Last week we may have witnessed an end of an era. Darren Sproles has always been a player whose value skyrockets in PPR scoring. Sadly, after breaking his arm and tearing an ACL, this may be the end of the line for the shifty receiving back and special teams ace. Mostly featured as a change of pace back, Sproles never got close to reaching the 1,000-yard rushing milestone, but he did turn in seasons of 86, 75 and 71 receptions. That is absolutely ridiculous. He also currently stands at eighth all-time in career all-purpose yards. According to his Twitter account, it sounds like he will attempt a comeback from both injuries. I wish him the best of luck, but if this is the end of the ride it was a pleasure to watch him do his thing.
Fantasy football rankings 2017: Running backs in PPR leagues for NFL Week 4
Here are our fantasy football running back rankings for PPR leagues entering Week 4.
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Christian McCaffrey may be well on his way to a career as successful as Sproles. He’s not doing it as a rusher, but with the Panthers playing from behind he managed nine receptions and over 100 yards receiving on Sunday. Carolina is not a well-oiled machine and McCaffrey could find himself in similar situations going forward.
Chris Thompson continues to show us why he is the best running back in Washington. That doesn’t matter much to coach Jay Gruden, who says he will not increase Thompson’s workload, but with 13 receptions and four touchdowns in three games, I could see the coach changing his tune. He gets a decent matchup against the Chiefs in Kansas City. It is difficult to see Washington running away with this one, but even if they have to play from behind Thompson will still be involved.
Speaking of superior running backs being held back due to their size/durability, Duke Johnson Jr. may have started off slow, but his usage has increased each week. Cleveland is going to be playing from behind often which puts Isaiah Crowell on the bench. Duke will look to get it done against the Bengals this week, but they did just hold Ty Montgomery to eight receptions for 15 yards.
Wondering what to do with the rest of the pass catching running backs? Check out our Week 4 rankings and be sure to drop a lineup question in the comments.
Running backs (PPR) rankings, Week 4
(SK: Scott Kaliska; DG: Derek Gordon; KB: Kyle Bennett ZS: Zach Senvisky; JM: Jason Marcum)
RB PPR rankings, Week 4
Rk | Consensus | Tm | Opp | SK | JG | DG | KB | JM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kareem Hunt | KC | vs. WAS | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2 | Devonta Freeman | ATL | vs. BUF | 4 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 1 |
| 3 | Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | vs. LAR | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 4 | Le'Veon Bell | PIT | @ BAL | 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 5 | LeSean McCoy | BUF | @ ATL | 5 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 4 |
| 7 | Todd Gurley | LAR | @ DAL | 6 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 8 | Melvin Gordon | LAC | vs. PHI | 10 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 3 |
| 8 | Jay Ajayi | MIA | vs. NO | 7 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 10 |
| 10 | Ty Montgomery | GB | vs. CHI | 9 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 7 |
| 11 | Dalvin Cook | MIN | vs. DET | 8 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 11 |
| 11 | Leonard Fournette | JAC | @ NYJ | 11 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 8 |
| 13 | Carlos Hyde | SF | @ ARI | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 12 |
| 14 | C.J. Anderson | DEN | vs. OAK | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 |
| 15 | Christian McCaffrey | CAR | @ NE | 13 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 19 |
| 16 | Jordan Howard | CHI | @ GB | 14 | 20 | 14 | 10 | 20 |
| 17 | Chris Carson | SEA | vs. IND | 17 | 15 | 19 | 17 | 15 |
| 17 | DeMarco Murray | TEN | @ HOU | 19 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 17 |
| 19 | Lamar Miller | HOU | vs. TEN | 21 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 14 |
| 20 | Joe Mixon | CIN | @ CLE | 20 | 21 | 18 | 19 | 21 |
| 21 | Marshawn Lynch | OAK | @ DEN | 29 | 23 | 25 | 20 | 23 |
| 22 | Mark Ingram | NO | @ MIA | 22 | 22 | 21 | 35 | 22 |
| 23 | Mike Gillislee | NE | vs. CAR | 24 | 29 | 23 | 18 | 29 |
| 24 | Tarik Cohen | CHI | @ GB | 16 | 28 | 16 | 31 | 33 |
| 24 | Jacquizz Rodgers | TB | vs. NYG | 32 | 16 | 34 | 32 | 16 |
| 26 | Tevin Coleman | ATL | vs. BUF | 28 | 25 | 29 | 21 | 32 |
| 27 | Isaiah Crowell | CLE | vs. CIN | 30 | 27 | 31 | 25 | 27 |
| 28 | Chris Thompson | WAS | @ KC | 18 | 40 | 20 | 23 | 42 |
| 29 | Ameer Abdullah | DET | @ MIN | 31 | 33 | 27 | 26 | 28 |
| 30 | Jonathan Stewart | CAR | @ NE | 35 | 26 | 33 | 29 | 26 |
| 31 | Duke Johnson Jr. | CLE | vs. CIN | 26 | 34 | 28 | 34 | 34 |
| 32 | Buck Allen | BAL | vs. PIT | 27 | 32 | 26 | 28 | 43 |
| 33 | James White | NE | vs. CAR | 23 | 30 | 30 | 42 | 38 |
| 34 | Frank Gore | IND | @ SEA | 34 | 37 | 32 | 27 | 37 |
| 35 | Theo Riddick | DET | @ MIN | 25 | 36 | 24 | 37 | 45 |
| 36 | Robert Kelley | WAS | @ KC | 48 | 18 | 45 | 39 | 18 |
| 37 | Derrick Henry | TEN | @ HOU | 37 | 31 | 38 | 33 | 31 |
| 38 | Alvin Kamara | NO | @ MIA | 33 | 39 | 35 | 24 | 41 |
| 39 | LeGarrette Blount | PHI | @ LAC | 40 | 38 | 39 | 36 | 30 |
| 40 | Wendell Smallwood | PHI | @ LAC | 38 | 41 | 37 | 30 | 40 |
| 41 | Chris Johnson | ARI | vs. SF | 50 | 24 | 48 | 43 | 24 |
| 41 | Terrance West | BAL | vs. PIT | 41 | 43 | 43 | 41 | 25 |
| 43 | Jamaal Charles | DEN | vs. OAK | 42 | 35 | 41 | 40 | 35 |
| 44 | Bilal Powell | NYJ | vs. JAC | 36 | -- | 36 | 38 | -- |
| 45 | D'Onta Foreman | HOU | vs. TEN | 49 | 45 | 47 | 45 | 36 |
| 46 | Shane Vereen | NYG | @ TB | 39 | -- | 40 | 48 | -- |
| 47 | Giovani Bernard | CIN | @ CLE | 43 | 50 | 42 | 44 | 50 |
| 48 | Matt Forte | NYJ | vs. JAC | 45 | 48 | 44 | 46 | 48 |
| 49 | Paul Perkins | NYG | @ TB | -- | 42 | 50 | -- | 38 |
| 50 | Jeremy Hill | CIN | @ CLE | -- | 44 | 49 | -- | 44 |
| -- | Thomas Rawls | SEA | vs. IND | -- | 49 | 46 | 49 | 46 |
| -- | Samaje Perine | WAS | @ KC | 46 | -- | -- | 47 | -- |
| -- | Adrian Peterson | NO | @ MIA | -- | 47 | -- | -- | 47 |
| -- | Andre Ellington | ARI | vs. SF | 44 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Rex Burkhead | NE | vs. CAR | -- | 46 | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | C.J. Prosise | SEA | vs. IND | 47 | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | Alex Collins | BAL | vs. PIT | -- | -- | -- | 50 | 49 |
