Top daily fantasy football running back plays for Week 4

Welcome to Week 4 of the Daily Fantasy season. Pricing has stabilized as trends have emerged but there are still bargains to be found and even some higher-priced options that will go under-owned and can make a difference in your lineups. This article looks at some of the projected lesser-owned plays at running back who could provide huge boosts to your tournament lineups, as well as some trap plays to avoid.

PLAY

Mark Ingram $6,800, Travaris Cadet $5,000 (New Orleans Saints at San Diego Chargers)

After two forgettable performances (as in, did the Saints forget he’s on the team?), Mark Ingram was back to his old self on Monday night against the Falcons. He carried the ball 15 times and was targeted six times in the passing game, including a TD catch. His 20.7 FanDuel points were more than his previous two weeks combined. The Chargers are dreadful against the run and history shows Drew Brees is not nearly as prolific on the road. This could all add up to another big day for Ingram and could make for a nice spot for Cadet to produce at a reduced price. Cadet has been targeted 16 times through three games, so if your game-flow projection expects the Saints to be playing catchup then Cadet could see a boost in targets and receptions.

Spencer Ware $6,200 (Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers)

All signs point to Jamaal Charles making his season debut Sunday night against the Steelers, but what exactly does that mean? Surely we can expect Charles to be on some sort of limited snap count, and with Charcandrick West already ruled out, this could be another spot where Ware dominates the snaps, carries, and touches. His price is down, and the Charles news should have the same effect on his ownership, but his production should be as plentiful as ever.

Dwayne Washington $4,500 (Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears)

The Bears are threatening to overtake the Browns for the title of most inept and ineffective team in the NFL. At least the Browns put up a fight. The Bears are banged up and beat down and this is precisely the kind of game where a strong lead back runs the Bears into submission. That power back in Detroit is Dwayne Washington, not Theo Riddick. The Lions are already preparing to make Washington the “lead” back and this game, which could get out of hand early, has 20 carries written all over it. At his price, Washington is the value back of the week, at an ownership that might be surprisingly low, considering his opportunity.

Tevin Coleman $6,100 (Atlanta Falcons vs. Carolina Panthers)

Coleman and Devonta Freeman were both sensational against the Saints on Monday night, but what makes Coleman more intriguing is his three touchdowns from inside the 10-yard line in that game. Freeman had more total yards to earn his 29 FanDuel points, but Coleman is dominating the red zone looks — over three games, Coleman has been the more voluminous FanDuel point producer. At $1,100 less than his teammate, Coleman remains a strong value option.

Jordan Howard $5,600 (Bears vs. Lions)

Howard had been cutting into Jeremy Langford’s carries for the past two weeks, and made the most of the opportunity. Now, Langford is out of the picture with an injury and Howard will be a three-down back this week against a Lions defense that can be beaten on the ground. Howard could get upward of 20 carries and a decent number of pass targets as the lone backfield option. His price is catching up to his status, but he still makes a great play at $5,600.

NAY

Christine Michael $7,500 (Seattle Seahawks at New York Jets)

Michael has been nothing short of sensational in a starting role for the injured Thomas Rawls, but this could be the week those gaudy numbers get muted. The Jets are among the elite defenses against the run and the Seahawks are a West Coast team playing on the East Coast at 1 p.m. ET, which makes a tough matchup even tougher. At $7,500, Michael will be hard-pressed to make value this week.

Latavius Murray $7,100 (Oakland Raiders at Baltimore Ravens)

Speaking of West Coast teams playing early in the east, Murray faces a Ravens run defense that isn’t on the Jets’ level but is plenty stingy in its own right. Hurting Murray even more is the committee nature of the running game in Oakland. If Murray doesn’t come out with the hot hand, he could spend most of this game watching from the sideline. Do better elsewhere.