Fantasy Football Week 4 RB Preview: Khalil Herbert has stand-alone value, Justice Hill may as well

By now, pretty much everyone has come around on the idea of Khalil Herbert as a Week 4 starter. David Montgomery missed practice on Wednesday with what's being called a knee and ankle issue. Assuming Montgomery is out, we're ranking Herbert inside our top 12 against the Giants. But even if Montgomery returns this week, Herbert should be rostered everywhere. 

This Bears offense ranks second in the NFL in rush attempts and rushing yards. There is a possibility against the best matchups you could start both Bears running backs. And at the very least, Herbert is the most valuable handcuff in football. There's even some chance he could wrestle the starting role from Montgomery as the season wears on.

• Week 4 Previews: RB | WR | QB | TE

If you're looking for the next Khalil Herbert, it might just be Justice Hill. He's surpassed both Kenyan Drake and Mike Davis in Baltimore and now sits squarely behind J.K. Dobbins in the Ravens running backs room. In fact, last week he was even better than Dobbins, rushing six times for 60 yards. The most likely scenario is that Hill is a 1B in the Ravens offense, but Dobbins does have a heightened injury risk as he works his way back from a devastating knee injury. If Dobbins were to go down, Hill could see 15 touches a game in one of the best offenses in football.

Now let's get to the rest of the Week 4 RB Preview:

Week 4 RB Preview

Who's Out

Numbers to Know

Matchups That Matter

Waiver Wire Targets

DFS Plays

Projections

RB Preview

Who's Out

The following players are not being projected to play Week 4 at this time. Here's what it means:

D'Andre Swift RB

CHI Chicago
Age: 25 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Jamaal Williams should be a top 15 running back without Swift.

David Montgomery RB

DET Detroit • #5
Age: 26 • Experience: 6 yrs.

Khalil Herbert is a must-start if Montgomery is out.

RB Preview

Numbers to know

• 27 - Last year at this time, Jonathan Taylor was RB27. 
  
• 0 - Zero touchdowns for Austin Ekeler through three games after scoring 20 last year.
  
• 5 - Dameon Pierce led the league with five touches inside the 10-yard line in Week 3, converting one into a touchdown. Hopefully, his two fumbles don't change that next week. 
  
• 12 - Cam Akers carries compared to Darrell Henderson Jr.'s four in Week 3. Akers looks like the guy moving forward. 
  
• 4 - Washington has held Ezekiel Elliott under 50 rushing yards in four consecutive games.
  
• 79.2% -- Josh Jacobs has accounted for 79.2% of the Raiders' rush attempts, the highest mark in the league.
• 45% -- Javonte Williams' 45% snap share in Week 3 was his lowest of the season.
• 14.2% -- Breece Hall ranks ninth amongst all running backs with a 14.2% target share. We'll see how Zach Wilson impacts that.

RB Preview

Matchups that matter

Matchups that Matter

Kareem Hunt RB

CLE Cleveland • #27
Age: 28 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ ATL CLE -1.5 O/U 49.5

OPP VS RB 6th

PROJ PTS 12.5

RB RNK 29th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 151	REC 9	REYDS 54	TD 2	FPTS/G 13.8

James Robinson RB

NO New Orleans • #26
Age: 25 • Experience: 4 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ PHI PHI -6.5 O/U 48

OPP VS RB 22nd

PROJ PTS 13

RB RNK 17th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 230	REC 6	REYDS 33	TD 4	FPTS/G 18.8

J.K. Dobbins RB

LAC L.A. Chargers • #27
Age: 25 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs BUF BUF -3.5 O/U 51.5

OPP VS RB 4th

PROJ PTS 10.7

RB RNK 36th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 23	REC 2	REYDS 17	TD 0	FPTS/G 6

Tony Pollard RB

TEN Tennessee • #20
Age: 27 • Experience: 6 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs WAS DAL -3.5 O/U 42.5

OPP VS RB 14th

PROJ PTS 11.2

RB RNK 28th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 156	REC 6	REYDS 69	TD 1	FPTS/G 11.5

Jamaal Williams RB

NO New Orleans • #21
Age: 29 • Experience: 8 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs SEA DET -5 O/U 50

OPP VS RB 24th

PROJ PTS 12.8

RB RNK 11th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 168	REC 4	REYDS 29	TD 4	FPTS/G 15.9

Clyde Edwards-Helaire RB

KC Kansas City • #25
Age: 25 • Experience: 5 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ TB KC -2.5 O/U 45

OPP VS RB 1st

PROJ PTS 12.4

RB RNK 27th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 116	REC 12	REYDS 115	TD 3	FPTS/G 17.7

Cam Akers RB

MIN Minnesota • #31
Age: 24 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ SF SF -2.5 O/U 42.5

OPP VS RB 9th

PROJ PTS 7.8

RB RNK 32nd

YTD Stats
RUYDS 105	REC 2	REYDS 18	TD 1	FPTS/G 6.1

RB Preview

Waiver Wire Targets

Week 4 Adds (RB Preview)

Samaje Perine RB

DEN Denver • #25
Age: 28 • Experience: 8 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs MIA CIN -3.5 O/U 48.5

OPP VS RB 16th

RB RNK NR

ROSTERED 22%

YTD Stats
RUYDS 53	REC 6	REYDS 55	TD 1	FPTS/G 7.6

The Bengals play on Thursday night, and while Joe Mixon is expected to be OK after injuring his ankle, we don't know for sure. if Mixon misses time, Perine will be a low-end No. 2 running back with PPR upside.

J.D. McKissic RB

WAS Washington • #23
Age: 30 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

@ DAL DAL -3 O/U 41.5

OPP VS RB 9th

RB RNK 38th

ROSTERED 40%

YTD Stats
RUYDS 25	REC 16	REYDS 106	TD 0	FPTS/G 10.4

McKissic is the one back you could add as a PPR flex who isn't injury-dependent. He's seen 16 targets in his past two games and has seen his snap share increase every week this season.

Justice Hill RB

BAL Baltimore • #43
Age: 26 • Experience: 6 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs BUF BUF -3 O/U 51

OPP VS RB 4th

RB RNK NR

ROSTERED 22%

YTD Stats
RUYDS 80	REC 2	REYDS 7	TD 0	FPTS/G 3.6

Hill has earned 80 yards on 11 carries this season. The rest of the Ravens running backs have produced 77 yards on 31 yards. He should be the clear 1B to J.K. Dobbins and may just be one Dobbins injury away from 15 touches per game.

Stashes (RB Preview)

Jaylen Warren RB

PIT Pittsburgh • #30
Age: 25 • Experience: 3 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs NYJ PIT -3 O/U 41.5

OPP VS RB 23rd

RB RNK NR

ROSTERED 32%

YTD Stats
RUYDS 52	REC 2	REYDS 3	TD 0	FPTS/G 2.5

Warren has looked more explosive than Najee Harris, and while that won't matter as long as Harris stays healthy, it does highlight just how much upside he could have if Harris goes down. We'd expect 20 touches per game for the rookie, and league-winning potential. if you have an extra roster spot, there are few better ways to use it.

RB Preview

DFS Plays

Top DFS Play

Saquon Barkley RB

PHI Philadelphia • #26
Age: 27 • Experience: 7 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs CHI NYG -3 O/U 39.5

OPP VS RB 21st

PROJ PTS 20.3

RB RNK 2nd

YTD Stats
RUYDS 317	REC 13	REYDS 91	TD 2	FPTS/G 22.6

Barkley is the Giants offense. He's responsible for 38% of their yards from scrimmage and 40% of their touchdowns. And those numbers may go up with Sterling Shepard lost for the year. Against a mediocre Bears defense, expect 20-plus touches and 20-plus Fantasy points.

Contrarian DFS Play

Josh Jacobs RB

GB Green Bay • #8
Age: 26 • Experience: 6 yrs.

Weekly Breakdown

vs DEN LV -2.5 O/U 45.5

OPP VS RB 2nd

PROJ PTS 12.9

RB RNK 20th

YTD Stats
RUYDS 192	REC 7	REYDS 59	TD 0	FPTS/G 10.7

I loved that the Raiders got Jacobs involved in the passing game last week and he didn't do anything to discourage that in the future. At some point he's going to get into the end zone, and when the lid comes off it may just be a multi-touchdown game. No one would expect that in Week 4 against the Broncos, which is why his roster rate should be almost non-existent.

RB Preview

Heath's Projections