Should I drop Joe Burrow? Why Bengals QB may not be the best fantasy football option after Week 4

In some fantasy drafts, Joe Burrow was the first quarterback to go off the board. He had staked his claim as the second-best quarterback in the NFL, and many believed he could usurp that top spot this year. Thus far, he's been an absolute disaster to start the season. Not only has be not been the second-best quarterback in the NFL, he's been closer to the worst than the best. Is it time to cut bait on him?

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Should I drop Joe Burrow this week?

It's generally ill advised to drop a big name player like Joe Burrow. Despite the slow start, he is still a good quarterback and if he were to hit waivers, some team would probably be very lucky to land him that way.

Joe Burrow has struggled mightily

The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback is not playing well after signing an NFL record extension to stay in Cincinnati. Still, he was likely a top four or five pick for your fantasy team, and it's way too early to give up on him entirely.

No, you should not drop Burrow this week ahead of a matchup with the Arizona Cardinals. Their defense is not great, so this is a chance for him to finally get right. It's not the time to cut bait and move on, unless you can find a fair trade for him.

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Will Joe Burrow play in Week 5?

All reports indicate that Joe Burrow will suit up in Week 5. He played last week in a blowout loss to the Tennessee Titans, even when the game was largely out of reach. After questions about his status before, he doesn't seem to have major injury concerns right now.

However, he has been dealing with a calf injury and it's likely affecting his play. There are a lot of factors as to why he's playing so poorly, but his health cannot be overlooked. As he gets healthier this year, he should improve, so you should hold onto him.

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Joe Burrow Fantasy Projection for 2023

Things do not look nearly as rosy as they once did for Joe Burrow and the Bengals. At 1-3, they're going to be hard-pressed to turn it around and make the playoffs in the loaded AFC.

Not only that, but their immediate future looks a little dire, too. Tee Higgins has a rib fracture and will likely miss quite some time this season. He could be out for upwards of six weeks, which hampers an already anemic Bengals offense.

There is one sliver of hope, though. Last season, Ja'Marr Chase got hurt and missed a few weeks. Burrow did not miss a beat and played very well. Without Higgins, it's hard to imagine Burrow getting better, but Chase is still there and he could rebound.

The offensive line has to block better, and they can't really do much worse. He should likely be on the bench this week, but he should not be on the waiver wire.