2025 Fantasy Football Week 4 Trade Value Chart: Running Backs

Fantasy Football Championships are won with trades.

Here, I continue a series previously captained by RSJ’s MOH in 2023 and 2024, and Jackson Barrett before him. In my version, I’ll be basing these trade value charts off the top-150 Rest Of Season Rankings of RSJ’s Wolf Of Roto Street, who finished 2nd of 172 experts in FantasyPros’ Multi-Year Draft Rankings.

These charts adjust values for positional need to assign values based on a 1QB, 12-team, full PPR league, where generally quarterbacks are harder to trade for/away due to lack of positional need, unlike Superflex leagues.

Each week throughout the season, these values will be altered to reflect the player’s value for the rest of the season.

Be sure to tune back each week throughout the season. We’ll be adjusting the chart, discussing risers & fallers, and pinpointing other backs of interest, and providing a refresher on optimal trade strategy.

The trade value chart for each position is linked below.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Trade Value Chart: Running Backs

Running Back Riser

Cam Skattebo was reported to start getting more work even before week 3 began, and now that Tyrone Tracy is set to miss time with a dislocated shoulder, Cam becomes our biggest riser this week.

Even on a slow offense against the Chiefs, he managed 6.0 yards-per-carry on ten carries and a score, adding six-of-eight targets for 61 yards, finishing as the RB6 in half-PPR.

He now has a golden opportunity to solidify himself as the alpha back until Tracy returns.

Running Back Faller

D’Andre Swift fell eight spots in Wolf’s Rest Of Season Rankings after another inefficient showing in a game where he wasn’t needed for the Bears to get their first win of the season, 31-14 against the Cowboys.

Only 2.5 yards-per-carry on 13 rushes, adding 45 yards on 3 receptions, doesn’t crack RB2 territory for the second time this season. And even the lone time he did crack RB2 territory last week, he barely made it as the week’s RB24.

Ben Johnson’s arrival hasn’t upped the game for Swift, which was always less surprising than if it did, considering the last time Johnson coached Swift on the Lions the team traded him away. Between Chicago and Detroit, you would have thought it was more likely to work in Detroit, who habitually had the better offensive line.

Now he messes with fantasy RB3 territory as a running back frustrating to plug into lineups or try and trade away.

Other Running Backs Of Interest

Quinshon Judkins remains a bright spot for the Browns’ anemic offense. The longer the overall offense remains that way, the higher the chance your league mate might be willing to trade him.

If/when a quarterback change occurs, and that willingness likely dissipates, the team will revert to a wait-and-see mode. With the Browns’ highly improbable 13-10 comeback win against the Packers, the coaching staff may give Joe Flacco a slightly longer stay with the starting job than they would with a 0-3 Cleveland start, but Joe hasn’t looked good.

As long he is the starter, there isn’t good reason to expect the offense, the aerial offense in particular, to suddenly get it together.

Getting 94 rushing yards and a score helped him crack RB1 territory as the RB11 for the week, but this offense is likely going to hold him back from attaining RB1 weeks consistently in its current form.

A QB change may not mean the offense suddenly gets better, but it really can’t get much worse.

Trade Strategy Reminders

Aim To Fill Holes On Your Roster, And Your Trade Partner’s

In general, trade offers that clearly help both teams’ overall value, not just your own, will make a trade partner more cooperative, but being mindful of depth concerns with all teams involved with a trade will only increase the chance of that cooperation.

Be mindful not just of weak positional depth, but a surplus of positional depth, with all your league’s rosters. You might have a shortlist of players you’d love to be able to trade for, but if what you have to offer isn’t what your trade partner needs, your offers will likely fall on deaf ears.

Say you’re weak at RB, and have a surplus at WR. Teams that are strong at RB, but weak at WR, are naturally more eager to haggle.

Never Mention The Words “But The Trade Calculator Says”

Charts and calculators are a reference that can help find ideal trades, but they’re not gospel, and trying to make your potential trade partner think otherwise could shut the door on negotiations real quick.

Even if your charts/calculators show the trade offer to be in your league mate’s favor, they probably have tools and references of their own, and the next time “But the trade calculator says” changes someone’s mind, may be the first time.

Be Careful How Low-Ball Your Offers Are

Speaking of bad faith, a trade offer that is too clearly in your favor puts you in danger of potential trade partners shutting you out not just for that particular trade negotiation, but any future ones as well.

It’s a great feeling to get those kind of lopsided trade deals, but the ones that are so bad they only go through 1-percent of the time likely aren’t worth hitting the send button to begin with. At their core, fantasy players aren’t complete masochists just want to have fun with it, and somebody sending them insulting offers isn’t fun.

Trade Value Chart: Running Backs

QB | RB | WR | TE

Tier 1: The Elites

Tier 2: RB1 Options

Tier 3: RB2 Options

Tier 4: The Rest