The List: Ranking Each Position for Week 4

RB Ranks

• Alvin Kamara is essentially like playing 2019 Michael Thomas at running back right now, with an additional 60+ rushing yards added on top. He makes the cover of the list after a massive 13-target game in Week 3, and he’s now reeled off three-straight two-touchdown games. Kamara has finished as RB9, 2, and 1 so far this year, and is the safest play in fantasy football, especially with a matchup against a Lions defense that has allowed the fifth-most total yards in 2020. He’s currently carrying teams to victory, with no sign of letting up.
• Despite an awful matchup against a Tampa Bay defense allowing the second-fewest rushing yards per attempt this year, Austin Ekeler is my RB5 this week. First of all, scroll down below him and let me know how far you have to go before you find a matchup that you like. With tough sledding this week for a lot of top running backs, Ekeler should still be an excellent PPR option after catching all 11 of his targets last week. I’m hoping that rational coaching prevails, and Anthony Lynn finds creative ways for Justin Herbert to get the ball to Ekeler in the passing game. I don’t expect Tampa bay to run away with this one either, so Ekeler should get plenty of touches in a closely fought battle.

• I’m tempted to put Kenyan Drake higher in a matchup against a Panthers defense that has been very giving to the running back position in 2020, but he did just disappoint in a matchup against the Lions last week, so I’m tempering expectations. It’s still a good enough matchup to make him the RB12 this week, however, as the Panthers have allowed the ninth-most yards per attempt on the ground. If Drake is unimpressive this week, however, it is officially time to hit the panic button.
• The Bengals and Jaguars face off in a matchup that could benefit both backfields, and Joe Mixon and James Robinson come in at RB15 and RB16 respectively. Similar to Drake, this is a real test for Mixon, and if he can’t succeed here we should all start to worry in leagues where we roster him. Robinson has done nothing but impress and gets a Bengals defense allowing the eight-most yards per attempt on the ground this year.

• Chris Carson drops to RB23 because of his injury, and although it doesn’t appear to be serious we are unsure of his status this week. This would typically be a great matchup against Miami, but even if he plays I would expect less than a full workload. If Carson sits out, Carlos Hyde would take a significant jump up the ranks, probably to around RB27.
• Backfields that I don’t know what to do with for now: New England, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, and Detroit. There is potential in them all, but each is their own special jumbled mess. If James White is inactive again, Rex Burkhead would make a pretty big jump and be startable in a projected shootout against Kansas City.

Green=Strong Starter, Yellow=Solid Starter, Red=Look for Better Options