Spencer Ware, Jamaal Charles' Post-Week 4 Fantasy Advice

The Pittsburgh Steelers destroyed the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night 43-14, much to the chagrin of fantasy owners looking for a late boost from the losing team’s running backs.

Pittsburgh forced a fumble from Spencer Ware and held him relatively in check, while Jamaal Charles was a non-factor in limited action in his first game back from injury.    

Here is a look at their totals and some reaction:

Player	Carries	Rushing Yards	Rushing Touchdowns	Catches	Receiving Yards	Targets	Touchdown Catches	Fumbles Lost
Spencer Ware	13	82	0	1	14	5	0	1
Jamaal Charles	2	7	0	0	0	1	0	0

Spencer Ware

While fantasy owners likely weren’t pleased with his showing, Ware at least managed passable yardage despite the blowout loss, thanks to his impressive per-carry average. Running backs aren’t going to see the ball as much when their team falls behind 22-0 in the first quarter and shifts into comeback mode.

Still, the fumble came when the game was still scoreless, and Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star noted it was Ware’s third fumble in three weeks. That is not the path to cement a role in the running back rotation moving forward with four-time Pro Bowler Charles back in the mix.

Ware looked dynamic in Week 1 (70 rushing yards, 129 receiving yards and a touchdown), but it is best to proceed with caution at this point with the fumble issues and Charles returning to health.

Store Ware on your bench for depth purposes at an injury-riddled position, especially since he hasn’t found the end zone since that first week.

Jamaal Charles

A torn ACL ended Charles’ 2015 campaign after just five games, and the Chiefs weren’t about to unleash him with 20-plus carries in unfavorable weather conditions in his first game back, especially since it quickly got out of hand.

Kansas City’s bye week is next on the schedule, which is perfect timing for those fantasy owners hoping to ride Charles down the stretch. He will have additional time to recover and should be as close to 100 percent as he has been since before his injury.

The pure upside in that scenario for the established playmaker who topped 1,000 rushing yards in five of six years from 2009 to 2014 (he played in just two games in 2011) makes Charles worth a start as a third running back or flex option when the Chiefs return to face an Oakland Raiders team that allowed 113 rushing yards and a score to the Baltimore Ravens' Terrance West on Sunday.