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Kate Magdziuk shares her Week 4 running back rankings for standard scoring leagues and highlights several streaming options.
Injuries have ravished the running back position early this season, with top options like Christian McCaffrey, Isiah Pacheco and Kenneth Walker all currently injured. Now, fantasy football managers have been left to pick up the pieces in the wake of it all.
Luckily, there have been several players to step into key roles early on that took us all by surprise, saving our fantasy weeks with plays from draft stashes like J.K. Dobbins and Jordan Mason.
Here’s a look at two flex plays to lock into your lineups this week, some deeper sleepers to consider if you’re in a pinch and a full deep dive into my Week 4 running back rankings for standard-scoring formats.
Week 3 RB flex plays
Zack Moss, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. Panthers)
Despite concerns about a potential time share for the Bengals, starting RB Zack Moss continues to dominate the bulk of the rushing attempts in the offense while seeing a more significant share of the targets to the running back position. Still, the threat of second-year RB Chase Brown, who showed plenty of burst in limited opportunities this week, has kept Moss out of flex consideration for some. Still, heading into Week 4, fantasy football managers will want to consider finding him a spot in the flex going up against the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers are allowing opposing RBs the fifth-most rushing yards in the league (124.7) fantasy points per game (25.47) allowed.
Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans (vs. Dolphins)
Tennessee Titans RB Tony Pollard was off to a red-hot start to the season, dominating in the volume department with 41 total touches through the first three weeks of the season. That tapered off in Week 3, however, totaling just 29 yards on nine touches. This week, that inefficiency should be cured with a matchup against the Miami Dolphins, currently allowing the third-most fantasy points in the league to opposing RBs. This should be a slow-paced outing given these teams’ respective issues on offense, which should create a favorable opportunity for a bounceback in workload for Week 4.
Week 4 RB deep sleepers
Rostership percentages in Yahoo! Fantasy leagues are indicated in parentheses.
Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Eagles, 36%)
Sorry to all of you Rachaad White stans out there (if there are any left). Bucky Irving is taking over this backfield, and it’s happening right before our eyes. White has been inefficient throughout his entire NFL career, but 2024 has reached a new low, having totaled just 66 yards on 31 rush attempts for a miserable 2.1 yards per carry average. Meanwhile, Irving has more than doubled White’s rushing yard total on six fewer attempts in that same span.
Irving has shown more juice this season, and it’s earned the attention of the coaching staff in Tampa Bay. Following their Week 3 loss to the Denver Broncos, HC Todd Bowles acknowledged that the rookie had earned more snaps, and in Week 4, they’ll get an average defense to beat up on in the Philadelphia Eagles.
Fantasy football: Week 4 standard RB rankings
Kate Magdziuk is an editor and contributor for Yahoo Fantasy and co-host of the Locked On Dynasty Football podcast. She is also the managing editor for Behind The Steel Curtain, SB Nation’s exclusive Pittsburgh Steelers blog. Her previous bylines include Pro Football Focus, NBC Sports Rotoworld and 4for4 Football, among others.
