DK Metcalf Fantasy Week 4 Start or Sit: A Low-End Flex and a Name Worth Selling

Metcalf is 39th among wide receivers in PFN’s Week 4 rankings, which makes him the highest-ranked receiver in this game and a low-end flex, not a thing more. He has caught 11 of 24 targets with a long reception of 16 yards, and last week’s score only exists because the Bengals lit up the punter. Cleveland carries the highest opponent average depth of throw in the league and he went 4-95-1 against them last season, so the highlight path is real. If it opens and the price comes back to where you bought in, take it.

Should You Start or Sit DK Metcalf in Week 4?

I don’t have kids, but I imagine that trying to get Metcalf fantasy points is something like trying to get children to eat their vegetables or go to bed on time.

He’s caught 11 of 24 targets this season, and it’s not as if those catches are doing enough damage to justify the lack of efficiency (long reception: 16 yards). He scored last week, though it should be noted that possession never exists if the Bengals don’t light up the punter.

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There are enough positive notes in this matchup for me to make him my highest-ranked receiver in this game and a low-end flex play, but I can’t go higher than that.

4-95-1 in his only game against the Browns last season (25-yard touchdown)
Cleveland has the highest opponent average depth of throw in the NFL

You’re white knuckling at this point with Metcalf. The range of outcomes doesn’t appear as high as we had hoped after the Michael Pittman acquisition, and that makes him more of a name play than one you’re realistically ever going to feel good about.

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I suppose there’s a world where he repeats the stat line from a year ago or hits on a highlight play (that aDOT for the Browns this season is nearly 3 yards higher than the league average), and you can get out of this business at a similar price that you bought in at. Should that opportunity present itself, I’d 100% take it. If you can get less exposure to an offense with an old quarterback who wants to win games 20-16 as the weather begins to turn, you do it.

Looking for analysis on every fantasy-relevant player beyond Metcalf in Week 4? Visit Kyle Soppe’s Week 4 Fantasy Start-Sit Cheat Sheet.