Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 4: Advice for Unfavorable Fantasy Football Matchups

Even if a player has gotten off to a tough start through three weeks of the 2021 NFL season, there's still plenty of time to get things going. Each of the 32 teams still has 14 games to play, so those who are struggling now could be thriving later on.

It's also possible that those who started strong won't sustain this level of success. That's why it's important to look at which teams certain players have gone up against to determine whether their early performances are a fluke or for real.

Heading into Week 4, here's some start/sit advice to help with your lineup decisions as you try to analyze which matchups could lead to either favorable or negative results.

Sit 'Em: Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans

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The Titans are going to beat the New York Jets on the road on Sunday. But they're not going to need Tannehill to do much in order to do that. Instead, Tennessee is going to rely on strong defensive play and a heavy dose of running back Derrick Henry.

Tannehill will be without his top two wide receivers, as A.J. Brown and Julio Jones have both been ruled out because of hamstring injuries. So why pass the ball, especially when Tennessee has a workhorse running back like Henry who can pound the rock against a weak New York defense?

Most weeks, Tannehill should be started. This week, he should not be. Per NFL.com, the Jets are allowing the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing QBs this season, mostly because their opponents get big leads and can run the ball. Expect the Titans to be in that position this week.

Start 'Em: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

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Fantasy managers who used an early draft pick to take Taylor have been disappointed so far. The Colts running back hasn't scored a touchdown through the first three weeks of the season, and he hasn't rushed for more than 64 yards in any game.

Don't bench Taylor yet, though. It's still likely that he's going to break through and look more like the playmaker he was for much of his rookie season in 2020. And this week's matchup is one in which he should finally do so, as the Dolphins are allowing 136 rushing yards per game, sixth-most in the NFL.

Taylor is too talented to not eventually put up some big numbers this season. Plus, Indianapolis is likely to be playing a competitive game in Miami, so it can stick with its game plan, not have to pass a ton and rely on Taylor to have his best showing of the season so far.

Sit 'Em: Marquise Brown, WR, Baltimore Ravens

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Brown got off to a strong start this season, scoring a touchdown in each of the Ravens' first two games while putting up solid numbers, but he had a tougher showing in Week 3. He had three receptions for 53 yards in a win over the Detroit Lions, although he was targeted seven times.

Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson is likely going to try to connect with Brown for some big plays in Denver, but the Broncos' defense is a better unit than any the Ravens have faced this season. So it may be difficult for Brown to streak down the field and pick up huge chunks of yardage at a time.

In fact, Denver hasn't allowed a catch longer than 25 yards since Week 1. If Brown can't make big plays, his fantasy value drops. So find a safer, more reliable option to plug into your lineup this week and wait for Brown to have a more favorable matchup to reinsert him.

Start 'Em: Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles

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The Eagles are going to face a challenge in Week 4, as they're going up against the Kansas City Chiefs, who need a win after a disappointing 1-2 start. So Philadelphia may have a tough time pulling out a win. However, there will likely be plenty of offense from both sides.

Although the Chiefs are scoring a lot of points and racking up yards, they're also giving up plenty of points and yards. That means the Eagles' offense should have a strong day, and that makes Goedert a worthy starting option despite his inconsistent fantasy performances.

Goedert hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 1, and he's had only two catches each of the past two weeks. But this week's matchup should lead to him putting up bigger numbers, as he'll likely have a sizable role in this probably high-scoring affair.