Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sport
Michael Fabiano

Week 4: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Wide Receivers

Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Josh Allen, Jonathan Taylor or Cooper Kupp. Instead, I'll look at the players you have questions about who could exceed or fail to meet expectations at each position. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the NFL season.

Fabs Top 10 Wide Receivers
1. Cooper Kupp at 49ers (MNF)
2. Stefon Diggs at Ravens
3. Justin Jefferson at Saints (London)
4. Tyreek Hill at Bengals (TNF)
5. Ja’Marr Chase vs. Dolphins (TNF)
6. Davante Adams vs. Broncos
7. Michael Pittman Jr. vs. Titans
8. Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Seahawks
9. Jaylen Waddle at Bengals (TNF)
10. A.J. Brown vs. Jaguars

Week 4 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS & TEAM DEFENSES

Week 4 Start ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Start of the Week

Amari Cooper at Falcons (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Cooper has been on some hot streak, posting 202 yards, two touchdowns and over 48 fantasy points in his last two games. He's also seen a bananas 36.2% target share in that time (no other Browns wideout has more than 6.9%). I'd keep Cooper active against the Falcons, who have allowed the sixth-most points to receivers lined out wide this season.

SI Sportsbook Perfect 10: FREE TO PLAY. Pick 10 Games. Win $10,000

Start ‘Em

Mike Williams at Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Williams has not been a reliable fantasy option, scoring fewer than nine points in two of his first three games. Still, I like this week’s matchup against the Texans. Before facing a Bears offense that doesn’t throw the ball much, their defense had allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to receivers lined out wide. Start Williams as a No. 2 wideout or flex option.

Drake London vs. Browns (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Fantasy managers sure love London, averaging 17.1 points in his first three NFL games. I'd keep him in starting lineups this week too, as the Falcons host a Browns defense that's given up four touchdowns and the fifth-most fantasy points to receivers lined out wide in their first three games. Consider London a solid No. 2 wideout or flex starter.

Gabriel Davis at Ravens (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Davis is coming off a 6.7-point effort against the Dolphins, but I still like him as a flex option this week when the Bills visit Baltimore. The defense has given up the most fantasy points to receivers lined out wide in their last eight games, including 14 touchdowns. Davis, who has run 91.7% of his routes out wide, should rebound and produce a nice fantasy stat line.

Garrett Wilson at Steelers (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Wilson has emerged as a huge part of the Jets' offense in the last two weeks, seeing 24 targets while scoring 42 fantasy points. I'd start him against the Steelers, who have allowed the fourth-most points to slot receivers this season. Hopefully, the expected return of Zach Wilson doesn't hurt Garrett's target share, but at this point, he's a nice start 'em wideout.

More Starts
• Chris Olave vs. Vikings (London, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network
• Tyler Lockett at Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• DeVonta Smith vs. Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

DFS Bargains
• Drake London vs. Browns ($6,100)
• Garrett Wilson at Steelers ($5,400)
• Romeo Doubs vs. Patriots ($4,500)

Week 4 Sit ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Sit of the Week

Allen Robinson at 49ers (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Robinson has been tough to trust, scoring fewer than five fantasy points in two of his first three games. He's also seen fewer than five targets in all of those contests, as Matthew Stafford continues to target Cooper Kupp and Tyler Higbee more often. The 49ers have given up the second-fewest points to wide receivers, so Robinson is a fade.

View the original article to see embedded media.

Sit ‘Em

DJ Moore vs. Cardinals (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): Moore put up an absolute stink bomb last week, scoring a mere 2.5 fantasy points. He's now caught three or fewer passes in three straight games, which has some folks concerned about his rapport with Baker Mayfield. Moreover, the remnants of Hurricane Ian could cause a potential weather mess in the Carolinas this weekend. Moore is a risky flex option.

Adam Thielen at Saints (London, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network): Thielen had his best fantasy performance last week, scoring a touchdown and 18.1 points in a win over the Lions. He'll face a much tougher defense this week though, as the Saints have allowed the fewest fantasy points to receivers lined out wide in their last eight games. Consider Thielen a risky flex starter at best this weekend.

DeVante Parker at Packers (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Parker went off last week, as he scored 20.6 fantasy points in a loss to the Ravens. However, their defense has been one of the worst against wideouts, and Jakobi Meyers was inactive. Even if Parker remains the top option this week, he'll be catching passes from backup Brian Hoyer and facing a far more formidable Packers defense at Lambeau Field.

Robert Woods at Colts (1 p.m. ET, Fox): I was wrong about Woods last week, as he produced 85 yards and 12.5 fantasy points against the Raiders. That might be his ceiling this week though, as the Titans face a Colts defense that's allowed just two touchdowns and the seventh-fewest fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season. Don't chase the points and keep Woods on the sidelines this week.

More Sits
• JuJu Smith-Schuster at Buccaneers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
• Darnell Mooney at Giants (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Jerry Jeudy at Raiders (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)

DFS Fades
• Terry McLaurin at Cowboys ($6,500)
• Jerry Jeudy at Raiders ($5,500)
• D.J. Moore vs. Cardinals ($5,300)


Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business to help you win a fantasy championship!

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.