Week 3 saw Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson strut their stuff, Michael Turner got back to doing what Michael Turner does, Peyton Hillis ran for 144 yards on Baltimore and Darren McFadden continued his assault on team rushing defenses. Jerome Harrison has officially disappeared, Jahvid Best looked like a rookie and Benjarvus Green-Ellis made his presence felt with New England troubled with running back injuries. But now in week 4, the matchups change a bit, but the statistics stay the same.
Here is the week 4 RB start sit
Start:
Week 4 Running Back Start of the Week Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX vs IND:
Outside of the big guns in AP and CJ, MJD is a great start this week because of the state of the Colts defense and his slow start by injury early this year. This is a dream matchup for MJD, especially with his numbers from last four games versus Indianapolis being through the roof. Took a look:
- Game 1: 27 rushes, 110 yards, TD; 5 rec, 30 yards, TD
- Game 2: 21 rushes, 97 yards, TD; 5 rec 26 yards
- Game 3: 20 rushes, 91 yards; 7 rec, 71 yards
- Game 4: 19 rushes, 107 yards, TD; 4 rec, 59 yards
Start: Arian Foster, HOU @ OAK:
Oakland has given up an average of 110 yards rushing a week. Arian Foster will get back to his week one ridiculousness and show you why you should start every running back that ever plays Oakland. With Matt Schaub setting up the run the entire game, Arian Foster will see plenty of work throughout this matchup.
Start: Benjarvus Green-Ellis, NE @ MIA:
It is just a matter of elimination here; with no Fred Taylor, Laurence Maroney and Kevin Faulk, you just need to go with the healthy back here. There will be a lot of points scored in this matchup and Tom Brady won’t be throwing five touchdowns. BGE ran the ball 16 times for 98 yards and a TD last week versus Buffalo and will continue to get those looks as long as he stays the number one back.
Start: LaDanian Tomlinson, NYJ @ BUF:
The Jets have made it clear LT is their RB, for the people that drafted Shonn Greene in the first and second round of their fantasy football league are literally pulling their hair out. LT has out rushed Shonn in each of the three games this season for New York and I see this week at Buffalo being the same type of ordeal with LT scoring a touchdown.
Sit:
Week 4 Running Back Sit of the Week Carolina Running Backs:
At the current moment, I want absolutely nothing to do with anything going on with the Carolina Panthers, especially going on the road with a rookie QB versus the Super Bowl Champions off of a divisional loss. With OT Jeff Otah questionable this weekend for Carolina, I just do not like the start for DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.
Sit: Beanie Wells, ARI @ SD:
Playing in San Diego, mixed with coming off of an injury and sharing carries with Tim Hightower, Beanie Wells does not look like the best start this week. I know last week he rushed for 75 yards on three more carries than Hightower got, but I am just not feeling a rushing TD in store for him at San Diego.
Sit: Ray Rice, BAL @PIT:
Playing in Pittsburgh, mixed with coming off a sprained knee and without a doubt sharing carries with Willis McGahee [sound familiar], Ray Rices’ start versus Baltimore this weekend should not be a start on your fantasy team. Rice has somewhat struggled so far this season not rushing yet for 100 yards and not scoring a TD.
Sit: Correll Buckhalter/Laurence Maroney, DEN @ TEN:
With Chris Johnson controlling the pace of this game for Tennessee, I do not see Maroney and Buckhalter doing loads of damage to the Titans defense. With the injury to Knowshon Moreno, the Broncos are struggling to find their identity and I expect them to pass the ball a ton in this game because of this season’s positive results for Kyle Orton [already over 1000 yards passing].
