Dillon Brooks is a good choice to start, with four games in Week 4.
We have a busy Week 4 ahead, with the bulk of teams on four-game weeks and no two-game schedules on tap following a Week 3 that saw an unusually high three teams with such light dockets.Each week, we’ll aim to highlight a pair of start candidates for your fantasy rosters — usually from teams with four games — that may shape up as some of the tougher calls of the week to make, with the focus usually being on players with a start rate (when available) or roster rate of 50% or less in Yahoo leagues.
Similarly, we’ll also highlight one ‘sit’ candidate per position that you wouldn’t normally consider for a spot on your bench. The emphasis here is usually on players who have fewer game opportunities in the upcoming week.
TEAMS WITH FOUR GAMES: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards
TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES: Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs
Let’s dive right in and look at some of the more challenging decisions on who to start or sit for Week 4:
Guards
Start: De’Anthony Melton, 76ers
43% start rate
Reports suggest that James Harden could be out for a month due to a foot injury. This situation has made Melton a sought-after replacement for the two-guard position. The young pro was already on the rise, averaging 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and an impressive 2.4 steals in each game over 25 minutes, in the five matches prior to Harden’s injury. In Philly’s first game without Harden, against the Knicks, Melton contributed 12 points, nine assists, five rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, despite a poor shooting performance (4-18 FG). These struggles seem to be an exception, given that Melton entered the game with a shooting score of 51.7%, including 40.7% from the 3-point range.
Start: Dillon Brooks, Grizzlies
45% start rate
After a slow start to the season due to a thigh injury, Brooks is now in full swing. The experienced forward has averaged 18.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 steals in his last five games, shooting 47.8% overall and an impressive 51.9% from the 3-point line. Even though he shares court time with star players Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, Brooks has established himself as the third key player, averaging nearly 14 shots per game. This trend is likely to continue given his past performance. With a four-game week ahead, Brooks has ample opportunity to maintain his strong offensive contributions, making him a solid choice for a starting position.
Sit: Klay Thompson, Warriors
64% start rate
The Warriors are in a funk as their three-game week begins, and with a return home, they naturally can snap out of it in short order. However, Thompson is already the least reliable fantasy producer between him, Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins. Thompson will have only three opportunities to take the floor this week, and there’s a chance a shooting slump can derail at least one of those outings. As a result, Thompson is a candidate for a one-week benching in your lineup.
Forwards
Start: De’Andre Hunter, Hawks
31% start rate
This season, Hunter has increased his offensive play to unprecedented levels, recording a career-high average of 12.4 shots per game and a career-best 42% shooting rate from three-point range. The fourth-year forward is averaging 14.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in just under 30 minutes per game, and has scored in double figures in all nine games played so far. Despite Atlanta’s offense primarily revolving around its star backcourt, Hunter’s scoring contribution is crucial, especially with Bogdan Bogdanovic sidelined due to a knee injury. With Trae Young also potentially missing Monday’s game due to a shin injury, Hunter may have the opportunity to play a more significant offensive role at the start of the week.
Start: Santi Aldama, Grizzlies
30% start rate
Aldama continues to cover the power forward position for the Grizzlies, as Jaren Jackson (foot) is still not prepared to make his seasonal debut. The second-year player is taking full advantage of his current role, averaging 9.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist, and 1.2 blocks in 28.3 minutes per game. Aldama also isn’t shy about attempting 3-point shots, averaging 3.7 per game, although he’s only successful 27% of the time. However, as he continues to spend more time on the court, this percentage could naturally increase. Meanwhile, a four-game week provides him with ample opportunity to improve your rebound and block statistics.
Sit: Mikal Bridges, Suns
81% start rate
Bridges’ status as a reliable player in both the real-world and fantasy is undeniable, but his potential output could be replaced during his three-game week. Additionally, this fifth-year wing player has shown a decrease in his offensive contributions, taking only an average of 9.2 shots per game, compared to his career-high average of 10.5 last season. Bridges enters his three-game week following two subdued performances, averaging only 11.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.0 steals, with a shooting average of 43.8% in his last two games. Despite his valuable contributions to defensive categories and 3-point shooting, if a better four-game option is available, it might be worth considering benching him.
Centers
Start: Isaiah Hartenstein, Knicks
47% start rate
Mitchell Robinson’s knee injury is likely to keep him out for at least a week, creating four starting opportunities at center for Hartenstein as the Knicks face a busy schedule. This includes favorable matchups against the Pistons and Thunder. In his first start against the Celtics on Saturday, Hartenstein performed well, achieving a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds, along with an assist and a block. Prior to this, his average as a bench player was 8.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.0 steal in 24.5 minutes per game. With the increase in playing time, Hartenstein is expected to have a productive week overall.
Start: Precious Achiuwa, Raptors
42% roster rate
This week, Chris Boucher will be a popular choice due to Pascal Siakam’s (groin) absence. However, Achiuwa, with his true center profile, is expected to gain significantly from Siakam’s absence as well. The third-year player has already scored in double digits six times in his first 10 games, averaging 21.8 minutes per game from the bench. Although he encountered foul trouble during Siakam’s initial absence against the Bulls on Sunday, he still managed to score five points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal, and a block in only 14 minutes. Achiuwa has effectively stayed away from the referee’s whistle this season, so he is expected to have ample playing time during Toronto’s four-game week and potentially provide rewards across multiple categories.
Sit: Myles Turner, Pacers
77% start rate
Turner’s performance has been inconsistent since his belated season start, with the experienced player alternating between low single-digit scores and impressive 16- and 27-point games. He has been reliable in terms of rebounds (with an average of 7.0 per game) and exceptional in blocks (averaging 3.5 per game). However, he only has three opportunities to play this week, and has already missed one game due to ankle injury management. If you’re desperate for blocks, Turner could still be a viable choice. However, the potential for a few poor offensive performances or another absence might be a risk you’d prefer to avoid, especially if you have more reliable four-game options.
