Week 4 Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: How Should Fantasy Owners Approach Ryan Grant?

The knee-jerk reaction to seeing your fantasy team's running back so battered that he can’t play is to think about letting him go and looking elsewhere.

In the case of Ryan Grant, however, it might be a mistake to overreact even though the Green Bay Packers won’t be able to call on him today against the Denver Broncos. Sit him this week, to be sure, but be ready to play him again next week against the Atlanta Falcons.

He suffered a bruised kidney last week against the Chicago Bears, which is going to keep him out and allow fellow running back James Starks to start in his place. Fullback John Kuhn and backup running back Alex Green figure to get a more prominent role in the Green Bay offense.

Two things to consider: One, the injury is only expected to keep Grant out for this week. Two, Grant finished the game against the Bears last week, which testifies to his ability to play with pain. Grant is almost certainly going to be back in the Packers’ lineup soon rather than later.

More than most of the Packers, Grant is a man on a mission this year. He was on the roster but not on the field last year during the run to the Super Bowl title, sidelined by an injury. Two years ago, however, he was a huge part of the Packers’ postseason run.

This year, he is averaging almost five yards per run, and he’s a strong counterbalance to the passing game of Aaron Rodgers, making it tough for defenses to know just how to set up on any given play.

When he comes back, presumably after missing just the one game, he’s going to continue to be a productive part of the Green Bay push to the playoffs.