Fantasy Football Week 4: Daniel Thomas and 3 Under-the-Radar RBs You Must Start

It's Week 4 of the NFL season and running back has easily been the most unstable position. Jamaal Charles is already lost for the season, Arian Foster and Steven Jackson have been banged up and Chris Johnson is playing like Rudi Johnson.

That's just to name a few.

If you're playing fantasy football, this isn't good. Running backs are usually the first guys taken.

All the same, these three under-the-radar running backs are ready to step up in the wake of the struggling stars. 

Daniel Thomas

Thomas has missed practice this week because of a hamstring injury, so be sure to check on his status later in the week. If he does give it a go, he'll be a good start.

The Chargers haven't conceded a ton of fantasy points to running backs this year, but they are still giving up 4.3 yards per carry, which is good for 12th-worst in the league.

The rookie from Kansas State has looked like a machine in his first few starts, totaling 41 carries for almost five yards each.

As long as he's out there, he should get at least 20-plus carries and again be productive with them. He's also been a factor in the passing game, so there's not a whole lot of use for Reggie Bush. 

James Starks

It's looking more and more like Ryan Grant will be out on Sunday with a bruised kidney, so Starks will be slated to get the start. 

This season, Starks and Grant have split their carries perfectly with 32 each. With Grant out, Starks should get somewhere right around 20 handoffs. Even after his anemic Week 3 performance against the Bears, the 25-year-old from Buffalo is still averaging 4.6 yards per carry.

Add in a matchup with the Broncos, who have looked beatable on the ground, and Starks should have a big day for the Packers. 

Steven Jackson

Jackson returned from injury in Week 3 against a stout Baltimore Ravens and looked very good during his four carries, totaling 23 yards.

As he gets closer to 100 percent, he should receive the majority of the workload. Against a Redskins defense that just got burned by Felix Jones, that should be a good thing.

Either way, the Rams have been able to run the ball no matter the matchup and no matter the running back. Even Cadillac Williams, who looked washed-up in Tampa Bay, is averaging four yards per carry this year.

Expect Jackson to run rampant all over the Redskins defense.