Fantasy Football Week 4 Start 'Em & Sit 'Em Running Backs: Rookie RBs Judkins and Skattebo on the rise
Running backs you want in Week 4 lineups and those you should avoid
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Things are looking up for the rookie running backs heading into Week 4, and we might be able to call Omarion Hampton, Cam Skattebo, and Quinshon Judkins must-start Fantasy options in the near future. And TreVeyon Henderson might not be far behind.
Najee Harris (Achilles) was unfortunately lost for the season in Week 3 against Denver, which allowed Hampton to showcase his skills. He should be considered a starting Fantasy running back in Week 4 at the Giants, which you can read about below.
Skattebo also benefits due to an injury since Tyrone Tracy Jr. (shoulder) could miss 2-4 weeks after he was hurt in Week 3 against the Chiefs. Skattebo had a standout game against Kansas City, and we'll see if he can build off that performance in Week 4 against the Chargers. I like Skattebo as a sleeper this week.
Judkins started his first NFL game in Week 3 against Green Bay, and he dominated for the Browns with 18 carries for 94 yards and a touchdown, and one catch for 1 yard on one target. I didn't write about Judkins below, but I would start him as a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues at Detroit.
As for Henderson, he could see a boost in playing time after Rhamondre Stevenson (two) and Antonio Gibson combined for three fumbles in Week 3 against Pittsburgh. We don't know how the Patriots will use their backfield in Week 4 against Carolina, but I like Henderson as a flex option given the potential uptick in touches.
Some other rookie running backs are on the rise, including Bhayshul Tuten, Ollie Gordon II, and Woody Marks. I also think this could be the breakout week for Ashton Jeanty, who has a favorable matchup at home against the Bears.
Unfortunately, we have to remain patient with RJ Harvey, who continues to play in a secondary role behind J.K. Dobbins. Just stash Harvey on your bench, but Dobbins should be considered a starting Fantasy option in all leagues in Week 4 against the Bengals.
And, as you'll read about below, I would sit Jacory Croskey-Merritt in Week 4 at Atlanta. Not only do the Falcons have a tough run defense, but Washington might be using a messy committee in the backfield with Croskey-Merritt, Chris Rodriguez Jr., and Jeremy McNichols. For now, none of the Commanders are worth starting in the majority of leagues, and Croskey-Merritt is just a flex option at best.
RBs to Start
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Mason was awesome as the Start of the Week in Week 3 against the Bengals with 16 carries for 116 yards and two touchdowns, and he scored 23.6 PPR points in the first game without Aaron Jones (hamstring). Mason didn't have a target, but Minnesota blasted Cincinnati 48-10, so he wasn't needed in the passing game. We'll see if that changes in Week 4 against the Steelers in Ireland, but Pittsburgh has struggled to stop Breece Hall and Kenneth Walker III so far this year, as both running backs scored at least 16.5 PPR points. I like Mason as a borderline No. 1 running back in all leagues.
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Najee Harris (Achilles) is out for the season, and Hampton should now have the chance for a big rookie campaign. We got a glimpse of his upside in Week 3 against Denver, in the game Harris was injured, when Hampton had 19 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown, and six catches for 59 yards on seven targets. This week, Hampton has a great matchup against the Giants, who are No. 4 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Javonte Williams each scored at least 14.2 PPR points against New York. I like Hampton as a borderline No. 1 running back in all leagues.
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I was skeptical of Hall coming into this season, and so far, he's scored 9.2 PPR points or less in two of three games. He's failed to score a touchdown and only has eight receptions on the season. But I'm hopeful things will turn around in Week 4 at Miami, and the Dolphins are No. 8 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Rhamondre Stevenson and James Cook each scored at least 19.2 PPR points against Miami in the past two games, and Hall scored 18.2 PPR points against the Dolphins in Week 18 last season. Braelon Allen is a sleeper in this matchup as well, but Hall should be considered a solid No. 2 running back in all leagues.
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Dobbins is off to a great start as the lead running back for the Broncos, and he has scored at least 14.8 PPR points in all three games this season. I don't love that he only has four catches for 14 yards on six targets, and he's relied on a rushing touchdown each week to save his Fantasy value. But none of that matters in Week 4, given his matchup with the Bengals. Cincinnati is No. 2 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and four running backs this season have already scored at least 15.4 PPR points, including Jordan Mason as the Start of the Week in Week 3. Dobbins should be considered a solid No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues.
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Benson will make his first start this season with James Conner (ankle) out, and I would use Benson as a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues on Thursday night. The Seahawks have yet to allow a running back to score a touchdown, but Christian McCaffrey and Jaylen Warren have each scored 17.4 PPR points against Seattle. Benson, who is averaging 6.0 yards per carry, has scored at least 8.1 PPR points in each game this season while sharing touches with Conner. Benson will be in a featured role now, and I hope he takes advantage of it in Fantasy and reality.
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Sleepers (Start/Sit)
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Skattebo looked great in Week 3 against the Chiefs with 10 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown and six catches for 61 yards on eight targets. Tyrone Tracy Jr. (shoulder) is out in Week 4 against the Chargers, and Skatteo should have the chance for 15-plus touches for the second game in a row. We'll see how the offense looks with Jaxson Dart making his first NFL start, and hopefully, he continues to rely on Skattebo in the passing game. I like Skattebo as a low-end No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues.
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Rhamondre Stevenson (two) and Antonio Gibson combined for three fumbles in Week 3 against Pittsburgh, which has to help Henderson get more playing time. He finished the Steelers game with 11 carries for 28 yards and three catches for 19 yards on three targets, and the 14 total touches are a season high. I'll take a chance on Henderson as a high-end flex in Week 4 against the Panthers, who have already allowed three running backs to score at least 12.2 PPR points this season. And Trey Benson and Bijan Robinson combined for nine catches for 69 yards on 12 targets against Carolina in the past two weeks, which should bode well for Henderson's role in the passing game.
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Tuten only had six carries for 21 yards and a touchdown and no catches on one target in Week 3 against Houston, but look for his role to expand in Week 4 at San Francisco. He's now scored at least 8.1 PPR points in each of his past two games against the Bengals and Texans, and I would consider him as a flex option in Week 4. Travis Etienne remains a No. 2 Fantasy running back in all leagues, and we'll see how the 49ers defense looks in the first game without Nick Bosa (ACL).
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Gordon saw a season-high nine carries in Week 3 at Buffalo, and he responded with 38 yards and a touchdown. He should continue to work in tandem with De'Von Achane, and I would use Gordon as a flex option in Week 4 against the Jets. He'll likely need a touchdown to help his Fantasy production since he only has two catches for 4 yards on two targets this year, but the Dolphins will likely lean on Gordon in short-yardage situations and near the goal line. If the Dolphins are playing with a lead in this game, then Gordon could be a nice surprise for Fantasy managers, especially if he finds the end zone.
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Marks might take on a bigger role for the Texans, and he just played 30 snaps in Week 3 at Jacksonville compared to 33 for Nick Chubb. Marks also had a season-high seven total touches against the Jaguars, and he has 46 receiving yards in his past two outings with only two catches on three targets. I'll still use Chubb ahead of Marks in Week 4 against the Titans, who are No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, but Marks is a good desperation play if you need a flex option in this matchup.
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RBs to Sit
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Williams is more of a bust alert than a must-sit running back, but this could be a rough week for him against the Packers. The Cowboys are down two interior offensive linemen since guard Tyler Booker (ankle) and center Cooper Beebe (ankle) are out, and Green Bay is No. 8 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to running backs this season. Williams scored a season-low 12.2 PPR points in Week 3 at Chicago, which hopefully is his floor on a weekly basis, but I'm concerned he could be worse than that this week. I would only use Williams as a flex in the majority of leagues.
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Swift had a rough game against Dallas in Week 3 with 13 carries for 33 yards and three catches for 45 yards on four targets. He's not dominating playing time like we hoped -- he played 61 percent of the snaps, while Kyle Monangai played 29 percent -- and you can't blame the Bears if they want to see if someone else can jumpstart their run game. This week, Swift faces a Raiders defense that has been tough against the run. Jeremy McNichols broke several tackles to score on a 60-yard run last week for the Commanders, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt also fell into the end zone from the 1-yard line. But the Raiders held the Patriots running backs to 13 carries for 45 yards in Week 1 and the Chargers backfield to 16 carries for 52 yards. Swift should only be used as a flex option in the majority of leagues for Week 4.
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Maybe we'll see Croskey-Merritt step forward as the No. 1 running back for the Commanders in Week 4, but it was messy in Week 3 against Las Vegas. In the first game without Austin Ekeler (Achilles), Chris Rodriguez Jr. started and led Washington with 11 carries, finishing with 39 yards and no targets. Jeremy McNichols played the fewest snaps, but he had the best game thanks to a 60-yard touchdown run, which boosted his stats to 78 yards on four carries, although he also had no targets. Croskey-Merritt played the most snaps in a blowout 41-24 victory, and he finished with eight carries for 26 yards and a touchdown and one catch for 5 yards on one target. I'm hesitant to trust any Washington running back against the Falcons, who are No. 6 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. At best, Croskey-Merritt is a flex option in deeper leagues.
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I thought Pacheco had the chance to play well against the Giants in Week 3 since the matchup was great, and I expected the Chiefs to finally be playing with a lead for the first time all season. Even though that happened in a 22-9 Kansas City victory, Pacheco only had 10 carries for 45 yards and one catch for 3 yards on one target. He's now scored 5.8 PPR points or less in three games in a row, and he's losing valuable touches to Kareem Hunt, who scored a rushing touchdown against the Giants. I'd rather start Hunt ahead of Pacheco in Week 4 against the Ravens, but neither one is anything more than a flex option in deeper leagues.
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Bust Alert (Start/Sit)
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Montgomery was absolutely amazing in Week 3 at Baltimore with 12 carries for 151 yards and two touchdowns, and one catch for 13 yards on one target. He's now scored at least 13.1 PPR points in two games in a row, and it's tough to bench him in the majority of leagues. That said, here comes a matchup with the Browns, who are No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. Cleveland allowed Chase Brown to score a touchdown in Week 1, but the Browns have held Brown, Derrick Henry, and Josh Jacobs to a combined 48 carries for 96 yards on the season. Montgomery can always score to save his Fantasy production, but this matchup should be brutal for most running backs all season. I'll stick with Jamhyr Gibbs as a must-start running back given his role in the passing game, but Montgomery is just a flex option in all leagues in Week 4.
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