Frank Gore's Updated 2013 Fantasy Outlook After Week 4

The San Francisco 49ers have been among the best teams in the NFL in the previous two seasons with a hard-nosed, physical running game.

Pro Bowler Frank Gore has been the catalyst for this brand of football, and the star running back continued to prove himself as a dependable fantasy player in Week 4 against the St. Louis Rams on Thursday.

Even at the age of 30, which is often cited as the modern-day death sentence for a running back's career, Gore is as strong as ever. His fourth-down rushing touchdown from 34 yards out near the end of the first half gave the Niners a commanding 14-3 lead in the Edward Jones Dome.

Gore accumulated 107 yards on just 10 carries in the first 30 minutes, with four runs of 18 yards or more. This comes a week after getting only 11 carries for 82 yards in the entire game in a home loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

The Niners wound up winning 35-11, and Gore finished with 20 carries for 153 yards. Even before his evening was over, Gore had run for more yards in a single game than he had in nearly two years, per ESPN Stats & Info:

"

Frank Gore's 141 rushing yards are his most since 2011 Week 6.

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 27, 2013"

It seems offensive coordinator Greg Roman is reverting back to what worked before rather than delegating more responsibility to young quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Depending on Gore to carry the weight of the Niners offense has worked in the past, and it worked again in a pivotal NFC West matchup on a short week.

There is no reason to give up on Gore as a No. 1 fantasy back, and San Francisco's game plan on Thursday proved that the team hasn't given up on him, either.