Week 4 of the NFL season kicks off with a “Thursday Night Football” matchup between a pair of AFC teams in the Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins.
If you’re not sure which players in this game are worth starting and sitting on your fantasy football team, then you’ve come to the right place.
Here’s our fantasy advice for Bengals-Dolphins.
Cincinnati Bengals
Quarterback: Andy Dalton ranks fifth in the league in passing yards with 938, but he only has two touchdowns with two interceptions. He’s not worth starting in leagues that play one quarterback per week, unless your league awards bonus points for 300-yard games.
Running Backs: Jeremy Hill is a must-start after totaling 150 yards and three touchdowns through three games. He ran for 97 yards and two touchdowns against a very good Denver Broncos defense in Week 2. Gio Bernard hasn’t been productive as a rusher, but his 16 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown as a receiver out of the backfield make him worth starting in PPR leagues.
Wide Receivers: A.J. Green obviously is a must-start. He’s one of the best receivers in the league and Dalton’s No. 1 option on just about every passing play. Green is averaging more than 10 targets and nearly 100 receiving yards per game.
Rookie wideout Tyler Boyd also is worth starting in a flex spot in deep PPR leagues.
Tight End: Tyler Eifert is officially “doubtful” for this game as he works his way back from an ankle injury. He’s obviously not worth starting.
Defense/Special Teams: Cincinnati ranks 20th in points allowed per game (20) and 15th in yards allowed per game. The Bengals also have forced four turnovers and rank tied for first with 12 sacks. They are a pretty safe start this week.
Miami Dolphins
Quarterback: Ryan Tannehill is worth a start. It’s certainly possible the Bengals are leading in the second half, which would force the Dolphins to pass often to catch up. Tannehill has tallied back-to-back 300-yard games with five touchdowns and four interceptions in that span. He’s not a horrible bye-week replacement for Aaron Rodgers or Carson Wentz.
Running Backs: Arian Foster is out with an injury, so Jay Ajayi is the only playable option here, but only in deep leagues at a flex position. He did find the endzone in Week 3, but he’s not receiving enough carries or targets to be reliable fantasy play in most leagues.
Wide Receivers: Jarvis Landry and DeVante Parker both are questionable on the injury report, but they should be started if officially active. Landry, in particular, is a must-start in that scenario. He’s averaging more than 11 targets and 100 receiving yards per game. He’s been among the most reliable fantasy receivers this season.
Tight End: Jordan Cameron isn’t a bad play in deeper leagues or as a bye-week replacement, but don’t expect too much production from him. He’s tallied just 60 yards and a touchdown in three games.
Defense/Special Teams: The Dolphins defense has allowed just over 22 points per game with four turnovers and six sacks. They certainly aren’t a must-start defense, but you could do a lot worse.
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