Week 4 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Fantasy Wide Receivers
James Newell
Host · Writer
Welcome back, readers! I am happy to return for a second year as The Sporting Tribune's fantasy football analyst. If you are new here, my mission is to help fantasy managers with any dilemmas or questions they may have through the course of the season to ultimately win their leagues. For the next 17 weeks, I will produce weekly fantasy content that will go over the waiver wire, rankings, and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em columns.
Being a fantasy manager often means having to make difficult roster decisions, but I aim to take some of the guesswork out of it with my Start 'Em and Sit 'Em column for every position. It goes without saying that I won't include obvious calls like "start Trey McBride" or "sit Tommy DeVito." Instead, I search for players that could be perceived as fringe that could propel your lineups for weekly wins.
As always, if you have any questions or don't see your players here, feel free to follow me on Twitter (X) – @JamesNewell96 and send me a message, where I typically respond in a timely manner.
Start ‘Em
Josh Downs vs. WSH (Projected FPTS – 13.9): Downs has been the beneficiary of Alec Pierce's absence, recording at least five catches and 70 receiving yards in back-to-back weeks. He’s totaled 20 targets and scored 26.9 fantasy points. Expect him to be heavily involved in the Colts' game plan in Week Four against the Commanders. Washington's pass defense has lacked consistency, allowing 14-plus fantasy points to four opposing wide receivers through its first three games. The Commanders have also allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to slot receivers this season, which is where Downs lines up on most of his snaps.
Michael Wilson @ NYG (Projected FPTS – 13.3): Wilson put up a stellar performance in Week Three that looked reminiscent of his fantasy-league-winning stretch from last season. In the team's loss to the Niners, Wilson caught 11 of 17 targets and finished as the WR4 with 25.9 fantasy points. One interesting note: the only wideouts with more targets than Wilson are Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Chris Olave. He has a juicy matchup against the Giants in Week Four. With Wilson lining up outside on 78 percent of his snaps, New York's secondary has given up the sixth-most yards to outside receivers. Expect another big performance from the four-year veteran.
Tetairoa McMillan vs. DET (Projected FPTS – 15.3): Fantasy managers can admit that McMillan has been a bit underwhelming through the first three weeks, recording just one finish with over 10 fantasy points and currently sitting as the WR37. Nonetheless, the reigning Rookie of the Year should still be started without hesitation. He'll face the Lions in Week Four, who have one of the worst secondaries in the league. Detroit has allowed three wideouts to eclipse 19 fantasy points, and the team has surrendered the fourth-most receptions and yards, and fifth-most fantasy points per game, to opposing receivers.
Honorable Mentions: Keenan Allen @ WSH; Parker Washington @ CIN; Devaughn Vele vs. ATL; Malik Nabers vs. ARI; Matthew Golden @ TB; Luther Burden III vs. NYJ; Stefon Diggs @ IND; Deebo Samuel Sr. vs. DEN.
Sit ‘Em
Ladd McConkey @ SEA (Projected FPTS – 12.3): McConkey being on my sit list may come as a surprise, but he's had an up-and-down start through the first three games. He's scored 10 or fewer points in each of his last two games and has been targeted just eight times during that span. I don't imagine fantasy managers benching McConkey, but keep in mind he's going against the Seahawks' secondary. They've allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to receivers and the seventh-fewest to slot receivers. The lone receiving touchdown Seattle has allowed this season came from Terry McLaurin last week.
Emeka Egbuka vs. GB (Projected FPTS – 10.6): Egbuka hasn't had any luck recapturing the ceiling he showed early in his rookie season. He's strung together double-digit fantasy point performances in all his games this season, but just by a slim margin. He'll enter Week Four without Baker Mayfield under center, who'll be out for at least the next two to four weeks. The Buccaneers will start undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels at quarterback. Expect Egbuka's floor to take a dip against the Packers.
Jameson Williams @ CAR (Projected FPTS – 10.9): Williams has been "mid" through the first three weeks and is coming off an 8.9-fantasy-point outing against the Jets last week. He's averaged 7.6 fantasy points per game and has been targeted just four times in each of the last two games. One note about Williams: he's run 106 routes this season but has just a 16 percent target rate and is averaging 1.2 yards per route run. On paper, he has a tough matchup against the Panthers in Week Four, but Carolina will be without its two top corners, Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson. There's a chance Williams finally has an explosive game, but I need to see it happen before starting him.
Lowlights: Denzel Boston vs. PIT; Courtland Sutton @ SF; Tre Tucker vs. KC; DK Metcalf @ CLE; DJ Moore vs. NE; Rome Odunze vs. NYJ; Carnell Tate @ BAL; Brian Thomas Jr. @ CIN.
