Week 4 of the NFL season has arrived! Injuries have already thrown a wrench into multiple backfields around the league, so it’s time to take a deep dive into the position.
Let’s break down my Week 4 start ’em, sit ’em fantasy football running back picks.
Start ‘Em: Chuba Hubbard (Panthers) vs. Bengals
Don’t look now, but the Panthers’ offense may be… competent?!
Andy Dalton led Carolina to a shockingly dominant win over the Raiders in Week 3, but it was Hubbard who paced his squad on the ground. Finally benefiting from a positive game script, the 25-year-old took his 21 carries for 114 yards, also racking up five receptions for 55 additional yards. His 27.9 fantasy points were good enough to earn him an RB4 finish on the week.
I’m not expecting Hubbard to put up another 169-yard performance, but he’s primed to handle a substantial workload against the underwhelming Bengals. Cincinnati is allowing the seventh-most rushing yards per game (142.3), and Chuba will continue to serve as the unquestioned RB1 for at least another week until Jonathon Brooks is eligible to return from PUP. This would’ve sounded absolutely wild just one week ago, but fire up this Panther as a high-end RB2.
Sit ‘Em: J.K. Dobbins (Chargers) vs. Chiefs
After two electric games to open the season, Dobbins came back down to earth against a stout Steelers run defense.
This week, it won’t get much easier, as the Chargers host the reigning back-to-back Super Bowl champs. The Chiefs boast an elite defensive line, holding opposing running backs to the third-fewest fantasy points per contest so far in 2024. It’s also worth noting that Justin Herbert’s availability is completely up in the air for this matchup after aggravating his high-ankle sprain. There’s a decent chance L.A.’s quarterback won’t be able to suit up, and even if he does, he’ll be quite limited.
As a result, there’s a strong likelihood this game will get away from the Chargers quick. While they may stress the run game early, Greg Roman could be forced to abandon the game script after just a few drives. Temper expectations for Dobbins despite his recent strong outings.
Check out my full Week 4 start/sit article with picks at each position here!
Start ‘Em: Tony Pollard (Titans) at Dolphins
It was only a matter of time before Pollard put up a fantasy dud, which is exactly what happened against the Packers. That result doesn’t discourage me, as Tennessee’s offense will experience ups and downs with Will Levis under center throughout the season.
I am, however, expecting a monstrous bounce-back outing for the Titans’ RB1 against Miami. The Dolphins are vulnerable against the run, as demonstrated by Zach Charbonnet’s 91-yard, two-touchdown performance last Sunday.
After falling behind early to Green Bay, game script should be more favorable towards Pollard against a Miami squad with no Tua Tagovailoa. He’s a strong RB2 this week, and a potential buy-low candidate if any of your league mates are concerned about Tyjae Spears’ involvement against the Packers (which as you can tell, I’m not).
Sit ‘Em: Rachaad White (Buccaneers) vs. Eagles
It appears a changing of the guard is near in Tampa Bay.
After a strong fantasy showing in Week 1, it’s been all downhill for White. The 25-year-old has been horribly inefficient on the ground, averaging just 2.1 yards per carry. Meanwhile, rookie Bucky Irving has made an early statement, racking up almost triple White’s yards per rush with 6.2. The dynamic Oregon product has out-produced his backfield mate in all three of Tampa Bay’s games, and he out-touched him in Week 3 against the Broncos.
White still presents some upside as a receiver, but even that isn’t guaranteed production, as Irving caught three balls against Denver. We’ve already arrived at panic territory for the third-year back, and he can’t be trusted against a strong Eagles run defense.
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Start ‘Em: Najee Harris (Steelers) at Colts
I get it, the fantasy numbers don’t look particularly enticing, but don’t be deceived. Pittsburgh’s offense is the Najee Harris show.
Arthur Smith wants to run the ball, as evident by the 55 carries Harris has received through three contests. The 26-year-old has actually been quite efficient too, he just hasn’t found the end zone yet. Last week against the Chargers, we saw a spike in PPR production as he uncharacteristically caught five balls.
Everything is trending in the right direction for a monstrous performance against the Colts, who have been extremely vulnerable against the run. Joe Mixon and Josh Jacobs combined for a whopping 310 rushing yards against them in Weeks 1 and 2, setting the stage for Harris to pick up where they left off. Fire up Pittsburgh’s workhorse as a high-end RB2.
Those are my start ’em, sit ’em Week 4 fantasy football running back picks! Stay tuned for more fantasy advice next week.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
