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Week 4 Sits And Starts - Sorensen's Matchup Analysis

I hope your Week 4 starter wasn't Ryan Tannehill or Andy Dalton-- though neither one played absolutely horribly, neither played amazingly. Thankfully, none of the top QBs of this young season was on display in Thursday night’s showcase.

But this week, everyone's fear is now starting: bye weeks. Our first victims are the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers. This means that Aaron Rodgers and rookie Carson Wentz are not available. Rodgers is coming off a four-TD game against the Detroit Lions. Wentz is coming off a dismantling of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both turned in reasonable performances, and now they are forced to your bench.

So, who is left for you to start this week?

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*Remember: These columns do not include your every-week starters. For this week, players like Drew Brees, Cam Newton and Andrew Luck are not considered. This article goes deeper than that.

Editor's Note: Be sure to check out FantasyAces DFS contests for Week 4. New users that sign up on Fantasy Aces and make a $20 deposit will receive RotoBaller's full season NFL Premium Pass for free (including Premium DFS), normally a $59.99 value. Expert DFS research, sample lineups, matchup ratings and lots more!

 

Best Start Possible - Kirk Cousins v. CLE 

Three passing TDs along with 319 yards. Roughly 20 fantasy points. Yes, he threw two interceptions, but that was the production Miami Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill put up against the Browns DEF last week. This week, Cleveland has to stop Cousins. While Cousins (989 passing yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs) has not started as hot as he finished last season, he still has a strong arm and numerous weapons to throw to in the likes of Jordan Reed, Pierre Garcon, Desean Jackson and Jamison Crowder. Cleveland does not have the man power, or talent, to stop or slow down that many weapons. That mixed with the team’s struggling running attack means that Cousins should throw the ball over 40 times, once again.

*In 2012, Cousins’ only start against the Browns, he threw for 329 yards, two TDs and an INT, which would have been good for roughly 23 fantasy points.

 

Quality Start - Trevor Siemian @ TB 

Who is this guy? Does he have the talent to continue to win? After throwing only one TD in the first two games of the season, he goes off for FOUR TDs against the Bengals in Cincinnati. Now, he goes up against a Tampa Bay Defense that just surrendered 190 yards and two TDs to Case Keenum and Tavon Austin. St. Louis does not have the weapons on the outside like Denver does. Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders should feast on rookie DB Vernon Hargreaves and old-man Brent Grimes. Expect a great game from Siemian in his fourth career start.

 

Worst Possible Start - Ryan Fitzpatrick v. SEA 

This guy has to have the lowest confidence and self-esteem in the NFL going into Week 4. Against the Kansas City Chiefs, Fitzpatrick threw for the most interceptions in a game since Peyton Manning threw six against the San Diego Chargers in November 2007. Knowing that could shake anyone’s confidence. Looking to this week, Fitz-“Magic” has not shown much magic against the Seattle Seahawks in the past. In his two career games against the Seahawks, one with the Bills and one with the Titans, Fitz has averaged less than 200 yards passing to go with 0.5 TDs per game. This goes along with the two INTs he has thrown in each match. In both games, his team failed to produce more than 17 points.

 

Not a Good Start - Tyrod Taylor @ NE 

Taylor is currently 18th in fantasy points among QBs. Not the greatest, but with bye weeks in Week 4 for Aaron Rodgers and Carson Wents, some may consider Taylor as a fill-in. They think his running ability make him worthy of a start, kind of a poor-man’s Cam Newton. Please do not play Taylor this week. He is currently averaging roughly 175 passing yards per game and a TD. Yes, he has 112 rushing yards so far, but 49 of them came on one carry against the Cardinals. Even if the team is leading, like they did in their 33-18 win against Arizona, the team will hand the ball off to LeSean McCoy to milk the clock. If the team is forced to throw it, Taylor is without the team’s top weapon on the outside, Sammy Watkins. All signs point to a weak outing for Taylor.

Next week, we return to the best, deepest and currently, the most confusing position so far this season: running backs.

*Have a player or position question you would like me to talk about? Follow me on Twitter @JSorensen119 and let me know.




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

New England Patriots

Patriots Select Tight End Eli Raridon With 95th Overall Pick
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Take Another Receiver in Chris Bell at 94th Overall
San Francisco 49ers

49ers Select Kaelon Black With 90th Overall Pick
Chicago Bears

Zavion Thomas Selected 89th Overall by Bears
Giancarlo Stanton

Exits With Leg Tightness on Friday
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Select Will Kacmarek With 87th Overall Pick
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Buccaneers Draft Ted Hurst 84th Overall in NFL Draft
Isaiah Joe

Likely to Miss Game 3 Against Suns
Carolina Panthers

Panthers Select Chris Brazzell II in the Third Round
Baltimore Ravens

Ja'Kobi Lane Heading to the Ravens With 80th Overall Pick
Peyton Watson

to Remain Sidelined Saturday
Pittsburgh Steelers

Drew Allar Selected 76th Overall by Steelers
Atlanta Falcons

Falcons Select Speedy Receiver Zachariah Branch At 79 Overall
Aaron Gordon

Questionable for Saturday's Game 4
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Select Caleb Douglas With 75th Overall Pick
Jordan Goodwin

on Track to Return Saturday
New York Giants

Giants Trade Up to Pick 74, Select Malachi Fields
NFL

Saints Select Oscar Delp With 73rd Overall Pick
Grayson Allen

Listed as Questionable for Saturday
Mark Williams

Won't Play Saturday
Washington Commanders

Commanders Use 71st Overall Pick on Antonio Williams
Chicago Bears

Bears Select Sam Roush With 69th Pick
Victor Wembanyama

Will Miss Game 3 Against Trail Blazers
Carson Beck

Selected 65th Overall by Cardinals
Los Angeles Rams

Rams Select Max Klare With 61st Overall Pick
Houston Texans

Texans Select Marlin Klein With 59th Overall Pick
Jonathan Greenard

Eagles Acquire Jonathan Greenard, Sign him to Four-Year Extension
Jacksonville Jaguars

Jaguars Select Nate Boerkircher With 56th Overall Pick
Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles Select Eli Stowers at No. 54 Overall
Tari Eason

Reed Sheppard Move into Starting Five on Friday
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Wins Most Improved Player Award
Immanuel Quickley

to Miss Rest of First-Round Series
Kevin Durant

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Joel Embiid

Officially Ruled Out for Game 3
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Scratched on Friday With Mid-Back Pain
Troy Terry

Available for Game 3 Against Oilers
Radko Gudas

Misses Second Straight Game Friday
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Unavailable Friday
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Considered a Game-Time Call for Saturday
Jake Sanderson

Ruled Out for Game 4 Due to Concussion
Yakov Trenin

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Stars
Mats Zuccarello

a Game-Time Decision Saturday
Jackson Holliday

Receives Positive Test Results, Will be Shut Down for a Week
Jeff Hoffman

Out as Blue Jays Closer
Youssef Zalal

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Aljamain Sterling

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Joselyne Edwards

Set For UFC Vegas 116 Co-Main Event
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Anthony Edwards

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Jalen Brunson

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Jason Dickinson

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Jake Sanderson

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Alex Lyon

Comes in and Shuts Down Boston
Jake Sanderson

Suffers Hand Injury While Blocking Shot
Jake LaRavia

Available for Game 3 Friday
Austin Reaves

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Francisco Lindor

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Tyler Kleven

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Records Second Consecutive Multi-Point Game
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Michael Harris II

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Francisco Lindor

Leaves Wednesday's Game Early With Calf Tightness
JR Ritchie

Earns Promotion, Will Make MLB Debut on Thursday
Wyatt Langford

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Maikel Garcia

Leaves Early on Wednesday With Elbow Soreness
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Day-to-Day With Sore Back
Juan Soto

Officially Back in Mets Lineup on Wednesday
J.T. Realmuto

Phillies Place J.T. Realmuto on Injured List With Back Injury
Lucas Giolito

Signs With Padres, Worth a Waiver-Wire Pickup?
Ryan Helsley

Orioles Put Ryan Helsley on Bereavement List on Wednesday
CFB

Beau Pribula Leading Virginia Quarterback Competition
Marco Penge

Trending Down Entering Zurich Classic
Sahith Theegala

Eyes Another Strong Week at Zurich Classic
Brooks Koepka

Shane Lowry Teams Up with Brooks Koepka at Zurich Classic
Si Woo Kim

Adds Another Strong Finish at RBC Heritage
Elly De La Cruz

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Wyatt Langford

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Luke Clanton

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Jackson Holliday

Leaves Rehab Game With Hand Discomfort
Scottie Scheffler

is Starting to Hit His Stride
Brooks Koepka

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Ashton Daniels Named Florida State's Starting Quarterback
Tyler Reddick

Earns His Fifth Win of the 2026 Season at Kansas
Kyle Larson

Finishes as the Runner-Up at Kansas
Chase Briscoe

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Denny Hamlin

Leads the Most Laps at Kansas but Misses Out on Victory
Christopher Bell

Falls Out of Contention for Kansas Victory on Final Restart
Mike Malott

Scores Third-Round TKO Win
Gilbert Burns

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Charles Jourdain

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Kyler Phillips

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Kyle Larson

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Christoper Bell Should Contend for First Win at Kansas
Tyler Reddick

Fastest in Practice and Qualifying for Kansas Race
Ryan Blaney

Could Score another Top-10 Finish at Kansas
Ty Gibbs

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