Fantasy Football Week 4: Starts, Sits For Bears Vs. Packers ‘Thursday Night Football’
With a polarizing Week 3 still fresh in everyone’s minds, the NFL is back with another edition of “Thursday Night Football.”
Week 4 gets underway Thursday night when the Chicago Bears visit the Green Bay Packers in a matchup of longtime NFC North rivals. Unlike most “TNF” games, this one presents plenty of intrigue for casual fans and fantasy diehards alike.
Whether you’re playing a daily fantasy sports contest or making a last-minute roster move in your season-long league, here’s who we think you should start and sit Thursday night.
START
Ty Montgomery, RB, Packers. The wide receiver-turned running back hasn’t provided huge production thus far, but remains a fantasy must-start based on volume alone. Montgomery leads NFL running backs in overall snaps with 204 and is on the field for 68 percent of all Packers plays. He has just 124 rushing yards and 129 receiving yards on the season, but his three total touchdowns have made him a reliable fantasy starter. We expect Montgomery to put up good numbers in front of the Lambeau Field crowd.
Martellus Bennett, TE, Packers. In what’s been a down year for fantasy tight ends, Bennett stands out as one of the biggest disappointments. Through three games, he has 11 catches for 102 yards with no touchdowns. However, we think Bennett’s growing chemistry with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, as well as the Bears’ vulnerability against opposing tight ends, makes him a worthy fantasy start. Chicago has given up the second-most yards to tight ends this season, having surrendered 194 yards through three games.
Jordan Howard, RB, Bears. Some Howard owners might be hesitant to start the Bears running back, given how much his shoulder was bothering him in Week 3 and the daunting task of facing the Packers at Lambeau. Yet Howard was a stud last week even with his sore shoulder, and he’s still the focal point of the Bears’ offense. Fellow back Tarik Cohen will get his touches, but Howard remains a must-start, given how much of a factor he is in both the passing game and the running game.
SIT
Mike Glennon, QB, Bears. Fantasy owners should avoid starting Glennon at all costs. The fifth-year QB hasn’t played well, and also doesn’t have anyone to throw to. Sure, the score could dictate more volume in the passing game and lead to some garbage-time points, but the Bears are a true run-first team. If you’re looking for a waiver-wire fill-in at QB, there are far better options.
Randall Cobb, WR, Packers. Cobb has bounced back well after a disappointing 2016 season: In two games of action, he has 15 catches for 145 yards receiving. But the Packers wideout missed Week 3 with a chest injury and likely won’t be 100 percent for this game. He hasn’t responded well to injury in the past, either, and it’s simply too tough to predict where Rodgers will direct his targets on a game-to-game basis. Leave Cobb on your bench this week.
Bears Wide Receivers. Kendall Wright? Nope. Deonte Thompson? Not a chance. Josh Bellamy? You get the idea. With both Cameron Meredith and Kevin White done for the year, the Bears’ passing attack is centered on their running backs, rather than receivers. We can’t recommend any of Chicago’s pass-catchers for fantasy purposes.
Click for our must-start fantasy defenses in Week 4 >>
Thumbnail photo via Mike DiNovo/USA TODAY Sports Images
