The Jacksonville Jaguars have been fantasy lineup killers this season, from tight end Evan Engram’s pregame hamstring injury in Week 2, to quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s 2024 regression. The Jags will have to figure things out in a hurry, starting in Week 4 against the Houston Texans, to avoid an extremely uncomfortable 0-4 start.
The Texans got steamrolled by the red-hot Minnesota Vikings, 34-7, in Week 3, but don’t let that lopsided final score fool you. Houston’s defense is only allowing 4.6 yards per play, which is tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for fourth best in the NFL, and 10.6 yards per point, the second-lowest total in the league.
Dealing with Houston’s attacking defense with crowd noise on the road is not the best recipe for Jacksonville’s struggling offense, which had a brutal showing in last week’s 47-10 drubbing against the Buffalo Bills. Can the Jaguars top skill players be trusted in Week 4 entering another must-win situation against their AFC South rival?
Let’s break things down from a fantasy perspective.
WEEK 4 FANTASY PPR RANKINGS
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Fantasy Football Start-Sit: Travis Etienne
One of the silver linings from that Monday Night beatdown in Buffalo was the running game, which could have been a factor had Jacksonville not allowed touchdowns on the Bills’ first five possessions of the game.
Etienne saved fantasy managers by rushing 11 times for 68 yards and adding four short receptions vs. the Bills. He’s averaging 4.6 yards per carry and has six explosive runs (10-plus yards) through three games.
Outside of a lost fumble that cost Jacksonville a potential win against Miami in Week 1, Etienne has been about the only Jaguar you can trust through the first month of the season. Even in this horrible offense, he's a comfortable RB2.
Verdict: Start him.
Fantasy Football Start-Sit: Trevor Lawrence
Jacksonville’s struggles start with the quarterback, who enters Week 4 ranked in the bottom third of the league in every notable statistical category, including passing yards (25th), passer rating (26th) and completion percentage (30th). Lawrence has just two touchdown passes in three games.
A big reason Lawrence’s stats are so terrible is because the Jaguars can’t convert on third down. They're 30th as a team on conversion attempts, and Lawrence ranks dead-last in the NFL with a 21.4 percent completion rate on those downs.
Lawrence has been among the most pressured QBs in the league through three games, and that doesn’t figure to change against DeMeco Ryans and this aggressive Texans defense. Those in need of QB streamer for Week 4 should look elsewhere.
Verdict: Sit him.
Fantasy Football Start-Sit: Christian Kirk
Kirk answered the bell in Week 3, finishing as Jacksonville’s leader in targets (10), catches (8) and receiving yards (79).
He was a somewhat risky flex play last week with high upside, and fantasy owners should approach Week 4 the same way. The Jaguars’ slot receiver averaged 14.5 PPR points vs. the Texans in their two meetings in 2023.
Houston has allowed the second-highest PPR points per target, and tied for the most receiving touchdowns, to slot receivers this season. This feels like a good spot for Kirk to keep his momentum going, as Lawrence looks to his most reliable target often.
Verdict: Start him.
Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Brian Thomas Jr.
In a perfect world, Thomas Jr., the former LSU star, would be WR1 for Lawrence. That hasn’t exactly been the case, at least from a volume standpoint.
Per PFF, Lawrence has a passer rating of 97.4 when targeting the rookie. If Thomas Jr. starts getting targeted more than his current 5.6 per-game average, a breakout week could be coming soon.
The Texans have a pair of good, but beatable, outside cornerbacks in Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter. The upside with Thomas Jr. is there, especially with the possibility of added looks from Lawrence.
Verdict: Start him.
MORE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS NEWS:
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Jaguars predicted to land young Broncos pass rusher to help decimated defense
NFL Power Rankings Week 4: Are Jacksonville Jaguars the worst team in the league?
NFL picks, predictions Week 4: Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans
Jaguars Week 3 snap counts: Cam Robinson becoming a liability at left tackle
