Start 'Em & Sit 'Em is the ultimate weekly look at NFL matchups and how they'll affect your fantasy football team. Fantasy superstars such as Patrick Mahomes and Christian McCaffrey will not be featured in this column. All player matchups are based on a PPR scoring system. For your final starting lineup decisions, check my weekly fantasy football lineup rankings.
Byes:New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers
Start 'Em
Start of the Week
Rivers put up a nice stat line in last week's loss to the Texans, and his prospects look even better this week when the Chargers visit South Beach. The Dolphins have been gashed by opposing quarterbacks, allowing 10 touchdown passes and almost 30 fantasy points to the position after the first three weeks. Consider Rivers a top-10 option.
This one is low-hanging fruit, but Prescott wasn't drafted to be a weekly starter in most fantasy leagues. He should remain in most starting lineups this week, as the Cowboys visit a Saints defense that's allowed 10 total touchdowns, including four on the ground, and the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in 2019.
Ryan doesn't have a great matchup on paper, but he's a player you should be starting in home games. In fact, he's scored 19 or more fantasy points in all but two of his last nine games on his home turf, including five games with 25-plus points. The Titans also gave up almost 18 points to rookie Gardner Minshew last week.
Murray hasn't put up enormous fantasy numbers over his last two games, but he's had a decent floor (16-plus points) in the stat sheets. I'd start him in an NFC West battle against the Seahawks, who have have allowed a 100.4 passer rating and almost 18 fantasy points per game to opposing signal-callers so far this season.
Danny Dimes was worth a million bucks in fantasy currency last week, scoring four touchdowns and over 34 fantasy points in a win over the Bucs. I'd consider him a streamer and in super flex leagues in a matchup against the Redskins, who have given up a 122.2 passer rating and over 24 points a game to enemy quarterbacks.
Start 'Em:Jared Goff vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Russell Wilson at Arizona Cardinals
Sleepers:Kyle Allen at Houston Texans, Case Keenum at New York Giants
Sit 'Em
Sit of the Week
The quarterback sit of last week, Mayfield put up his third straight stinker in a loss to the Rams. Things won't get any easier for him either, as he'll face a Ravens defense that's allowed fewer than 15 fantasy points per game to visiting quarterbacks since the start of last season. Beware Baker in this important AFC North showdown.
Allen has been a popular option over the last two weeks, but I'd still fade him in a matchup against the Patriots defense. While this unit hasn't faced great competition, quarterbacks have averaged fewer than four points against them. Allen also had just 11.7 fantasy points against them in his lone rookie meeting, so limit expectations.
Listed as a start 'em last week, Winston produced three scores and over 25 fantasy points in a loss to the Giants. I wouldn't chase the points this week, though, as the Rams have held the likes of Drew Brees (pre-injury) and Baker Mayfield to stinkers in their first three games. I'd keep Winston on the sidelines this week in Hollywood.
Cousins' fantasy season to forget continued in Week 3, as he put up just 12.6 points despite a plus matchup against the Raiders. Next up is a date with the Bears, who have allowed fewer than 14 fantasy points per game to visiting quarterbacks since the start of last season. Cousins needs to be on the bench in all fantasy football leagues.
Minshew has looked good in his limited starts for the Jaguars, but an upcoming road game against the Broncos makes him a hard sell for me. Since the start of last season, quarterbacks who have visited the Mile High City have averaged fewer than 15 fantasy points per game. I'm fading the magic mustache in what looks like a tough roadie.
Sit 'Em:Mitchell Trubisky vs. Minnesota Vikings, Derek Carr at Indianapolis Colts
Busts:Tom Brady at Buffalo Bills, Marcus Mariota at Atlanta Falcons
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on **Twitter**, **Facebook**, **YouTube** and **Instagram** for all of the latest fantasy football news, notes and in-depth analysis!
