Todd Gurley Fantasy: Start or Sit Rams RB in Week 4?

Getty Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams

Are we finally at this point? We’re really going to ask this question? Apparently so, and it’s not farfetched to do so at this point.

We heard the whispers all offseason about Todd Gurley’s injuries, we also heard how the Los Angeles Rams were going to lighten his workload. What we didn’t hear was that Gurley would be the 26th highest scoring fantasy running back through the first three weeks of the season.

Can Gurley finally break through in Week 4? Or is the one-time top running back in fantasy football simply damaged goods?

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Todd Gurley Fantasy Outlook vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After two weeks of impressive play, yet limited usage, things finally came to a head in Week 3. Todd Gurley put up a whopping 4.30 fantasy points in front of the entire nation on Sunday Night Football.

Fantasy owners are not happy, and Gurley’s likely pissed, but playing nice with media. However, we have signs of these emotions changing for the better in the near future. The Rams seem to want to make things right for Gurley owners around the globe. Head Coach Sean McVay stated to the media this week that “the hope” is to get Gurley 25 touches per game, starting in Week 4 vs. Tampa Bay. That would equate to more than 10 added touches to Gurley’s season average.

The added usage would be a much-welcomed sight to the running back who has seen his total snaps drop by 15% compared to where they were at this time a season ago.

However, even if Gurley were to actually receive the additional touches this week, that doesn’t mean he will have success with them. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been phenomenal against opposing running backs this season, in fact, there has been no one better. Tampa Bay currently surrenders less than 10 fantasy points per game to not only teams’ starting running backs, but their entire depth chart. The defense has allowed 69.7 rushing yards per game over the first three weeks of the 2019 season. Gurley’s rushing averages this season fall right in line with the yardage Tampa allows. Gurley has averaged 67.6 yards on the ground since Week 1.

Should You Start or Sit Todd Gurley in Week 4?

If I’m being honest, I highly doubt we see Todd Gurley touch the ball 25 times on Sunday, in reality, it really makes no sense. The Rams shouldn’t need Gurley to have that type of usage to defeat a 1-2 Tampa team.

While the Buccaneers have been impressive at defending the run, they also allowed Daniel Jones to eat them alive just a week ago in his first career start. Jared Goff and his trio of receivers should be more than enough to get the job done this week. When the Rams get out to a big lead on Sunday it would be idiotic to feed Gurley touches and have him take useless hits.

I’m still a believer in Gurley’s talent, and I do think the coaching staff will make a conscious effort to get him touches, even if it’s not more touches, but rather more rewarding touches, ie: goalline touches. Gurley is a low-end RB2 in Week 4 vs. the Buccaneers.

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