Fantasy RB Rankings Week 4: Who to start, sit at running back in fantasy football

Sloan Piva

Fantasy RB Rankings Week 4: Who to start, sit at running back in fantasy football image

Running back, still the most important position in fantasy football, is doing its best to rival wide receiver for most volatile position, too. Three weeks into the 2022 NFL season, we've seen myriad injuries, breakouts, and busts at RB. With all these variables in mind — as well as matchups, obviously — our Week 4 fantasy RB rankings for standard leagues see some interesting swings from the previous few weeks.

For now, let's go over the most newsworthy developments at RB. The top story: King Henry is back. In Week 3, Derrick Henry led the Titans (@ Colts in Week 4) to victory over the Chiefs with 85 yards and a touchdown. He should have finished with three TDs, but Tennessee QB Ryan Tannehill snuck a one-yarder and tight end Geoff Swaim caught a two-yard score. 

Joining Henry atop the list of stud Week 3 RBs, Nick Chubb (@ Falcons) continues to impress; Christian McCaffrey (vs. Cardinals) looks like he's back to his dominating ways; and Dalvin Cook (vs. Saints) finally got the ball rolling only to suffer a shoulder injury. No stranger to missed time, Cook could be inactive this week, and his absence would pave the way for Alexander Mattison to become a must-start against the Saints in London. 

WEEK 4 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kicker

We'll get full details of Cook's injury early this week, and we'll also be waiting for further word on David Montgomery, whose knee injury opened things up for second-year back Khalil Herbert to enjoy a breakout Week 3. Herbert (@ Giants) amassed 40-plus yards in each of the first two weeks despite playing fewer than 30 percent of snaps and garnering single-digit carries, but he exploded for 20 carries, 157 yards, and two TDs after Monty's injury. He could be a weekly fantasy x-factor if he continues to see 20-plus touches.

WEEK 4 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kicker

As far as healthy committees are concerned, the Jaguars' James Robinson (@ Eagles) has once again emerged as the clear RB1 of this offense, which has actually become quite good under Doug Pederson. The Seahawks' Rashaad Penny (@ Lions) remains the lead dog over intriguing rookie Kenneth Walker III; Atlanta's Cordarrelle Patterson (vs. Browns) has little to no pressure from rookie Tyler Allgeier; and Devin Singletary (@ Ravens) continues to see the vast majority of touches (18 in Week 3) in Buffalo. The one rookie who has taken over his backfield: Houston's Dameon Pierce (vs. Chargers), who looks like a prime candidate to jump into the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation. All of these backs are in good spots for big Week 4s, and none of their handcuffs are worth much standard-league consideration outside of maybe Walker because of the matchup.

WEEK 4 DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings

Some backfields continue to feature two start-worthy RBs, including Denver's Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon III (@ Raiders), Green Bay's Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon (vs. Patriots), and Detroit's D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams (vs. Seahawks). We still feel Dallas' Ezekiel Elliott could be supplanted by Tony Pollard soon (vs. Commanders), and we wonder if Arizona's James Conner (@ Panthers) or the Raiders' Josh Jacobs (vs. Broncos) will continue to see RB1 usage if they continue to underwhelm. For now, consider all flex backs even in tough Week 4 matchups.

WEEK 4 DFS: Best values | Best stacks

Trending up among committee RB members: New England's Rhamondre Stevenson (@ Packers) out-touched (and outplayed) Damien Harris last week, but New England draws a good Green Bay defense in Week 4. Harris still has value, especially in standard leagues, but Stevenson appears to have a higher ceiling in PPR leagues. Jets rookie Breece Hall (@ Steelers) out-touched Michael Carter, too, but both are middling options against Pittsburgh. Chase Edmonds (@ Bengals) scored two TDs for Miami against Buffalo's elite defense, but his efficiency was still lacking and Raheem Mostert out-touched him (eight to seven). Neither is much more than a low-end flex this week.

WEEK 4 FANTASY PICKS: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em

Cam Akers (@ 49ers) and JK Dobbins (vs. Bills) had roller-coaster Week 3s -- and could both wind up the workhorses in their above-average offenses — but we're tempering expectations for now against stud defenses in Week 4. Consider both fringe flex backs in 12-team leagues, and that goes for Darrell Henderson, too. Similarly, Clyde Edwards-Helaire (@ Buccaneers) managed a TD in Week 3, but with zero rushing yards on seven carries -- the same amount as Jerick McKinnon -- he's a low-end flex in a tough matchup this week. He has a little more value in PPR leagues, but clearly that's not a situation you can trust.

Note: We'll be updating these RB rankings throughout the week, so check back for analysis and the latest player movement.

Week 4 fantasy RB rankings for standard leagues

Rankings based on standard, non-PPR scoring leagues

Rank Player
1 Jonathan Taylor, Colts vs. Titans
2 Christian McCaffrey, Panthers vs. Cardinals
3 Nick Chubb, Browns @ Falcons
4 Saquon Barkley, Giants vs. Bears
5 Derrick Henry, Titans @ Colts
6 Dalvin Cook, Vikings vs. Saints
7 Najee Harris, Steelers vs. Jets
8 Austin Ekeler, Chargers @ Texans
9 Alvin Kamara, Saints vs. Vikings
10 Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers vs. Chiefs
11 Javonte Williams, Broncos @ Raiders
12 Jamaal Williams, Lions vs. Seahawks
13 Joe Mixon, Bengals vs. Dolphins
14 Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys vs. Commanders
15 James Robinson, Jaguars @ Eagles
16 Khalil Herbert, Bears @ Giants
17 Rashaad Penny, Seahawks @ Lions
18 Miles Sanders, Eagles vs. Jaguars
19 Cordarrelle Patterson, Falcons vs. Browns
20 Aaron Jones, Packers vs. Patriots
21 Dameon Pierce, Texans vs. Chargers
22 Antonio Gibson, Commanders @ Cowboys
23 James Conner, Cardinals @ Panthers
24 AJ Dillon, Packers vs. Patriots
25 Jeff Wilson Jr., 49ers vs. Rams
26 Josh Jacobs, Raiders vs. Broncos
27 Tony Pollard, Cowboys vs. Commanders
28 Melvin Gordon III, Broncos @ Raiders
29 Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots @ Packers
30 Devin Singletary, Bills @ Ravens
31 Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs @ Buccaneers
32 Breece Hall, Jets @ Steelers
33 Kareem Hunt, Browns @ Falcons
34 Damien Harris, Patriots @ Packers
35 Michael Carter, Jets @ Steelers
36 Cam Akers, Rams @ 49ers
37 Raheem Mostert, Dolphins @ Bengals
38 JK Dobbins, Ravens vs. Bills
39 Darrell Henderson Jr., Rams @ 49ers
40 Chase Edmonds, Dolphins @ Bengals
41 Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks @ Lions
42 Travis Etienne Jr., Jaguars @ Eagles
43 Jordan Mason, 49ers vs. Rams
44 Nyheim Hines, Colts vs. Titans
45 J.D. McKissic, Commanders @ Cowboys
46 Tyler Allgeier, Falcons vs. Browns
47 Zack Moss, Bills @ Ravens
48 Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs @ Buccaneers
49 Craig Reynolds, Lions vs. Seahawks
50 Justice Hill, Ravens vs. Bills
51 Dontrell Hilliard, Titans @ Colts
52 Mark Ingram, Saints vs. Vikings
53 Samaje Perine, Bengals vs. Dolphins
54 Brandon Bolden, Raiders vs. Broncos
55 Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles vs. Jaguars
56 James Cook, Bills @ Ravens
57 Rex Burkhead, Texans vs. Chargers
58 Alexander Mattison, Vikings vs. Saints
59 Boston Scott, Eagles vs. Jaguars
60 Eno Benjamin, Cardinals @ Panthers
61 Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs @ Buccaneers
62 Jaylen Warren, Steelers vs. Jets
63 Sony Michel, Chargers @ Texans
64 Rachaad White, Buccaneers vs. Chiefs

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Sloan Piva

Sloan Piva Photo

Sloan Piva is a content producer for The Sporting News, primarily focused on betting, fantasy sports, and poker. A lifelong New Englander, Sloan earned his BA and MA in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts and now lives in coastal Rhode Island with his wife and two kids.