Week 4 Rushing Matchups

Go here for this week's Passing Matchups.

Top 5 Rushing Matchups

Pittsburgh at Indianapolis

The Pittsburgh Steelers head into their matchup against the Indianapolis Colts with significant changes in their backfield. Jaylen Warren appears likely to miss the game due to a knee injury, leaving Najee Harris to handle the bulk of the carries. Harris has been a volume-heavy back through three weeks, averaging 18.3 carries per game, but he has struggled with efficiency, posting just 3.8 yards per carry. The Steelers' offensive line has also faced adversity, losing right tackle Troy Fautanu for the season. However, they will get a boost this week with the return of left guard Isaac Seumalo, who missed the first three games. The Steelers' offense is built on a ball-control approach, relying heavily on Harris and veteran Cordarrelle Patterson, with quarterback Justin Fields contributing sparingly to the ground game, totaling just 33 rushing yards over the last two games.

Despite last week's success against Chicago, the Colts' run defense remains vulnerable. They held the Bears to just 59 yards on 25 carries, but this one-game performance does not mask the broader issues within the unit. In their first two games, the Colts allowed over 150 rushing yards to Joe Mixon and Josh Jacobs, highlighting persistent struggles against the run. The defensive scheme under coordinator Gus Bradley typically features just two linebackers on the field, a setup that has not been ideal given the limitations of starters E.J. Speed and Zaire Franklin, who have consistently underperformed as run-stoppers. Further complicating matters for the Colts is that their defensive line is without star lineman DeForest Buckner, who is on injured reserve. The absence of Buckner has left a noticeable void, and the unit is still in search of a new identity. Additionally, the potential absence of Kwity Paye, who missed Wednesday's practice due to a quad injury, could further weaken an already struggling defensive line.

Cleveland at Las Vegas

Cleveland's offense is currently struggling significantly, largely due to the absence of star running back Nick Chubb, who is eligible to return from IR next week but is not expected back until around Week 8. Without Chubb, the Browns have been unable to establish a consistent running game between Jerome Ford and D'Onta Foreman. Ford, who missed practice on Wednesday, is averaging just 9.6 carries per game and is seen more as a change-of-pace back rather than an every-down ball carrier. This leaves Cleveland without a reliable primary rusher, which is evident from the erratic usage of Foreman, who had 14 carries in Week 2 but only 2 in Week 3. The Browns' offensive issues are compounded by injuries along the offensive line. Key tackles Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills did not practice on Wednesday, while backup tackles James Hudson and Dawand Jones were limited. The return of Conklin and Wills would be crucial in stabilizing the line, but until they are back, expectations for Cleveland's offense remain low.

Defensively, the Las Vegas Raiders are struggling against the run, allowing an average of 133 rushing yards per game through three weeks. The main issue lies with the linebackers and safeties. Divine Deablo, one of the league's worst run-stoppers in recent seasons, may return from injury this week, but his performance history does not inspire confidence. His replacement, Luke Masterson, has also failed to provide much improvement. The Raiders' secondary took a further hit with the loss of safety Marcus Epps to a torn ACL. Undrafted safety Isaiah Pola-Mao, who has just one career start, is set to replace Epps, leaving the team vulnerable at the second level. The Raiders' defensive line, led by Christian Wilkins and Maxx Crosby, remains the strength of the unit, often able to contain runs at the line of scrimmage. However, if opposing offenses can break through to the second level, they find significant success against this defense. Crosby's status is currently in question as he did not practice on Wednesday; his absence would further weaken an already vulnerable run defense.