Find success in week 4 with these start/sit decisions for the offensive side of the ball!
Check out the week 4 start/sit offense article to make all your tough decisions!
The third week of NFL action brought us more unfortunate injury situations to monitor. Christian McCaffrey, A.J. Brown, Sterling Shepard, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Rob Gronkowski were among some of the mid-game injuries that may have swung your match up. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good. Week 4 is here and with the start/sit advice below, I hope you fit into the "good" category and not the "lucky".
The “Trust, If You Must, and Bust” System:
“Trust” = Strong start, a player who should be started in all formats!
“If You Must” = Weak start, a player who is good enough to be a starter, but faces a tough matchup or holds an unclear opportunity in a good offense. Some caution should be used while the risk is recognized, as this is often league format dependent.
If you play in a shallow league, I would lean towards benching this player if you have a decent replacement option. In a deep league, I would lean towards starting, since the options may be more scarce. Either way, expectations should be managed.
“Bust” = Keep on your bench, at least for now. These players should be avoided since stronger options at the relative position should be considered first. These are players who fit into one of the following categories:
- A player in a tough matchup or currently holds ambiguous weekly opportunities in the offense.
- A strong bench stash for season-long purposes but currently in a “wait and see” period. Wait and see if their role expands for starter caliber consideration. For example, this type of player may be a strong backup RB behind a stud in an elite offense or could be in line for a big workload if the starter misses time.
- Currently lacking a clear offensive opportunity in either a projected good or bad offense
- Is too volatile on a week-to-week basis. There is no need to play boom or bust type players if you can help it.
Weekly Start/Sit Decision Reminders
Be sure to always be mindful of weekly injury reports and game-day inactive announcements as this could pivot a weak starter into a strong starter!
Week 3 brought some mid-afternoon inactive players including; RBs Dalvin Cook and Darrell Henderson. These are extremely tricky situations, but it is always best to have a backup plan ready.
In one league I had to make the decision to roll with a shaky Darrell Henderson (who held a questionable tag all week) in a tough match-up against Tampa Bay or start Arizona RB James Conner in a strong matchup against Jacksonville while holding an ambiguous workload.
I decided to start Conner, the result was great but the process of the decision was solid. I had a backup plan ready and I hope you will too if the situation presents itself!
Lastly, be sure to always leave the FLEX spot(s) free of Thursday night players!
The Week 4 Slate:
Thursday Night Football
Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals
Jaguars
Trust – WR Marvin Jones, WR DJ Chark, RB James Robinson
If You Must – QB Trevor Lawrence
Bust - WR Laviska Shenault
Bengals
Trust – QB Joe Burrow, RB Joe Mixon, WR Ja'Marr Chase, WR Tyler Boyd
Bust - WR Tee Higgins (opened the week not practicing)
Sunday Early Afternoon Slate
Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles
Chiefs
Trust – QB Patrick Mahomes, WR Tyreek Hill, TE Travis Kelce, RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Bust - WR Mecole Hardman
Eagles
Trust – QB Jalen Hurts, RB Miles Sanders, WR DeVonta Smith, TE Dallas Goedert
If You Must – WR Jalen Reagor, RB Kenneth Gainwell, TE Zach Ertz
Washington Football Team at Atlanta Falcons
Football Team
Trust – RB Antonio Gibson, WR Terry McLaurin, TE Logan Thomas
If You Must – QB Taylor Heinicke, RB J.D. McKissic
Falcons
Trust – WR Calvin Ridley, TE Kyle Pitts
If You Must – QB Matt Ryan, RB Mike Davis, RB Cordarrelle Patterson
Houston Texans at Buffalo Bills
Texans
Trust – WR Brandin Cooks
Bust – RB David Johnson, RB Phillip Lindsay, RB Mark Ingram, QB Davis Mills
Bills
Trust – QB Josh Allen, WR Stefon Diggs
If You Must – TE Dawson Knox, RB Zack Moss, RB Devin Singletary, WR Cole Beasley, WR Emmanuel Sanders
Bust - WR Gabriel Davis
Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears
Lions
Trust – RB D'Andre Swift, TE T.J. Hockenson
If You Must – RB Jamaal Williams
Bust - WR Quintez Cephus, QB Jared Goff
Bears
Trust – RB David Montgomery, WR Allen Robinson
If You Must – WR Darnell Mooney
Bust – QB Justin Fields, TE Cole Kmet
Carolina Panthers at Dallas Cowboys
Panthers
Trust – WR D.J. Moore
If You Must – QB Sam Darnold, RB Chuba Hubbard, WR Robby Anderson
Bust - WR Terrace Marshall
Cowboys
Trust – QB Dak Prescott, RB Ezekiel Elliott, WR Amari Cooper, WR CeeDee Lamb
If You Must – RB Tony Pollard
Bust - TE Blake Jarwin, TE Dalton Schultz, WR Cedrick Wilson
Indianapolis Colts at Miami Dolphins
Colts
Trust – RB Jonathan Taylor
If You Must – WR Michael Pittman, RB Nyheim Hines, WR Zach Pascal
Dolphins
If You Must – QB Jacoby Brissett, RB Myles Gaskin, WR Jaylen Waddle, WR DeVante Parker, WR Will Fuller, TE Mike Gesicki
Cleveland Browns at Minnesota Vikings
Browns
Trust – RB Nick Chubb, RB Kareem Hunt, WR Odell Beckham Jr.
If You Must – QB Baker Mayfield, TE Austin Hooper
Bust - WR Rashard Higgins, WR Donovan Peoples-Jones
Vikings
Trust - QB Kirk Cousins, RB Dalvin Cook, WR Justin Jefferson, WR Adam Thielen
If You Must – WR K.J. Osborn, TE Tyler Conklin
New York Giants at New Orleans Saints
Giants
Trust - RB Saquon Barkley, WR Kenny Golladay, QB Daniel Jones
Saints
Trust – RB Alvin Kamara
If You Must – QB Jameis Winston, WR Marquez Callaway
Tennessee Titans at New York Jets
Titans
Trust – RB Derrick Henry
If You Must - QB Ryan Tannehill
Jets
Trust – WR Corey Davis
If You Must - WR Jamison Crowder
Bust - QB Zach Wilson, RB Michael Carter, RB Ty Johnson
Sunday Mid Afternoon Slate
Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams
Cardinals
Trust – QB Kyler Murray, WR DeAndre Hopkins, RB Chase Edmonds
If You Must – RB James Conner, WR Christian Kirk, WR Rondale Moore
Rams
Trust – QB Matthew Stafford, WR Cooper Kupp, WR Robert Woods, TE Tyler Higbee
If You Must – RB Sony Michel, RB Darrell Henderson (be sure to monitor injury reports)
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers
Seahawks
Trust – QB Russell Wilson, WR D.K. Metcalf, WR Tyler Lockett, RB Chris Carson
Bust – TE Gerald Everett
49ers
Trust – TE George Kittle, WR Deebo Samuel
If You Must – RB Trey Sermon, QB Jimmy Garoppolo, WR Brandon Aiyuk
Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos
Ravens
Trust – QB Lamar Jackson, TE Mark Andrews
If You Must – WR Marquise Brown, RB Ty'Son Williams, WR Sammy Watkins, RB Latavius Murray
Broncos
Trust – RB Melvin Gordon, RB Javonte Williams, WR Courtland Sutton, TE Noah Fant
If You Must – QB Teddy Bridgewater, WR Tim Patrick
Pittsburgh Steelers at Green Bay Packers
Steelers
Trust – RB Najee Harris, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR Diontae Johnson
If You Must - QB Ben Roethlisberger, TE Pat Freiermuth
Packers
Trust – QB Aaron Rodgers, WR Davante Adams, RB Aaron Jones, TE Robert Tonyan
Bust - RB AJ Dillon, WRs not named Davante Adams
Sunday Night Football
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New England Patriots
Buccaneers
Trust – QB Tom Brady, WR Mike Evans, WR Chris Godwin, and WR Antonio Brown
Bust - RB Ronald Jones, RB Leonard Fournette
Patriots
If You Must – RB Damien Harris, WR Jakobi Meyers, TE Jonnu Smith, TE Hunter Henry
Bust - QB Mac Jones, WR Nelson Agholor
Monday Night Football
Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers
Raiders
Trust – TE Darren Waller
If You Must – QB Derek Carr, WR Henry Ruggs
Bust - RB Kenyan Drake, WR Bryan Edwards, WR Hunter Renfrow, RB Josh Jacobs (monitor injury report)
Chargers
Trust – QB Justin Herbert, RB Austin Ekeler, WR Keenan Allen, WR Mike Williams
If You Must – TE Jared Cook
Bust - RB Justin Jackson, RB Larry Rountree
Good luck and enjoy the games!
