Fantasy Football Start/Sit: Zach Ertz, Tyquan Thornton, Alvin Kamara

If fantasy football were easy, we’d all be 3-0 and pretending we’re masterminds who saw everything coming. Instead, most of us are staring at our benches, wondering why we started the guy with three targets instead of the one who went off for 120 yards. That’s where the Featured Pros step in. They’ve done the homework (and spared you the regret) with their Week 4 Sleepers and Duds list, so you can feel smart without actually having to be psychic.

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

Sleepers

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?

Zach Ertz (TE – WAS)

“Zach Ertz (Flex Rank: 102) is a sneaky sleeper for Week 4 with Terry McLaurin nursing a quad injury and Jayden Daniels potentially sidelined. If Marcus Mariota starts, expect Ertz to be featured on stick routes and short option concepts that suit Mariota’s timing-based rhythm. Atlanta has struggled against tight ends this season, making this a five-star matchup for the veteran. Ertz’s experience and reliability give him a strong chance to capitalize on increased volume. He’s a low-cost Flex play with touchdown upside in a game that could quietly tilt pass-heavy.”
– Lawrence Iacona (Gridiron Experts)

Tyquan Thornton (WR – KC)

“The caveat here is if Xavier Worthy misses his third straight game Sunday, Tyquan Thornton absolutely becomes an intriguing play against the Ravens. The Chiefs’ offense has been off thus far; however, Thornton has stood out. Through three weeks, all without Worthy, Thornton has played at least 70% of the snaps in all three games and has finished inside the top 30 in two of those three occasions. Kansas City will need to put up points in this game to avoid going to 1-3, and if there is no Worthy this week, the pathway to offensive success may come through Thornton.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

“Tyquan Thornton’s 76% snap share and 14% target share have led the Chiefs over the past two games. It appears Xavier Worthy may return to action this week, but only in a limited role, meaning we likely shouldn’t factor him into the equation too much (although it’s worth noting he would likely play a similar role to Thornton’s and potentially take snaps away from him). The Chiefs host the Ravens this week in a game with the third-highest over/under this week. We have seen Baltimore’s defense gashed by the Bills and Lions this year, and it is expected that the Chiefs will need to score to keep pace. Thornton is a high-variance play, but if your lineup needs some juice, his big-play ability may be able to supply it. Per PlayerProfiler, he currently leads the NFL in deep targets, aDOT, and is third in air yards. Thornton’s stats are being somewhat held down by the fact that he is also second in the league in unrealized air yards (193).”
– Charlie Sisian (The Fantasy DC)

Duds

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

Alvin Kamara (RB – NO)

“We’re not getting the sort of pass-catching abundance from Alvin Kamara we’re used to. Through three games, he has nine catches for 47 yards. Kamara has 50 rushing attempts, but he’s averaging just 3.7 yards per carry, and his touchdown odds aren’t especially great in any given week since he’s playing for the hapless Saints. This week, Kamara probably isn’t getting a very run-friendly game script with the Saints 16.5-point underdogs against the Bills in Buffalo.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)