NFL Fantasy 2026 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Defenses for Week 4
As always, Start 'Em, Sit 'Em is geared toward helping fantasy managers make difficult roster decisions. You won’t see “start Jahmyr Gibbs” here. Instead, I'm exploring the players closer to the perceived fringe and aiming to optimize your lineup for a win each week. Importantly, the new “Start of the Week” and “Sit of the Week” are the calls I have deemed the most notable in each category, not necessarily the most essential players to start or sit.
Also, you’ll see quite a few references in this year’s column to NFL Pro, spotlighting insights provided through Next Gen Stats data dashboards, matchup evaluations, All-22 film and the uniquely trained Fantasy AI Assistant. You can get access to all of those tools yourself with an NFL+ Premium subscription!
P.S. Feel free to follow me on X (@MattOkada) or Instagram (@mattokadaNFL) and hit me with your questions, congratulations or complaints throughout the year.
Start 'Em
Start of the Week
The Vikings face a Dolphins offense that offers the fourth-softest matchup for fantasy defenses through three weeks. Minnesota's top-ranked fantasy defense has 14 sacks and a 46.7% pressure rate, both league-high marks. Malik Willis has recorded two INTs and two fumbles through three games. Miami has an 8.3% sack rate allowed and has yet to score more than 13 points in a game. The Fins also just lost De’Von Achane for the season. This is the easiest play of the week.
Notable starts
Drake Maye has one touchdown pass and seven turnovers through three games, and the Patriots' offense is averaging just 12 points per game, tied for dead last with Miami. Nothing is running smoothly for New England. Greg Rousseau and Co. should capitalize at home.
Pittsburgh is the third-best fantasy defense through three weeks, averaging 10.3 fantasy points per game with six total takeaways. Meanwhile, Cleveland’s offense has the third-highest sack rate allowed in the league (9.8%).
This is projected to be a low-scoring divisional bout. While the Browns' defense has been tough in real life over the last two weeks, it hasn’t been excellent for fantasy. BUT, Aaron Rodgers has taken eight sacks and has two picks and two fumbles.
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Sit 'Em
Sit of the Week
The highly drafted Eagles defense hasn’t scored more than five fantasy points in any game this season and logged negative points against Case Keenum's Bears on Monday night. That unit is tied for 26th among D/STs, has the league’s fifth-lowest sack rate and would be an iffy start in an average matchup. The Rams are not an average matchup after dropping 54 points over the last two games without Puka Nacua. Even if Matthew Stafford throws another pick (he already has four), Philly’s defense has not shown enough to be trusted in starting lineups.
Notable sits
The Broncos have recorded nine fantasy points in back-to-back games against good offenses, but the Niners have been much better than good. The Rams, Dolphins and Cardinals have combined for negative seven fantasy points against San Francisco. Bench Denver for one week.
While the Patriots' defense scored 27 fantasy points through the first two weeks, it posted zero against the Jags. Facing Josh Allen on the heels of that dud isn't ideal. I believe last week's turnover fest was an aberration for Buffalo, which is averaging a league-high 33.7 points per game.
The Panthers D/ST has scored 30 fantasy points over the last two weeks and might look tempting as a Week 4 play, but the Lions' offense has turned the ball over once in 2026 and is averaging 31 points per game.