Week Four Automatics/Don’t Do Its
Week Four Automatics/Don’t Do Its
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Week four is set to begin tonight with the 49ers and Rams. Remember the Panthers and Packers are on byes this week. If you’re not inserting a 49er or Ram into your fantasy lineup that takes away four teams of potential fantasy starters. You need to rely on your role players to get wins each week. Here are some automatics and don’t do its for week four.
Bye Week Teams: Carolina and Green Bay
Automatics
Brian Hoyer
Even though Hoyer threw three picks against the Vikings he did not let it rattle him. He’ll learn from those mistakes. This week is a huge test for Hoyer to remain a starter. Cleveland will need to mix in more run plays at home to keep the Bengals offense from seeing the field. Cincinnati’s defense is getting a lot of hype but is susceptible to the big play. They’ve faced the Steelers, Packers, and Bears and what keyed two of those wins were turnovers. Neither of those teams had the threat at tight end that the Browns do. Look for Hoyer to continue hitting Jordan Cameron which will open up one on one pass plays down the field to Josh Gordon.
Stevan Ridley
Ridley has been in a three week fantasy jailhouse. He’ll break through the bars this weekend in Atlanta. The last thing New England wants to do is stir up Matt Ryan and Atlanta on their home field. Matty Ice is one of the best fantasy quarterbacks on his home turf. In order to slow things down New England will depend on Ridley to sustain the ground attack. Expect this to be the first major contributing week for Ridley.
Darren McFadden
McFadden seems to be benefitting from having Terrelle Pryor as his quarterback. Pryor has not been declared out or available yet. Even if it ends up being Matt Flynn, McFadden is setup for one of his best matchups of the season. If Pryor plays you can easily expect McFadden to rush over 100 yards. We saw how the Redskins defense handled a running quarterback with Mike Vick. Pryor does it more and the Raiders will assuredly have a high amount of carries planned for McFadden.
Vernon Davis
St. Louis has had their struggles with their pass defense and may find themselves exposed tonight against San Francisco. Davis is the 49ers best option out of the backfield currently. Look for the 49ers to setup some different routes like the Saints do with Jimmy Graham to get the passing attack back in gear. St. Louis did a nice job at home against their divisional opponents last season. Not this time on a Thursday night and the 49ers off of two losses.
Reggie Wayne
If you’re looking for a player that ignites against a certain opponent it’s Reggie Wayne against Jacksonville. His stats over the last eight years against the Jags are mind boggling. Besides a one game hiccup in 2011, Wayne has tore apart the Jaguars for an obscene amount of yards and touchdowns. Wayne has been quiet in the stat department to start the season and is due too.
Torrey Smith
Geno Smith beat the Bills with big plays down the field to Santonio Holmes and Stephen Hill. Since their defeat to Denver the Ravens defense has been terrific. Allowing just six points to the Browns, and nine to the Texans. With how poor Buffalo has been against the run this is going to be the same recipe repeated by Joe Flacco and Torrey Smith.
Antonio Brown
Once Big Ben is dialed in with a player it doesn’t stop. Brown exploded against the Bears and gets an even better secondary to tear apart Sunday. Brown should once again rank as one of the top fantasy receivers for this week. Even with travel factored in by playing a game in Europe.
Others: Rod Streater, Reuben Randle, Joique Bell, and Brian Hartline
Don’t Do Its
Jay Cutler
Inside the division the Bears have not been a strong hold. That’s one of the reasons why they’ve had roller coaster seasons the past few years. Detroit has been one of the teams that has had Cutler’s number, especially in Detroit. A lot of that had to do with the front seven pressure constantly in his face. The offensive line has been better to start this season. But I don’t trust Jay on the road in Detroit to be a viable fantasy option.
Andy Dalton
The Browns defense feels they have the best defense in the division not the Bengals. They’ll get their chance to show their value at home against Dalton. I have not been overly impressed with Dalton. He has got the job done when needed but has thrown a lot of inaccurate balls to start the season. He’ll see constant pressure from Cleveland Sunday and that should lead to a poor overall day. Dalton will finish the week outside the top twenty fantasy quarterbacks.
DeSean Jackson
Jackson teased fantasy owners with a couple of big games to start the year. Averages are averages. Jackson has never flourished as a mega yardage receiver or touchdown reception guy. He fizzles as the season goes on for some reason or other. Look for Jackson to have a rough stretch over the next few games.
Alfred Morris
Call it a sophomore slump. Morris is in it and feeling the sophomore blues. Traveling to Oakland is not going to rectify Morris’s struggles. Offensively the Redskins need to figure out their identity. It appears they’re gearing to the look of having RG3 be a pocket passer and dropping back 40 plus times. The run has not setup the passing attack yet, and won’t Sunday in Oakland.
Bilal Powell
Powell found running lanes not an issue against the Bills, they’ll be harder to come by against the Titans. Powell is still a quality back to have based on the Jets offensive line. There will be games though where rookie quarterback Geno Smith struggles and it leads to a halt entirely for the offense. Depending on the backs you have, you should be in a decent spot to bypass Powell in favor of others this week.
Donnie Avery
Avery was a hot commodity amongst waiver wire pickups. Facing the Giants would seem to deem itself as a possible start for Avery. I’m never big on an offense that is not going to score much. That is what Kansas City represents. Avery will dot the fantasy spectrum on occasion, but with huge gaps of irregularity. I’d sit him this week.
Terrance Williams
With Miles Austin dinged up, Williams is next in line to see formidable action. I don’t think the rookie is ready to be an impact player in the Cowboys offense. Against the Giants we saw an interception down in the end zone that was clear miscommunication between Romo and Williams. Romo will be fine Sunday, but he’ll lean heavily on Jason Witten and Dez Bryant.
Others: Daryl Richardson, Russ Wilson, and Larry Fitzgerald
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