Quick Grades Week 4 (Fantasy Football Start or Sit Advice)

The weekend is right around the corner which, of course, means it’s time to give you all my quick grades for the upcoming slate of games. This article is for those of you who would love to sit down and read a detailed start/sit article for 90 minutes but just can’t carve out the time at this stage in your life. Instead, I’ll give you all the information without any of the words. Here is how it works: it’s quick-hitting advice with an overall grade and start/sit recommendation for every fantasy-relevant player based on four simple criteria: Matchup, expected volume, fantasy ability and surrounding talent.

Matchup
T.J. Hockenson was predictably slowed down last week by the Eagles’ tough defense versus tight ends

Expected Volume
Adrian Peterson should get additional touches in Washington’s best game script of the season

Fantasy Ability
Tom Brady is a superior real-life quarterback to Lamar Jackson, but QBs who can run are a fantasy cheat code

Surrounding Talent
Kyle Allen benefits from having Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, Greg Olsen and Curtis Samuel to throw to

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The grades listed below range from 1 to 25 with overall grades made to mimic a school grade (1-100 with letter grades). The four grades will not add up to the overall grade since each position weights the four criteria differently. For instance, volume is king for running backs, but matchups are much more important for quarterbacks. The start/sit recommendations are for 12-team half-PPR, 1-QB leagues. Slight adjustments would be made for moderate rules changes. Additionally, I’ll name a start of the week, stream of the week and fade of the week at each position. Obviously the #1 player from each player is the top start so rather, start of the week refers to a player you wouldn’t always start. Stream of the week is a player you can typically pick up off the waivers if you are desperate for a fill-in so don’t be surprised if they are down at the bottom of a table since most useful players are already rostered. Fade of the week is the opposite of start of the week, as it is a player you would typically start, but shouldn’t this week because of matchup or game script. Because the tables are a screenshot of an excel table, I’ve added a quick search/find list at the bottom of the article in case you are looking for one or two immediate answers. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me on Twitter @BobbyFantasyPro.

Quick Link to view the entire spreadsheet and search for players quickly at this link.

Running Backs

- Please refer to the FantasyPros homepage for updates on game-time decisions Sunday morning
  - If LeSean McCoy or Damien Williams doesn’t play, the other would become a B, Strong start
  - If neither plays, Darrel Williams would become a C+, Should Start
  - Justin Jackson is now out. Austin Ekeler jumps to the #1 RB and Melvin Gordon becomes a D, Shouldn’t Start
  - If Devin Singletary is out, Frank Gore becomes a C-, Could Start
- Start of the Week: Adrian Peterson (remember, I’m not saying AP is a better plan than Zeke, it means AP is the best option among those you don’t always start)
- Stream of the Week: Rex Burkhead (now that Justin Jackson has been ruled out)
- Fade of the Week: Duke Johnson
Break in the chart is between RB30/RB31

Wide Receivers

- Please refer to the FantasyPros homepage for updates on game-time decisions Sunday morning
  - If Chris Godwin is out, Mike Evans becomes a B+, Strong Start
  - If T.Y. Hilton sits, Parris Campbell becomes a C-, Could Start
  - Mike Williams has been ruled out. Travis Benjamin is now a D+, Shouldn’t Start
  - If the Patriots sit Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon jumps to a B-, Should Start and Phillip Dorsett to a C-, Could Start
  - If Terry McLaurin is ruled out, Paul Richardson becomes a C, Could Start
- Start of the Week: Sterling Shepard (unless Terry McLaurin plays, then he would be the SOTW)
- Streams of the Week: Paul Richardson (remember, this is the best player you can pick up off the waivers–that doesn’t make him a great start)
- Fade of the Week: D.J. Chark
Break in the chart is between WR36/WR37

Quarterbacks

- Please refer to the FantasyPros homepage for updates on game-time decisions Sunday morning
- Start of the Week: Phillip Rivers
- Stream of the Week: Matthew Stafford
- Fade of the Week: Tom Brady & Josh Allen

Tight Ends

- Please refer to the FantasyPros homepage for updates on game-time decisions Sunday morning
  - Keep an eye on Vance McDonald who is likely to be out
- Start of the Week: Will Dissly
- Stream of the Week: Vernon Davis
- Fade of the Week: Jared Cook

Search, Find and Player Cards

Patrick Mahomes (QB – KC): 100, A+, Must Start
Christian McCaffrey (RB – CAR): 100, A+, Must Start
Julio Jones (WR – ATL): 100, A+, Must Start
Travis Kelce (TE – KC): 100, A+, Must Start
DeAndre Hopkins (WR – HOU): 99, A+, Must Start
Keenan Allen (WR – LAC): 99, A+, Must Start
Lamar Jackson (QB – BAL): 97, A+, Must Start
Ezekiel Elliott (RB – DAL): 96, A+, Must Start
Russell Wilson (QB – SEA): 95, A, Must Start
Darren Waller (TE – OAK): 94, A, Must Start
Evan Engram (TE – NYG): 93, A, Must Start
Amari Cooper (WR – DAL): 92, A-, Must Start
Austin Ekeler (RB – LAC): 92, A-, Must Start
Deshaun Watson (QB – HOU): 91, A-, Strong Start
Alvin Kamara (RB – NO): 91, A-, Must Start
Marlon Mack (RB – IND): 90, A-, Must Start
James Conner (RB – PIT): 90, A-, Must Start
Cooper Kupp (WR – LAR): 89, A-, Must Start
Tyler Lockett (WR – SEA): 89, A-, Must Start
Chris Carson (RB – SEA): 89, A-, Must Start
Kyler Murray (QB – ARI): 89, A-, Strong Start
Dalvin Cook (RB – MIN): 88, B+, Strong Start
Kerryon Johnson (RB – DET): 87, B+, Strong Start
Mark Ingram (RB – BAL): 87, B+, Strong Start
David Johnson (RB – ARI): 86, B+, Strong Start
Michael Thomas (WR – NO): 86, B+, Strong Start
Odell Beckham Jr. (WR – CLE): 86, B+, Strong Start
Philip Rivers (QB – LAC): 86, B+, Strong Start
JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR – PIT): 86, B+, Strong Start
Nick Chubb (RB – CLE): 86, B+, Strong Start
Will Dissly (TE – SEA): 86, B+, Strong Start
Derrick Henry (RB – TEN): 86, B+, Strong Start
Dak Prescott (QB – DAL): 85, B, Should Start
Matt Ryan (QB – ATL): 85, B, Should Start
Mark Andrews (TE – BAL): 84, B, Strong Start
Todd Gurley (RB – LAR): 84, B, Strong Start
Leonard Fournette (RB – JAC): 84, B, Strong Start
Joe Mixon (RB – CIN): 84, B, Strong Start
Mike Evans (WR – TB): 83, B, Strong Start
Greg Olsen (TE – CAR): 83, B, Strong Start
Sammy Watkins (WR – KC): 83, B, Strong Start
Larry Fitzgerald (WR – ARI): 82, B-, Should Start
Jared Goff (QB – LAR): 82, B-, Should Start
Tyler Boyd (WR – CIN): 82, B-, Should Start
Brandin Cooks (WR – LAR): 82, B-, Should Start
Kenny Golladay (WR – DET): 82, B-, Should Start
T.J. Hockenson (TE – DET): 81, B-, Should Start
Chris Godwin (WR – TB): 81, B-, Should Start
Adrian Peterson (RB – WAS): 81, B-, Should Start
Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS): 80, B-, Should Start
Justin Jackson (RB – LAC): OUT
Matthew Stafford (QB – DET): 80, B-, Should Start
Christian Kirk (WR – ARI): 80, B-, Should Start
Sterling Shepard (WR – NYG): 80, B-, Should Start
T.Y. Hilton (WR – IND): 80, B-, Should Start
Adam Thielen (WR – MIN): 80, B-, Should Start
Julian Edelman (WR – NE): 80, B-, Should Start
D.J. Moore (WR – CAR): 80, B-, Should Start
Josh Jacobs (RB – OAK): 79, B-, Should Start
Eric Ebron (TE – IND): 79, C+, Should Start
Devonta Freeman (RB – ATL): 78, C+, Should Start
Calvin Ridley (WR – ATL): 78, C+, Should Start
Austin Hooper (TE – ATL): 78, C+, Should Start
O.J. Howard (TE – TB): 78, C+, Should Start
Marquise Brown (WR – BAL): 78, C+, Should Start
Daniel Jones (QB – NYG): 78, C+, Could Start
LeSean McCoy (RB – KC): 78, C+, Should Start
James White (RB – NE): 77, C+, Should Start
Robert Woods (WR – LAR): 77, C+, Should Start
Wayne Gallman (RB – NYG): 76, C+, Should Start
Sony Michel (RB – NE): 76, C+, Should Start
Phillip Lindsay (RB – DEN): 76, C+, Should Start
Mike Williams (WR – LAC): Out
Allen Robinson (WR – CHI): 75, C, Could Start
Jameis Winston (QB – TB): 75, C, Could Start
Stefon Diggs (WR – MIN): 75, C, Could Start
Delanie Walker (TE – TEN): 75, C, Could Start
Andy Dalton (QB – CIN): 75, C, Could Start
Curtis Samuel (WR – CAR): 75, C, Could Start
David Montgomery (RB – CHI): 74, C, Could Start
Tom Brady (QB – NE): 74, C, Could Start
Kenyan Drake (RB – MIA): 73, C, Could Start
Josh Allen (QB – BUF): 73, C, Could Start
Carlos Hyde (RB – HOU): 73, C, Could Start
Marvin Jones (WR – DET): 73, C, Could Start
Josh Gordon (WR – NE): 73, C, Could Start
John Ross (WR – CIN): 73, C, Could Start
Tarik Cohen (RB – CHI): 73, C, Could Start
D.K. Metcalf (WR – SEA): 73, C, Could Start
Royce Freeman (RB – DEN): 72, C-, Could Start
Tyrell Williams (WR – OAK): 72, C-, Could Start
Vernon Davis (TE – WAS): 72, C-, Could Start
Corey Davis (WR – TEN): 71, C-, Could Start
Rex Burkhead (RB – NE): 71, C-, Could Start
Jacoby Brissett (QB – IND): 71, C-, Shouldn’t Start
Will Fuller (WR – HOU): 71, C-, Could Start
Vance McDonald (TE – PIT): 71, C-, Could Start
Mitch Trubisky (QB – CHI): 70, C-, Shouldn’t Start
Baker Mayfield (QB – CLE): 70, C-, Shouldn’t Start
Ronald Jones II (RB – TB): 70, C-, Could Start
Emmanuel Sanders (WR – DEN): 70, C-, Could Start
Demarcus Robinson (WR – KC): 70, C-, Could Start
Jack Doyle (TE – IND): 70, C-, Could Start
Chris Thompson (RB – WAS): 70, C-, Could Start
Devin Singletary (RB – BUF): 70, C-, Could Start
Mason Rudolph (QB – PIT): 70, C-, Shouldn’t Start
Mecole Hardman (WR – KC): 70, C-, Could Start
Peyton Barber (RB – TB): 69, C-, Could Start
Kyle Allen (QB – CAR): 69, C-, Shouldn’t Start
John Brown (WR – BUF): 69, D+, Shouldn’t Start
Case Keenum (QB – WAS): 68, D+, Shouldn’t Start
Rashaad Penny (RB – SEA): 68, D+, Shouldn’t Start
Randall Cobb (WR – DAL): 67, D+, Shouldn’t Start
Jared Cook (TE – NO): 67, D+, Shouldn’t Start
D.J. Chark (WR – JAC): 67, D+, Shouldn’t Start
Marcus Mariota (QB – TEN): 67, D+, Shouldn’t Start
Paul Richardson (WR – WAS): 67, D+, Shouldn’t Start
Trey Burton (TE – CHI): 67, D+, Shouldn’t Start
Frank Gore (RB – BUF): 66, D+, Shouldn’t Start
Mohamed Sanu (WR – ATL): 66, D+, Shouldn’t Start
Preston Williams (WR – MIA): 66, D+, Shouldn’t Start
Jarvis Landry (WR – CLE): 66, D+, Shouldn’t Start
Darrel Williams (RB – KC): 65, D, Shouldn’t Start
Tyler Eifert (TE – CIN): 65, D, Shouldn’t Start
Courtland Sutton (WR – DEN): 65, D, Shouldn’t Start
James Washington (WR – PIT): 65, D, Shouldn’t Start
Devin Smith (WR – DAL): 64, D, Shouldn’t Start
Noah Fant (TE – DEN): 64, D, Shouldn’t Start
Tony Pollard (RB – DAL): 64, D, Shouldn’t Start
Diontae Johnson (WR – PIT): 63, D, Shouldn’t Start
Trey Quinn (WR – WAS): 62, D-, Don’t Be Crazy
Jordan Akins (TE – HOU): 62, D-, Don’t Be Crazy
Kenny Stills (WR – HOU): 62, D-, Don’t Be Crazy
Malcolm Brown (RB – LAR): 62, D-, Crazy Start
Dion Lewis (RB – TEN): 62, D-, Crazy Start
Dede Westbrook (WR – JAC): 62, D-, Don’t Be Crazy
Gus Edwards (RB – BAL): 62, D-, Crazy Start
Nyheim Hines (RB – IND): 61, D-, Crazy Start
Damien Williams (RB – KC): 61, D-, Crazy Start
Latavius Murray (RB – NO): 61, D-, Crazy Start
Gerald Everett (TE – LAR): 61, D-, Don’t Be Crazy
Duke Johnson (RB – HOU): 60, D-, Crazy Start
Kirk Cousins (QB – MIN): 60, D-, Crazy Start
Dawson Knox (TE – BUF): 60, D-, Don’t Be Crazy
Danny Amendola (WR – DET): 60, D-, Don’t Be Crazy
Devante Parker (WR – MIA): 60, D-, Don’t Be Crazy
Cole Beasley (WR – BUF): 60, D-, Don’t Be Crazy
Ito Smith (RB – ATL): 58, F, Crazy Start
Teddy Bridgewater (QB – NO): 58, F, Crazy Start
Chris Conley (WR – JAC): 58, F, Don’t Be Crazy
Giovani Bernard (RB – CIN): 58, F, Crazy Start
Kalen Ballage (RB – MIA): 57, F, Crazy Start
Gardner Minshew (QB – JAC): 57, F, Crazy Start
Jason Witten (TE – DAL): 57, F, Don’t Be Crazy
Joe Flacco (QB – DEN): 56, F, Crazy Start
Derek Carr (QB – OAK): 56, F, Crazy Start
Taylor Gabriel (WR – CHI): 55, F, Don’t Be Crazy
Phillip Dorsett (WR – NE): 54, F, Don’t Be Crazy
Josh Rosen (QB – MIA): 45, F, Crazy Start

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NFL T.J. Hockenson Tom Brady Lamar Jackson Kyle Allen Christian McCaffrey D.J. Moore Greg Olsen Curtis Samuel LeSean McCoy Damien Williams Darrel Williams Devin Singletary Frank Gore Adrian Peterson Duke Johnson Chris Godwin Mike Evans T.Y. Hilton Parris Campbell Julian Edelman Josh Gordon Phillip Dorsett Paul Richardson D.J. Chark Matthew Stafford Josh Allen Vance McDonald Will Dissly Vernon Davis Jared Cook Patrick Mahomes Julio Jones Travis Kelce DeAndre Hopkins Keenan Allen Ezekiel Elliott Russell Wilson Darren Waller Evan Engram Amari Cooper Austin Ekeler Deshaun Watson Alvin Kamara Marlon Mack James Conner Cooper Kupp Tyler Lockett Chris Carson Kyler Murray Dalvin Cook Kerryon Johnson Mark Ingram David Johnson Michael Thomas Odell Beckham Jr. Philip Rivers JuJu Smith-Schuster Nick Chubb Derrick Henry Dak Prescott Matt Ryan Mark Andrews Todd Gurley Leonard Fournette Joe Mixon Sammy Watkins Larry Fitzgerald Jared Goff Tyler Boyd Brandin Cooks Kenny Golladay Terry McLaurin Justin Jackson Christian Kirk Sterling Shepard Adam Thielen Josh Jacobs Eric Ebron Devonta Freeman Calvin Ridley Austin Hooper O.J. Howard Marquise Brown Daniel Jones James White Robert Woods Wayne Gallman Sony Michel Phillip Lindsay Mike Williams Allen Robinson Jameis Winston Stefon Diggs Delanie Walker Andy Dalton David Montgomery Kenyan Drake Carlos Hyde Marvin Jones John Ross Tarik Cohen D.K. Metcalf Royce Freeman Tyrell Williams Corey Davis Rex Burkhead Jacoby Brissett Will Fuller Mitch Trubisky Baker Mayfield Ronald Jones II Emmanuel Sanders Demarcus Robinson Jack Doyle Chris Thompson Mason Rudolph Mecole Hardman Peyton Barber John Brown Case Keenum Rashaad Penny Randall Cobb Marcus Mariota Trey Burton Mohamed Sanu Preston Williams Jarvis Landry Tyler Eifert Courtland Sutton James Washington Devin Smith Noah Fant Tony Pollard Diontae Johnson Trey Quinn Jordan Akins Kenny Stills Malcolm Brown Dion Lewis Dede Westbrook Gus Edwards Nyheim Hines Latavius Murray Gerald Everett Kirk Cousins Dawson Knox Danny Amendola Devante Parker Cole Beasley Ito Smith Teddy Bridgewater Chris Conley Giovani Bernard Kalen Ballage Gardner Minshew Jason Witten Joe Flacco Derek Carr Taylor Gabriel Josh Rosen