NBA Fantasy: Week 4 Start/Seat Guide

Veteran big man John Collins is a safe Week 4 Start candidate.

We have a more balanced schedule in Week 4, but there are still more teams with four games on the schedule than teams with three or two. And injuries to some of the league’s biggest stars have hit hard across the league (we have several Pelicans players in our suggestions this week).

Each week we aim to highlight a few Starting candidates for your fantasy rosters, which could be some of the tougher picks to make, with a focus usually on players with a 50% or less starting or roster percentage in Yahoo- competitions. We also normally target players with four game weeks in an effort to maximize production opportunities.

Similarly, we will highlight one Sit candidate in each position that would not normally be a consideration for a bench spot, often focusing on players with fewer opportunities to play in the coming week.

FOUR-GAME TEAMS: Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz , Washington Wizards

THREE-GAME TEAMS: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors

TWO-GAME TEAMS: Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors

Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the tougher starting/sitting decisions for Week 4:

Guards

Start: Jose AlvaradoPelicans

Roster percentage of 39%

C.J. McCollum He is still expected to be out all of Week 4 due to his right adductor strain, meaning the tireless Alvarado will have to make another four starts. The fourth-year pro has provided solid production during what has now been a six-game stint with the first unit, averaging 17.2 points (on 44.7% 3-point shooting), 5.7 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 33.3 minutes per game. . Alvarado’s efficiency from beyond the arc could be improved, but it’s hard to quibble with his overall contributions and he should have plenty of opportunity to showcase his varied skill set again this week.

Start: Keyonte GeorgeJazz

10% starting fee

George is one of two dynamic guards – the Wizards’ Carlton Carrington Listed below are the others – who have promising prospects for the week ahead, but are currently dealing with injuries that need to be monitored. George’s ailment is a sore foot that kept him out of Saturday’s game against the Spurs, but with Utah off until Tuesday he should have a good chance of returning for that game. The second-year guard has put up promising production despite shooting woes early this season, posting 15.6 points, 6.4 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game while averaging 31.8 minutes per game. Assuming he’s free on Tuesday, he’ll be worth starting during a four-game week.

ALSO CONSIDER: Carlton Carrington, Wizards (25% roster rate), Miles McBrideKnicks (13% roster rate)

To sit: D’Angelo RussellLakers

Start rate of 71%

Russell was recently demoted to the second unit, and unsurprisingly he played well in his first two games off the bench, while at times facing a lower caliber of opponent and enjoying slightly more usage than in the Anthony Davis–Le Bron James-centric start five. While Russell averaged 16.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 26 minutes per game in the second unit’s first two games, there’s always a chance his playing time might dip a bit on certain nights. As a result, he likely won’t generate the kind of production on a three-game schedule that can’t be surpassed by an equally talented three- or four-game starter.

Forward

Start: Tari EasonMissiles

Start rate of 34%

Eason is enjoying a career-best season on the offensive end early on, averaging a career-high 11.8 points on 55.2% shooting, including 41.4% from 3-point range. The third-year forward is playing a consistent role in the second unit, currently logging 22.2 minutes per game, and he enters Week 4 having scored in double figures in five of his previous six games. Eason also contributes 5.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and a career-best 1.8 steals per game, underscoring how valuable he could be to your roster despite his bench role.

Start: Caris LeVertCavaliers

Roster percentage of 34%

LeVert is always an interesting consideration when he has a four-game schedule, and he has started the season with the most efficient shooting of his long NBA tenure. LeVert is draining 57.5% of his 8.1 shot attempts per game for his career, including 46.9% of his 3.6 3-point attempts per game. The veteran wing is averaging 23.3 minutes off the bench in his second-unit role, and he enters Week 4 having scored in double figures in four of his last five games, while posting 28 and 31 in two of those games minutes noted.

ALSO CONSIDER: Brandon Boston Jr.Pelicans (31% roster rate)

To sit: Draymond GreenWarriors

Start rate of 71%

Green happens to be on one of two teams this week saddled with a light two-game schedule, one of the main reasons for his inclusion in this spot. The veteran is providing his usual production across the stat sheet so far, but now Stefan Curry is healthy again, Groen’s offensive involvement has decreased as expected. Green has scored in each of his last three games on three consecutive double-digit scoring attempts, and despite what he can contribute in other categories, he is certainly worthy of a place on the bench with only two chances to take the floor.

Centers

Start: Jeremiah Robinson-EarlPelicans

5% roster rate

There aren’t many viable center options this week with low starting or roster percentages who also happen to have a full schedule, but the Pelicans’ injury-plagued roster offers Robinson-Earl as a potentially productive streaming option. The veteran big man has started evenly in two of his last three games and has averaged 12.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals over 33 minutes per game in those contests. Of Zion Williamson (hamstring) ruled out indefinitely, Robinson-Earl could expect another four-game run with the first unit this week.

Start: John CollinsJazz

Starting rate of 28%

Collins’ modest starting percentage is surprising considering he has continued to offer starter-level production off the bench. The veteran big man enters Week 4 with averages of 16.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals in 26.3 minutes per game over his last six games, a stretch in which he also totaled 54.8% scored. Collins is capable of stretching the floor at times — he shot an acceptable 35.7% from three-point range during that same span — and he has as safe a second-unit role as any player in the league.

To sit: Brook LopezBucks

Start rate of 71%

The Bucks have one more game than the minimum two this week, but Lopez’s recent body of work warrants consideration for a spot on your bench. The veteran has scored single digits in four of his last five games, including three in a row, a stretch that also includes a forgettable one-point performance against the Jazz three games ago. Lopez doesn’t exactly fare well elsewhere either, as he averaged 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in that same sample. His 1.0 steals and 2.1 blocks per game on the season are valuable to an extent, but it’s likely you can find a more reliable center option with three or four games under his belt.