Week 4 Fantasy Football Rankings: RB

Travis Etienne hunts for another 20-touch effort in London, Raheem Mostert and Devon Achane work to prove Week 3 wasn’t a fluke, and Alvin Kamara returns from suspension vs. the Bucs.

Other positions: Quarterback | Receiver | Tight End/Kickers/Defense

Updated 10/1 at 12:00 PM ET. Added Justice Hill.

Week 4 Running Backs

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RB Notes: Weeks 1-3 was the first time Tony Pollard ever handled 60-plus carries in any three-game span. The Cowboys have put to rest any doubts they were ready to trust Pollard as a bell-cow. … Travis Etienne is uncomfortably high, not that we really have a choice. Third in touches with 60 through three weeks, Etienne has been on the field for at least 70 percent of the snaps each of his first three games. That number has been trending ever so slightly downward, while Tank Bigsby has been a goal-line nuisance. Vs. Atlanta in London should be a slug-it-out affair that lends itself to another high touch count. … Those same conditions will favor Bijan Robinson despite his disappointing Week 3. The uber-talented rookie has yet to handle fewer than 14 touches or 62 percent of the snaps. He was on the field for 81 percent of Atlanta’s Week 3 plays. Robinson’s blow-up week is a matter of when, not if. … Kenneth Walker has been one of the early season’s models of consistency. Touches, snaps and goal-line looks are all a weekly guarantee. The run will be established against the Giants.

Austin Ekeler (high-ankle sprain) is making noise about returning after missing Weeks 2 and 3. Good news, though it would make all the sense in the world to hold Ekeler out for one more game since the Chargers are on bye in Week 5. “Vs. LV” also isn’t a matchup where his services are absolutely required. Were Ekeler to sit again, Joshua Kelley has fallen from RB2 grace. Ekeler would obviously be back in the top 10 despite his re-injury risk. … I’m going all in on D’Andre Swift despite the supposedly volatile nature of his work. His “hand” remained sizzling against the Bucs, while the Eagles still couldn’t kick their passing attack into high gear. Swift essentially didn’t play in Week 1 and still has the second most rushing yards in football. The Commanders bleed ground game production. Whatever you think Swift’s rank should be, you know you’re not benching him. … You may wish you could bench Josh Jacobs, but he has maintained A+ usage. Jacobs does not come off the field. Jimmy Garoppolo’s (concussion) potential Week 4 absence does greatly diminish Raiders/Chargers’ shootout odds.

The Bengals are getting obliterated on the ground but profile as a nightmare matchup for an immobile Ryan Tannehill. Derrick Henry’s rank is a bet that the Titans will find a way to keep this game close at home against a bad run defense. … Perhaps I’m falling prey to the “AJ Dillon fallacy” with Zack Moss, but I simply can’t bet against his recent touch counts. Getting paired with a returning Anthony Richardson (concussion) for a full game should also enhance his upside. … Who is winning the James Cook “argument”? That’s if there even is one. As I feared, he is sort of maxing out as a “deluxe Chase Emonds” who isn’t getting goal-line carries. But he’s yet to handle fewer than 16 touches and, unlike Chase Edmonds, he has been highly efficient on the ground. Only Breece Hall is averaging more rush yards over expected. This week’s 54-totaled bonanza with the Dolphins would be an excellent spot for Cook to finally find the end zone. … Aaron Jones (hamstring) is returning for a potential shootout with the Lions, but that’s where the good news stops. It’s a short-week contest where the Packers’ passing attack could struggle, while the Lions have been stingy on the ground thus far.

Your NFL rushing touchdowns leader is … Raheem Mostert? True, and not necessarily strange considering he’s the goal-line option for the league’s best offense through three weeks. Points seem likely to rain down Sunday in Buffalo. The Bills are somehow surrendering a league-worst 5.9 yards per carry. Mostert is an RB1, and De’Von Achane can be regarded as a high-upside RB2 even if, realistically, we can only safely count on 8-12 touches. Achane is like a “big-play” receiver who can flip matchups on small workloads. … Alvin Kamra returns from his three-game suspension just as the Saints are likely without Derek Carr (shoulder) for a game or two. A veteran returning from something other than injury, Kamara is unlikely to be eased in. It should be his “typical” role, though we aren’t quite sure what that is at this point. Kamara has never been at his best as a bell-cow. Hopefully he is back in the 12-14 touch range where 5-6 of his handles are receptions. Despite the role uncertainty, Kamara can be fired up as an RB2. … Kyren Williams’ Week 3 dud wasn’t because he was sharing the ball. He played 100 percent of the Rams’ snaps. Hopefully touches and touchdowns still follow.

RB2 desperados got what they needed out of Jerome Ford in Week 3. He out-snapped Kareem Hunt 40-14, who came out of the proceedings with two minor injuries. Touchdowns saved Ford’s day against a tough Titans run defense, but the Ravens have been more permissive on the ground. That is not to say Baltimore is a plus matchup. … Ezekiel Elliott is threatening to “what would you say you do here?” Rhamondre Stevenson. Stevenson is still gobbling up routes even if you wouldn’t guess it from his 10 receptions. There’s a chance the worst is behind us. … With David Montgomery (thigh) trending toward a Thursday night return, Jahmyr Gibbs is again relegated to boom/bust RB2 status. … Javonte Williams has been dominating Broncos backfield touches. Perhaps it will actually amount to something against the Bears’ nonexistent defense. … Najee Harris finally piled up carries in Week 3 but remained stuck at 50 percent of the Steelers’ snaps. That’s an RB2 recipe that will continue to fail the plodding third-year back. … I’m pulling the plug on Alexander Mattison after his mistake-marred Week 3. I think coach Kevin O’Connell will be all too comfortable immediately turning to his former Rams back Cam Akers.