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RotoBaller staff's fantasy football sleepers, avoids, and start 'em sit 'em picks for Week 4 of 2026. Expert lineup advice from Andrew Ball, Brandon Murchison, and Thunder Dan Palyo.
It's time once again for our RotoBaller staff start-or-sit calls. Three of the industry's best analysts are here to break down potential sleepers and busts ahead of the remaining Week 4 games.
We do this every week! The goal is to give you the confidence you need to make tough calls, moving a player with a muddy projection in OR out of your starting lineup to maximize your score for the week.
These fantasy football sleepers, avoids, and busts come from top RotoBaller contributors Andrew Ball, Brandon Murchison, Robert Lorge, and me. Good luck in your Week 4 matchups, RotoBallers!
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Week 4 Fantasy Football Sleepers - Start 'Em Picks
Kyle Monangai, CHI vs. NYJ (Murchison)
Monangai has quietly posted a 5.9 yards-per-carry average on exactly 10 touches a game through three weeks, and the Jets’ run defense has been one of the softer fronts in the league against both success rate and missed tackles. He’s already forced six missed tackles and ranks near the top of the league in yards after contact, so the efficiency is real even if D'Andre Swift is still the lead back.
At home against a defense that’s been getting gashed on the ground, that steady 10-carry floor plus a little red-zone work makes him the kind of flex you can sneak in before the rest of the league treats the committee like a problem.
Woody Marks, HOU vs. DAL (Lorge)
Marks has been more effective than David Montgomery for the last two weeks. Reports have also indicated that Marks is making a case for more work.
Woody Marks TD and the Texans take the lead after the PAT!@HOUvsIND on CBS/Paramount+
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/eqJlfWcm1e— NFL (@NFL) September 27, 2026
Their Week 4 opponent is the Cowboys, who can put up points. If this ends up being a high-scoring affair, Marks is likely going to be the Texans' running back who gets the majority of playing time.
Tre' Harris, LAC at SEA (Murchison)
Harris just led the Chargers in targets, catches, and yards against Buffalo with a 6-for-76 line, and he’s still sitting on the waiver wire in most leagues because the name hasn’t caught up to the role. The Chargers are 0-3 and have already shown they’ll feature him when the script gets messy, which is exactly the kind of volume spike you want from a guy averaging 5-plus targets with a 53-yard catch already on the tape.
Clean route by Tre' Harris@LACvsBUF on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/mqJUheqaS4— NFL (@NFL) September 27, 2026
Seattle’s secondary is a tough draw, but if Herbert keeps looking his way the way he did last week, Harris is the kind of deep-league flex who can sneak into the box score before anyone else bothers to roster him.
Keenan Allen, IND at WAS (Ball)
The Washington Commanders are bleeding points to opposing passing games. Tyler Warren and Josh Downs are lineup locks in London. What about Keenan Allen?
Washington’s secondary is surrendering 191 yards and two scores per game to the wide receiver position. Allen is coming off season-high marks in snap share (73%) and targets (nine) in the Colts’ first game without Alec Pierce.
The Allen-Warren-Downs trio accounted for 30 of Daniel Jones’ 35 attempts Sunday. It’s a concentrated passing attack. Fire up Allen in the flex.
Darren Waller, CAR vs. DET (Ball)
It’s time we took the idea of flexing tight ends seriously. 17 tight ends are averaging 10+ PPR fantasy points this year.
One of those is Darren Waller, a late addition to Carolina’s training camp, who has since seen his snap share and targets increase week over week.
The Detroit defense has allowed the most receptions, yards, and touchdowns (six) through the first three weeks. Jalen Coker (questionable, quad) or not, Waller is worth a flex look.
Jordan Addison, MIN vs. MIA (Lorge)
Justin Jefferson sprained his ankle in Week 3, and he's considered day-to-day. Don't be surprised if Jefferson sits this week against the embarrassingly bad Dolphins.
Even if he's active, he might not be 100% or have a full snap count. Addison came alive last week after Jefferson left the game and finished with nine targets, five receptions, 90 yards, and a touchdown for 17.5 half-PPR points. Don't be surprised if he has another big week.
Brenton Strange, JAX at CIN (Thunder Dan)
We don't get a tight end in here very often, but Strange has a good matchup against the Bengals this week and is coming off his most targets this season (five) last week against New England.
If your TE1 has a really tough matchup this week (like, say, Jake Ferguson), I could see a pretty strong case for starting Strange ahead of them. He's third on the team in red zone target rate, and I think the Jags put up some points in Cincy.
Week 4 Fantasy Football Avoids - Sit 'Em Picks
Jadarian Price, SEA vs. LAC (Thunder Dan)
Price didn't practice on Thursday, which doesn't bode well for his status on Sunday. He's coming off his worst game of the season, in which he only handled five carries and lost a fumble. I wouldn't be surprised if the Seahawks roll with Emanuel Wilson and George Holani this week. I'm benching Price until he's healthy and can establish himself ahead of the rest of the backs in this Seattle committee.
Alvin Kamara, NO vs. ATL (Ball)
With Travis Etienne Jr. (hamstring) shelved, the presumption is that Alvin Kamara moves into more of a primary role. He may get the most touches out of the Saints backfield, but the three-way split that plagued Etienne isn’t going away.
Kendre Miller steps into an early-down role, and CJ Donaldson sees the bulk of third-down snaps. The divide isn’t ideal for an inefficient runner against an Atlanta defense that hasn’t allowed a running back rushing touchdown yet this season.
Ladd McConkey, LAC at SEA (Lorge)
Justin Herbert is playing terribly. This offense looks broken. McConkey was, maybe still is, dealing with a fractured rib. This week he was limited in practice with a foot injury, so he's less than 100%.
All of that would be bad enough, but now they have to go on the road to play Seattle, the NFL's best defense. There will be better days ahead for McConkey, but I'm expecting another poor showing this week.
Week 4 Potential Busts
You might not be able to sit these players, unless you're in a very shallow league. But temper your expectations accordingly.
Jaylen Waddle, DEN at SF (Murchison)
While Waddle will be active, his statistical volatility is a massive red flag coming off a Week 3 foot injury scare that preceded a brutal two-catch, 10-yard dud against the Rams. Furthermore, Denver's passing attack under coordinator Davis Webb remains highly unstable, highlighted by quarterback Bo Nix struggling with efficiency and leaving the offense ranked 24th in EPA per play.
Jaylen Waddle is okay, talking to multiple sources over the course of the last 48 hours.
If there was any player the Broncos would take extra caution with, it’s Waddle.
Additionally, according to a source, “there’s nothing wrong” with Jaylen. pic.twitter.com/eFaUrJ5Btc
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevens) September 29, 2026
Facing a complex Raheem Morris defense that specializes in confusing pre-snap looks, Nix will likely be forced into ultra-conservative check-downs, completely bottlenecking Waddle's explosive downfield ceiling.
Saquon Barkley, PHI vs. LAR (Lorge)
Barkley is simply not getting enough high-value targets for fantasy managers to feel confident. Over three weeks, Jalen Hurts has three carries inside the 10-yard line. Barkley has two and Tank Bigsby has one. Barkley has the fewest yards on such carries.
Barkley has two carries inside the five-yard line, while Bigsby and Hurts each have one, but Bigsby and Hurts scored on both attempts. Barkley has negative yards. He has just six targets, which ranks 35th among running backs.
Chase Brown, CIN vs. JAX (Murchison)
Brown is still getting the workhorse label, but the receiving floor that made him an RB1 has basically disappeared—10 catches for 32 yards and just 10 receiving yards over the last two games combined. His longest run through three weeks is 13 yards, so the efficiency is all grinding, and last week’s script already cut him to a season-low 13 carries against Pittsburgh.
Jacksonville doesn’t have to be elite to make this a quiet afternoon if Cincinnati leans on Joe Burrow and the receivers and Brown’s checkdowns keep dying at the line of scrimmage.
Omarion Hampton, LAC at SEA (Ball)
We’ve seen it before: A West Coast team travels to the Atlantic and struggles in a noon kickoff game. Marcus Mariota carved up the Seattle defense. The Seahawks now return home as an angry unit to greet the Chargers.
The defense has allowed five rushing touchdowns to running backs since the beginning of the 2025 season and none so far this year. Given his usage (25.8% route participation, 45th at the position), that’s the only path toward a successful fantasy output for Omarion Hampton. The Los Angeles coaching staff got Keaton Mitchell and even Kimani Vidal more involved in Week 3. Hampton’s rushing line is down in the mid-40s. Woof.
