Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Quarterbacks Fantasy Football Week 4: Welcome Back to Fantasy Relevancy, Aaron Rodgers

Plus matchup should lead to best game of the season for the future Hall of Famer.

Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Josh Allen, Jonathan Taylor or Cooper Kupp. Instead, I'll look at the players you have questions about who could exceed or fail to meet expectations at each position. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the NFL season.

Fabs Top 10 Quarterbacks

1. Josh Allen at Ravens
2. Lamar Jackson vs. Bills
3. Jalen Hurts vs. Jaguars
4. Patrick Mahomes at Buccaneers
5. Justin Herbert at Texans
6. Joe Burrow vs. Dolphins (TNF)
7. Kyler Murray at Panthers
8. Aaron Rodgers vs. Patriots
9. Russell Wilson at Raiders
10. Tom Brady vs. Chiefs

Complete positional rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | FLEX | K | DST

Week 4 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS & TEAM DEFENSES

Week 4 Start ‘Em: Quarterbacks

Start of the Week

Aaron Rodgers vs. Patriots (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Rodgers has not been great so far this season, averaging a mere 12.1 fantasy points in his first three games. The good news is that he seems to have found a new favorite wideout in rookie Romeo Doubs and this week's matchup against the Patriots is favorable. Their defense has allowed six touchdown passes and an average of over 21 points to quarterbacks.

SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Rodgers over 1.5 TD passes (-150)

Start ‘Em

Kirk Cousins at Saints (London, 9:30 a.m. ET, NFL Network): Cousins put up 18.3 fantasy points in last week's win over the Lions, and he's now scored over 18 points in both of his non-Monday night games this season. He's a borderline QB1 this week, as he'll face a Saints defense that he's dominated. In fact, Cousins has thrown for 12 touchdowns and averaged 24.8 points in their four career meetings.

Russell Wilson at Raiders (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Wilson has been a huge dud in fantasy after three weeks, scoring a combined 20.2 points in his last two games. I still see him as a low-end No. 1 fantasy quarterback this week though, as he’ll face a Raiders defense that’s allowed at least 18.8 fantasy points to each of its first three opposing quarterbacks. That includes Ryan Tannehill from just last week.

SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Wilson over 239.5 passing yards (-125)

Jared Goff vs. Seahawks (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Goff is coming off his worst stat line of the season, but I'd still ride with him against the Seahawks. Their defense has given up an average of more than 17 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season, including matchups against lesser fantasy players such as Jimmy Garoppolo and Marcus Mariota. Consider Goff a nice streaming option this week.

Marcus Mariota vs. Browns (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Mariota is a decent streaming option for those fantasy fans who might have lost Dak Prescott or Trey Lance, or maybe they don't trust their current starter. SI Sportsbook has an O/U of 47.5, so this could be a higher scoring game than some might project. The Browns have also already given up nice stat lines to Baker Mayfield and Joe Flacco this season.

More Starts

• Justin Herbert at Texans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
• Tom Brady vs. Chiefs (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
• Geno Smith at Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox)

DFS Bargains

• Jared Goff vs. Seahawks ($5,900)
  
• Jacoby Brissett at Falcons ($5,500)
• Geno Smith at Lions ($5,400)

Week 4 Sit ‘Em: Quarterbacks

Sit of the Week

Matthew Stafford at 49ers (Mon. 8:20 p.m. ET, ESPN): Stafford is coming off a stinker against the Cardinals, failing to throw for a single touchdown. That hadn't happened in his previous 27 games dating back to 2020. This week he faces the 49ers, who have allowed the second-fewest points to quarterbacks this season. Stafford scored just 9.8 points in his last road game against the Niners.

SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Stafford under 261.5 passing yards (-125)

Sit ‘Em

Trevor Lawrence at Eagles (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Lawrence has looked good in his first three games, including last week’s three-touchdown performance against the Chargers. I can’t rank him in the top 12 among quarterbacks this week though, as he faces an Eagles defense that’s allowed an average of just 11 points a game to the position this season. Lawrence is a super flex option, but the matchup is tough.

Derek Carr vs. Broncos (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS): Carr put up a nice stat line in a loss to the Titans, but I'd beware this week's game against the Broncos. Their defense has been tough on quarterbacks, allowing fewer than 12 points per game. Carr has also struggled against them at home, averaging just over 10 points in his last three meetings. Carr should be benched in most traditional, non-super flex leagues.

SI Sportsbook Player Prop: Carr under 269.5 passing yards (-120)

Carson Wentz at Cowboys (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Wentz is coming off a serious stink bomb, scoring 8.6 fantasy points in a loss to the Eagles. He had scored over 27 points in his previous two games. He’s a mere super flex option this week though, as he’ll face a formidable Cowboys defense that’s held both Tom Brady and Joe Burrow to fewer than 17 fantasy points on their home field so far this season.

Ryan Tannehill at Colts (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Tannehill has alternated good and bad stat lines this year, and his 19.3 points against the Giants last week was a season-best. I'd beware him this week though, as he'll face a tough Colts defense that just allowed fewer than 18 fantasy points to Patrick Mahomes on their home field. If you decide to start Tannehill, it should only be in multi-quarterback leagues.

More Sits

• Justin Fields at Giants (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
• Jimmy Garoppolo vs. Rams (Mon. 8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN)
• Daniel Jones vs. Bears (1 p.m. ET, Fox)

DFS Fades

• Carson Wentz at Cowboys ($6,000)
• Derek Carr vs. Broncos ($5,800)
• Trevor Lawrence at Eagles ($5,700)

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Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business to help you win a fantasy championship!