I don't get why people aren't answering your question. Startup options are worth something. Proof: would you be willing to forgo options for no additional cash comp? No? Then it's worth something. People easily mistake the mode of the return probability distribution with the expected value. In reality the option to buy shares is awesome at a quickly growing financially stable company. Worst-case, you don't exercise your options and move along in your career. Best case? You retire early.
Some things to look out for:
What % of the company are you getting? There are pretty standard ranges depending on the size of the company, how many prior employees there were, and your seniority.
Do you trust the management team? Do they seem responsible? Do the founders have a track record of successful exits? What about the rest of the leadership team? Have they made increasingly strong hires as they've grown?
Is the company growing?
Is the company financially stable? What is the runway? You may not be able to figure this out, but look for frequent fund, urgent raises.