Three weeks of NFL action are in the books, which means it’s time for owners everywhere to scour the waiver wire for the best Week 4 running back pickups. Looking around the league shows that players like Chuba Hubbard and Peyton Barber have the best chance of positive production in the coming weeks.
Chuba Hubbard, Peyton Barber Highlight Fantasy Football Week 4 Running Back Waiver Wire Pickups
Chuba Hubbard (or Royce Freeman)
Christian McCaffrey suffered a hamstring injury on Thursday Night Football and is going to miss the next couple of weeks. At his best, McCaffrey is the single most valuable fantasy football weapon out there, and his backup is going to receive a good portion of that work. Last year, it was Mike Davis. This year, it’s fourth-round rookie Chuba Hubbard.
Hubbard obviously isn’t going to match McCaffrey’s production, but getting 80% of McCaffrey’s volume is still incredibly valuable for fantasy football. As long as the superstar running back remains sidelined, Hubbard should be able to put up low-end RB2 performances with some touchdown upside. If Hubbard is already rostered in your league, then you should probably put in a claim for Royce Freeman. The rookie will get the first shot at the starting job, but Freeman will still see the field and could take the job if Hubbard isn’t up for the task.
Incredible view of rookie RB Chuba Hubbard's eyes as he works through the line. 👀@Panthers #CARvsHOU pic.twitter.com/taFHsMXtue
— Evan Foster (@EvanNoles) September 24, 2021
Peyton Barber
Keep an eye on the Raiders injury report here. Josh Jacobs hasn’t played in two straight weeks and, if he doesn’t suit up again, Peyton Barber is a decent play. Barber is not a good NFL running back, but rushing production has more to do with the situation rather than the actual runner. Las Vegas has a solid offense, and head coach Jon Gruden is committed to using Barber as his early-down back and short-yardage thumper.
Obviously, if Jacobs comes back next week, Barber will not have any fantasy value. However, if the former first-round pick needs another week or two to get healthy, then Barber can be a solid flex play. It won’t feel good, but you need to take fantasy points however you can.
Peyton Barber breaks free for 27 yards! #RaiderNation
📺: #MIAvsLV on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/EGtMf3iPij— NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2021
Rhamondre Stevenson
New England Patriots running back James White suffered a hip injury during Week 3’s contest. As of this posting, we do not know the severity of the injury. That being said, it doesn’t look good. New England’s pass-catching running back always has some type of value in PPR leagues, and Rhamondre Stevenson is likely the next man up for the job.
Stevenson earned a spot in Bill Belichick’s doghouse after fumbling in Week 1’s contest against the Miami Dolphins. He hasn’t seen the field in the past two weeks, but the Patriots basically have no other choice. The rookie looked fantastic in the preseason, and New England is probably going to be trailing in Week 4’s matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This projected game script is good news for whoever ends up catching passes, and that player will probably be Stevenson.
Main photo:
Embed from Getty Images
