Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 4: Advice for Fringe Flex Fantasy Football Starters

Fantasy football players need to mix and match their roster spots over the next two months as NFL bye weeks kick into gear. The Carolina Panthers and Washington Redskins are the first teams to take a break, which means some folks need to find replacements for players such as Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey or 'Skins tight end Jordan Reed.

That creates a depth issue that trickles down the roster. Perhaps the answer is already there for you, or maybe you need to scour the waiver wire to find someone.

Regardless of your situation, here's a look at a few start 'em/sit 'em candidates for the flex position this week.

Running Back

Start 'Em: New England Patriots RB James White and Sony Michel vs. Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots running back Rex Burkhead left Week 3 against the Detroit Lions with a neck injury. His status for Week 4 has not been made known (the first injury report will be released Wednesday), but if he's out against the Miami Dolphins, Pats running backs Sony Michel and James White figure to absorb the remaining touches.

Michel had 14 carries Sunday, while White caught a touchdown pass. White is the bigger asset in point-per-reception leagues as he's the most productive pass-catching back on the team (14 catches on 20 targets through three weeks), but Michel may get more opportunities, especially if the Pats find themselves up late and look to run the clock out with the ground game.

Sit 'Em: Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry vs. Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry can't be considered a fantasy-viable starter at this point, especially in point-per-reception leagues. He's amassed just one catch on two targets through three weeks, and he hasn't been able to get it going much on the ground (three yards per carry).

Granted, the Titans offensive line has been banged up, but Henry's fantasy outlook is hurt by backfield mate Dion Lewis, who has accrued one more touch (48 to 47) and eight more catches.

While Lewis is a good flex play moving forward, Henry is best as a backup right now, especially in Week 4 against a Philadelphia Eagles team that has allowed the fewest fantasy points to running backs this year, per Pro Football Reference.

Wide Receiver

Start 'Em: New York Giants WR Sterling Shepard vs. New Orleans Saints

New Orleans Saints cornerback Patrick Robinson, a key free-agent addition, suffered a broken ankle Sunday and will be placed on injured reserve, per Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. It's a huge loss for a Saints team that has given up 10.2 net yards per pass attempt, which is 2.1 yards more than the next-closest team (the Oakland Raiders).

New Orleans has also allowed the most yards per play (6.9 yards) and the most points (103). The Saints are also dead-last in pass-defense efficiency, per Football Outsiders.

The Saints have had particular trouble against No. 2 wide receivers, allowing 144.3 yards per game to them this year, per Football Outsiders. For context, no other team allows more than 77 yards per game to them.

That's not a good sign moving forward, and New York Giants No. 2 wideout Sterling Shepard can take advantage. He had six catches for 80 yards and a touchdown in Week 3 and could do more damage in Week 4 against a struggling Saints defense.

Sit 'Em: Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald vs. Seattle Seahawks

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald will go down as a first-ballot Hall of Famer and one of the best players to ever suit up in the NFL. It's remarkable that he's still plugging away in what is now his 15th NFL season (and having missed just six games since his rookie campaign).

However, the Cardinals' slow offensive start has plagued everyone on the team, with Fitzgerald being no exception. The team has scored just 20 points, and Fitzgerald has only 12 catches for 113 yards thus far.

Arizona is going with rookie Josh Rosen at quarterback this week against the Seattle Seahawks, which could help rejuvenate the offense. But safety Earl Thomas looms on the other side, and the guess here is that Arizona's skill-position players don't fare well.

Tight End

Start 'Em: Cincinnati Bengals Tyler Eifert at Atlanta Falcons

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert's fantasy stock is rising. His snap count rate has risen from 41 to 65 percent in three weeks, and his targets have jumped from three to eight.

Eifert is healthy after struggling with injuries over the past few years. In 2015, he scored 13 touchdowns in 13 games as he emerged as Cincinnati's No. 1 red-zone threat.

OddsShark lists the Cincinnati Bengals vs. Atlanta Falcons game with a 51-point over/under total, with Atlanta favored by five-and-a-half. The over/under is the second-highest mark on the board, perhaps symbolizing a potential shootout. If that's the case, look for Eifert to be busy.

Sit 'Em: San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle at Los Angeles Chargers

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a torn ACL Sunday and is out for the season. Hopefully he is back healthy in time for the beginning of 2019, as the Jimmy G-led offense showed promise through three weeks.

Without him this year, the team is liable to take a step back. Second-year pro C.J. Beathard will take the reins moving forward, but he struggled in his six-game stint last season, completing just 54.9 percent of passes for four touchdowns and six interceptions.

The 49ers' skill-position players' fantasy values may take a hit in the meantime. That includes tight end George Kittle, who had three games (in eight tries) of 79 or more receiving yards with Garoppolo under center.

Kittle and Beathard were college teammates in Iowa, but they didn't click as well in the pros, as the tight end caught just 10 passes (on 20 targets) for 120 yards in four-plus games last year.

Of course, Beathard can improve upon his rookie performance after that trial by fire last year, but as of now, it's hard to trust the 49ers offense.