Fantasy NFL: Running Back (RB) Rankings for Week 4

Yesterday we updated our fantasy football rankings for Week 4. Here are some notes regarding running backs and run defenses heading into this week:

• Despite getting only 34 carries through three games, Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles ranks seventh in the NFL in rushing (238 yards). He leads the league with 7.0 yards per carry.
• The Cowboys (Marion Barber and Felix Jones), Chiefs (Charles and Thomas Jones), Vikings (Adrian Peterson), and Bucs (Cadillac Williams and LeGarrette Blount) are on bye this week.
• 49ers running back Frank Gore has 22 receptions for 203 yards through three games. That equates to a 16-game pace of 117 receptions and 1,083 yards.
• In our Week 4 fantasy football contest, Miami's Ronnie Brown is the running back for this week. In his three career Monday night games, Brown has averaged 106.7 rushing yards per game and he scored four touchdowns.
• Ravens running back Ray Rice (knee) missed the final 10 minutes of the Browns game, but he is expected to play on Sunday. This week, Rice faces the Steelers, who have yet to allow a running back to gain more than 42 yards (Atlanta's Michael Turner) this season.
• Titans running back Chris Johnson has a 100-yard streak of one game. With the game against the Steelers being the exception, Johnson has gone over 100 yards in 13 of his past 14 games. In addition to possessing big-play ability, Johnson gets plenty of opportunities as he leads the NFL in carries.
• Browns running back Peyton Hillis made the most of Jerome Harrison's absence against Baltimore. Despite facing an elite front seven, Hillis rushed for more than 140 yards and a score. The Browns face another tough defense (Cincinnati's) this week.
• Oakland's Darren McFadden joined his fellow Razorback (Peyton Hillis) is going over the century mark. McFadden has gone over 100 yards in back-to-back weeks after rushing for 95 yards in Week 1 against Tennessee.
• Through three games, Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson (268) has twice as many yards from scrimmage as his backfield mate Shonn Greene (123). This week, both could be in line for strong performances against a bad Buffalo run defense.
• Seahawks running backs had only 18 carries last week. Forsett (17) had 17 times what Leon Washington (one) and Julius Jones (none) had combined. (Of course, Washington had a great day on special teams returning two kicks for touchdowns.)

Here are top 10 running backs for Week 4:

1. Chris Johnson, Titans (vs. Denver)
2. Arian Foster, Texans (at Oakland)
3. Frank Gore, 49ers (at Atlanta)
4. Michael Turner, Falcons (vs. San Francisco)
5. Darren McFadden, Raiders (vs. Houston)
6. Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars (vs. Indianapolis)
7. Cedric Benson, Bengals (at Cleveland)
8. LaDainian Tomlinson, Jets (at Buffalo)
9. Matt Forte, Bears (at NY Giants)
10. LeSean McCoy, Eagles (vs. Washington)

See our full top 40 running back rankings for Week 4.

More rankings for Week 4: Top 25 QBs | Top 50 WRs | Top 20 TEs

Feel free to send start/sit questions to me via Twitter @EDSFootball or post your questions in our free fantasy football forum.

Good luck in your Week 4 matchup(s) and in our Week 4 contest.