In need of a fantasy football win? We aren’t too far from the midway point of our regular season, and you can’t afford to fall too far behind. I’m here to help you break those RB start/sit ties and have your team pointing in the right direction when Week 4 is all said and done.
Which Running Backs Should Fantasy Managers Start in Week 4?
All stats are from TruMedia unless otherwise stated.
Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers (at IND)
The Colts gave up over 150 rushing yards to Joe Mixon in Week 1 and Josh Jacobs in Week 2 before slowing Chicago’s excuse for a run game last week.
Yes, it’s still safe to label this defense vulnerable. After Najee Harris dominated the Week 3 usage (18-3 edge over Jaylen Warren in carries, 5-1 in targets), he’d be an RB2 this week if I was sure he was going to play a full complement. It looks like Harris being seen in a sling was more precautionary than anything, so hopefully, we see him for a full outing against the Colts.
Saw Najee Harris was in an arm sling today.
Here is his last run of the game. He was flexing in celebration. Even hit the Chargers with the too small. Stayed in for the QB kneels. Hopefully just precautionary. pic.twitter.com/CZPS1iUdYI
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) September 24, 2024
You’ll need to track Harris’ status. He hasn’t missed a game in his NFL career, so it’s very possible that he will play through the pain and into your lineup this weekend.
David Montgomery, Detroit Lions (vs. SEA)
Touchdowns are the most sticky of stats. They are reliant on a variety of factors, but the Lions’ offense chews up yardage, and David Montgomery is the number that gets called when it’s time to finish drives.
The veteran running back has scored in six straight regular-season games, and he was featured out of the gate last week in Arizona (he handled all six Lions rush attempts and scored on their first drive).
In this committee era, there are plenty of backfields that don’t really have a single option you can trust. Don’t let that skew how you evaluate the situation in Detroit.
Which Running Backs Should Fantasy Managers Sit in Week 4?
Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots (at SF)
Last week was exactly what everyone feared coming into the season — it just took two strong games to get there.
The Patriots were projected for fewer than five wins coming into this season, an expectation that carries without it the expectation of a negative game script.
That wasn’t at all the case through two weeks, which allowed Rhamondre Stevenson to score a pair of touchdowns while getting his hands on the ball 51 times. The six touches Stevenson received in Week 3 against the Jets isn’t the new norm (he missed some time with a finger injury), but I’d bet the under on 2.5 more games with 23+ touches — a mark he reached in Weeks 1-2.
To make matters worse, Stevenson lost a fumble and left you with 0.3 fantasy points last week, likely costing you your matchup unless you had a superhero performance elsewhere.
Stevenson did show his burst on one play Thursday night, but it was called back by a penalty.
A big run by Rhamondre Stevenson is wiped out by a facemask penalty pic.twitter.com/FlBCo1MFBf
— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) September 20, 2024
I thought Antonio Gibson showed some juice and could make this something of a committee situation when New England is playing from behind, which I expect to be the case for the majority of this contest.
Stevenson is a Flex option at best this week. I understand where you may be backed into a corner, but I’d rather chase upside receivers at my Flex position if at all possible.
There will likely be another game at some point this season where the Patriots overachieve. Hopefully, it comes soon and affords you the option to sell their starting RB after you failed to do so following the aberrational beginning of the season.
Javonte Williams, Denver Broncos (at NYJ)
A lost fumble. A failed goal-line carry. A second game this season cashing in under 50% of his expected points.
That’s the profile of a shaky fantasy asset at best, but Javonte Williams maintains the lead in this backfield in touches and has enough versatility (10 catches this season) to warrant Flex consideration in neutral matchups.
The problem is that this isn’t a neutral matchup; it’s a game against the fourth-best rush defense since the start of last season.
I have plenty of Williams exposure, and I’m benching him across the board.