Updated Fantasy Football RB Rankings Week 4: Who to start, best sleepers, waiver wire picks at running back

Heading into this week, we said it was now or never for Zamir White. While we weren’t exactly bullish on him during drafting season, it was largely assumed he’d have a bell cow workload. He didn’t have a very dynamic skillset, but given the presumed workload, he was still someone that projected as a serviceable RB2. He wasn’t even able to reach 50 yards rushing against a team that had given up an eye-popping 399 rushing yards in the first two games. The one big difference is Andy Dalton had the Carolina offense looking competent for the first time all season as opposed to the benched Bryce Young, but that doesn’t excuse White’s performance entirely as he only managed 34 yards on 10 carries. White is still a FLEX option, but he’s no longer a set-it-and-forget-it RB2. 

On the positive side of things, Derrick Henry had a vintage performance against the Cowboys, putting up 150+ yards including two touchdowns. After back-to-back shaky performances from the Ravens’ defense, they did a great job containing Dallas, which allowed Baltimore to jump out to a lead and lean on King Henry. Mark Andrews didn’t even receive a target, and Lamar Jackson only threw 13 times, but it didn’t matter, as the Ravens controlled the game throughout. This week’s matchup with the Bills should be more competitive, but Henry could be rounding into expected form. 

And just one week after we speculated the Vikings’ running back situation could be devolving into a 50/50 situation, Aaron Jones exploded for 102 yards on the ground and added 46 yards and a touchdown in the passing game. Jones gets a revenge game next against the Packers. Will Jones be able to keep things going against his former team? 

WEEK 4 FANTASY PPR RANKINGS
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Fantasy RB Rankings Week 4: Who to start, sit at running backRankings based on PPR scoring. These rankings were updated on Sept. 26 and will be updated throughout the week, so check back often.

RANKPLAYER NAMETEAMOPPONENTCHANGE1Saquon BarkleyPHIat TBUp 12Jordan MasonSFvs. NEDown 13Alvin KamaraNOat ATL 4Bijan RobinsonATLvs. NO 5Breece HallNYJvs. DENUp 16Jonathan TaylorINDvs. PITDown 17Derrick HenryBALvs. BUFUp 48Kyren WilliamsLARat CHIUp 49Brian Robinson Jr.WASat ARIUp 410De’Von AchaneMIAvs. TENDown 311James ConnerARIvs. WASDown 212James CookBUFat BALDown 213Jahmyr GibbsDETvs. SEADown 514Najee HarrisPITat INDUp 115Travis Etienne Jr.JACat HOUUp 216Zack MossCINat CARUp 217Josh JacobsGBvs. MINDown 318J.K. DobbinsLACvs. KCUp 119Aaron JonesMINat GBDown 320Devin SingletaryNYGvs. DAL 21Tony PollardTENat MIADown 122David MontgomeryDETvs. SEADown 123Chuba HubbardCARvs. CINUp 124Rhamondre StevensonNEat SFDown 225Carson SteeleKCat LACUp 626Jerome FordCLEat LVUp 127Rico DowdleDALat NYG 28Zamir WhiteLVvs. CLEDown 229Zach CharbonnetSEAat DET 30Rachaad WhiteTBvs. PHI 31Cam AkersHOUvs. JACDown 332Antonio GibsonNEat SF 33Tyjae SpearsTENat MIA 34Bucky IrvingTBvs. PHI 35Braelon AllenNYJvs. DENUp 336Javonte WilliamsDENat NYJUp 337Roschon JohnsonCHIvs. LARUp 2138Samaje PerineKCat LACUp 339D’Onta ForemanCLEat LVDown 440Justice HillBALvs. BUFUp 2141Ray DavisBUFat BALUp 242Ezekiel ElliottDALat NYG 43D’Andre SwiftCHIvs. LARDown 344Ty ChandlerMINat GBUp 145Jaleel McLaughlinDENat NYJUp 146Chase BrownCINat CARUp 147Cordarrelle PattersonPITat INDUp 348Alexander MattisonLVvs. CLEUp 349Tyler AllgeierATLvs. NOUp 350Kenneth GainwellPHIat TBUp 1151Emanuel WilsonGBvs. MINUp 452Gus EdwardsLACvs. KCUp 453Miles SandersCARvs. CIN 54Trey BensonARIvs. WASDown 555Isaac GuerendoSFvs. NEUp 256Jamaal WilliamsNOat ATLUp 357Jaylen WrightMIAvs. TENUp 358Tyrone Tracy Jr.NYGvs. DAL 59Tank BigsbyJACat HOUUp 360Khalil HerbertCHIvs. LARDown 1261Trey SermonINDvs. PITUp 262Kareem HuntKCat LACUp 563Jeff Wilson Jr.MIAvs. TENDown 964Emari DemercadoARIvs. WASUp 165D’Ernest JohnsonJACat HOUUp 166Will ShipleyPHIat TBN/AWho are the best fantasy RBs Week 4?A week after costing the Eagles a victory against the Falcons with a brutal drop, Saquon Barkley roared back to redeem himself for Philadelphia by putting up 147 yards and both of the team’s touchdowns in a tough win against the Saints. A.J. Brown missed another game with a hamstring injury, and with Philly’s bye coming in Week 5, it’s possible he can sit again. And DeVonta Smith exited this week’s game with a concussion after a brutal hit that should have been a penalty. With so many injuries, look for Barkley to continue to shoulder a significant workload. 

And Alvin Kamara continues to turn back the clock in Klint Kubiak’s offense. Kamara rushed 26 times for 87 yards and added another 40 through the air. While the receiving work is nothing new for Kamara, fantasy managers have to be pleasantly surprised to see how much of the rushing work he’s shouldering. There has to be some concerns that the Kamara might start to break down with so much work, but for now, he’s been a steal based on his ADP. 

While the very banged up Rams were a much stiffer test than expected for the 49ers, they have another mouth-watering matchup up next as they host the Patriots who were just embarrassed by the Jets. Look for Jordan Mason to be leaned on early and often and then later in the game as well as he salts away the clock. 

Who are the best fantasy RB waiver pickups Week 4?We’ve been saying all offseason that it was just a matter of time before Bucky Irving would be able to severely eat into Rachaad White’s workload in the Tampa backfield. But even we didn’t think that time would be Week 3. And let’s be clear, we don’t know for certain that Irving has surged past White on the official depth chart, but there’s no doubt who is the more dynamic player. While Tampa struggled mightily all day against the Broncos, Irving did pick up 70 yards on just 9 carries for a 7.8 YPC average. He also chipped in three catches for another 14 yards. He’s only rostered in 35% of Yahoo! leagues, so scoop him up if he’s available. 

We’re going to go out on a limb on this next one. D’Andre Swift is averaging a measly 1.8 yards per carry on his 37 carries. Swift is very dynamic in space, but the Bears can’t seem to get him in any of those positions. Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson are both behind him fighting for carries, but Herbert seems to be the best all-around back on this team, and he could end up working his way into a FLEX position as the season rolls along. He could be a good stash while you see how the situation plays out. Johnson did handle a bigger workload than Herbert in Week 3, though, so he could also be considered as a stash. 

WEEK 4 WAIVER WIRE ADVICE
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Who are the best fantasy RB sleepers Week 4?Through the first two weeks of the season, the Dallas Cowboys’ running back situation was abominable. Ezekiel Elliott was exactly who we thought he was, which is washed. And Rico Dowdle, while more exciting than Elliott, looked overmatched. And while Dowdle didn’t blow anyone away with his performance against the Ravens, he received the lion’s share of the work, and he performed better than Elliott with his touches as well. A big reason for Dowdle getting more of the workload was likely because they were playing from behind for the entire game, but with the Giants up next, if Dowdle is more of the 1a to Zeke’s 1b, then Dowdle could be a nice surprise in Week 4. 

With Andy Dalton under center, the Panthers looked like a completely different team against a Raiders squad that had previously shocked the Ravens. With an actual threat of completing a couple of passes to worry about, Hubbard ran for 114 yards and hauled in five catches for 55 yards and a touchdown. With the Benglas up next for Carolina, Hubbard should be right on the cusp of an RB2, and is definitely worth a look as a FLEX.  

What are the biggest RB injuries Week 4?Shockingly, there weren’t any fantasy-relevant running backs to go down with any serious injuries in Week 3. So, let’s take a look at a few of the pre-existing injury situations we’ll be continuing to monitor heading into Week 4. 

Joe Mixon missed Week 3 with an ankle injury. Mixon was held out of practice all week until a surprising appearance on Friday. He’s still listed as questionable, and we’re leaning towards him sitting out one more game. If he plays, Cam Akers will go back to being a handcuff, but it’s Akers may have the lead role once again.

It also sounds like we could see Kenneth Walker return in Week 4 as well. He’s been out for Seattle with an oblique injury, and if he were to return, Zach Charbonnet goes back to passing down work. Charbonnet has been fine in Walker’s absence, but he hasn’t done much to eat into Walker’s early-down work.

And Raheem Mostert is one more we’ll continue to monitor. The Dolphins’ offense is struggling mightily without Tua Tagovailoa, so they can use all the help they can get. 

Two running backs were ruled out already: Pittsburgh’s Jaylen Warren and Washington’s Austin Ekeler. With Warren sitting, fire up Najee Harris with confidence as an RB2, and given his matchup, he has a shot at RB1 value this week. You can also think of Cordarrelle Patterson as a desperation Flex play if you’re having some bad injury luck. 

With Ekeler out, look for an even bigger game from Brian Robinson. While Ekeler is a pass-catching maven, Robinson isn’t a complete zero in that regard, so he could see some added passing game work, which is why we have him ranked inside the top 10 this week.