an NFL superstar, but there is reason for worry in Week 4.

For one, the Baltimore Ravens have held opposing quarterbacks to one or fewer touchdown passes in seven of their last 10 home games and are coming off two straight division wins.

However, we are more concerned with Newton’s durability than the actual opponent. The Carolina Panthers offensive line was virtually nonexistent against the Steelers in Week 3, and Newton was hit, sacked and rushed all night. In summary, he took a pounding. 

It is difficult to see him lasting all year if that continues, although Steve Reed of The Associated Press did have some good news along that front:

If your fantasy team is not deep at quarterback, you are going to start Newton. That is understandable, but the injury risk for someone who has already missed a game and dealt with nagging health concerns all preseason and the strong Baltimore defense are reasons for hesitation. 

There are simply better quarterback options in Week 4.

Start ’Em: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami Dolphins

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

Knowshon Moreno is out of the running back picture with injury, and Lamar Miller got the lion’s share of the work in the Week 3 loss to Kansas City.

It wasn’t just the fact that Miller was the top option in the backfield that makes him an enticing pick here, though. Miller was particularly efficient with those 15 carries and finished with 108 rushing yards and averaged 7.2 yards a pop. He also got involved with the passing game and tallied four catches, which was more than any Dolphin except for Mike Wallace.

Ryan Tannehill is coming off a poor performance as well, so Miami will likely try to establish the run early in this one. It should, because the Oakland Raiders are 31st in the league against the run. 

If the Dolphins can grab an early lead on the 0-3 Raiders, they will look to keep pounding the ball on the ground to bleed away the clock. That is music to the ears of Moreno owners, especially against such a porous rush defense.

Sit ’Em: Reggie Bush, RB, Detroit Lions

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

Reggie Bush thrived against Green Bay with a touchdown and 99 yards from scrimmage in Week 3. That may not sound like a huge day, but it was in that 19-7 slug fest.

Things will be much more difficult against the New York Jets and their NFL-best rush defense. What’s more, Bush has only found the end zone three times in his last 12 road games, making it clear that he is much more productive in Detroit.

The Jets just held fellow NFC North running back Matt Forte to 33 rushing yards Monday night, which was an impressive showing from such a stout defensive front.

Rick Osentoski/Associated Press

Bush seemed impressed with New York’s defense already, via CBS Detroit:

"

They give you a lot of different looks, a lot of different blitzes, a lot of exotic fronts, guys walking around all over the place, standing up, and that’s what works for them. When teams go into New York and they don’t ID the fronts correctly and then they allow the crowd to get loud, and then all of a sudden, here comes a guy free, hits the quarterback on the back side, causes a fumble. 

"

Teams simply don’t beat the Jets by keeping the ball on the ground, which is why the Bears threw it 38 times in Week 3 and the Packers threw it 42 times in Week 2. Matt Stafford will let it rip downfield to Calvin Johnson and company, meaning Bush will not get the rushing yards your fantasy team needs.

Start ’Em: Michael Crabtree, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

We are starting Michael Crabtree for many of the same reasons for which we suggested Kaepernick as a starter.

Again, the Eagles are an abysmal 30th in the league against the pass. Pierre Garcon racked up 138 yards and a touchdown, DeSean Jackson tallied 117 yards and a touchdown and even Allen Hurns of the Jacksonville Jaguars finished with 110 yards and two touchdowns against them.

In short, wide receivers can beat this vulnerable Eagles secondary with relative ease. 

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

As for Crabtree, he has finished with 80 or more yards in four of his last six home games and will likely see more targets until Vernon Davis is back to 100 percent. Kaepernick will look his way early and often as the 49ers try to get back on track, which will help fantasy owners rack up serious point totals.

Sit ’Em: Torrey Smith, WR, Baltimore Ravens

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Call this more of a gut feeling than a statistical breakdown, but we are sitting Torrey Smith in Week 4. That breakout game that is inevitably coming will have to wait.

Steve Smith should be particularly motivated to go against his old squad in Carolina, which means if there is a Ravens wide receiver set for a big day, it is likely him and not Torrey Smith. Michael Fabiano of NFL.com agrees with the notion that Torrey Smith should be on your bench:

"

Smith has had a miserable statistical start to this season, scoring a combined 8.50 fantasy points while losing targets to Steve Smith. Up next is a game against the Panthers, who will be fired up after being embarrassed on national television last week. If you start a Ravens wideout named Smith this week, it should be Steve and not Torrey.

"

Gail Burton/Associated Press

Torrey Smith has simply gotten lost in the fold thus far in Baltimore. He only has 85 receiving yards and zero touchdowns, and the potential emergence of running back Lorenzo Taliaferro only makes it more difficult to envision Torrey Smith as a top offensive option. The Panthers are a strong defense that will look to bounce back after struggling against the Steelers. 

Keep Torrey Smith on the bench this week.

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