Fantasy Football Start/Sit Advice for Today (Week 4)

Setting fantasy football lineups isn't always about deciding whether to start your stars. The tougher choices usually come further down the roster, where recent usage, injuries, and matchups can separate two similarly ranked options.

With three weeks of the 2026 NFL season in the books, we have a much better idea of how teams plan to deploy their players. That's especially important in Week 4, with several injuries opening up opportunities around the league.

Using our fantasy football projections as a guide, let’s get you prepped for this week’s fantasy football decisions.

Injury information may change after this article is published. You can stay up to date with this week’s injury news via our NFL player news page.

All betting references refer to the NFL odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All statistics via NFL Next Gen Stats and Pro Football Focus unless otherwise stated.

Week 4 Fantasy Football Start/Sit

Fantasy Football Starts

Josh Downs, WR, Indianapolis Colts

Josh Downs has quietly developed into the most reliable piece of the Indianapolis Colts‘ passing game, and his recent usage makes him a strong start against the Washington Commanders.

Downs has topped 70 receiving yards in consecutive games while drawing 20 total targets during that span. In Weeks 2 and 3, he was targeted on 32.8% of his routes and averaged 2.4 yards per route run.

The matchup makes that volume even more appealing. Washington has allowed the most fantasy points to wide receivers this season, and Downs should spend much of the game attacking a vulnerable secondary. His combination of short-area volume and downfield opportunities gives him both a strong PPR floor and a useful ceiling.

Consider Downs a solid WR2 for Week 4.

Braelon Allen, RB, New York Jets

Breece Hall has officially been ruled out with a quadriceps injury, putting Braelon Allen in position to lead the New York Jets' backfield against the Chicago Bears.

We got a preview of Allen's potential role after Hall exited last week's game. Allen played 72% of the Jets' fourth-quarter offensive snaps while handling 50% of the rushing attempts and running a route on 52.6% of the team's passing plays during that period.

Efficiency has been an issue for Allen, but volume can compensate for that in fantasy. Chicago has struggled against the run, allowing the league's highest rushing success rate and the most yards before contact per attempt through three games.

Allen has a realistic path to 15-plus touches and should be viewed as an RB2.

Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Justin Jefferson‘s absence creates a huge opportunity for Jordan Addison against the Miami Dolphins.

Addison already showed what that role could look like after Jefferson was injured last week. He finished with five catches for 90 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. Over the final three quarters, Addison commanded a 29.2% target share, 80.3% of Minnesota's air yards and a 43.8% first-read share.

Jefferson has been ruled out for Week 4, leaving Addison as Minnesota's clear top receiving option. Miami has surrendered 231.0 passing yards per game and 2.3 passing touchdowns per game through three weeks.

Addison's volume should be enough to make him a comfortable WR2 with WR1 upside.

C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans

C.J. Stroud hasn't provided much of a fantasy ceiling so far, but Week 4 offers an excellent opportunity for a breakout.

Stroud has thrown for 794 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions through three games. More importantly, Nico Collins is back after missing the previous two contests. In Stroud's lone game with Collins this year, he threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns.

Now he gets a Dallas Cowboys defense that has already allowed Jaxson Dart, Marcus Mariota and Lamar Jackson to each score at least 24.4 fantasy points.

The combination of a favorable matchup, Collins' return and the Houston Texans‘ struggles establishing a running game gives Stroud significantly more upside than he's had recently. He's a worthwhile streaming option and a low-end QB1/high-end QB2.

Tucker Kraft, TE, Green Bay Packers

Tucker Kraft hasn't delivered much fantasy production yet, but the underlying usage makes him worth sticking with.

Kraft drew eight targets last week against the Atlanta Falcons, catching four passes for 26 yards. He's now accumulated 17 targets through three games despite recording only nine catches for 106 yards.

That kind of opportunity is valuable at a thin tight end position. The Green Bay Packers‘ offensive-line issues could also encourage Jordan Love to continue looking toward Kraft on shorter routes against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The production hasn't caught up to the workload, but eight targets in his most recent outing is difficult to ignore. Kraft is a viable TE1 in Week 4.

Fantasy Football Sits

Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers

It's difficult to bench a quarterback with Justin Herbert's talent, but his early-season production doesn't justify treating him as an automatic fantasy starter.

Herbert has failed to reach 14 fantasy points in any of his first three games. He's thrown only three touchdown passes compared to four interceptions while completing 59.1% of his attempts. His 73.4 passer rating and -0.13 EPA per dropback also rank near the bottom among qualified quarterbacks.

Things don't get easier with a trip to Seattle. The Seattle Seahawks have allowed only six red-zone trips through three games, further limiting Herbert's touchdown outlook.

Until the Los Angeles Chargers' passing offense shows meaningful improvement, Herbert belongs on the bench in standard one-quarterback leagues.

Tony Pollard, RB, Tennessee Titans

Tony Pollard is coming off his best fantasy performance of the season, but this isn't an ideal spot to chase last week's production.

Pollard recorded 21 touches and 13.6 fantasy points in Week 3. His role has been solid recently, averaging 18 touches and 80.5 scrimmage yards over the last two games.

The larger concern is the Tennessee Titans‘ offense. The Titans are averaging only 12.3 points per game, 30th in the NFL, and now go on the road to face the Baltimore Ravens.

Pollard's workload keeps him relevant, but touchdown opportunities could be scarce if Tennessee spends much of the afternoon playing from behind. He's better viewed as a flex than a locked-in RB2.

Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots

Rhamondre Stevenson continues to get meaningful playing time, but his workload isn't secure enough to make him an appealing fantasy start.

Stevenson played 55% of the New England Patriots‘ offensive snaps last week but handled only 26.9% of the team's rushing attempts. He finished with 10 touches for 38 total yards while splitting early-down and red-zone work with TreVeyon Henderson.

That creates an uncomfortable fantasy profile. Stevenson needs either increased rushing volume or consistent receiving work to establish a reliable floor, and neither is guaranteed right now.

There's enough uncertainty in this backfield to keep Stevenson on the bench unless you're thin at running back.

Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons

At this point, Kyle Pitts' name carries considerably more fantasy value than his role in the Atlanta Falcons‘ offense.

Through three games, Pitts has caught only two passes for 20 yards. He's commanded roughly an 8% target share while averaging just 0.4 yards per route run.

The deeper usage numbers aren't any better. Pitts has played just 53.7% of Atlanta's offensive snaps, owns a 7.6% target share and hasn't seen a red-zone target. His first-read share is only 8.3%.

Until Atlanta gives Pitts a substantially larger role, there's little reason to keep putting him into fantasy lineups and hoping for a breakout. He should remain on the bench against the New Orleans Saints.

Fantasy Football Start/Sit FAQ

Who should I start in fantasy football this week?

The best starts are typically players with strong recent usage, favorable matchups and a reliable path to touches or targets. Matchup-specific factors and changes in workload should also be considered before setting your lineup.

Who should I sit in fantasy football this week?

Players can be worth sitting when they face difficult matchups, have seen their role decrease or carry significant risk due to injuries or inconsistent usage. Even proven players can be matchup-based sits in a given week.

How do you decide who to start or sit in fantasy football?

Start/sit decisions should account for a player's expected volume, recent production, matchup, offensive role and game environment. Comparing those factors against your other lineup options can help determine which player offers the best combination of floor and upside.

Should I start a player with a difficult matchup?

It depends. A difficult matchup can lower a player's expected production, but high-volume players can still deliver strong fantasy performances regardless of the matchup. The player's role and expected opportunity should usually carry more weight than matchup alone. Another huge factor is whether or not you have quality alternatives on your roster.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.