X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Player Comparisons
News and Alerts

Week 4 Running Backs: Waiver Wire Pickups & Adds

K.C. Alfred UT San Diego
What Appears In This Article? hide

Some quick thoughts before we dig into the best waiver wire pickups at running back for week 4. Sorry Danny Woodhead owners. I share in your pain. Also, Eddie Lacy owners don't panic yet. He had a really tough schedule, he'll be just fine.

Now let's get started. You all know the drill by now.

 

Fantasy Football Running Backs (RB)

Donald Brown (RB, SD) - 34% owned on Fleaflicker

K.C. Alfred  UT San DiegoI thought I'd be too late on this one, but given the ownership levels I guess I'm not. As I already mentioned Danny Woodhead is most likely done for the year. Ryan Mathews is also out for a few weeks. Do you know who the main beneficiary is? I'll give you a hint. It might be the guy whose name is in bold next to this text. Yup, Donald Brown will now get the majority if not all of the carries for the Chargers.

Against the Bill's, Brown rushed 31 times for 62 yards. That's a pretty gross 2.0 yards per carry,but he did have 5.3 yards per carry last year for the Colts so maybe he is just getting warmed up. Also 31 touches is an insane amount of volume. Don't expect to see that workload for him every week, but if he comes even close he will obviously be a useful player even at something like 3 yards per carry.

Also next week Donald gets a matchup against the Jaguars, who I don't think are going to enjoy trying to stop him as much as they would feasting on a nice duck dinner. Brown should run over the Jaguars all day. He should be a very nice RB2 or flex play for this upcoming week and he deserves to be owned in all 12+ team leagues at this point.

 

Khiry Robinson (RB, NO) - 51% owned on Fleaflicker

Robinson stepped right into the workhorse / goalline back role vacated by Mark Ingram due to Ingram's injury last week.  Robinson is a big boy at 6'0" 220 lbs, and as long as Ingram is out he will get the majority of carries in the potent New Orleans offense, with Pierre Thomas playing the role of passing down and change of pace back.   He had a solid debut this Sunday vs. the Vikings, rushing 18 times for 69 yards; his 18 carries were 8 more than Thomas. Robinson will make for a juicy RB2 / Flex play the next two weeks vs. the weak Dallas and Tampa Bay defenses.  He's worth owning in all 12+ team leagues at his point and he's worth a decent bid of your FAAB budget.

 

Lorenzo Taliaferro (RB, BAL) - 6% owned on Fleaflicker

Remember when the Ray Rice situation first broke and everyone told you to go add Justin Forsett? Remember when I was one of those people? You don't? You're very kind. But unless you're in a PPR format, you're probably pretty mad at me for recommending that you pick up Forsett. Well now I think you should listen to me about Lorenzo Taliaferro.

Why should you trust me this time? Because Taliaferro is the much more talented running back compared to Forsett, hence why he was taken in the 6th round of the 2014 draft. This week's game acted as a breakout party for Taliaferro who rushed 18 times for 91 yards and a TD, worth 15 + fantasy points in most leagues. Add in the fact that he averaged 5.1 yards per carry and you have a clear picture of a young running back with a lot of upside.

For anyone who is still worried about Bernard Pierce, I wouldn't be. Pierce is averaging only 4.04 yards per carry on the year, and hasn't endeared himself to the coaching staff with his ball handling. While Pierce may get the start in the coming weeks it won't be long now until he becomes the backup in my opinion, and that makes Taliaferro worth a stash.

 

Alfred Blue (RB, HOU) - 21% owned on Fleaflicker

Texans fans blame today's loss on the lack of Arian Foster as an option. While that may be true, it wasn't for a lack of trying by Batman's butler. Sure, Alfred Blue didn't look great in today's game against the Giants until he ripped off one big run for 46 yards but you'll take that from a guy who is supposed to be a backup.

Blue is someone that needs to be owned by all Foster owners at the very least.  Last year Foster only played 8 games in the season due to injury, and this year he has already come up with hamstring issues.  Blue and his 13 carries for 78 yards aren't going to kill you on your bench. In fact, having a bench RB who is averaging 6 yards per carry is very solid.  Just don't go overboard and spend crazy FAAB or waiver claims on Blue, or you may end up looking pretty blue yourself. Add Alfred in 12 + team leagues or deeper.

 

Isaiah Crowell (RB,CLE) - 31% owned on Fleaflicker

Remember last week when I told you to pick up Terrance West but watch out for Isaiah Crowell? Glad I hedged my bets. While West did have a TD, Crowell looked like the better back on this Sunday. Crowell rushed 11 times for 55 yards and a TD of his own. He also averaged 5.0 yards per carry to West's 3.0 yards per carry. Similar to the Taliaferro / Forsett situation, many experts have been claiming that Crowell was a better option over West ever since Ben Tate went down.

In fact, that seems to be the theme of the week. Running-backs who are more talented than their counterparts that currently own the job. I can't give the full endorsement to Scarecrow though (randomly made up nicknames are fun right?), because both he and West have a bye this upcoming week. After that, Ben Tate returns. Knowing Tate, it won't be long until he gets injured again, but similar to Alfred Blue don't go crazy picking up Scarecrow. They're too busy being involved in Batman's capers to establish much football relevance aside from bench depth.

 

Antone Smith (RB,ATL) - 8% owned on Fleaflicker

At some point Steven Jackson has to stop being the big fierce back we have all come to know and love right? Well, maybe not. But when/if he does, we all know that Jacquizz Rodgers is not the running back Atlanta needs or deserves. Those honors now seem to belong to Antone Smith who had a very nice game on Thursday rushing 4 times for 50 yards and a TD. That's 12.5 yards per carry, which is pretty insane.

Granted, those numbers came against a terrible Tampa Bay defense in a game they were being blown out of, but Rodgers had 5 carries and only managed 6 yards against that same defense. So, you tell me who you think the new no. 2 is in Atlanta? If you answered Antone Smith, you win! I'd own Antone Smith in deeper leagues right now as a lottery ticket, especially since I believe he'd take over the starting roll if anything were to happen to Jackson. Just keep in mind that Antone is no spring chicken himself, and there may be a reason he hasn't been given a full opportunity despite now having been in the league for four years.

 

Honorable Mentions Over 50% Owned &  Other Running Back Options: Jeremy Hill (58 % owned), Bishop Sankey (62 % owned), and *Lamar Miller (80 % owned)

*Makes the list because a lot of people doubted him and he had a pretty big performance in Knowshon's absence

 

That'll do it for this week. If you have any running backs questions or anything fantasy football related feel free to holler @RekedFantasy. Until next week, RotoBallers!

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Player Comparisons
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Corey Seager1 hour ago

Removed From Game After Being Hit By Pitch
Naz Reid1 hour ago

Named Sixth Man Of The Year
Mitchell Robinson1 hour ago

Questionable For Game 3
Joel Embiid2 hours ago

Questionable For Game 3
DJ LeMahieu2 hours ago

To Be Shut Down For A Week
Zack Gelof2 hours ago

Likely Heading To Injured List
Alec Marsh2 hours ago

Leaves Game After Being Hit By Comebacker
Bam Adebayo2 hours ago

Looks Good In Win Over Boston
Ozzie Albies2 hours ago

Runs The Bases Wednesday
Kristaps Porzingis2 hours ago

Struggles Offensively In Game 2
Jayson Tatum2 hours ago

Has A Decent Showing On Wednesday
J.P. Crawford2 hours ago

Dealing With Oblique Soreness
Jaylen Brown2 hours ago

Leads The Way In Game 2
A.J. Puk2 hours ago

Rejoining Bullpen When Healthy
Zack Gelof2 hours ago

Nursing Abdominal Soreness
Tyler Herro3 hours ago

Gets It Done On Wednesday Night
Thairo Estrada3 hours ago

Experiencing Hamstring Tightness
Manny Machado3 hours ago

Expected To Return Friday
Sean Murphy3 hours ago

Hasn't Resumed Swinging
Cristian Javier3 hours ago

Plays Catch Wednesday
Christian Yelich3 hours ago

Still Not Swinging
Dallas Cowboys4 hours ago

Cowboys Pick Up Micah Parsons' Fifth-Year Option
Ezekiel Elliott4 hours ago

Cowboys Meeting With Ezekiel Elliott
Cincinnati Bengals4 hours ago

Trey Hendrickson Requests A Trade From Bengals
Carlos Correa5 hours ago

Could Return Soon
Kevin Kiermaier5 hours ago

Placed On 10-Day Injured List
Framber Valdez5 hours ago

Expected To Start This Weekend
Nic Claxton5 hours ago

Nicolas Claxton The "No. 1 Priority" For Nets In Offseason
Cal Raleigh5 hours ago

To Miss Wednesday's Game
Grayson Allen5 hours ago

Not Ruled Out For Game 3
Nikola Jovic6 hours ago

Available For Game 2
Ryan Lomberg6 hours ago

Could Be Back For Game 3
Cam Talbot6 hours ago

Starts Game 2 For Kings
Logan Thompson7 hours ago

Heads Out For Another Win Wednesday
Jake Oettinger7 hours ago

Tries To Bounce Back Wednesday
Nolan Jones7 hours ago

Not Playing Wednesday
Jani Hakanpaa7 hours ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Tyler Myers7 hours ago

Battling The Flu
Michael Toglia7 hours ago

Rockies Recall Hunter Goodman, Option Michael Toglia
Lane Thomas7 hours ago

Dealing With Grade 2 Knee Sprain
Addison Barger8 hours ago

Being Called Up By Blue Jays
Michael Penix Jr.8 hours ago

Could Be Among Top-Four Quarterbacks Selected
Jared Goff8 hours ago

No New Deal “Imminent” For Jared Goff
J.J. McCarthy9 hours ago

Broncos Interested In J.J. McCarthy
Detroit Lions10 hours ago

Penei Sewell Becomes Highest-Paid Offensive Lineman
Justin Fields10 hours ago

Steelers Not Expected To Pick Up Justin Fields' Fifth-Year Option
Rashod Bateman10 hours ago

Ravens Sign Rashod Bateman To Contract Extension
Ja'Marr Chase10 hours ago

Bengals Exercise Ja'Marr Chase's Fifth-Year Option
Amon-Ra St. Brown10 hours ago

Lions Agree To Four-Year Extension With Amon-Ra St. Brown
Nicolas Hague10 hours ago

Out For Vegas On Wednesday
James van Riemsdyk11 hours ago

To Make Series Debut Wednesday
Sam Bennett11 hours ago

To Miss Significant Time
William Nylander11 hours ago

Looking Unlikely For Game 3
Brett Pesce11 hours ago

Likely Out For Remainder Of First Round
Thatcher Demko11 hours ago

Listed As Week-To-Week
Ilya Sorokin11 hours ago

To Start Game 3
Cale Makar14 hours ago

Registers Two Assists In Game 2
Tom Wilson14 hours ago

Notches Two Points In Tuesday's Loss
Alexis Lafrenière14 hours ago

Alexis Lafreniere Collects Two Assists In Game 2 Victory
Filip Forsberg14 hours ago

Leads The Charge As Nashville Ties Series
Victor Hedman14 hours ago

Posts Two Assists In Game 2
Carter Verhaeghe14 hours ago

Hits Overtime Winner In Game 2
Sam Bennett15 hours ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury In Game 2
James Harden15 hours ago

Settles For 22 Points In Game 2
Luka Doncic15 hours ago

Leads All Scorers With 32 Points In Game 2
Damian Lillard15 hours ago

Scores 34 Points In Losing Effort
Tyrese Haliburton15 hours ago

Collects A Double-Double In Game 2 Win
Pascal Siakam15 hours ago

In Fantastic Form Once Again Versus Milwaukee
Devin Booker15 hours ago

Leads Suns With 20 Points In Game 2
Anthony Edwards16 hours ago

Struggles In Game 2
Daniel Gafford1 day ago

Returns To Game 2
Karl-Anthony Towns1 day ago

Has A Rough Night On Tuesday
Jaden McDaniels1 day ago

Erupts In Game 2
Andrew Peeke1 day ago

Considered Week-To-Week
Brandon Aiyuk1 day ago

Trade Remains "Very Much In Play"
Denver Broncos1 day ago

Broncos Pick Up Fifth-Year Option On Patrick Surtain II
New England Patriots1 day ago

Patriots Haven't Received "Serious" Offers For No. 3 Pick
Kadarius Toney1 day ago

Still In Chiefs' Plans
Jake Browning1 day ago

Bengals Re-Sign Jake Browning
Brandon Aiyuk2 days ago

49ers Have Received Calls Regarding Brandon Aiyuk
Dak Prescott2 days ago

Not Trying To Be Highest-Paid Player
Zach Wilson2 days ago

Broncos Acquiring Zach Wilson From Jets
Matt Ryan2 days ago

Officially Retires From NFL
Cincinnati Bengals2 days ago

Sam Hubbard Recovering From Ankle Surgery
Tyler Reddick3 days ago

Survives At Talladega For First Win Of 2024
Brad Keselowski3 days ago

Finishes Second At Talladega After Last-Lap Wreck
Anthony Alfredo3 days ago

Gets Best Finish For Beard Motorsports Since 2022
Todd Gilliland3 days ago

One Of The Strongest At Talladega
NASCAR3 days ago

Bubba Wallace Finishes 36th At Talladega Superspeedway
Kyle Larson3 days ago

Fails To Deliver Value In DFS At Talladega
NASCAR3 days ago

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Finishes Fourth At Talladega
Noah Gragson3 days ago

Surprisingly The Most Consistent Driver At Talladega
Shane Van Gisbergen3 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Acquits Himself Nicely In Drafting Debut
Michael McDowell3 days ago

Ends Talladega Wrecked From The Lead
Alex Bowman3 days ago

Quietly Captures Top-Five Finish At Talladega
Daniel Hemric3 days ago

Surges To Ninth-Place Result At Talladega
Harrison Burton3 days ago

Squeezes Into Top 10 At Talladega
NASCAR3 days ago

Bubba Wallace Will Start 14th For the GEICO 500
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Avoid Rostering Tyler Reddick At Talladega?
John Hunter Nemechek4 days ago

Should DFS Players Roster John Hunter Nemechek At Talladega?
Joey Logano4 days ago

Expect Joey Logano To Compete For The Win At Talladega
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Is Denny Hamlin Recommended For Talladega?
Justin Haley4 days ago

Is A Top DFS Value At Talladega
William Byron4 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win Talladega
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Is Best Suited As A Tournament Play At Talladega
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Adonai Mitchell - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Draft: Top 100 Prospect Rankings (Final Update)

With the NFL Draft just a day away, it’s time to submit my final rankings for this class. Below, you will find the top-100 prospects on my board for 2024. There will be some changes from last month, as well as some surprises. Feel free to criticize my choices and views on the platform formerly... Read More


Rome Odunze - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Final 2024 First-Round NFL Mock Draft - Predictions for all 32 Teams

It's Christmas Eve. The NFL Draft is my favorite day of the year, and the picks made tomorrow night will have an enormous impact on the future of the NFL. With the Chicago Bears expected to select Caleb Williams at No. 1, the real draft begins at No. 2, where the Washington Commanders' pick remains... Read More


Caleb Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

2024 NFL Draft - Brandon Murchison's First-Round NFL Mock Draft

In the realm of fantasy football, anticipation and strategy reach a fever pitch as the NFL Draft approaches. Every selection, every pick holds the potential to reshape not only the fortunes of real-life franchises but also the fantasy landscape for millions of enthusiasts. As the curtain rises on this year's first-round NFL Mock Draft, fantasy managers... Read More


2024 NFL Mock Draft Round 1 - Final Predictions from All 32 Teams

Alright, folks, NFL Draft week is finally here: that magical time when every fan can dare to dream again! If you've been reading some of these mocks during the season, you know what a ride it's been and I sincerely appreciate any of you who've been following along. With the first big wave of NFL... Read More


Rome Odunze - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Coach Knows Ball: Rome Odunze NFL Draft Film Breakdown of Washington WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Jordan Travis - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

2024 NFL Draft Injury News - Updates For Jonathon Brooks, Jordan Travis, Cooper DeJean, Kool-Aid McKinstry

The 2024 NFL Draft is here! It's an exciting time for NFL fans and prospects alike, but unfortunately, there are a handful of players who are battling injury concerns before their professional careers even begin. Some injuries will affect a player's draft stock, so it's worth glancing over the latest injury news regarding rising rookies.... Read More


Caleb Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

2024 NFL Mock Draft - Best Case First Three Round Scenario for All 32 Teams

NFL Mock Drafts can be conducted in various ways. The most common practice is attempting to predict what will happen, which is futile, especially in March. That is because so many team opinions are going to change. Teams haven't even started doing pre-draft visits yet, which will undoubtedly shed more light on which prospects teams... Read More


Rome Odunze - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

Blockbuster Trade Ideas for the 2024 NFL Draft

The 2024 NFL Draft is right around the corner, and the rumor mill is heating up. While the NFL Draft is full of chaos and excitement without trade action, everyone loves to see a blockbuster deal made. A few expected blockbuster deals are getting thrown around on social media, headlined by the Minnesota Vikings trading... Read More


Brian Thomas Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Mock Draft: Rounds 1, 2, 3 Predictions (Post Stefon Diggs Trade)

The better part of free agency is done. While we continue to watch the depth pieces trickle through on smaller deals, the lion’s share of noteworthy moves are behind us. That is usually a sign that another mock draft is needed. In this mock, I will dive three rounds deep. I will factor in A... Read More


Marvin Harrison Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

2024 NFL Draft - Pro Player Comparisons for the Top 12 Fantasy Football Rookies

Rookie fever is nearing its peak, and in just a few days, we'll know with full certainty where these prospects will be playing their games on Sundays. In turn, fantasy football gamers will be poring over player tapes, stats, and metrics like "Oops, I forgot to study, and my final is tomorrow" for upcoming rookie... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

2024 NFL Draft - Overvalued Prospects Who Could Slip on Draft Night

A few weeks ago, I was watching the 2007 NFL Draft. It was on the NFL's Pluto TV channel and I didn't have anything else to do, so I figured I'd turn it on. I was struck by two things. First, it's wild how far technology has come since 2007. They kept advertising that you... Read More


Bo Nix - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

2024 NFL Mock Draft - Round 2 and 3 Final Predictions

Can you feel it? We're just over one day away from the 2024 NFL Draft, folks! Summer's breeze is almost here as well, but not before we dive deep into draft season. With the initial wave of free agency settling down, the roster blueprints for our 32 teams are coming into sharp focus. Hunting for... Read More


Tyler Boyd - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Is Tyler Boyd a Free Agent? Top Landing Spots for Boyd This Offseason

For eight seasons, Cincinnati was Tyler Boyd’s home. He amassed 6,000 receiving yards on 513 receptions and scored 31 touchdowns during his time with the Bengals. Boyd was a trusted option for quarterback Joe Burrow and was great as the team’s primary slot receiver. Unfortunately, the club opted not to re-sign him this offseason. After... Read More