Week 2 was not kind to the running back position, so fantasy football owners were probably relieved to see few players go down with major injuries in Week 3. Some RBs did suffer unfortunate injuries, such as Tarik Cohen and possibly Chris Carson, but for the most part, our Week 4 fantasy RB rankings won't be impacted all that much by new injuries. Of course, there are still plenty of key absences, including Christian McCaffrey (ankle) and Le'Veon Bell (knee), and there are questions about Raheem Mostert (knee) that make it important to identify sleepers and find potential streamers to help teams get a "W" this week.
Fortunately, there are plenty of good matchups that fantasy football owners can take advantage of. Notably, Kenyan Drake and Melvin Gordon move from the RB2 to RB1 range. Drake has disappointed this year, but he's playing a woeful Panthers run defense that has been the worst in the league since the start of last season. Meanwhile, Gordon will be playing the Jets' mediocre defense on a short week and Denver, still could be without Phillip Lindsay (toe). He should be a top-10 play and will likely be a top-15 play even if Lindsay does return.
WEEK 4 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Wide receiver | Tight End | D/ST | Kicker
Elsewhere, it looks like Darrell Henderson can officially be trusted as he has emerged as the Rams' lead back, though that might be threatened if Cam Akers (ribs) returns. Henderson will get a great matchup against a Giants defense that was just gashed through the air by Jerick McKinnon and Jeff Wilson Jr. James Robinson is also officially an RB1 after his performance against the Dolphins. He's playing the Bengals, who have had a hard time against RBs this year, so fire him up as a top-10 producer.
WEEK 4 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight End | D/ST | Kicker
There are still some frustrating committees that will be tough to make sense of. Devin Singletary did well for the Bills with Zack Moss (toe) out in Week 3, but will he have as many opportunities if Moss returns? (And would it kill him to score from inside the five-yard line?) And how will the touches be split between the aforementioned McKinnon and Wilson in the 49ers backfield? Those questions will need to be answered as owners try to decide who to start and who to sit, but generally, those involved in committees can at least be flexed. The committee members just have lower floors.
WEEK 4 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings | Yahoo
If you're looking for sleeper flex plays that could be on the waiver wire, perhaps in the wake of the Steelers-Titans postponement that will impact Derrick Henry and James Conner, Myles Gaskin could be a good pickup. The Dolphins RB is emerging as the team's leader at the position and could have an opportunity to catch some passes against a porous Seattle pass defense. Frank Gore (vs. Broncos) and Adrian Peterson (vs. Saints) also figure to get enough volume to pay off as flexes in standard leagues.
WEEK 4 DFS CASH LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings | Yahoo
Reminder: As always, we expect to make plenty of changes to these RB rankings throughout the week, so check back for updates and analysis.
MORE WEEK 4 DFS: Best stacks | Best values | Lineup Builder
These rankings are for standard, non-PPR leagues.
WEEK 4 FANTASY: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
Week 4 Fantasy RB Rankings (Standard)
These rankings are for non-PPR leagues.
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Alvin Kamara, NO @ DET. Kamara had one of the best plays of the year against the Packers when he turned a dump-off pass that should've gone for no gain into a 52-yard TD. He should have no problem carving up a Detroit defense that gives up the fourth-most fantasy points per game (FPPG) to RBs at 32.1. |
| 2 | Aaron Jones, GB vs. ATL |
| 3 | Ezekiel Elliott, DAL vs. CLE |
| 4 | Kenyan Drake, ARZ @ CAR. Drake has only topped double-digit fantasy points once this year, but he should have a chance to do it against the Panthers awful run defense. The Panthers allow 36.5 FPPG to RBs and have allowed seven rushing TDs this year. Drake should find the end zone and should have a chance to crack 100 yards, provided that Kyler Murray doesn't vulture too many red-zone carries from him. |
| 5 | Dalvin Cook, MIN @ HOU. The Texans have allowed 503 rushing yards to running backs this year. That's the most in the NFL. Fire up Cook again and hope that the Vikings can get out to an early lead. |
| 6 | Nick Chubb, CLE @ DAL |
| 7 | James Robinson, JAX @ CIN. If you were one of the astute fantasy owners that scooped up Robinson before the start of the season, you have to feel pretty good about yourself right about now. Robinson is averaging 113 total yards and a TD per game and is taking on a Bengals team that allows the second-most FPPG to RBs at 34.3. He's now a top-20 play every week and an RB1 in favorable matchups like this one. |
| 8 | Jonathan Taylor, IND @ CHI |
| 9 | Melvin Gordon, DEN @ NYJ. If Phillip Lindsay (toe) is out again on a short week, Gordon will get a chance to go against a Jets defense that has allowed the eighth-most rushing yards to RBs this year at a mark of 344. And if the Broncos want to find success on offense with Drew Lock out, they'll have to ride the run game to success. |
| 10 | Chris Carson, SEA @ MIA. Carson is dealing with a knee sprain that he suffered late in the Seahawks' win over the Cowboys when Trysten Hill rolled up on him unnecessarily. If he plays, Carson has a great matchup against a Miami defense that just allowed James Robinson to rack up 27.9 fantasy points. |
| 11 | Joe Mixon, CIN vs. JAX. Finally, Mixon will play in a matchup that looks favorable on paper. The Jaguars have allowed the sixth-most FPPG to RBs this season at 29.9 and Mixon is handling most of the workload for the Bengals. If Mixon can get more involved in the passing game, he could take advantage of the team's porous pass defense against running backs (22 catches allowed is fifth-most in the NFL). |
| 12 | David Montgomery, CHI vs. IND. With Tarik Cohen (torn ACL) out for the season, Montgomery will take on a larger role in the Bears backfield than he already had, as he'll play more on passing downs. His ceiling is higher as a result, and he'll be a borderline RB1 because of that potential volume. |
| 13 | Todd Gurley, ATL @ GB. The Packers defense just let Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray trample them, as the duo combined for 262 scrimmage yards and two TDs. Gurley's Falcons may try to ride the run game early against the Packers as a result, and that could open the door for a score for the veteran, who has found the end zone twice in three games to start the season. |
| 14 | Miles Sanders, PHI @ SF. In each of the two games he has played this season, Sanders has rushed for exactly 95 yards. He has also been targeted 15 times, which should give him a PPR boost at some point, provided that he has the opportunity to make these catches behind a beat-up offensive line. The 49ers could be without three of their top defensive linemen on Sunday night in Nick Bosa, Solomon Thomas, and Dee Ford, so Sanders may be the Eagles' best hope of staying alive on offense. |
| 15 | Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC vs. NE |
| 16 | Josh Jacobs, LV vs. BUF. Jacobs is in a tough matchup against a Bills defense that ranks 10th-best against RBs this year and profiles similarly to the Patriots defense that limited Jacobs in Week 3. Obviously, you're not going to sit him, but he's more of an RB2 this week. |
| 17 | Austin Ekeler, LAC @ TB. The Bucs are excellent against the run and have allowed the third-fewest rushing yards to the position this season. The bright spot for Ekeler is that Tampa Bay had some trouble containing Alvin Kamara as a receiver and has allowed 24 catches, 211 yards, and a TD to RBs as receivers. That should make Ekeler the preferred top option for the Chargers this week and will keep him in the top 20. |
| 18 | Darrell Henderson, LAR vs. NYG. Henderson has emerged from the Rams' committee as the top overall back after posting consecutive games with at least 100 scrimmage yards and a TD. In Week 4, he gets a cupcake matchup with the Giants, who allowed Jeff Wilson Jr. and Jerick McKinnon to combine for three TDs last week. Fire him up as an RB2 and trust him as a potential top-15 play in PPR thanks to his pass-catching ability. |
| 19 | David Johnson, HOU vs. MIN. The weakest part of the Vikings' defense is their secondary, but they are still allowing 22.5 FPPG to RBs, good for the 13th-most in the league. Johnson has been bottled up by the tough run defenses of the Ravens and Steelers, but he should have a chance to bounce back in a better matchup. |
| 20 | Kareem Hunt, CLE @ DAL |
| 21 | Jerick McKinnon, SF vs. PHI. McKinnon handled 17 touches against the Giants and turned them into 77 yards and a TD. He looked explosive against a solid run defense and should have a chance to continue his success against the Eagles, a team that profiles similarly to the Giants on defense (great line, not-so-great back-seven). |
| 22 | Ronald Jones II, TB vs. LAC. With no Leonard Fournette (ankle) this week, Jones should see 15-plus carries and even get a couple receptions. Play him with no hesitation. |
| 23 | Mark Ingram, BAL @ WAS |
| 24 | Mike Davis, CAR vs. ARZ. Davis has picked up right where Christian McCaffrey left off as a receiver, as he has caught eight passes in each of his first two games handling a larger workload. He had two TDs against the Chargers and could have a chance to find success against an Arizona team that allows 27.7 FPPG to RBs. If Davis does well again, he could end up being a top-20 play against the Falcons in Week 5. |
| 25 | Devin Singletary, BUF @ LV. The Raiders have allowed the second-most rushing TDs (6) and the most receiving yards (255) to running backs so far this year. Singletary is a high-end flex play with RB2 potential. The only questions surrounding him are about his volume if Zack Moss (toe) returns and his inability to convert goal-line opportunities into TDs. But perhaps against a weaker defense, he'll find a way to score. |
| 26 | Sony Michel, NE @ KC. Rex Burkhead led the Patriots backfield in touches and scored three times, but Michel was no slouch either. He carried the ball just nine times but was able to total 117 yards on the ground. He could have a chance to do well against a Chiefs defense that is allowing 22.2 FPPG to RBs. Of course, New England will have to keep the game close for him to see enough action, but he still has some upside depending on the statuses of Damien Harris (hand) and James White (personal). |
| 27 | JK Dobbins, BAL @ WAS |
| 28 | Myles Gaskin, MIA vs. SEA. Gaskin has emerged as the lead back in the Dolphins rotation, and he handled 22 carries on Thursday night against the Jaguars. The Seahawks are good against RBs and have allowed the second-fewest rushing yards at the position (126), but Gaskin still has enough volume to be a potential contributor. Owners will just have to hope that Jordan Howard doesn't vulture touchdowns from him. |
| 29 | Adrian Peterson, DET vs. NO. It looks like Peterson is back to being the leader in Detroit's ever-changing backfield. Peterson out-carried Kerryon Johnson 22-3 and racked up 75 yards against the Cardinals defense. If he continues to get that type of workload, he should be positioned for success, especially against a New Orleans defense that has had trouble containing offenses in recent weeks. |
| 30 | Jeff Wilson Jr., SF vs. PHI. Wilson had a couple of TDs against the Giants on Sunday. He had just 15 yards on 12 carries, but he produced 54 yards and a score through the air. He should continue to split touches with McKinnon as long as Raheem Mostert (knee) and Tevin Coleman (knee) are out. |
| 31 | Joshua Kelley, LAC @ TB |
| 32 | Antonio Gibson, WAS vs. BAL. Gibson has scored a rushing touchdown each of the past two weeks, but he has yet to top 60 scrimmage yards in any game this season. Don't expect that to change against the Ravens, who are tied for the fewest FPPG (9.1) to RBs. |
| 33 | Frank Gore, NYJ vs. DEN. I know, Gore isn't exciting, but he has averaged 18.5 touches per game in his last two outings. The Broncos defense is banged-up and lost DL Jurrell Casey for the season, so Gore may be able to fall forward a few yards for a score if all goes well. |
| 34 | Zack Moss, BUF @ LV. Moss missed the Bills' Week 3 win with a toe injury. If he's back for Week 4, expect him to continue to handle goal-line touches, as Devin Singletary didn't have a lot of success with those. Moss has seven red-zone carries and four inside the five-yard line this year. |
| 35 | Devonta Freeman, NYG @ LAR. Freeman handled five carries for the Giants in his team debut. He ran for just 10 yards, but his carry total was still tops among the team's RBs. The Rams allow the 10th-most FPPG to RBs at a mark of 24.7, so Freeman has high upside, but his floor is low because the Giants offense has struggled so far. |
| 36 | Latavius Murray, NO @ DET. Murray has been the thunder to Alvin Kamara's lightning to start the season, and he actually out-carried him 12-6 last game though both produced 58 rushing yards. Murray could be in line for a TD run against a weak Lions run defense. |
| 37 | Malcolm Brown, LAR vs. NYG |
| 38 | James White, NE @ KC |
| 39 | Jordan Howard, MIA vs. SEA. Howard leads the NFL with eight carries inside the five-yard line. He's the ultimate TD vulture and has scored three times on 16 carries. He's just a TD-dependent flex play, though, as he is averaging an unfathomable 0.8 yards per carry. |
| 40 | LeSean McCoy, TB vs. LAC |
| 41 | Nyheim Hines, IND @ CHI. Hines has had an up-and-down season so far after a stellar Week 1, disappearing in Week 2, and then returning and playing well in Week 3. Hines led the Colts in catches last week with four for 40 yards and should continue to be a solid receiver out of the backfield. He should get PPR flex consideration since Philip Rivers loves throwing to his RBs so much. |
| 42 | Carlos Hyde, SEA @ MIA. Hyde will be an RB2 if Carson misses this week. If not, he's still just a top handcuff. |
| 43 | D'Andre Swift, DET vs. NO. Swift has been phased entirely out of the Lions' backfield rotation as a ball-carrier. He'll still work as a receiving back, but he probably belongs on the bench for the time being, even in PPR leagues. |
| 44 | Jamaal Williams, GB vs. ATL. The Falcons have one of the worst defenses in the league. Perhaps Williams will be able to exploit it and become a viable flex play like he was in Week 2 against the Lions (eight carries, 63 yards). |
| 45 | Gus Edwards, BAL @ WAS |
| 46 | Kerryon Johnson, DET vs. NO. Johnson simply doesn't get enough carries to be trusted as anything more than a handcuff on the bench. |
| 47 | Matt Breida, MIA vs. SEA |
| 48 | Chris Thompson, JAX @ CIN. James Robinson showing well as a receiver isn't great for Thompson's value, but he does have eight catches for 55 yards and a TD the last two games. That gives him some PPR value and potential as a bottom-barrel DFS play. |
| 49 | Royce Freeman, DEN @ NYJ |
| 50 | Chase Edmonds, ARZ @ CAR |
| 51 | Dion Lewis, NYG @ LAR. Lewis had two touches for 10 yards against the Rams and appears to be limited to the backup/receiving back role with Devonta Freeman now in tow. |
| 52 | Damien Harris, NE @ KC. Harris may be activated from IR this week and if he is, he could get some carries right away for a Patriots team that is increasingly relying on their ground attack to keep the ball moving. |
| 53 | Boston Scott, PHI @ SF |
| 54 | Rex Burkhead, NE @ KC. Burkhead had three TDs last week and 49 yards through the air and on the ground. Don't expect another performance like that with Harris and James White potentially returning. |
| 55 | Darwin Thompson, KC vs. NE |
| 56 | Giovani Bernard, CIN vs. JAX |
| 57 | Alexander Mattison, MIN @ HOU |
| 58 | Tony Pollard, DAL vs. CLE |
| 59 | Brian Hill, ATL @ GB. Hill had a long rushing TD against the Bears and handled nine carries as he worked along with Todd Gurley in the backfield. He has some handcuff potential as he could spell the oft-injured Gurley as needed this season. |
| 60 | Corey Clement, PHI @ SF |
| 61 | La'Mical Perine NYJ vs. DEN |
| 62 | Devontae Booker, LV vs. BUF |
| 63 | Jalen Richard, LV vs. BUF |
| 64 | Reggie Bonnafon, CAR vs. ARZ |
| 65 | J.D. McKissic, WAS vs. BAL |
| 66 | Peyton Barber, WAS vs. BAL |
| 67 | AJ Dillon, GB vs. ATL |
