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The NFL opens Week 4 in Ohio with the Cincinnati Bengals hosting the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football. The game kicks off at 8:15 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime Video and could be a playoff preview.
The Bengals have been a bit slow out of the gate, but they’ll look to build on their win over the Jets. They face an undefeated Dolphins squad that is dealing with an injured Tua Tagovailoa, although odds seem decent he’ll make the start.
The start of Week 4 means it’s once again time to set your fantasy football lineups. Most of your decisions will not come due until Sunday, but there will be plenty of decisions to consider on Thursday. There are obvious starts that don’t require too much thinking. On the Dolphins roster, assuming Tua is active, you’ll be starting him, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle. On the Bengals roster, Joe Burrow is playing QB1 football and Joe Mixon and Ja’Marr Chase are guys you send out every week.
That leaves plenty of other decisions.
Starts
Tee Higgins, Bengals
Higgins is a guy you drafted with solid WR2 expectations and maybe fringe WR1 hopes. He currently ranks 34th among wide receivers but is bouncing back after a poor Week 1. He had six receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown in Week 2 and then five receptions for 93 yards in Week 3. Look for him to continue against a Dolphins defense that is in the bottom third for fantasy points allowed to wide receivers.
Hayden Hurst, Bengals
If you’re dealing with injury issues or are in a particularly deep league, Hurst is an intriguing value. The Dolphins defense has been among the worst in the league and ranks fifth worst in points allowed to tight ends. This is a gamble play, but there’s some TE1 upside to it.
Sits
Tyler Boyd, Bengals
He’s worth starting in deeper leagues, but for more traditional 12-team leagues, I’d recommend a little caution. He’s scored slightly more points than Higgins this season, but 20.5 of his 39.5 points came last week on a 105-yard, one touchdown performance. I wouldn’t turn my nose up at home, but look for some better options in your shallower leagues.
Mike Gesicki, Dolphins
There’s nothing to like about Gesicki right now. He’s averaging 5.6 fantasy points per game, and appears to have fallen behind Durham Smythe in the pecking order. Last week against the Bills, Smythe played 32 offensive snaps while Gesicki played only 17. Gesicki is someone to avoid at this point.