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Fantasy Football: Week 4 Running Back Rankings

By Alex Butler

MIAMI, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Did you pull off a season-swinging trade or win a big-time free agent on the waiver wire for Week 4? Even if you are just staying put with your current fantasy football lineup, the pressure is on more than ever to make the right decision of who to start in your running back slots. As the big names tumble toward injured reserve and fresh faces emerge, it's important to stay educated about what you can expect from the players on your roster.

Here are my top 30 running backs for this week. You can also look at my top add/drops for the week and visit other positional rankings, in the links below.

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TOP SHELF

Dallas Cowboys stud rookie Ezekiel Elliott is once again my top running back this week. The Cowboys finally found its vibe last Sunday by giving Elliott a 30 carry workload. He responded with 140 rushing yards. Elliott welcomes a Week 4 match up against the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers have allowed 264 rushing yards and two touchdowns to running backs in its previous two games. I see another huge day for Elliott here in a Cowboys victory. San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon is a solid RB1 in Week 4. Gordon has a match up against a New Orleans Saints unit, which allowed 194 rushing yards the three scores on Monday to the Atlanta Falcons running backs. With his workload and ability to produce on third downs, I think Gordon sees a huge Week 4. The Saints have allowed the most fantasy points per game to running backs this season and a league-high seven touchdowns to the position.

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SNEAKY PLAYS

Denver Broncos running back C.J. Anderson should continue his strong start to 2016 with a match up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Although Anderson stumbled against a strong Cincinnati Bengals defense in Week 3, I expect him to get back to the production he displayed in his first two games, when he netted more than 200 yards from scrimmage and scored three touchdowns. The Buccaneers have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points per game to running backs this season. I also expect big things from Cleveland Browns' Isaiah Crowell in a road test against the Washington Redskins. Crowell has gone from waiver wire pick up to a solid RB2 in the matter of weeks. He has averaged at least five yards per carry in each game so far this season and welcomes a Redskins defense allowing the second most points per game to running backs.

LONGSHOTS

Will Spencer Ware once again earn the bell-cow role for the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4 action? If Jamaal Charles sits out, he will get nearly all of the carries for the Chiefs. Ware suits up against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the position in 2016. He has shown a consistent ability to be valuable for your team by running and catching the ball. Look for that to continue in Pittsburgh. I think that Carolina Panthers youngster Cameron Artis-Payne could be a great sleeper start this week. If he wasn't picked up in your fantasy leagues last week, go get him now. Artis-Payne looked good last week and should get more work in Week 4 against the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to running backs this season. I see the Panthers winning this match up, coming off of two losses in the last three weeks. Before the Panthers got away from Artis-Payne in Week 3, he rushed for 47 yards on 12 carries.

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RANK NAME TEAM OPPONENT
1 Ezekiel Elliott Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco
2 Le'Veon Bell Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City
3 David Johnson Arizona Cardinals vs. Los Angeles
4 Lamar Miller Houston Texans vs. Tennessee
5 Todd Gurley Los Angeles Rams at Arizona
6 Melvin Gordon San Diego Chargers vs. New Orleans
7 DeMarco Murray Tennessee Titans at Houston
8 Jeremy Hill Cincinnati Bengals vs. Miami
9 C.J. Anderson Denver Broncos at Tampa Bay
10 Mark Ingram New Orleans Saints at San Diego
11 LeSean McCoy Buffalo Bills at New England
12 Frank Gore Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville
13 Isaiah Crowell Cleveland Browns at Washington
14 LeGarrette Blount New England Patriots vs. Buffalo
15 Matt Forte New York Jets vs. Seattle
16 DeVonta Freeman Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina
17 Spencer Ware Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh
18 Christine Michael Seattle Seahawks at New York Jets
19 Theo Riddick Detroit Lions at Chicago
20 Jordan Howard Chicago Bears vs. Detroit
21 Carlos Hyde San Francisco 49ers vs. Dallas
22 Charles Sims Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Denver
23 Tevin Coleman Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina
24 Cameron Artis-Payne Carolina Panthers at Atlanta
25 Giovani Bernard Cincinnati Bengals vs. Miami
26 Latavius Murray Oakland Raiders at Baltimore
27 Duke Johnson Cleveland Browns at Washington
28 Dwayne Washington Detroit Lions at Chicago
29 Jerick McKinnon Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Giants
30 Chris Ivory Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis
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