New on SI: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Fantasy Football Week 4: Wide Receivers

Don't call it a comeback! Odell Beckham Jr. is in a great spot against the Vikings.

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 Patrick Mahomes, Christian McCaffrey, Davante Adams, or Travis Kelce. Instead, I'll look at the players you have the most questions about to help you set the most effective starting lineup possible. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the 2021 NFL season.

Week 4 Start ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Start of the Week

Odell Beckham Jr. at Vikings (1 p.m. ET, CBS): OBJ returned to action last week and looked no worse for wear, playing 52 snaps and leading the Browns in targets, catches and receiving yards. He's the clear top option in the passing attack with Jarvis Landry out, and I like his upcoming matchup against the Vikings. No team has given up more yards and touchdowns to receivers lined out wide after the first three weeks.

Week 4 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em

•

QUARTERBACKS
• RUNNING BACKS
• WIDE RECEIVERS
• TIGHT ENDS
• KICKERS
• TEAM DEFENSES

Start ‘Em

Ja’Marr Chase at Jaguars (Thurs., 8:15 p.m. ET, NFL): Chase has exceeded our expectations after three weeks, ranking as the WR11 in part due to his four touchdown catches. He’s a virtual must-start once again, as the Bengals will host a Jaguars team that just gave up over 100 receiving yards to both Christian Kirk and A.J. Green last week. If he keeps up this pace, Chase will be this season’s version of Justin Jefferson.

Julio Jones at Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Jones was a big-time disappointment last week against the Colts, but he’s still in the starting mix for fantasy managers with A.J. Brown injured. That leaves the veteran in line to see a higher target share this week when the Titans face maybe the worst team in the NFL, the Jets. The game script could hurt Jones since Derrick Henry should crush the Men in Green, but Jones remains a FLEX option.

Robert Woods vs. Cardinals (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX): Woods has become an afterthought in the Rams offense, as Matthew Stafford is filling Cooper's "Kupp" with targets. I’d stick with the veteran this week though, as the Cardinals come to town in a game with an over/under of 54.4 on SI Sportsbook. Woods has also beaten Arizona for at least 18.5 points in four of his last five games, including three with 20-plus points.

Jaylen Waddle vs. Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Waddle's yardage total (58) last weekend wasn't great, but his catch total (12 on 13 targets) in Jacoby Brissett's first game made him a PPR star. This week, I'd keep him active as the rookie faces a Colts defense that has already surrendered four touchdowns to slot wideouts in its first three games. If you play in a full-point PPR league, consider Waddle a very attractive FLEX option.

More Starts

Brandon Aiyuk vs. Seahawks (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX)
Jakobi Meyers vs. Buccaneers (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
Chase Claypool at Packers (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS)

DFS Bargains

Odell Beckham Jr. at Vikings ($5,800)
Robert Woods vs. Cardinals ($5,300)
Jaylen Waddle vs. Colts ($4,900)

Week 4 Sit ‘Em: Wide Receivers

Sit of the Week

Kenny Golladay at Saints (1 p.m. ET, FOX): Golladay should be more involved in the Giants pass attack this week, as Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton are both dealing with injuries. Still, he’s done little in the stat sheets after three games, and this matchup against the Saints is brutal. Their defense has allowed just one touchdown to receivers lined out wide in 2021, and Golladay could see a lot of Marshon Lattimore.

Sit ‘Em

D.J. Chark at Bengals (Thurs., 8:20 p.m. ET, NFL): Chark put up a nice line in last week's loss to the Cardinals, but he's been boom or bust through three weeks. I think he'll be the latter against the Bengals, who gave up a big stat line to Adam Thielen but has also held Justin Jefferson and Allen Robinson mostly in check. With Marvin Jones Jr. and Laviska Shenault Jr. also in the mix, Chark is a risk-reward proposition again.

Marquise Brown at Broncos (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Brown, my top wideout start last week, dropped three passes that all could have gone for touchdowns in a win over the Lions. I’m not sure where his confidence is at right now, but he will come with some risk against a much more formidable Broncos defense. It’s allowed an average of just 149.7 receiving yards per game to wideouts and just one catch of more than 41 yards.

Henry Ruggs III at Chargers (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN): Ruggs had a nice follow-up to his breakout contest in Week 2, posting 78 yards in a win over the Dolphins. However, I'm still sitting him this week as a tough road matchup against the Chargers is next on the slate. Their defense has allowed one touchdown and the second-fewest points to wideouts, and it held Tyreek Hill to a mere 9.7 fantasy points just last week.

Christian Kirk at Rams (4:05 p.m. ET, FOX): Kirk is coming off a strong game last week, posting seven catches for 104 yards against the Jaguars. However, the competition will be much tougher this week as the Cardinals travel west to face the Rams and Jalen Ramsey. Kirk has had no success against Los Angeles in his career, scoring 6.7 or fewer fantasy points in three of his four meetings. I’d sit the veteran wideout.

More Sits

Robby Anderson at Cowboys (1 p.m. ET, FOX)
Will Fuller vs. Colts (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
Marquez Callaway vs. Giants (1 p.m. ET, FOX)

DFS Fades

DeAndre Hopkins at Rams ($7,700)
Brandin Cooks at Bills ($6,400)
Amari Cooper vs. Panthers ($6,000)

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!

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