Fantasy Football RB Rankings Week 4: Who should start, the best insider tips, waiver wire picks at running back

Earlier this week, we said it was now or never for Zamir White. We weren't exactly optimistic about him during draft season, but it was largely assumed he would have a stellar workload. He didn't have a very dynamic skillset, but given the presumed workload, he was still someone who was projected as a serviceable RB2. He couldn't even reach 50 yards against a team that had allowed an incredible 399 rushing yards in the first two games. The only major difference is that Andy Dalton made the Carolina offense look competent for the first time all season, as opposed to benched Bryce Young, but that doesn't completely excuse White's performance, as he managed just 34 yards on 10 carries. White is still a FLEX option, but he's no longer a RB2 you draft and forget about.

On a positive note, Derrick Henry had a great performance against the Cowboys, rushing for over 150 yards, including two touchdowns. After two shaky performances from the Ravens defense, they managed to keep Dallas at bay, allowing Baltimore to take the lead and rely on King Henry. Mark Andrews didn't catch even a single pass and Lamar Jackson threw just 13 times, but that didn't matter as the Ravens controlled the game the whole time. This week's clash with the Bills should be more exciting, but Henry could get into the form expected.

And just a week after we speculated that the Vikings' running back situation could become a 50/50 one, 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 against the Packers next. 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 should start and sit at running back?

Rankings based on PPR rating. These rankings are updated throughout the week, so check back often..

Who are the best fantasy RBs in Week 4?

A week after costing the Eagles a win over the Falcons with a brutal drop, Saquon Barkley came back and redeemed himself for Philadelphia, throwing for 147 yards and both of the team's touchdowns in a tough win over the Saints. AJ Brown missed another game with a hamstring injury, and with Philly having a Week 5 off, it's possible he could sit out again. And DeVonta Smith left this week's game with a concussion after a brutal hit that should have been a penalty. With so many injuries, Barkley will likely continue to carry a significant workload.

And Alvin Kamara continues to turn back the clock in Klint Kubiak's offense. Kamara ran 26 times for 87 yards and added another 40 yards through the air. While working as a pass receiver is nothing new for Kamara, fantasy managers must be pleasantly surprised at how much work he takes on running. There must be some concern that Kamara could crumble with that much work, but right now he's a bargain based on his ADP.

While the very banged up Rams presented a much tougher challenge than expected for the 49ers, another exciting matchup awaits them next as they host the Patriots, who were just embarrassed by the Jets. Look for Jordan Mason to be called upon early and often and then later in the game as he runs down the clock.

Who are the best fantasy RB waiver pickups in Week 4?

We've been saying all offseason that it was only a matter of time before Bucky Irving could significantly reduce Rachaad White's workload in the Tampa backfield. But even we didn't think it would happen in Week 3. And to be clear, we don't know for sure that Irving has overtaken White in the official rankings, but there's no doubt who is the more dynamic player. While Tampa struggled mightily all day against the Broncos, Irving managed 70 yards on just 9 carries and averaged 7.8 YPC. He also added three catches for another 14 yards. He's only on the roster in 35% of Yahoo! leagues, so grab him if he's available.

We'll go out on a limb next time. D'Andre Swift is averaging a measly 1.8 yards per carry on 37 carries. Swift is very dynamic in space, but the Bears don't seem to be able to fit him in either of those positions. Khalil Herbert and Roschon Johnson both struggle for runs behind him, but Herbert seems to be the best all-around running back on this team and could earn a FLEX position as the season progresses. He could be a good reserve until we see how the situation plays out.

WEEK 4: NOTICE OF WAIVER WIRE
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Who are the best fantasy RB sleepers in Week 4?

The Dallas Cowboys' running back situation has been dire through the first two weeks of the season. Ezekiel Elliott has been exactly what we thought he would be, a bust. And Rico Dowdle, while more exciting than Elliott, has seemed inferior. And while Dowdle didn't blow anyone away with his performance against the Ravens, he got the lion's share of the work and was also better at touches than Elliott. A big reason Dowdle got more work was probably because they played from behind all game, but with the Giants up next, Dowdle could be a nice surprise in Week 4 if he's more of the 1a to Zeke's 1b.

With Andy Dalton at quarterback, the Panthers looked like a completely different team against the Raiders, who had previously shocked the Ravens. Hubbard ran for 114 yards and caught five passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. With the Benglas next up for Carolina, Hubbard should be close to an RB2 and is definitely worth a look as a FLEX.

What are the biggest RB injuries in Week 4?

Amazingly, no fantasy-relevant running back suffered a serious injury in Week 3. So let's take a look at some of the existing injury situations that we'll continue to monitor in Week 4.

Joe Mixon missed Week 3 with an ankle injury. While we think he could well return in Week 4, we're keeping him unranked until we have more clarity. If he plays, Cam Akers will be a handcuff again. It also sounds like we could see Kenneth Walker return in Week 4 as well. He was out for Seattle with an oblique injury, and when he returns, Zach Charbonnet will start the passing game again. Charbonnet was good in Walker's absence, but he didn't take much away from Walker's work on early downs. And Raheem Mostert is another player we'll continue to keep an eye on. The Dolphins offense is struggling big time without Tua Tagovailoa, so they can use all the help they can get.