If you’re reading my fantasy start/sit column, and for whatever reason actually read these intros I put together for them, chances are you’re pretty invested in fantasy football. So this week’s gimmick: do start/sit decisions even exist?
Here’s a real situation I’m in with my main league: Cam Skattebo or Emanuel Wilson for my flex spot? My team is quite good and has excellent depth even though I’ve managed to start the season 1-3 (which we’re not going to talk about), and that’s a pretty good problem to have. Skattebo and Wilson are right next to each other in the ESPN projections, both sitting around 13.5 PPR points. So how on earth do I decide?
Do I, in my infinite professional wisdom, parse the many parameters and know exactly that Wilson’s goal line usage makes him better than Skattebo’s awkward position with a backup QB that just wants to chuck it downfield? Do I have a conceptual or analytical framework that makes one obviously better than the other? Or are we just asking questions that don’t actually exist?
There are no “answers” to start/sit questions, since the coach doesn’t know how the game will go, the quarterback doesn’t know who he’ll throw to and the running back doesn’t know how the holes will set up. Sports are exciting because we cannot predict the outcomes of games, let alone predict the individual statistical performances that will make up those games. The following blurbs are just my best guess at what you should do, since fantasy football — for all the philosophical, mathematical and socio-cultural dimensions we give it — is really just gambling with way better PR. Onto the blurbs!
Start: QB Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Daniels missed Weeks 3 and 4 with what initially looked like a rather gruesome elbow injury, but we appear to be #BackLikeWeNeverLeft. Daniels is apparently “full go” for Week 5, and so Daniels should be full go in your lineup with quarterback options weirdly limited already; both Bryce Young and Patrick Mahomes are on bye, Lamar Jackson’s status remains uncertain as of Thursday morning and a couple of guys drafted to be your starter, Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert, are pretty much unplayable until further notice. More on Hurts below.
It’s very hard to project quarterback performance since it can be so game script dependent; oh, the backup running back scored three touchdowns? Welp, there goes half your QB’s points. But Daniels is always going have the kind of rushing volume necessary to patch up otherwise shoddy performances. Especially against the Giants defense, which is terrible despite what feels like a decade of first-round picks on that side.
Start: TE T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
We are so back with T.J. Hockenson, who was slaying in Week 4 like he just got an Invincible in Halo 3 team slayer. 13 catches? 13?! For a tight end in the year of our lord 2026???? I know the Vikings offense looks putrid, but I watched the game in Week 4 and Justin Jefferson injury status be damned; I’m loading up Hockenson into my lineup.
Sit: David Montgomery, Houston Texans
I’m over it. The Texans cannot run the ball whatsoever, and Montgomery is basically in a 50-50 timeshare with Woody Marks. We can live with 50-50 splits in fantasy as long as our guy is getting more Red Zone work, but that has not been the case — after getting all six Red Zone looks in Week 1, Montgomery has been outsnapped by Marks since. That is not going to fly.
This is also a classic case of real football informing fantasy football. Montgomery is averaging a paltry 2.7 yards per carry on an ever-diminishing number of opportunities. If you can’t even manage three yards a pop on an 0-4 team having a season from hell, chances are your coach will look elsewhere for some burst. You should also look elsewhere.
Sit: TE Kenyon Sadiq, New York Jets
Embarrassing admission time: until I started collecting players for this column, I legitimately thought Sadiq didn’t play last week. He was questionable all week, and right up until inactives came out at 11:30 AM we weren’t sure he was going to play. I didn’t notice him while watching the games, he ended with zero catches, I straight up thought he didn’t play. Professional football watcher by the way.
Well, he uh, did play. He had four targets, and after I told everyone to urgently go pick up Sadiq after Week 3 in my waiver column, he logged 0.0 fantasy points. Noice. I’m still interested in him as a season-long investment, but for Week 6 against the Browns I would steer clear. With terrible teams, we always get clarity with pass-catchers as the season drags on — we’ll eventually get clarity here.
Start: WR Romeo Doubs, New England Patriots
What a weird year it’s been for Doubs, whose drop on one of his first targets as a Patriot may have cost his team the game in Week 1 and who orchestrated a trebuchet, Loony Toons interception in Week 4 against the Bills but whose heroics ultimately saved their season as he went for two touchdowns and six critical catches. But literally none of that matters for your fantasy team.
What matters is that he is simply the only wide receiver left healthy in this offense, as A.J. Brown is definitely out and Mack Hollins is very much in doubt for Week 5. Drake Maye, for all of his struggles this year, looked great in Week 4 and will always be looking to throw the ball downfield. The reason the Patriots paid Doubs what they did, which was a lot more than I thought he was worth by the way, is because he has the chops and size to beat both man and zone coverage in a way that none of their other receivers in 2025 did. I think Doubs can do work for your fantasy team, just close your eyes every third play or so.
Sit: Wil Shipley
Welcome to this week’s “Oliver obviously hates fun” pick, because I kinda just don’t know what to do with Will Shipley as he Quantum Leaps into the starting role in the Eagles backfield. Shipley was probably added in a lot of leagues as Bigsby’s injury came to light before waivers ran, and if you added him, chances are you’re at least considering starting him. If you have to, sure, fine, but everything about this looks like a disaster waiting to happen.
Lane Johnson, one of the defining players of this Eagles era and one of the greatest offensive linemen in NFL history, abruptly retired this week. Then, the Eagles traded center Cam Jurgens to the Baltimore Ravens, a trade I actually think is excellent for the Eagles (they just got a second-round pick for a center hello) but makes the 2026 team that much worse. And it makes Shipley’s long-awaited moment in the sun a bit cloudier than I’m willing to deal with.
Start: WR Deebo Samuel Sr., San Francisco 49ers
I was initially going to say you should sit Deebo, because I’m skeptical of the Corderalle Patterson-esque gadget guys who spawn fantasy points out of thin air or limited opportunities — Samuel had 80 receiving yards and a touchdown on zero catches two weeks ago because of a lateral play. But then I looked at the numbers and was convinced.
Somehow, Samuel returned, and is simply operating as the number one wide receiver in this excellent 49ers offense again. He leads the position in snap share, and with Mike Evans clearly not 100 percent, Samuel is always going to have those manufactured touches that are so valuable in PPR fantasy football. This week might be a little lighter due to the excellent Seattle defense, but next week against the Commanders? Oh yeah.
Speed Round
Sit: WR Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers
McConkey might just miss the game altogether with the foot injury that clearly limited his impact in Week 4, but I would personally avoid any and all Los Angeles Chargers until further notice.
Start: TE Colston Loveland, Chicago Bears
Played 92 percent of snaps in Week 4, and do you really have a better option at TE if you took Loveland in like the fifth round? It’s been terrible, I know, but you have my support this week.
Sit: RB J.K. Dobbins, Cleveland Browns
One of the sneakiest terrible fantasy seasons so far, Dobbins has scored 3.6, 3.6, 6.3 and 7.2 points so far this year. There is no clarity whatsoever on playing time in this backfield, and I’m not interested.
Start: WR Denzel Boston, Cleveland Browns
I was dubious on if the Browns would immediately vault Boston, a rookie second-round pick, into their number one X receiver role, but it has officially happened. He plays every snap, so he can play for you.
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