Key Starters and Tough Calls: Lineup Spotlights for Week 4

Scott Engel provides Week 4 fantasy football lineups analysis, spotlighting key NFL players to start and tougher lineup start/sit decisions to make.

Welcome to the fourth week of the 2021 season, RotoBallers! Below you will find some of my spotlight choices and players to go with when faced with tough lineup decisions in Week 4. We even mention a few players that you should add if needed and available before Sunday kickoffs.

These choices are based off my Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. Enter promo code KING at checkout for a discount and get access to all of my ranks in all formats, plus a full roster of tools and analysis for the 2021 season. Skill position picks here are based on my PPR rankings.

I am looking for a bounce-back game from the Bears this week, and feature two of their best offensive players. There are also some deeper options to consider at running back and tight end.

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Running Backs

-Cordarrelle Patterson is one of three NFL RBs with 150+ rec. yards (153) in 2021. If you are digging deeper for RB help or a flex play, Patterson is certainly worth consideration. The Falcons are finding ways to maximize his abilities.

-Zack Moss had a career-high 91 scrimmage yards and his first TD catch of the season last week. He is aiming for his third game in row with a TD. He is an RB3 play for those who are thin at the position, as he should score at least once vs. Houston.

-David Montgomery has 825 scrimmage yards and six TDs (five rushing) in his past eight home games. He is aiming for his sixth in row at home with 75+ scrimmage yards. Montgomery had 111 scrimmage yards (72 rushing) and two rushing TDs in his last meeting with Detroit. The Bears need to get Montgomery rolling to ignite the offense this week, so expect a quality outing. He is arguably Chicago’s best offensive player.

-Clyde Edwards-Helaire rushed for a season-high 100 yards and had a TD catch last week. It was his third career game with 100+ rushing yards. Edwards-Helaire ran hard last week and regained some fantasy respect. He should be involved in the mix again in what should be a high-scoring game with the Chargers.

-Najee Harris had a season-high 142 scrimmage yards (102 receiving) and 14 catches last week, tied for the most receptions ever by a rookie RB in a single game. He is aiming for his third game in a row with 80+ scrimmage yards and 5+ catches. Harris leads all rookies with 272 scrimmage yards and leads all RBs with 20 catches in 2021. Harris is not getting the expected rushing yards yet, but Ben Roethlisberger seems to be the ultimate dink and dunk QB right now. Once the rushing yards start to roll in, Harris is going to be a highly-coveted fantasy RB. If you are getting trade offers for Harris at this time, don’t be so quick to part with him. He is a high-end fantasy RB2 right now, but can soon move into certain RB1 territory. The Steelers will need to rely on ball control against Green Bay, so Harris should be a significant contributor for Pittsburgh again this week.

-Jamaal Williams had his second rushing TD of the season last week. While D'Andre Swift remains the main playmaker in the offense, the Lions will keep Williams heavily involved. The two RBs frequently appear in the backfield together, and Williams should continue to get some TD opportunities. He is a quality flex play every week right now.

-Miles Sanders had 55 scrimmage yards last week. He always has the potential to provide pretty good all-around numbers, but he is far from reliable and is not much of a goal-line presence at all. Sanders cannot be considered an RB2 right now. When starting Sanders, you are hoping for good dual purpose numbers, because he doesn’t find the end zone much. This is a week when game flow would suggest that he gets more involved as a runner vs. the Chiefs, and also as a receiver if the Eagles fall behind. But the speculated and hoped production is not anything you can count on, and in tight decisions involving Sanders, you should likely go with your other option.

Wide Receivers

-Brandin Cooks leads the AFC with 322 receiving yards so far this season. He is seeing volume and making the most of it, but this will be a very tough draw against Buffalo and you should temper expectations for Cooks in Week 4.

-Allen Robinson has 70-plus yards in his last four games vs. the Lions. In his first three games this year, Robinson has not topped 35 receiving yards. If the Bears want to wake their offense up, they also need to get Robinson involved. Expect a respectable outing this week that includes a TD catch.

-Michael Pittman Jr. is aiming for his third game in a row with 6+ receptions. Despite the Colts’ QB issues and a lack of surrounding playmakers in the passing game, Pittman is posting at least adequate totals every week. He is a decent WR3 option right now.

-Odell Beckham Jr. had 5 catches for 77 yards last week in his season debut. Beckham looked comfortable and ready to contribute, and we may see even better production at times soon. He should be started as a fantasy WR3 this week. Beckham will be a good, and sometimes above-average fantasy producer going forward. He will be a top target for Cleveland again, it’s just a matter of when we might see more big plays.

-Jamison Crowder is expected to make his season debut vs. Tennessee. His presence as a dependable veteran pass-catcher is sorely needed in the New York passing game. Add Crowder now if he is available, as he could start to make his presence felt as soon as this week.

-DeAndre Hopkins has 5+ catches in 6 of his past 7 games vs. NFC West opponents. Don’t think about benching Hopkins for a much lesser player vs. the Rams. He had eight catches for 52 yards and a TD in his first matchup with the Rams last year. We cannot assume that Jalen Ramsey will shadow Hopkins or that the defense will always win the matchup. Hopkins has earned his superstar fantasy reputation by performing well against all levels of competition.

-Brandon Aiyuk had his first TD of the season last week. Aiyuk had eight receptions for 91 yards and a TD catch in his only career game vs. Seattle (11/1/20). He is getting back into the offensive flow and has a good matchup this week, so you can start Aiyuk comfortably as a fantasy WR3.

Quarterbacks/Tight Ends

-Ryan Tannehill has three TD passes in three of his past four home games. The matchup seems like a friendly one vs. the Jets, but Tannehill will be without two of his top pass-catchers. One of his former ones, Corey Davis, will be playing for the other team. Despite a very good-looking draw, Tannehill does not have much apparent upside this week because he is lacking playmakers in the passing game.

-Derek Carr can become the first player ever with 375+ passing yards and 2+ TD passes in each of his team's first four games of a season this week. He leads the NFL with 1,203 pass yards, the fourth most in NFL history through a team's first three games of the season. Carr is soaring well above expectations so far and I am expecting a high-scoring game with the Chargers on Monday night. I would not start him over a more established No. 1 fantasy QB, but if you didn’t draft one of the top 10 or so at the position, lock Carr in again.

-With Rob Gronkowski out, Cameron Brate becomes a nifty play for those searching for help at TE. Tom Brady should utilize him in an expanded role this week. Brady will always make use of his TE, so Brate has the potential for a five-catch game, a TD or both.

-Since 2020, Logan Thomas ranks fourth among TEs with 84 receptions. He should be locked into lineups this week if he is one of your top TE options, as Washington faces Atlanta.

-Anthony Firkser will make his season debut this week. With the injuries at WR for Tennessee, Firkser could play a significant role for the Titans and is worth deeper consideration.

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