Two WRs who should see their volume be higher than usual in Week 4 are Miami Dolphins WR Malik Washington and Philadelphia Eagles WR Makai Lemon. That comes from both WR1s on their respective teams, Eagles WR DeVonta Smith and Dolphins WR Caleb Douglas, being listed as out. With that, here is a breakdown of who to start in fantasy football lineups this week between Washington and Lemon.
Makai Lemon
In his rookie season, Lemon has yet to have a standout game. He currently has just seven receptions for 38 receiving yards. He did log his highest snap share in Week 3 against the Chicago Bears, playing in 70% of snaps, while also logging a season-high 29 receiving yards. He will look to take these slight positives and build off them in his best opportunity to have a big fantasy game with Smith out in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Rams.
Through three weeks of the 2026 season, the Rams have been one of the best passing defenses in the league, allowing 171.3passing yards per game. That is the fourth lowest average out of any team in the NFL. Within that, not a single opposing WR they have faced has had over 50 receiving yards.
While Lemon is set up for a bigger role than he typically gets in Week 4, another Eagles WR who is almost just available on the waiver wire as he is is more likely to have a breakout game.
The WR in question is Dontayvion Wicks. He garnered a ton of hype in training camp, and he has lived up to it for the most part. In his first two regular-season games, he had over 70 receiving yards in both contests and scored a TD in his first game. In ESPN fantasy leagues, Wicks is 52.3%, and Lemon is 52.0%.
Malik Washington
With Douglas out in Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Washington was leaned on heavily in the Dolphins’ pass game. He had a team-high 10 targets that resulted in him having five receptions for 56 yards. Now, with the Dolphins not having Douglas again in Week 4 while also not having their star RB De’Von Achane, Miami will need someone to step up for them offensively against the Minnesota Vikings. Washington could be the player best set up to do that
Minnesota, so far in 2026, is allowing the 12th-most passing yards per game in the NFL, 231.0. They have also shown the capability to allow huge fantasy performances to opposing WRs.
In Week 1, Green Bay Packers WR Christian Watson logged six receptions for 147 yards and two TDs against them. In PPR fantasy formats in Week 1, he was WR2. Over the Vikings’ past two games, they have done well at limiting fantasy points to opposing WRs. The highest PPR fantasy point total they have allowed to a WR since Week 1 was Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR1 Emeka Egbuka, who generated 11.2 fantasy points in Week 3.
Final Verdict
When it comes to who should start and who should sit in fantasy football in Week 4 between Lemon and Washington, Lemon should sit, and Washington should start.
With Lemon’s lack of production thus far in 2026, it is too big a stretch to assume, even with Smith out, that he will have a notable fantasy performance. That being especially with the Rams being his Week 4 opponent. Washington on the other hand who saw his highest individual target total of 2026 in Week 3 when Douglas out, his fantasy floor is safer than Lemon’s as with Douglas out again, it can be assumed he should be in for a similar target share. Also, adding to making him a better starting option than Lemon, the Vikings are a worse passing defense than the Rams by a wide margin.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as Week 4 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: Makai Lemon vs. Malik Washington.
