Fantasy Football Week 4 Rankings: Flex and PPR Outlook for Each Position

When looking to fill a flex spot in point-per-reception fantasy football leagues, it's always advisable to find a wide receiver. The logic is simple: Wideouts catch the ball more than running backs and tight ends, leading to more points.

But the league has seen a strong shift recently, as some running backs are being used even more in the pass game. For example, the New York Giants' Saquon Barkley already has 21 receptions through three weeks.

While tight ends aren't ideal to use for the flex given their limited upside compared to other positions, running back could work out. If your pick is being targeted consistently week after week, then give someone at that position a shot.

In addition, a projected large volume of carries may make a running back worthwhile.

We'll dig a little deeper into four running backs you can put in the flex this week. You can also find top 15 running back rankings, top 20 wide receiver rankings and the top 10 tight ends. All rankings are based on point-per-reception scoring.

Running Back

1. New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara (at New York Giants)

2. Los Angeles Chargers RB Melvin Gordon (vs. San Francisco 49ers)

3. New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley (vs. New Orleans Saints)

4. Arizona Cardinals RB David Johnson (vs. Seattle Seahawks)

5. Chicago Bears RB Jordan Howard (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

6. Cincinnati Bengals RB Giovani Bernard (at Atlanta Falcons)

7. Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott (vs. Detroit Lions)

8. Pittsburgh Steelers RB James Conner (vs. Baltimore Ravens)

9. Cleveland Browns RB Carlos Hyde (vs. Oakland Raiders)

10. Atlanta Falcons RB Tevin Coleman (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)

11. Kansas City Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt (at Denver Broncos)

12. New England Patriots RB James White (vs. Miami Dolphins)

13. Miami Dolphins RB Kenyan Drake (at New England Patriots)

14. Seattle Seahawks RB Chris Carson (at Arizona Cardinals)

15. Detroit Lions RB Kerryon Johnson (at Dallas Cowboys)

Wide Receiver

1. Atlanta Falcons WR Julio Jones (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)

2. Cincinnati Bengals WR A.J. Green (at Atlanta Falcons)

3. New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas (at New York Giants)

4. New York Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. (vs. New Orleans Saints)

5. Kansas City Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill (at Denver Broncos)

6. Pittsburgh Steelers WR Antonio Brown (vs. Baltimore Ravens)

7. Houston Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins (at Indianapolis Colts)

8. Green Bay Packers WR Davante Adams (vs. Buffalo Bills)

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Mike Evans (at Chicago Bears)

10. Los Angeles Chargers WR Keenan Allen (vs. San Francisco 49ers)

11. Pittsburgh Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (vs. Baltimore Ravens)

12. Cleveland Browns WR Jarvis Landry (at Oakland Raiders)

13. Denver Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)

14. Indianapolis Colts WR T.Y. Hilton (vs. Houston Texans)

15. Houston Texans WR Will Fuller (at Indianapolis Colts)

16. Cincinnati Bengals WR Tyler Boyd (at Atlanta Falcons)

17. New York Giants WR Sterling Shepard (vs. New Orleans Saints)

18. Detroit Lions WR Golden Tate (at Dallas Cowboys)

19. Atlanta Falcons WR Calvin Ridley (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)

T20. Miami Dolphins WR Kenny Stills (at New England Patriots)

T20. Cleveland Browns WR Antonio Callaway (vs. Oakland Raiders)

Tight End

1. New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski (vs. Miami Dolphins)

2. Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce (at Denver Broncos)

3. Philadelphia Eagles TE Zach Ertz (at Tennessee Titans)

4. Indianapolis Colts TE Eric Ebron (vs. Houston Texans)

5. Green Bay Packers TE Jimmy Graham (vs. Buffalo Bills)

6. Oakland Raiders TE Jared Cook (vs. Cleveland Browns)

7. Cincinnati Bengals TE Tyler Eifert (at Atlanta Falcons)

8. New Orleans Saints TE Ben Watson (at New York Giants)

9. Cleveland Browns TE David Njoku (at Oakland Raiders)

10. Chicago Bears TE Trey Burton (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Running Back Outlook

If you're considering a running back for your flex spot, look into the following four options: Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson, the New England Patriots' James White, Miami Dolphins back Kenyan Drake and the Detroit Lions' Kerryon Johnson.

The key is to target opportunities. For running backs, it's always beneficial to roster one projected to be on the winning team. That puts the player in a positive game script where he may be getting the ball for four quarters.

On the flip side, if a player is projected to be on a losing team, then he may not get as many chances to touch the ball as his team goes to the pass to quickly get back in the game.

Your goal is to then project some winners. For example, Seattle Seahawks running back Chris Carson had 32 carries last week as his team never trailed in a 24-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Per OddsShark, the 'Hawks are three-point favorites this week against an Arizona Cardinals team that has struggled on offense. Carson could see another giant workload, leading to more fantasy points.

While the Detroit Lions' Kerryon Johnson is playing for an underdog this week, his team could easily win over a Cowboys side that has just 41 points through three games. The Lions have played great football for their last five quarters and just beat the New England Patriots 26-10.

Johnson was a big part of that as he rushed 16 times for 101 yards. Now he faces a Cowboys team missing star linebacker Sean Lee with a hamstring injury. If the Lions maintain a lead, expect Johnson to get a lot of touches and fare well.

The other opportunity to look out for is a high-scoring game, regardless of the eventual winner.

The Patriots-Dolphins matchup this week could be a shootout. It has a 48-point over/under total on OddsShark, which is the fifth-highest on the remaining Week 4 schedule. But there are signs this game could go over that total.

For one, New England's defense has played poorly, giving up 57 points in the last two games. Also, the Pats offense, which is overdue for positive regression after a sluggish start of its own, may add Josh Gordon to the mix this week. He could keep some defenders off tight end Rob Gronkowski, who has had little room to roam the past two weeks thanks to defenders blanketing him in coverage.

If this is a back-and-forth game, the edge goes to the pass-catching running backs on either side. For the Dolphins, that is Kenyan Drake, as backfield partner Frank Gore is more of a four-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust type runner at this stage of his eventual Hall of Fame career. Third-year veteran Drake had 29 catches in his last nine games last year, and he crushed this same Pats team for 193 yards from scrimmage and five reception in a 27-20 Week 14 win.

For the Pats, it's James White, who will share backfield duties with Sony Michel after Rex Burkhead suffered a neck injury and was moved to injured reserve. White caught 14 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl two years ago, so he knows what it's like to be an adept pass-catcher on the game's biggest stage. He has 14 receptions for 125 yards and two scores in the air this year.

Drake and White should be excellent assets in point-per-reception leagues, and you shouldn't be scared off by any sort of split work with their teammates.