Fantasy football start/sit advice, Week 4: Patriots vs. Chiefs

Two offenses that have struggled to start the season face off Monday night. Where will the points come from?

The once-vaunted New England Patriots offense hasn't really found its footing so far this season. Despite being 2-1, not many of the New England offensive players have put much together. The Kansas City Chiefs have had some similar struggles, but are coming off their first win of the season.

Monday night at 8:30 p.m. ET, the two teams face off in Kansas City. The general offensive struggles of the two teams could keep their fantasy productivity in check:

Patriots

Start in every league: Shane Vereen, Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, Stephen Gostkowski, Defense/special teams

Start if you're desperate: Tom Brady, Stevan Ridley

Bench: Brandon LaFell

Consider this a one-last-gasp week for the Patriots' offense, considering all the players I consider must-starts. Vereen hasn't done much since Week 1, but he's still likely the team's best running back. ... Edelman hasn't struggled like his teammates, with 33 fantasy points through three games. ... You want Gronkowski to start getting more yards, but as long as he's scoring, you aren't hurting. ... Gostkowski has been one of fantasy's best kickers for multiple years now. ... The Patriots' defense has had two middling games and one great one. They're a fine start against a subpar offense.

With only 31 fantasy points in three weeks, it's been a really slow start for Brady. He's still Tom Brady, but he's more of a QB2 than a QB1 right now. ... Ridley has had a big game more recently than Vereen, but he doesn't look like he's going to offer consistent production.

Including LaFell in the "bench" category is really a stand-in for "all New England receivers not named Edelman," because LaFell, Aaron Dobson, Kenbrell Thompkins and Danny Amendola are all stay-aways.

Chiefs

Start in every league: Jamaal Charles

Start if you're desperate: Knile Davis, Travis Kelce

Bench: Alex Smith, Dwayne Bowe, Donnie Avery, Cairo Santos, Defense/special teams

It looks like Charles will be good to go for Monday night after his injury from last week. He's got enough upside that he's worth the risk; start him if you have him.

If Charles is somehow ruled out, Davis becomes a must-start. Even if Charles plays, the chances that he's not at full strength keep Davis as a low-end flex play. ... Kelce's usage has steadily climbed; he's right on the edge of must-start status at tight end.

Smith had his best game of the season in Week 3, but overall his value just isn't very high. ... You can't possibly trust Bowe or Avery in anything but the most desperate situations. ... Santos has 12 fantasy points total in three weeks; he's not getting enough kicking opportunities. ... The Chiefs' defense is about as far a cry from its 2013 greatness as it would be possible to be.

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