Streaming quarterbacks has never seemed so easy. As long as you pick the right ones.
Three of the top-five fantasy quarterbacks in week 3 were Jacoby Brissett, Case Kennum and Blake Bortles. Who didn’t know those guys were going to go off?
Can those quarterbacks have equal success in week 4? Signs are pointing to no for most of them, but I wouldn’t mind backing at least one of those guys in the upcoming week.
Here’s the week 4 quarterbacks start ’em, sit ’em guide in fantasy football.
Start
Blake Bortles vs. New York Jets
Bortles came alive in week 3 against a Baltimore defense that didn’t seem to be able to adjust to the London start time.
He threw four touchdowns and despite being a person just handing off the ball in the second half, still threw for 244 yards. It was by far his best game of the season.
But that’s not entirely why I’m backing him this week.
Remember when we all believed the Jets were a disaster? And then they beat the Dolphins and now we believe New York isn’t that bad?
Not so fast.
The Jets still allowed Derek Carr to carve them up in week 2. And Bortles is probably the second-best passer this defense has seen, with Tyrod Taylor and Jay Cutler coming in behind him.
The Jets don’t do a ton in creating havoc in the backfield and I worry about New York’s ability to actually move the ball against the Jaguars improving defense. Jacksonville should have several opportunities at short fields, making Bortles have more chances at touchdown passes.
The Jets are inferior to the Jaguars. That should help Bortles have success again in week 4.
Philip Rivers vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Gone are the days that Rivers is just a plug and play option. He needs the right matchup and this week fits the bill.
The Eagles have been inconsistent at best against the pass. They’re allowing 266 yards per game through the air and allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete almost 70 percent of passes against them.
That should help Rivers bounce back after a dreadful start in week 3. Rivers has the weapons around him this year with a healthy Keenan Allen and a better running game. Even the offensive line seems to be improved from years past.
If Rivers can focus on delivering short passes and taking some pressure off the offensive line, he should be a solid weapon to deploy in week 4.
Trevor Siemian vs. Oakland Raiders
Remember when we had some concerns about Oakland’s defense?
That came back in a big way in week 3. The Raiders have a tough early schedule, opening in the East Coast, going back home in week 2, and then having back-to-back road games in different time zones.
That’s tough on teams and when tough times come, we see the weaknesses shine through even more than normal.
The Raiders are having a tough time consistently rushing the passer and they’re not creating turnovers. Teams are averaging big chunk plays against them, too, with Oakland allowing 8.3 yards per pass play, ranking fifth from the bottom in that category.
Siemian isn’t a consistent fantasy starter, but he’s easily a solid spot starter. He was bad in his first road start of the season, but he’s thrown six touchdowns against two interceptions at home this season. I’ll take Siemian at home against this defense.
Sit
Jacoby Brissett vs. Seattle Seahawks
I have grave concerns about this Seahawks team, but it’s not enough to believe Brissett will be a top-five option once again in week 4.
Brissett is a decent option for the Colts, but going on the road against a team that still ranks in the top-10 against the pass is too much to ask.
He has weapons around him and as long as he can stay upright, he may actually have some value down the road. But Seattle still limits opposing quarterbacks to a QBR of 81, making me believe it will be difficult for Brissett to avoid some turnovers and move the ball consistently.
Keep Brissett on your radar for future action, but sit him this week.
Eli Manning vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I’m not dismissing Manning’s problems from earlier this year just to back him after a good second-half performance in week 3.
Manning was still awful to begin the game in week 3, much like he was in the first two weeks. Having a healthy Odell Beckham Jr. helps, but I don’t like taking Manning in back-to-back road contests against a team that shut down the opposition at home in week 2.
It’s tempting to hop off the Buccaneers bandwagon after the week 3 performance against Case Keenum, but I’ll give them a pass. This defense showed last year it was still one of the best in the league, so I won’t let one bad outing cloud my judgment.
Manning is a turnover machine and I just can’t envision this offense moving the ball at a consistent rate against a better Tampa Bay team.
Tyrod Taylor vs. Atlanta Falcons
This game jumps off the paper as a mismatch.
The Bills have to run the football to achieve success and the Falcons have been a top-10 defense against the run so far this season. The Falcons also can rush the passer at an efficient rate, meaning Taylor won’t have much time to make a decision in the passing game.
The last time we saw Taylor on the road, he was going for 125 yards of passing. I expect similar production in this game.
Even if you believe some garbage time points are available in this game, I wouldn’t bank on hit. Taylor isn’t really the best in garbage time because he lacks the ability to be a volume passer. The Falcons should run away with this game, marginalizing Taylor’s impact.
