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Fantasy Football Week 4 Start/Sit Advice: Sleepers & Duds (2022)

Which under-the-radar players might be able to give your fantasy team a lift in Week 4? Which chalky players might not be as safe as they seem? Our featured analysts name some potential sleepers and underachievers for Week 4.

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If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup, based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant – which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team, and by how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.

Q. Which player outside of the top 100 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is a good sleeper start and why do you think he has upside this week?

Richie James (WR – NYG)

“Richie James is second on the Giants in targets and air yards — second to Sterling Shepard, who’ll miss the rest of the year with a torn ACL. Giants head coach Brian Daboll doesn’t seem optimistic that injured WRs Kadarius Toney (hamstring) and Wan’Dale Robinson (knee) will be able to return for Week 4 according to beat writer Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News. With so many Giants receivers injured, James, who’s already on a 79-catch pace, figures to get a generous dose of targets against the Bears. He’ll likely see a lot of rookie slot corner Kyler Gordon, who’s given up 3.47 yards per route run into his coverage, according to PFF, and is currently graded 91st out of the 103 cornerbacks PFF has graded. James is worthy of lineup consideration this week, especially in PPR leagues.”
Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

“Richie James is a fantastic sleeper to target this week. He’s seen a 20.5% target share that will get a bump with Sterling Shepard sidelined and Kenny Golladay proving that he should hang up his cleats. James has been effective this year as the 36th-highest graded receiver per PFF (immediately ahead of Jerry Jeudy) while ranking 46th in yards per route run. James will run about 84% of his routes against Kyler Gordon, who has been arguably the league’s worst slot corner. Gordon has allowed all 15 targets in his coverage to be secured with the most slot yards allowed and a perfect passer rating (158.3, per PFF).”
Derek Brown (FantasyPros)

Michael Gallup (WR – DAL)
“Michael Gallup returns to the Cowboys this week and should slide right into action. Although Noah Brown has filled in admirably in Gallup’s absence, Gallup is the one getting paid, so look for him to see half a dozen targets in Week 4 against a poor Washington secondary, making him a flex option in a deeper league.”
Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)

Isaiah McKenzie (WR – BUF)
“Isaiah McKenzie (consensus flex ranking: #106) is in line to be in a shootout with the Ravens, who have given up the most points to opposing wide receivers this season. In Week 3, he caught seven of nine targets for 76 yards and a TD and even took a handoff. McKenzie is third on the team in air yards and second in YAC. Particularly in half-PPR and PPR leagues, the volume should be there in a game with the highest implied total for Week 4, and I think there is a good chance he will find the end zone as well.”
Kelly Kirby (FantasyPros)

Evan Engram (TE – JAC)
“Evan Engram has had an up-and-down career and a similarly inconsistent start to the 2022 season. Through three games, he has 12 receptions on 15 targets for just 83 yards and is coming off a one-catch Week 3 performance. But Doug Pederson’s offense has featured tight ends heavily during his coaching career, and this Eagles defense — while it looked to be much better in Weeks 2 and 3 — is susceptible to athletic tight ends. I expect WRs Christian Kirk and Zay Jones to have more trouble against the likes of Darius Slay, James Bradberry and Avonte Maddox than they’ve had in recent weeks, and I believe Trevor Lawrence will look for Engram against Philly’s linebackers and a safety in Chauncey Gardner-Johnson who is still learning this defense on the fly.”
Mike Maher (FantasyPros)

Mack Hollins (WR – LV)
“Hollins went off in Week 3 with 8-158-1 receiving — a fantastic performance. But what was most notable about it wasn’t the actual production, although that was great. What was notable was the team-high 10 targets, especially on the heels of the eight targets he had in Week 2. Of course, his Week 3 usage came in the absence of Renfrow (concussion) — but even if Renfrow returns, Hollins should be on the field in three-wide sets, given his 90.8% snap rate. Given the tough matchup, Hollins probably shouldn’t be anywhere near your lineup, but if you’re desperate at the position, you could do a lot worse than a guy who’s No. 1 on his team in targets (19) and receptions (14) and No. 1 in yards receiving (240). Hollins is a deep WR5 flyer.”
Matthew Freedman (FantasyPros)

Fantas Football Start-Sit Assistant

Which player inside the top 40 in the FantasyPros flex rankings is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week?

Miles Sanders (RB – PHI)

“I’m generally pro-Miles Sanders, but this doesn’t set up to be a good week for him. He’s up against a pass-funnel Jacksonville defense that has faced a league-low 39 rushing attempts by opposing RBs. The Jaguars’ run defense ranks No. 1 in Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric. If Sanders doesn’t have success as a runner, he’s probably not going to bail out fantasy managers with his pass catching, since he has six catches for 13 yards so far this season. It’s also worth mentioning that after finally scoring a touchdown in Week 1 following a scoreless 2021 season, Sanders has embarked on a new scoreless streak, failing to score a TD in his last two games.”
Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

“Miles Sanders has a tough matchup against a Jags defense that’s been stout against the run. The remade Jags front has been formidable so far, and Sanders still lacks that big TD upside of most other featured backs, despite his Week 1 TD. Other players in that same range have more upside and perhaps a higher floor as well, especially in PPR formats, with Sander averaging just two targets per game in 2022.”
Joe Pisapia (FantasyPros)

“I am staying away from Miles Sanders (consensus flex ranking: #40) in Week 4. The Jaguars look like they are for real, and their run defense allowed only 141 yards and zero TDs through the first three weeks. While Sanders has dominated touches in the Eagles backfield, 66% of his runs are to the inside, and he lacks the broken tackle percentage to make it through that solid defensive line. Add in Jalen Hurts‘ run prowess and a hip injury that had Sanders limited at practice Wednesday, and I’d be surprised if the RB managed a top-40 flex output this week.”
Kelly Kirby (FantasyPros)

“Miles Sanders is a fantasy option who relies upon efficiency rather than pure volume to pay off weekly. This week, the efficiency won’t be there against one of the league’s premier run defenses. The Jaguars have allowed the lowest rush success rate, second-lowest rush EPA and fifth-lowest explosive run rate. Sanders is a must-sit this week, as he’ll massively disappoint.”
Derek Brown (FantasyPros)

Dalvin Cook (RB – MIN)
“I ranked Dalvin Cook as aggressively as anyone this offseason and was excited to see him in this new offense. Unfortunately, the injury concerns that were on our minds while drafting him have already shown up. Even worse, it’s the same shoulder injury that has caused Cook to miss time in the past. He’s considered day-to-day and is expected to attempt to suit up while wearing a harness, but we’ve seen this movie before. He saw 17 touches last week against the Lions and scored a touchdown, but it seems unlikely he sees that kind of workload again this week. In addition to his injury, he has two more factors working against him: He is going up against one of the best run defenses in the league AND has a competent backup in Alexander Mattison whom the Vikings will feel comfortable rotating into the game even if Cook is able to suit up.”
Mike Maher (FantasyPros)

Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB – KC)
“Through three games, the main difference between Edwards-Helaire and the guys behind him has been efficiency. Of all running backs with 10-plus carries, he is No. 1 with 4.1 yards after contact per attempt (per our Advanced RB Stats Report). He has converted all 12 of his targets into receptions. And he has turned three of his five red zone opportunities into touchdowns. Eventually, that efficiency will regress. And when that happens, he’ll be revealed for what he is: an average lead back in a three-man committee. That revelation could happen this week against the Buccaneers, who have allowed a league-low 9.4 fantasy points per game to opposing backfields.”
Matthew Freedman (FantasyPros)

CTAs

Thanks to the experts for sharing their advice! For more of their insight, be sure to follow each pundit on Twitter (click their names above) and visit their respective sites.

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If you want to dive deeper into fantasy football, check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you navigate your season. From our Start/Sit Assistant – which provides your optimal lineup based on accurate consensus projections – to our Waiver Wire Assistant, which allows you to quickly see which available players will improve your team and how much – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.

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