Week 4 Fantasy Football Picks: Start Mariota, Sit Herbert

An early Week 4 analysis recommends starting Tetairoa McMillan, Marcus Mariota and Kyle Monangai and benching Deebo Samuel, Ollie Gordon and Justin Herbert.

Fantasy football managers are turning their attention to Week 4 of the NFL season after an unpredictable Week 3. An early start-sit analysis, published before the week's Monday night game, recommends three players to start and three to bench for the slate ahead.

Week 3 produced several results few saw coming. The Washington Commanders, previously 0-2, upset the defending champion Seattle Seahawks with backup quarterback Marcus Mariota leading the way. The Houston Texans dropped to 0-3 with a loss to the Indianapolis Colts, and the Cleveland Browns extended their winning streak to two games by beating the Carolina Panthers.

The week also delivered surprise fantasy performances. Rookie New York Jets tight end Kenyon Sadiq caught seven passes for 105 yards and a touchdown, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden finished with five receptions for 110 yards and a score, and Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns.

The first recommended start is Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. He managed only two catches for 17 yards in the Week 3 loss to Cleveland, but wideout Jalen Coker left that game with a quad injury and figures to be limited at best when Detroit visits in Week 4. With the Lions secondary rated as a favorable matchup all season, the analysis projects more than 10 targets for McMillan.

Washington's Marcus Mariota is the recommended quarterback start. He threw for 183 yards and three touchdowns in the upset of Seattle, whose defense the analysis described as possibly the NFL's best. A Week 4 matchup with a far weaker Colts defense makes Mariota an option for managers dealing with injuries at the position or losing patience with Justin Herbert.

Chicago Bears running back Kyle Monangai completes the starts, with a caveat: Chicago had yet to play its Week 3 game, set for Monday night. With quarterback Caleb Williams expected to miss several games, the analysis anticipates a run-heavy approach. D'Andre Swift remains the lead back, and Monangai is also worth starting against a Jets defense that just gave up 99 rushing yards, seven catches for 65 yards and three total touchdowns to Detroit's Jahmyr Gibbs.

The bench calls begin with San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Injuries to Ricky Pearsall, De'Zhaun Stribling and Mike Evans could leave Samuel and tight end George Kittle carrying the passing game, but the analysis finds that setup unappealing against Denver, even if Samuel plays extensively.

Miami Dolphins second-year running back Ollie Gordon is expected to draw heavy waiver-wire interest after De'Von Achane left Week 3 with a knee injury that could keep him out for an extended stretch. Gordon could have the backfield to himself if Achane and Jaylen Wright both sit in Week 4, but with Miami facing Minnesota on Sunday and projected for a low-scoring game, the advice is to add him and hold him out of Week 4 lineups.

The final sit is Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. He posted 226 yards, one touchdown and an interception in a loss to Buffalo despite the Chargers defense forcing five turnovers. The analysis calls Herbert physically talented and notes that new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is highly regarded, but it sees no turnaround in Week 4 at Seattle and advises managers to line up a different quarterback.