NBA Fantasy Week 4 Start/Sit: Time To Bench Draymond Green and Brook Lopez?

We have a much more balanced schedule in Week 4, but there are still more teams with four games on tap than those with fewer. Despite the fact it's early in the season, we've already seen injuries hit hard across the league. With the Pelicans perhaps the most affected team in that regard at the moment, we have several secondary New Orleans players populating our suggestions this week.

Each week, we'll aim to highlight a pair of Start candidates for your fantasy rosters that may shape up as some of the tougher calls of the week to make, with the focus usually being on players with a start or roster rate of 50% or less in Yahoo leagues. We'll also typically hone in on players with four-game weeks in an attempt to maximize opportunities for production.

Likewise, we'll spotlight one Sit candidate at each position that would normally not be a consideration for a spot on your bench, often focusing on players with fewer game opportunities during the coming week.

TEAMS WITH FOUR GAMES: 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

TEAMS WITH THREE GAMES: 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

TEAMS WITH TWO GAMES: Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors

Without further ado, let's examine some of the tougher start/sit decisions for Week 4:

Guards     

Start: Jose Alvarado, Pelicans

39% roster rate

CJ McCollum is projected to still be out through the entirety of Week 4 due to his right adductor strain, meaning the indefatigable Alvarado should be set for another four starts. The fourth-year pro has been providing solid production during what is now 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 across 33.3 minutes per contest. Alvarado's efficiency from in front of the arc has room for improvement, but it's difficult to quibble with his overall contributions and he should have plenty of opportunity to once again showcase his diverse skill set this week.

Start: Keyonte George, Jazz

10% start rate 

George is one of two dynamic guards – the Wizards' Carlton Carrington listed below being the other – who have very promising outlooks for the coming week but are presently dealing with injuries that need to be monitored. George's ailment is foot soreness that kept him out of Saturday's game against the Spurs, but with Utah off until Tuesday, he should have a solid chance of returning for that contest. The second-year guard has delivered promising production despite shooting struggles early this season, putting up 15.6 points, 6.4 assists and 2.9 rebounds per contest while averaging a solid 31.8 minutes per game. Assuming he has the all-clear for Tuesday, he's worthy of starting during a four-game week.

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

Sit: D'Angelo Russell, Lakers

71% start rate

Russell recently was demoted to the second unit, and he unsurprisingly played well in his first two games off the bench while at times facing a lesser caliber of opposition and enjoying a bit more usage than with the AD-Lebron-centric starting five. While Russell has averaged 16.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists across 26 minutes per contest in those first two second-unit games, there's always a chance his playing time takes a bit of a dip on certain nights. Consequently, he's not likely to generate the type of production on a three-game schedule that can't be surpassed by a similarly talented three- or four-game starter. 

Forwards          

Start: Tari Eason, Rockets

34% start rate 

Eason is enjoying a career-best season on the offensive end in the early going, averaging a career-high 11.8 points on 55.2% shooting, including 41.4% from 3-point range. The third-year forward enjoys a consistent second-unit role that's currently yielding 22.2 minutes per contest, and he comes into Week 4 having scored in double digits in five of his previous six games. Eason is also contributing 5.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists and a career-best 1.8 steals per contest, underscoring how valuable he could be for your roster despite his bench role.

Start: Caris LeVert, Cavaliers

34% roster rate

LeVert is always an interesting consideration whenever he's on a four-game schedule, and he's opened the season with the most efficient shooting of his long NBA tenure. LeVert is draining a career-best 57.5% of his 8.1 shot attempts per game, including 46.9% of his 3.6 3-point tries per contest. 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 digits in four of his last five games while logging 28 and 31 minutes in two of those contests. 

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

Sit: Draymond Green, Warriors

71% start rate

Green happens to be on one of the two teams saddled with a light two-game schedule this week, one of the primary reasons for his inclusion in this spot. The veteran is providing his usual across-the-stat-sheet production thus far, but now that Stephen Curry is healthy again, Green's offensive involvement has declined as expected. Green has scored in single digits in each of his last three games after three consecutive double-digit scoring efforts, and despite what he can contribute in other categories, he's certainly worthy of a seat on the bench with only two opportunities to take the floor.

CENTERS      

Start: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Pelicans

5% roster rate 

There aren't many viable center-eligible players with low start or roster rates this week who also happen to have a full schedule, but the Pelicans' injury-ravaged roster serves up Robinson-Earl as a potentially productive streaming option. The veteran big man has drawn starts in two of his last three games and averaged 12.0 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals across 33 minutes per game in those contests. With Zion Williamson (hamstring) considered out indefinitely, Robinson-Earl could be due for another four-game run with the first unit this week.

Start: John Collins, Jazz

28% start rate 

Collins' modest start rate is surprising when considering he's continued to offer starter-level production off the bench. The veteran big man comes into Week 4 with averages of 16.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals across 26.3 minutes per contest over his last six games, a span during which he's also shot 54.8% overall. Collins is capable of occasionally stretching the floor – he shot an acceptable 35.7% from 3-point range during that same sample – and he's got as secure a second-unit role as any player in the league.

Sit: Brook Lopez, Bucks

71% start rate

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 in single digits in four of his last five games, including three straight, a stretch that includes a forgettable one-point outing against the Jazz three games ago. Lopez isn't really making up for it elsewhere, either, as he's averaged 4.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists in that same sample. His 1.0 steals and 2.1 blocks per contest on the season are valuable to an extent, but it's likely you can find a more dependable center option with either three or four games on their schedule.