RADIO
Matt's running back (RB) fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks for Week 4 of 2025. His RB lineups advice for Week 4 fantasy football start/sit decisions.
It's hard to believe we are already entering Week 4 of the NFL season. In just three months, we will be discussing which players to start for our fantasy playoffs, but let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. You can't win it if you aren't in it.
Last week, the big names at the running back position weren't fooling around. Christian McCaffrey dropped 24 fantasy points, Jonathan Taylor scored an impressive 32.8 fantasy points, and all James Cook does is score touchdowns, earning himself a 20.8 fantasy point performance.
Here are RotoBaller's must-start and sit options for Week 4 at the running back position.
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Week 4 - Fantasy Football Booms
J.K. Dobbins - RB, Denver Broncos vs. Cincinnati Bengals
With 222 rushing yards through three weeks, J.K. Dobbins is low-key producing. That rushing total ranks seventh in the NFL, and his 15.2 fantasy points per game have him placed as an RB1 through the early part of the season.
Ahead of Monday Night Football, Dobbins sat tied for second in rushing touchdowns (three), seventh in rushing yards (222), and fifth in yards per carry among backs with at least 25 attempts (5.41).
Dobbins has been consistent. After posting fantasy finishes of 14.8 and 15.5 points in each of the first two weeks, Dobbins followed that up with 15.3 fantasy points against a stout Chargers run defense last week. Against the Chargers, Dobbins carried the ball on 11 occasions for 83 yards and a touchdown, averaging 7.5 yards per carry.
JK wasn't kidding around with this play 😅
DENvsLAC on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/q0M3F0MvtD
— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2025
This week, Dobbins has the potential to finish as the overall RB1 with a date against the Cincinnati Bengals, who, through three weeks, have been gouged for 331 rushing yards and three touchdowns on the ground. They have also conceded 131 yards to backs on 14 receptions through the air.
The rushing and receiving yards allowed are among the worst in the league, and both sit inside the bottom seven in both categories. The yards against is a significant reason why the Bengals are allowing a league-high 30.07 fantasy points per game to the running back position thus far.
Ashton Jeanty - RB, Las Vegas Raiders vs. Chicago Bears
There are plenty of frustrated fantasy managers out there, and rightfully so. Ashton Jeanty, who was hyped as a generational talent at the running back position, has not lived up to the hype. Right now, Jeanty's rushing total ranks 22nd in the league, and he trails fellow rookie Quinshon Judkins by 11 yards.
The Raiders offensive line has looked out of sorts since the beginning of the season, and Jeanty enters Week 4 with 145 yards rushing on 47 carries for an average of 3.1 yards per attempt.
Now, the good news: Despite being hit at or before the line of scrimmage on 57% of his carries, Jeanty has 143 of his 145 rushing yards come after contact. After a slow start against the Commanders, Jeanty finished with 63 yards on the ground.
In Week 4, Las Vegas faces a Chicago Bears team that surrendered 7.6 yards per carry to Javonte Williams last week. The Dallas running back churned out 76 yards on the ground and caught five passes.
In three games this season, Chicago has allowed 363 yards rushing to running backs on 68 carries for an average of 5.3 yards per attempt. It has also allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to the position (28.87 per game).
Omarion Hampton - RB, Los Angeles Chargers at New York Giants
Like Jeanty, Omarion Hampton has struggled this season. He is averaging 3.38 yards per carry, resulting in 142 rushing yards, which currently ranks 23rd. While Jeanty has forced 12 missed tackles this season, Hampton has only five missed tackles on just five fewer rushing attempts.
Hampton was on the "Do Not Start Until Further Notice" list, but thanks to a respectable outing against the Broncos in which he ran for 70 yards and a touchdown and had six receptions for 59 yards, the RB is an option again. Funny how a 24.9-point fantasy performance changes things.
Historically, teams traveling west to east have gotten off to slow starts, and the Chargers have been notorious for this. Hopefully, Hampton, who played his college ball at North Carolina, can avoid falling victim to a slow start, as this matchup can build upon what he accomplished a week ago.
This week's opponent is the New York Giants, a team that has allowed 441 total yards to running backs this season, 26.27 fantasy points per game to the position (the fourth most in the NFL), and 1.01 fantasy points per touch.
Week 4 Sits - Fantasy Football Busts
Jonathan Taylor - RB, Indianapolis Colts at Los Angeles Rams
Taylor's fantasy production has been impressive this season. The Colts back has 338 rushing yards this season and has posted back-to-back 100-yard contests, with the latest one involving three touchdown runs. If not for a complete blowout against the Dolphins in Week 1, Taylor could be entering this contest on the heels of three consecutive 100-yard performances to open the season.
It's easy to say start your studs and bench players in the RB4 tier when talking fantasy football, but I feel a little spicy this week. While this isn't a full-out sit Taylor, it is a proceed with caution.
The No. 1 running back in fantasy faces a defense that just held Saquon Barkley to 46 rushing yards and 2.6 yards per carry a week ago. Before that contest, Barkley had been averaging 17.9 fantasy points per game.
The Rams defense has yet to concede a touchdown to the running back position through three weeks and has allowed 215 rushing yards and 26 receiving yards. When you add that up for fantasy, you get the league's most formidable defense when facing opposing backs, a defense that is allowing a league-best 9.37 fantasy points per game. This is the only defense allowing fewer than 12 fantasy points per game to the position.
Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery - RB, Detroit Lions vs. Cleveland Browns
In Week 1, the Lions duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery fell victim to a Packers defense that brought pressure all game long. The defense was able to limit both Montgomery and Gibbs on the ground, holding the backs to a combined 44 yards. Montgomery averaged 2.3 yards per rushing attempt in that contest, while Gibbs was limited to 2.1 yards per attempt.
As good as the Packers defense is, the Cleveland Browns may be even better. Micah Parsons' presence is all anyone wants to discuss, but have people really forgotten how good Myles Garrett is? Garrett already has 3.5 sacks this season and changes the game every time he steps on the field. Parsons at 60% made an impact in that Week 1 contest. What can Garrett do at 100%?
Let's look at what this Browns run defense has done to this point. The 128 rushing yards allowed this season to the running back position is the fewest in the NFL. In Week 1, Chase Brown disappointed fantasy managers, rushing for just 43 yards on 20 attempts against this Browns unit. Then in Week 2, it was Derrick Henry's turn. Cleveland held Henry to 2.1 yards per carry on 11 rushing attempts.
Last week, Josh Jacobs was held in check, running for 30 yards on 19 carries. There is a good reason why the Browns sit second in fantasy points allowed to opposing backs. There is a good chance history repeats itself this week, and a couple more notches are added to the Browns' belt.
Travis Etienne Jr. - RB, Jacksonville Jaguars at San Francisco 49ers
The urge to put Christian McCaffrey on this list was difficult to resist, considering the Jaguars have yet to allow a touchdown to a running back this season, and their 14 fantasy points allowed as a team to the position are the fourth fewest. However, with Taylor on the list already, it didn't seem wise to get too hot-takey this week.
Bhayshul Tuten starts the scoring in Jacksonville!
HOUvsJAX on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/wDP7ibBVZv
— NFL (@NFL) September 21, 2025
While Travis Etienne Jr. did manage to find the end zone a week ago, he did lose out on a goal-line carry to Bhayshul Tuten early, which the rookie converted into six points. It may mean something, and it may not; time will tell. What else was suggestive was that Etienne finished the day with just 56 rushing yards and failed to record a single reception.
Let's give Etienne some credit. With that touchdown, it did push him over 11 fantasy points for the week, the third time this season he has accomplished the feat, something he only did on six occasions last season.
Scoring could be an issue this week, considering the 49ers have allowed just one touchdown to opposing backs this season and are allowing just 16.38 fantasy points on a per-game basis to the position this season. Between a tough defense and sharing the backfield with a back who has yet to take a negative play, Etienne could be losing some touches this week.
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