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

With the first bye weeks of 2019 coming in Week 4, you may be looking to start some players off your bench or even off the waiver wire.

Fortunately, quarterback shouldn't be an issue for most this week. Only the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers are on bye. While some folks in deeper leagues will need to replace Jimmy Garoppolo, this is a bigger bye week for traditional flex positions—running back, wide receiver and tight end.

Guys like Le'Veon Bell, Matt Breida, Raheem Mostert and Marquise Goodwin are all starting-caliber fantasy options who will need replacing.

So, which fringe flex players are worth starting and which aren't in Week 4? 

Start 'Em: Justin Jackson, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Austin Ekeler has been a breakout star for the Los Angeles Chargers and for many a fantasy team this season. Through three games, he has produced 160 rushing yards, 208 receiving yards, 19 receptions and four touchdowns.

Ekeler hasn't been carrying the load alone, however. Justin Jackson has been a capable complementary back who has rushed for 142 yards. He's coming off a mediocre fantasy performance—four receptions, 32 total yards—but has an excellent matchup against the woeful Miami Dolphins.

The Dolphins are allowing an average of 208 rushing yards and 44.3 points per game. Dallas Cowboys backup Tony Pollard just gashed them for 103 yards and a touchdown, and that's the sort of production we can likely expect from Jackson, even in a backup role.

Sit 'Em: Sony Michel, RB, New England Patriots

Sony Michel is regularly a fringe starter because the New England Patriots love to utilize a committee in their backfield. This is not a good week to place him in the starting lineup.

For one, the Patriots are facing a Buffalo Bills team that has allowed just 88 rushing yards per game. They're also playing in Buffalo, and Michel has been hit-or-miss this season anyway.

He had an 83-yard, one-touchdown performance in Week 2 but has just 25 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries in the other two games combined.

On top of that, the Patriots will be without blocking fullback James Develin, who was recently placed on injured reserve with a neck injury:

With Develin out, the Patriots are likely to go pass-heavy against Buffalo's physical front.

Start 'Em: Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns

David Richard/Associated Press

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry has been a fantasy disappointment thus far. While he has had 10 receptions for 161 yards, he hasn't had more than four catches in a game and has yet to find the end zone.

Some of this is due to Baker Mayfield frequently looking only at Odell Beckham Jr. Some of it is on head coach Freddie Kitchens and his questionable play calling.

"It's me," Kitchens said, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "It's my fault."

Expect the Browns to get back to the quick-passing philosophy that worked well in the last half of 2018, a philosophy that favors Landry in the slot. Also, expect Landry to find success against a Baltimore defense that is surrendering 290.3 yards per game through the air.

Sit 'Em: Alshon Jeffery, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

The good news is that Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery is back at practice and should be good to go against the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night. The bad news is that he's going up against the Packers defense.

Green Bay has allowed an average of just 197.3 yards passing per game, fifth-fewest in the NFL. The Packers are likely to shadow Jeffery with No. 1 corner Jaire Alexander—Philadelphia will likely be without DeSean Jackson—and will focus on limiting the chunk plays downfield.

This is a short week for both teams, but Jeffery hasn't been at 100 percent and the Eagles are on the road in Lambeau. This simply isn't a favorable week for Jeffery.

Start 'Em: T.J. Hockenson, TE, Detroit Lions

Rookie tight end T.J. Hockenson got off to a strong start this season, catching six passes for 131 yards and a touchdown in his debut. He's been mostly irrelevant since, though, catching just two passes for eight yards in the two weeks since.

However, Hockenson has a favorable matchup this week against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Chiefs defense is still struggling against the pass. It has allowed 258 yards per game through the air, 19th in the NFL.

The Lions will likely have to pass early and often to keep pace with Kansas City this week, which should mean plenty of opportunities for Hockenson. Don't expect another 131-yard outing, but the rookie could see half a dozen receptions in a possible shootout.

Sit 'Em: Dawson Knox, TE, Buffalo Bills

While Michel and the Patriots are going up against a stiff defense in Week 4, the Bills are going the same. The Patriots have allowed a mere 17 points this season, and only three of those were surrendered by the defense.

Starting Dawson Knox is tempting, as he's coming off a 67-yard, one-touchdown game. However, that performance came against the struggling Cincinnati Bengals, not the Patriots.

New England has surrendered just 162.3 yards per game through the air, the fewest in the NFL. This isn't likely to be a repeat of Week 3 for Knox.