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Should I start Chris Olave, George Pickens, Ladd McConkey for Week 4? Read about 3 must-start fantasy football outlooks, our start 'em, sit 'em picks for 2025.
Through the opening weeks of the 2025 NFL season, fantasy managers have seen some of their top wideouts disappoint in relation to their ADP.
In this piece, we will look at three wide receivers who have underachieved relative to expectations and determine if they remain must-start options heading into Week 4 of the season.
So, should fantasy managers start Olave, Pickens, and Boutte in Week 4? Let's dive in and find out.
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Should I Start Chris Olave for Fantasy Football?
Chris Olave has been the team's clear WR1 throughout the season, but has yet to produce on his high target share. Through three games, Olave has seen a hefty 36 targets his way (31.9% of the team's targets), but has only been able to catch 23 of them.
On these 23 receptions, Olave has totaled 165 yards and has yet to find the back of the end zone. Despite his underwhelming performance, he has still eclipsed double-digit PPR points per game and has averaged a solid 13.2 PPR points per game in the WR3 territory heading into Week 4.
Despite facing a tough Buffalo secondary in Week 4, which has allowed the ninth-fewest PPR points to opposing WRs this season, fantasy managers should feel confident viewing Olave as a high-end WR3. Olave has been given a massive opportunity share and is due for significant positive regression, especially in PPR formats.
Even though they have struggled offensively, head coach Kellen Moore has committed to pushing the ball downfield as quarterback Spencer Rattler has attempted a high 39.7 passing attempts per game.
Given their high pass volume and likelihood to be trailing in this game, facing the heavily favored Bills, Olave should carry a high upside. He should be started in all PPR formats as a high-end WR3/FLEX, as he should see 10+ targets for the fourth straight game this season.
Once he begins to connect with Rattler, he could push for WR2 territory, given how often Rattler looks his way.
Chris Olave's Monster Target Share Enough to Keep Driving His Fantasy Value? https://t.co/D6dRIM3uwv
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 23, 2025
Should I Start George Pickens for Fantasy Football?
The 24-year-old wideout carried solid WR2 value throughout his time in Pittsburgh, but often saw his ceiling capped due to the team's lack of aggressive playcalling. In 2024, Pickens tallied 900 yards on just 59 receptions. He scored only three touchdowns.
However, after joining Dallas in the offseason, Pickens saw his ADP consistently climb as he was set to play with Dak Prescott in a high-powered Dallas offense.
In Week 1, Pickens was given looks downfield but was unable to connect as he caught only three of his four targets for 30 yards. However, during Weeks 2 and 3, Pickens began to find his footing, posting back-to-back five-catch 56-yard performances with a score. Pickens saw nine targets in each of these games.
More importantly, in their loss to the Bears last weekend, the Cowboys lost their top wideout, CeeDee Lamb (ankle), to a high-ankle sprain, which will keep him sidelined for at least this week, and likely much longer. As a result, Pickens will face minimal target competition outside of the tight end, Jake Ferguson.
Despite facing a potent Green Bay defense that has shut down opposing wide receivers, allowing the fourth-fewest PPR points per game, fantasy managers should view Pickens as a must-start WR2. While the matchup will slightly lower his ceiling, given his projected target share operating as Prescott's clear WR1, Pickens should be in a great position to eclipse 15.0 PPR points for the third-straight contest.
HC Brian Schottenheimer on George Pickens:
"George has been a true number one and we've been blessed to have two number ones." pic.twitter.com/fLGGPxD5PG
— DLLS Cowboys (@DLLS_Cowboys) September 22, 2025
Should I Start Ladd McConkey for Fantasy Football?
The final wide receiver we will look at in this piece has been one of the biggest early-season fantasy busts. After being selected in the second round in most drafts, Ladd McConkey has been deployed as the WR3 on his team.
As a rookie, McConkey took some time to find his footing but emerged as a WR1 down the stretch. Over his final 10 games of his rookie season, McConkey would average 17.6 PPR points per game. During this stretch, the Georgia product would see 7.3 targets per game and was able to bring in 5.8 receptions with 88.4 yards per game.
Unfortunately, with Keenan Allen returning to Los Angeles and Quentin Johnston enjoying a Year 3 breakout, McConkey has taken the backseat in the opening month. Through three games, McConkey has caught just 5.0 receptions per game and tallied 54.3 yards per game. He has averaged 10.4 PPR points per game over this stretch.
While he has not been unstoppable, his production has been underwhelming compared to his ADP.
However, fantasy managers should not consider benching him in the foreseeable future. Despite his lower-than-expected production, McConkey has an excellent matchup this weekend to get back on track.
In Week 4, the Los Angeles Chargers will travel to New York to face the Giants. Through three games, the Giants have struggled to defend the pass, allowing the second-most PPR points to opposing WRs. While McConkey faces tough competition for targets, given the matchup, Justin Herbert should be able to connect with his second-year wideout quite often.
He is a must-start WR2 in all leagues this weekend.
Judging by all this talk of Quentin Johnson or even Keenan Allen as the Chargers WR1, there's never been a better time to buy Ladd McConkey.
— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) September 22, 2025
Who Should I Start Tool
Not sure who to start? Check out the Who Should I Start tool:
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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 4 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Chris Olave, George Pickens, and Ladd McConkey. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 4. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 4 of the 2025 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.
Week 4 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Chris Olave, George Pickens, and Ladd McConkey. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 4.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 4 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 4 (2025)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 4 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 4 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Chris Olave, George Pickens, Ladd McConkey compared to others:
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