NFL Fantasy: Players you should avoid in Week 4
It’s Thursday again so it’s time to start setting those fantasy lineups. Here’s who to leave on the bench heading into Week 4.
It’s Week 4 in the NFL and by now, we’ve learned a lot. Here, you won’t find the obvious players to avoid, but those who you may be questioning if you should start or not. Sometimes it’s not all black and white. Here is our advice on who to sit at each position in Week 4.
Quarterback to avoid: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
vs Patriots, Sun. 4:25 p.m.
Although Rodgers is getting steadily better each week, he still hasn’t gotten more than 16 fantasy points in a game. Against Bill Belichick, Rodgers has tended to struggle, averaging just 219.7 passing yards per game when playing the Patriots. Rodgers hasn’t been passing as much this season as it is with his receivers not adding much to his arsenal. Sit him this week.
Running back to avoid: Jeff Wilson Jr., San Francisco 49ers
vs Rams, Mon. 8:15 p.m.
Wilson will be up against the LA Rams defense this week, so I wouldn’t take my chances on him. The Rams have only allowed 11.7 fantasy points per game to RBs so far, the second-fewest of all teams. The Niners are likely to split the workload between Wilson and Deebo Samuel. Leave Wilson as a backup on the bench this week.
Wide receiver to avoid: Allen Lazard, Green Bay Packers
vs Patriots, Sun. 4:25 p.m.
If the Patriots don’t allow Rodgers to rack up the passing yards against them, Allen Lazard certainly won’t do you much good either. Though he’s seen scores in the last two games, Lazard saw much fewer targets than his fellow receiver Romeo Doubs in Week 3, finishing with just four catches on six targets for 45 yards. The Patriots have allowed the fourth-fewest points to WRs this season, so I wouldn’t take my chances on Lazard in Week 4.
Tight end to avoid: Cameron Brate, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
vs Kansas City Chiefs, Sun. 8:20 p.m.
Avoid the temptation to trust Brate has a game like he did last week again this week. In Week 3, he caught five of six targets for 52 yards, but he had little competition in targets with Mike Evans, Julio Jones, and Chris Godwin out. Evans will be back in Week 4 and Jones and Godwin could be as well, which will severely limit Brate. In the first two weeks of the season, Brate had just 16 combined yards.
Defense to avoid: Buffalo Bills
vs Baltimore Ravens, Sun. 1 p.m.
The Bills will be up against a very tough Ravens offense this week. Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson has been the best fantasy quarterback in the league all season and the Ravens are leading the league on offense with 33 points per game and just three turnovers in three weeks. They have allowed an average of just 1.33 fantasy points per game to opposing defenses this season. To make matters even less secure for the Bills defense, they are dealing with several injuries, which will likely still impact them going into Week 4.
RELATED: Fantasy Football Team of the Week, Week 3
Kicker to avoid: Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles
vs Jaguars, Sun. 1 p.m.
Elliott has had very few field goal opportunities this season because he just hasn’t had to. The Eagles offense have been doing enough to score touchdowns on their opponents and Elliott just plain has not been needed. Against the Jaguars, that’s unlikely to change. Jacksonville has allowed just two fantasy points per game to kickers, tied (ironically, with the Eagles) for the fewest in the NFL.