RB Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks for Week 4 (2024)

As we enter week 4 of the fantasy football season, fantasy managers everywhere are trying to determine whether their players are contenders or pretenders.

One thing we have learned is that Sam Darnold is, indeed, not a pretender. Who else is emerging, and who is losing the trust of fantasy football managers? There are many developing stories as we head into Week 4.

We also have learned, by now, that I have no desire to talk about quarterbacks too much, as this is your week 4 start 'em and sit 'em picks at the running back position. Let's go.

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Week 4 Starts - Fantasy Football Booms

Aaron Jones - RB, Minnesota Vikings at  Green Bay Packers

You know Aaron Jones has had this game circled on the calendar for some time. This game may have been the reason that Jones signed with the Vikings this offseason after being asked by the Packers to take a pay cut or leave.

I have learned that you never mess with another man's money. So, you know that Jones and his new teammates have his back in this one and will do whatever it takes to not only secure the win but also rub salt into the wounds of Packers management.

What was, on paper, supposed to be a difficult matchup turned out to be Jones's 2024 coming-out party. With 146 total yards against the Texans, the Vikings' back is just getting primed for a date with his old team that happens to be allowing 23.27 fantasy points per contest so far, including three touchdowns to opposing backs in as many weeks.

Sam Darnold finds Aaron Jones and the @Vikings are rolling 🔥

📺: #HOUvsMIN on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/xqVXlClgqR

— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024

Tony Pollard - RB, Tennessee Titans at Miami Dolphins

I may be reaching here, or it's wishful thinking, considering Tony Pollard was limited to 29 total yards and just 14 yards on the ground on six attempts. However, let's not forget Pollard did have 196 total yards on 41 opportunities heading into last week.

Without question, Pollard is the number one back for this Titans offense early on. Tyjae Spears has seen just 22 opportunities through 3 weeks, and with a great matchup this week against the Dolphins, Pollard should once again please fantasy managers who put their trust in him.

Last week, Miami allowed a pair of touchdowns to Zach Charbonnet, who went on to produce 25 fantasy points in week 3. That performance is on par with what we have seen from this Dolphins' defensive unit, which has been yielding 26.8 fantasy points on a per-game basis to opposing running backs.

If Miami struggles offensively again, Pollard could see a positive game script, leading to more touches and fantasy points.

Devin Singletary - RB, New York Giants vs.  Dallas Cowboys

Admittedly, last week, I had Devin Singletary on my sits list. This week, I am making it up to the Giants' back, who accounted for 65 yards in the run game, averaging 4.1 yards per carry, and 43 additional yards in the passing game on four receptions. Singletary could have had a two-touchdown outing if he had decided not to go down on the one-yard line to ice the game.

Devin Singletary understood the assignment. That should ice the game for the @Giants!

📺: #NYGvsCLE on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/ncONHFHxt1

— NFL (@NFL) September 22, 2024

Singletary's decision to give himself up was the right call from a team perspective. He wasn't intentionally trying to take points away from your fantasy team, and he certainly wasn't point-shaving enough to hit the under. You all be wild out there.

Currently, Singletary is on pace for 1,116 rushing yards, 51 receptions for 329 yards, and 11 scores. Add that all up, and that would be 261.5 fantasy points, which would have been good enough to finish as the RB7 last season.

This season, the Dallas Cowboys are allowing 37.8 fantasy points per contest and have already surrendered 546 total yards and seven touchdowns to running backs. Singletary averages 14.2 fantasy points per contest, and against this defense, expect that dominance to continue.

Week 4 Sits - Fantasy Football Busts

Josh Jacobs - RB, Green Bay Packers vs. Minnesota Vikings

Fantasy experts all over owe you an apology for that dud of a performance we got from Josh Jacobs last week. In a contest where the Packers put up 30 points, Jacobs finished third in rushing yards behind Malik Willis and Emanuel Wilson.

Jacobs may not care about your fantasy teams, but we do. Minnesota has allowed the fifth-fewest rushing yards to backs this season and the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game.

If Jordan Love returns this week and looks promising, then Jacobs may be a viable option. Right now, I'm not willing to take that chance, considering the 85 yards Wilson had on 14 touches compared to the 48 produced by Jacobs on his 15 opportunities.

A week after Jacobs saw a workload with those 32 carries, the Packers determined they wanted to lighten his load, but this seems like a significant regression in touches that we need to be wary of moving forward.

J.K. Dobbins - RB, Los Angeles Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs

I've been banging that drum to trade J.K. Dobbins while you can. Last week was a tough matchup on paper, and the Steelers didn't disappoint as Dobbins gained just 2.9 yards per carry average on his 15 attempts after averaging 9.9 yards per carry heading into that game.

Things get more challenging this week when facing AFC West division rival, the Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City thus far ranks in the top five in terms of rushing yards allowed to backs and top 10 in receiving yards yielded to the position. From a fantasy perspective, the 15.77 fantasy points per game allowed is the third-fewest.

Derrick Henry: 3.5 YPC
Zack Moss: 2.8 YPC
Bijan Robinson: 1.9 YPC

Someone with a lot more time and stat-nerd-curiosity should dig deep into Chiefs history since 2019, because this has to be the best 3-game start for run defense in the Spags era ever. pic.twitter.com/m0foE4XRlj

— 📽️ Red Tribe Cinema (@ClayWendler) September 23, 2024

With Justin Herbert re-aggravating his ankle injury in the Chargers loss to the Steelers, Dobbins could be facing a negative game script as early as the second quarter.

Kenneth Walker or Zach Charbonnet - RB, Seattle Seahawks at Detroit Lions

Kenneth Walker missed last week's contest with an oblique injury. Zach Charbonnet had a productive outing against the Miami Dolphins in his absence, churning out 91 yards on the ground and a pair of touchdowns on 18 carries.

Miami is in the top five entering week 4 regarding fantasy points allowed to the running back position. The Seahawks' opponent this week is the Detroit Lions, who allow 8.33 fantasy points per game, the fewest in the entire league.

It doesn't matter if Walker or Charbonnet is running the ball this week. Detroit has allowed just 138 yards to backs on the ground on 50 attempts, which is just under 2.8 yards per attempt. They have also allowed just 17 yards in the passing game on five receptions thus far.

Kyren Williams had 18 carries for 50 yards. Rachaad White had 10 carries for 18 yards and one catch for five yards. James Conner had nine attempts for just 17 yards. These are outstanding backs, and the Lions are shutting down. All three backs finished 2023, averaging more than 15.5 fantasy points per game.

Death. Taxes. Benching running backs in fantasy when facing the Lions are our only certainties.

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