Fantasy football is all about staying ahead of the curve, especially as NFL teams tweak their approach each week. With running back committees and changing game scripts, managers are left searching for any edge that can boost their starting lineup.

Unexpected storylines and emerging trends keep everyone guessing, making it crucial to chase every advantage. There’s plenty to unpack, so dive in and discover the insights that could make the difference this weekend.

Aaron Jones Sr. | MIN (vs BAL)

I was both impressed and discouraged by what we saw from Aaron Jones last week in the upset win over the Lions.

On one hand, he proved that there is still gas in the tank. He picked up yardage on every carry against a formidable defense and was used in creative ways on the first drive.

There was a play where he lined up out wide, jabbed as if to give the impression that he was running a vertical route, came back for a bubble screen, and picked up 15 yards that led to a Justin Jefferson touchdown.

Vintage Jones stuff and the type of thing he’ll have to do if we are going to flex him moving forward.

But there’s a volume issue here, and I don’t think that changes. Despite him holding the hot hand and the Vikings largely in control, Jones finished with 11 opportunities (carries plus targets). Jordan Mason struggled to get anything going in the right direction (37 yards on his 11 opportunities). McCarthy was a bad quarterback after the opening script ran out, and yet, Kevin O’Connell didn’t load up the veteran with work.

Against a rested Ravens defense that is getting healthier, is a 15-touch ceiling going to cut it?

Is his touch ceiling even that high?

I want Jones over Mason in a game like this where the expectation is that Minnesota is playing from behind, but at some level, that might be shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic. Jones sits just outside of my top 24 at the position this week, while Mason is half a dozen spots lower.

Alvin Kamara | NO (at CAR)

Alvin Kamara battled an ankle injury through the work week and was able to give it a go in Los Angeles last week, but he was predictably ineffective and is now on the outside looking in at startable RBs.

Every metric you look at, from volume numbers to efficiency and expected ones, it’s clear that Kamara is on the back-nine of his career. Sadly, that process is being sped up due to the ineptitude around him.

His role as a pass catcher hasn’t been the same this year as seasons past, and we were holding out hope that a change under center couldn’t hurt that downward trajectory.

Well, it certainly didn’t make things better.

If you want to tell yourself that this is going to be a tight game and thus a 16-18 touch day is possible, go for it. You’re an optimist at heart, and I admire that.

I’m actively looking for reasons to bench Kamara as my flex. If pressed, I’d start both Seattle backs over him and wouldn’t shy away from a receiver like Romeo Doubs in his spot.

Ashton Jeanty | LV (at DEN)

Ashton Jeanty’s usage in the passing game (4+ targets in three of his past four games) is what we begged for early in the season and is helping him overcome picking up less than two feet per carry before contact this season.

I don’t care how talented you believe the rookie to be; the rushing efficiency is unlikely to rebound as long as this offensive line and Geno Smith continue to struggle. The touchdown reception last week showcased the wiggle that we assumed we’d see more of this season, but Jeanty can’t find open space when handed the ball, and that’s not going to change.

The sixth overall pick has been held under 45 rushing yards in consecutive games, four times this season, and is at risk of a similar fate this week. The Broncos have been vulnerable at times to power run games, but that’s not exactly a word I’d use to describe this attack.

I’ve got Jeanty ranked as a strong RB2 this week, thinking that we see something similar to last week against the Jags: 12-15 carries with limited efficiency, along with 4-6 targets.

Bhayshul Tuten | JAX (at HOU)

Bhayshul Tuten punched in a goal-line carry last week against the Raiders and continues to run hard.

The future is bright for this rookie. Travis Etienne’s rookie deal runs out after this season (Jacksonville picked up his option to get him through his fifth season), and that could result in Tuten being an asset as soon as Week 1 of 2026.

In the scope of 2025, I don’t think you can tell me that he’s a viable flex option. This obviously wouldn’t be the matchup to do it, but I think we’d have more proof of a plan if the 5-3 Jags were planning on unleashing him down the stretch.

Hold.

I don’t think Tuten has a real shot at unseating Etienne atop this depth chart, but he is a pretty clear-cut RB2 for Jacksonville, and that means that he’s essentially walking into fantasy RB2 status if Etienne were to suffer any sort of injury.

Bijan Robinson | ATL (at IND)

It’s a little quirky that Bijan Robinson has gone three straight games without a touch gaining more than 17 yards, but I’m not worried about it.

There’s been no rushing efficiency to speak of over those games, but he’s received 21 targets over that stretch, and for a player this dynamic, that’ll work.

His 17-game pace is for over 87 receptions this season, and when you consider that he is always in scoring position, that level of volume is golden. Without efficiency, he can still give you borderline RB1 production, and if he can get on track on the ground, he’s got as good a shot as anyone to lead the position in scoring.

Robinson is a Tier 1 running back every single week and should allow you to get fantasy points in bunches with your morning coffee this week, even against a Colts run defense that looked good in Pittsburgh last week (23 carries for 38 yards).

Blake Corum | LAR (at SF)

Is Blake Corum a version of Tyler Allgeier that simply didn’t get the rookie season to own a backfield?

Like Allgeier, he’s not going to take meaningful amounts of work off the role of the RB1 in town, but he does add something when he enters the game, and that’s why he’s on the list of handcuffs that I’ll hold through the end of the season.

Over the past two games, Corum has picked up yardage on 23-of-25 carries, a true skill considering that 44% of those attempts have come against a loaded box. Both of those games were blowouts, and thus the expanded touch count: he’s a long shot to reach double figures in touches in any given week, and that’s why he can’t be considered a flex with a healthy Kyren Williams.

That said, he’s a lineup lock should the RB1 role open up, and that profile is difficult to find in this era of committees.

Breece Hall | NYJ (vs CLE)

Prior to the Week 9 bye, Breece Hall had the best game of his season, piling up 147 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Bengals. I think we can agree that there is some grading on a curve that needs to take place with that performance, and as long as we are at it, let’s contextualize the past six games.

Three Favorable Spots (CIN, DAL, MIA)
- 22.2 PPR PPG
- +37.1% relative to expectations
- 1.13 points per touch
Three More Difficult Spots (CAR, DEN, TB)
- 7.4 PPR PPG
- -38.7% relative to expectations
- 0.46 points per touch

This profiles as a snake-eyes spot for those gambling on the Jets.

The Browns are just as rested as they are and haven’t allowed an RB to score 13 PPR points since Week 4. Some of that is their strong defense, and some of it is the type of ugly, clock-killing type of games they tend to play, but one way or another, opposing backs have had all sorts of trouble in this matchup.

If you don’t have an RB behind Hall that projects for 13-16 touches, it’s going to be difficult to pivot, but I’m certainly downgrading Hall and avoiding him in all DFS formats.

Bucky Irving | TB (vs NE)

Logic would state that we are nearing a return for Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder), considering that he last played in Week 4 and the team elected not to place him on injured reserve. Still, we lack clarity right now, and that leads me to assume he’s set to miss at least another game.

Should he return, I think you should wait a week. He doesn’t have a 20-yard carry this season (71 attempts), with his splash plays coming in the passing game. That’s great, but it’s also the one area where Rachaad White excels, so if his reps are going to be managed, I fear that he will lose the touch that this backfield has in depth.

I still think Irving has every chance to be a top-10 RB for the final month of the season as Tampa Bay plays important games. If you’re looking to roll the dice in a late-season trade, this is a spot I’d be looking at, operating under the assumption that the manager rostering him is struggling in a major way.

Chris Rodriguez Jr. | WAS (vs DET)

I thought Chris Rodriguez ran reasonably hard in the blowout loss to the Seahawks on Sunday night (12 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown). Still, he comes with similar limitations as Jacory Croskey-Merritt, and that means that the contingent value is minimal at best.

And that value took a hit with the Jayden Daniels injury that saps this offense of some scoring equity.

I don’t doubt that Rodriguez would be the proper add should JCM get hurt, but I do doubt that such a role would lock him into lineups.

If you have a roster spot to burn and are low on RB depth, sure. Outside of that very specific situation, there are likely a dozen receivers on your waiver wire that have a better ROS outlook as you cycle through flex players to hold for the stretch run.

Christian McCaffrey | SF (vs LAR)

Christian McCaffrey has more catches than any other running back in the sport has targets this season and has now handled 17+ rush attempts in six of seven games.

The role of CMC has been like no other back in the game for quite some time now, and while the rushing efficiency remains average, he’s even trending in the right direction on that front.

Over his past three games, McCaffrey has gained 5+ yards on 36.7% of his carries, a massive leap forward from his three games prior (21.4%).

There isn’t a defense that can keep the best back in football in check. That said, there are a handful of favorable spots left on the board for the 49ers, so as long as CMC can stay on the field, he could prove to be the rare Round 1 league winner.

So far, so good when it comes to your willingness to embrace the minor discount this summer.

Chuba Hubbard | CAR (vs NO)

I don’t know if we are yet in the droppable stage of disappointment, but we’re not far from it.

The Panthers displayed patience with Chuba Hubbard following the injury, but the Rico Dowdle run hasn’t slowed, and that has led this coaching staff to suggest that the pivot was coming.

And it did!

Hubbard was on the field for just 20.4% of Carolina’s offensive snaps in the upset win over the Packers, netting five touches to 27 for Dowdle.

At best, you’re holding a handcuff on a run-centric offense, but are you really holding a player for their contingent value only on an offense like this?

Long-term, no. For another week or two, you can justify it with bye weeks still very much in play. But if things don’t change in a meaningful way, this is exactly the type of profile that you cut as December approaches in an effort to craft an optimal lineup for your postseason.

D’Andre Swift | CHI (vs NYG)

D’Andre Swift missed last week (groin), his first DNP since joining the Bears after some durability concerns to open his career with the Lions.

The hope is that this is nothing that lingers.

He had been able to play through this nagging issue for much of October, but he didn’t practice last week and now has to be watched (Chicago is a month past their bye).

If things look promising, you play him. This offense is hardly a work of art, but Swift has produced 12.8% above expectations this season, the second-best mark of his career. This isn’t a matchup to fear in general, and the versatility in this profile (24 targets and 100 rush attempts across his seven games) makes him a reliable player regardless of the projected script.

Track the injury reports, but I currently have Swift penciled in as my RB2 in spots where I roster him.

David Montgomery | DET (at WAS)

After consecutive games without a single red zone touch, David Montgomery handled two on Sunday against the Vikings and cashed one in for his fifth rushing score of the season.

Detroit certainly made a point to keep him involved as he finished with more carries and targets than Jahmyr Gibbs … and the offense sputtered. Combine the reactionary nature of NFL coaches with the fact that Monty lost a fumble in the third quarter, a turnover that resulted in the Vikings scoring five plays later, and I think you’re on thin ice in considering him a flex this week.

The matchup is favorable, and that’s what you’re standing on. Gibbs is going to be heavily featured more often than not, and I’d expect that to be the case on Sunday, but should Detroit push out to a lead as expected, another 12-ish touch game with scoring upside could be on the way for Montgomery.

I think you’re safe to flex him this week, but I wouldn’t get comfortable with that decision every week.

De’Von Achane | MIA (vs BUF)

The De’Von Achane profile truly is amazing to me, given that this offense struggles to get into scoring position (exactly one red zone touch for their star RB in three of his past four games).

Expected fantasy points tend to highlight players on good offenses thanks to a high count of high-value touches, and that makes sense. That’s where fantasy matchups are won in most situations.

Achane is the exception.

He’s cleared 15.5 expected PPR points in four of his past five and six of his past eight. His value is riding on his ability to earn targets (35 in his past five games), and that appears to be sticky given how Tua Tagovailoa plays the game.

Miami lacks a secondary pass catcher behind Jaylen Waddle, and without real competition for traditional carries, Achane is the rare safe RB on a bad team. In Week 3 against these Bills, his 12 carries yielded 62 yards, and he posted a 27.3% target share.

It would be fun to see what the upside looks like on even an average offense, but I’m not holding my breath on that front in 2023. Even without it, he’s a locked-in fantasy starter with an elevated floor that you can take to the bank.

Derrick Henry | BAL (at MIN)

Over the past three games, Derrick Henry has more 10+ yard carries than instances in which he’s been stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage.

That’s the version of The King that we’ve loved for the past decade!

Him breaking four runs on Thursday night for chunk gains was good to see, and if he were to finish off either of his runs in scoring position on the first drive (tackled at the one-yard line on a six-yard gain and then hit for a loss on the next play), we are tripping over ourselves to label him as a lock top-10 option the rest of the way.

He’s there.

The return of Jackson not only opens up running lanes but also results in a spike in red zone trips. If you’ve suffered through the ups and downs this season with Henry and managed to remain competitive, I think you’re in a good spot for the stretch run.

I actually like a matchup like this for a player like this: break through the crowded line of scrimmage, and a game-breaking carry is very much in play.

Dylan Sampson | CLE (at NYJ)

Dylan Sampson appeared in fantasy box scores before the bye with five catches in the blowout loss to the Patriots and has now seen 88.5% of his PPR points scored via the reception.

This is an interesting profile in the long term because he appears to have an NFL-level skill as a rookie. But this is Judkins’ backfield until otherwise noted, and there’s not nearly enough food for multiple backs to eat.

If this offense settles on a QB and shows signs of growth during the second half of this season, we can have a discussion over the summer about the viability of Sampson, but we are a long way away from that.

A hampered Judkins would increase the value of Sampson, but he wouldn’t absorb the full role, and this isn’t a great matchup.

He’s a low-end roster stash at best.

J.K. Dobbins | DEN (vs LV)

JK Dobbins has been consistent over the past three weeks: efficient with average volume, no scoring equity, and limited versatility.

That’s not a profile that is overly interesting to me, especially with 47.6% of his carries this season coming against loaded boxes. The ceiling is limited, and you could argue that there is some risk coming with the playing time.

Rookie RJ Harvey has caught a touchdown pass in three straight games and is averaging 4.5 yards per carry on his limited number of attempts on the ground.

There are no real signs that Harvey is a real threat to the lead role, but Dobbins is already within 60 carries of his career high, reminding us that his ability to handle bellcow work for four months is a real question.

These two backs have combined for just under 23 touches per game over the past three weeks, so even if just one or two additional touches start being put on the plate of Harvey, Dobbins’ status as a middling RB2 is at risk.

The Raiders are the sixth-worst rush defense by EPA this season: Dobbins is a strong RB2 in this specific spot, but his star is at risk of fading as we get into the most important time of the fantasy season.

Jacory Croskey-Merritt | WAS (vs DET)

The story of Bill Croskey-Merritt was a fun one this summer, but the narrative has run its course, and now he’s a drain on the upside of your roster.

The seventh-round pick in the 2025 draft has three catches total over his past four games, a stretch that has seen zero of his 51 carries gain even a dozen yards.

With no versatility to speak of and the scoring equity being squeezed out of his profile by way of the Jayden Daniels injury, JCM doesn’t offer nearly enough upside to offset the low floor. He may be the lead for Washington, but he’s not a top-30 option for me this week, ranking among the secondary backs and long-shot receivers.

Jahmyr Gibbs | DET (at WAS)

Relax.

Just about all of the high-end running backs have had a game like what Jahmyr Gibbs put on paper last week, if not multiple.

Gibbs averaged 16.6 carries per game in the five contests before Week 9, and I fully expect we see that volume return this week. We have a 40-game sample of him averaging 5.3 yards per carry, making that volume alone worthy of our confidence.

Add in the unique splash play ability and the efficiency, albeit suppressed usage, in the pass game (29 catches on 31 targets). You’ve got yourself an elite asset that could come in a little lower owned in DFS circles despite a weird main slate (Jonathan Taylor, Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, and Josh Jacobs are off of it).

James Cook | BUF (at MIA)

James Cook has cleared 100 rushing yards in five of his past seven games, and the two exceptions can be explained away rather easily.

Week 5 vs. NE: The best run defense in the league
Week 6 at ATL: 5.1 yards per carry (Buffalo trailed for 51-of-54 offensive snaps)

With just one reception since September, Cook’s role stands in the way of him joining the top tier at the running back position, but he’s on the next level of producer, and I’m expecting another huge performance on Sunday.

Over his last three games against the Dolphins, Cook has averaged 20.4 points per game and 1.25 points per touch while scoring 46.1% over expectations during that stretch.

I think there are a Big Four at the running back position, and if I’m ranking them for the rest of the season, Cook is my RB5.

Jaylen Warren | PIT (at LAC)

Jaylen Warren was playing with fire last week, barely crossing the goal line on a one-yard dive before getting the ball knocked out. Still, all touchdowns count, and the fact that he’s getting those opportunities (he failed on a fourth-quarter goal-line carry, but Aaron Rodgers went back to him and got him a second score) is valuable.

In his first year as the lead man in this backfield, Warren has cleared 13 PPR points in five of seven games, boasting a versatile skill that allows him to overcome the occasional inefficient spot.

The Chargers rank 28th in yards allowed per carry after contact to the running back position, and given how this Steelers offense is built, that weakness figures to be on display Sunday night.

Warren is a top-15 RB for me this week, and he could flirt with my top 10 as we get further injury news in different situations: lock him in.

Jonathan Taylor | IND (vs ATL)

Jonathan Taylor has five top-3 finishes at the position.

It’s hard to overstate just how crazy that is in early November.

The only thing crazier would be overreacting to the dud last week in Pittsburgh.

Taylor is touching the ball 20.4 times per game and is more likely to rip off a 10+ yard gain (14.6% of his attempts this season) than he is to be stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage (13.4%).

Even with the poor showing in Week 9, Taylor is on a borderline historic pace and slots as my RB1 in Germany this week in what could be a fun game with Bijan Robinson on the other side.

The late bye (next week) and the loss of a Houston matchup (Week 18) position Taylor to potentially be the most impactful December asset in our game. You’re lucky to have him on your roster: hold on tight and see if you can ride him to a title.

Jordan Mason | MIN (vs BAL)

We thought that the same script in Detroit would work against Jordan Mason, thus making him a tough sell given his role projection as the two-down option in Minnesota.

The analysis was dead wrong, but the final line ultimately rewarded our skepticism.

The Lions didn’t lead for a single offensive snap, yet Jones nearly tripled Mason’s production. Heading into Week 9, I didn’t see a situation in which the Vikes were locked into a tight game and Jones’ point total would dwarf that of the more explosive Mason, but here we are.

I don’t think you can play either one of them.

This projects to be a full-blown committee where one player has upside and the other has versatility. Combined, this would be a top-12 running back. Separately, I’m not touching it, as a low floor presents itself for both players.

Josh Jacobs | GB (vs PHI)

It’s pretty evident that Josh Jacobs is battling a calf injury, but as long as the Packers list him as active, we will do the same.

Emanuel Wilson got work on the first drive of the game and the first touch of the second half for the Packers in a game in which they were trailing, red flags that are mitigated by Jacobs having found the end zone in 15 of his last 16 games.

These “limitations” resulted in 21 touches for Jacobs last weekend against the Panthers. If you want to add Wilson to the end of your roster for insurance, I’ll co-sign, but this feels more like a management situation than anything else.

I fully expect a heavy dose of Jacobs in this spot as the Packers look to rebound from a bad loss to potentially an elite win.

Kenneth Gainwell | PIT (at LAC)

Outside of the Dublin game, where Warren was a late scratch, Kenneth Gainwell hasn’t cleared seven carries in a game this season. I love the fact that, starting with that contest, he has 20 catches over his past five, but that role alone isn’t nearly enough to justify flex consideration.

He’s earned the trust of Rodgers, and there’s certainly value in that. We just need an injury ahead of him to reap the benefits in the fantasy space.

Kenneth Walker III | SEA (vs ARI)

The Seahawks must feel as though they don’t know what they are going to get from Kenneth Walker III on a carry-to-carry basis, but we, as fantasy managers, are fairly certain of how the week is going to play out.

Seahawk Carries From 10 Yards Out or Closer

Zach Charbonnet: 13
Walker: 7
Sam Darnold: 3
AJ Barner: 1

That’s a 29.2% carry share in those spots for Walker (49% in all other spots).

Walker has finished three of his past four games with 10-11 carries and hasn’t had more than two targets in a game since Week 1. In theory, you’re considering playing him for the single-play upside, but even that has disappeared (three straight games without a rush attempt picking up more than 16 yards).

I have Walker ranked ahead of Charbonnet this week and most weeks, but that’s more of an anti-Charbonnet stance.

Walker is my RB25 this week.

Kimani Vidal | LAC (vs PIT)

Kimani Vidal is the lead back and projects as such for at least the next month, with news emerging that Omarion Hampton is out through the bye. But the production has been all over the place lately.

Week 6 at Dolphins: 22.8 points (18.2 expected)
Week 7 vs. Colts: 7.5 points (13.1 expected)
Week 8 vs. Vikings: 19.7 points (19.3 expected)
Week 9 at Titans: 3.0 points (8.9 expected)

Is he good?

I’m on the fence, but I’m not sure it matters. The volume on the ground is locked in, and with him running 23.5 routes per game over the past month, there are enough paths to production for me to feel good about against a defense that has had plenty of ups and downs.

Vidal has picked up over 76% of his rushing yards after contact in two of the past three games, something that hints at a style of running that has a way of getting fantasy managers to the finish line more often than not.

Kyle Monangai | CHI (vs NYG)

D’Andre Swift missed last week with a groin injury, and Roschon Johnson was also sidelined, putting Kyle Monangai in a position to build on an expanding role and really live up to the greatness that was bestowed upon him at birth by way of his first name.

Yeah, I’d say he capitalized.

He obviously benefited from the Cincinnati matchup, but 26 carries, 22 routes, and eight red zone touches later, the man has worked himself into the weekly plan.

This situation gets complicated should Swift return (4.6 yards per carry this season with a TD in each of his past four games), but it’s clear that Ben Johnson has his finger on the pulse of this backfield, and that has me thinking that both could produce lineup-worthy numbers.

If both play, I’ll defer to the veteran because of how well he was running. That said, Monangai would still crack my top 30 in that world, and should he walk back into the RB1 role, he’d flirt with my top 15 at the position against a defense that has allowed 25+ PPR points to an RB four times this season.

Kyren Williams | LAR (at SF)

Kyren Williams has cleared 16 PPR points in three of his past four games and is running hard.

Last season, 62% of his carries saw him gaining more yards after contact than the league average, a nice mark that has spiked to 68.2% through nine weeks this season.

Blake Corum has impressed when given the opportunity, though it seems clear that Sean McVay doesn’t intend to make this a committee situation. Williams has had at least 19 touches in five games this season, one of which was the first meeting with the 49ers (22 touches for 131 yards and two TDs).

I don’t expect a repeat of that success, but with Stafford dicing up defenses, Williams figures to have running lanes available to him against a banged-up San Francisco unit.

Nick Chubb | HOU (vs JAX)

Nick Chubb is filling the battering ram role in an offense that isn’t built to physically dominate anyone.

This isn’t going to work.

The veteran running back is more than a month removed from his last 10-yard gain and is pretty clearly behind Woody Marks in terms of big-play ability.

Over the past two weeks, Marks has earned seven targets on 34 routes while Chubb has two looks on 20 routes. The touches may be split, but the rookie clearly holds more of a fantasy viable role, even if I’m not excited about playing either behind this struggling offensive line.

Ollie Gordon II | MIA (vs BUF)

A first-half ankle injury resulted in Ollie Gordon departing and never returning during the blowout loss at the hands of the Ravens.

He wasn’t heavily involved prior, but the Dolphins are making a point of getting the rookie on the field in the early script. I’m intrigued by him, but not in a standalone value sense.

As Miami plays out the string of this season, perhaps we can convince them to extend Gordon’s role?

I’m not ruling it out, but I do need to see it before penciling him into my starting lineup. At the very least, he’s the clear-cut handcuff to De’Von Achane, a role that will likely be his through next season as well during the RB1’s final year of his rookie deal.

Quinshon Judkins | CLE (at NYJ)

Judkins has been the surprise bellcow of the season, and that seems likely to stick as long as he can shake off the shoulder injury that forced him to exit early in Week 8 before the bye.

The efficiency has been lacking after a hot start to his career (last three games: 46 carries for 139 yards, and that included a 46-yarder), and that’s a pain, but it’s not actionable. This offense isn’t going to put their skill position players in a spot to thrive, but the volume they are clearly comfortable in giving him is enough to keep him in starting lineups.

The Jets have worn down against some volume backs this season (James Cook, Javonte Williams, and Chase Edmonds all cleared 25 PPR points against them). While I’m not projecting a career day from Judkins, the rookie is a reasonably comfortable start in all formats.

Rachaad White | TB (vs NE)

Rachaad White is nothing if not consistent.

The role naturally depends on the status of Bucky Irving, but White is the same player whether he gets seven or 17 carries, a 25% snap share or 75%.

This season, 27.3% of his touches have come in the pass game, and that can be a cheat code in PPR formats when his role is expanded. As good as that side of things is, the rushing numbers are bad.

Rushing Rankings Since 2022 (Minimum 500 Carries)

5+ yard gain rate: 27th of 30
Yards per carry after contact: 28th
10+ yard gain rate: 29th of 30
PFSN Elusive Rating: 29th of 30

The skill set is consistent, but, like following a recipe, results will vary.

White hasn’t been a top-25 RB in either of his past two games, struggles that came on the heels of back-to-back top-10 performances.

I’m comfortable with him assuming the lead role, being slotted as an RB2 in this matchup: the Patriots are as good as it gets against the run, but taking away a weakness isn’t exactly a big deal for me.

You can pencil him in for 10-12 carries and 4-6 targets, a role that is enough for me to hold my nose and click into my lineup.

Rhamondre Stevenson | NE (at TB)

The toe injury resulted in Rhamondre Stevenson missing practice every day last week, and he never seemed close to returning to play.

The running game didn’t exactly thrive in his absence (33 carries for 110 yards), but New England did commit to TreVeyon Henderson for the first time this season, and that could prove to be something they explore as they continue to overachieve.

Given the practice habits of last week, I’m not labeling Stevenson as a viable option this week. I’ll change that train of thought if we get reports to the contrary, but this coaching staff has made it clear that they value what he brings to the table, and with a 7-2 record, why force him back?

Henderson is a viable RB2 in my current rankings, considering that his savvy in the pass game can enable him to score 12-15 points against a defense like the Bucs, which is as good as any in the sport at clogging the middle.

Rico Dowdle | CAR (vs NO)

“We cannot ignore the fact that Rico has been exceptional … love the tempo and violence that he’s running with.”

That was Dava Canales ahead of Week 9, and he put his words into action.

Rico Dowdle fueled the upset win in Lambeau with 130 yards and two scores on 25 carries, playing 74.1% of the snaps while Chuba Hubbard (20.4% snap share with five touches) was relegated to backup duties.

With an outright win as nearly a two-touchdown underdog, it seems more likely that Canales leans even more into this bellcow structure than it works back towards a committee.

Dowdle has had at least 17 carries in four of his past five games, and in those contests, he’s racked up 6.3 yards per carry. Extending that level of efficiency isn’t wise, but if he’s blending even average per-carry numbers with high-end volume, he’s a lineup lock that could easily finish as a top 12 producer at the position.

In five of their past seven games, the Saints have allowed a single RB to clear 17 PPR points. Dowdle is very much in position to extend that run, and now he knows that he can’t double-hip thrust on a touchdown celebration.

Knowledge is power.

RJ Harvey | DEN (vs LV)

It’s important to remember that our needs may not always align with those of the professional franchises.

RJ Harvey is the only RB to catch a TD pass in three straight games during the 2000s, has hauled in 23 of 26 targets this season, and has a pair of 40+ yard runs on his resume.

The profile suggests that it should be expanded, but he has yet to be pushed past a 41.3% snap share, and with things going well in Denver, it’s hard to imagine a dramatic pivot in the short term.

I’m not comfortable in flexing Harvey, and if he’s not projecting for more than 6-8 touches, I’m not going to get there. This isn’t a talent evaluation thing; I like Harvey as much, if not more, than you do. It’s an opportunity thing in an offense that has had some swings in productivity.

JK Dobbins is the lead back in town, and he’s obviously far from a certain thing on the health front, thus making Harvey a strong asset to hold, even if you can’t really play him at the moment.

Saquon Barkley | PHI (at GB)

A splash play?

Multiple scores?

Who is this, and what has he done with the disappointing version of Saquon Barkley that I had come to terms with?

Philly’s lead back decimated the Giants prior to the bye, and it only seemed like a matter of time: players this talented with this skill set can only be contained for so long.

But is he back?

Well, it depends on what “back” means to you.

Last season was historic for a reason: stretches like that don’t happen often. So if you’re asking me if he is back to that form, my answer is going to be no.

And it would be “no” if he posted an identical stat line this week as he did in Week 8. That said, the advanced profile from the breakout looks just as good, if not better, than the raw stat line, and that is why I’m ranking Barkley as a top-5 option at the position this week, even in a difficult matchup on Monday night.

During the first seven weeks of this season, 57.5% of Barkley’s carries saw him gain more yards after contact than the league RB average. That was down from 64.3% a season ago and is a bit of a chicken-and-egg metric.

MORE: Free Fantasy Football Start/Sit Optimizer

If the offensive line blocks better, the running back can get running downhill and pick up more YAC. But not every play will be blocked well, and the ability to excel in those spots is predictive of future success.

That’s why I like this stat. The 65-yard touchdown was an untouched run, and that can skew stats for an entire season in terms of blocking numbers, and the 0 YAC makes that a negative play in the after-contact stats.

By making it a rate stat, we get a zero or a one for every attempt: no one carry is weighed more than any other, thus making it a little more predictive in my eyes.

The Week 8 rate of Barkley was 71.4%.

This is a fresh Eagles offense, and that’s something that we’ve seen thrive in the past. The Packers haven’t played many power run games over the past month-plus, so I’m not overemphasizing their season-long stats: they are impressive, but not overly predictive in this specific situation.

I’d be shocked if Barkley scored multiple times in this game, but I’d be just as surprised if he finishes the week outside the top 15.

You can disagree with my optimism if you want to, but moving him down the ranks a touch isn’t making an actionable difference: you’re still playing him.

Sean Tucker | TB (vs NE)

Despite missed time from Bucky Irving and inefficiencies in the two-down sense from Rachaad White, Sean Tucker has had one game with more than six touches this season and is pretty firmly an afterthought for this coaching staff.

You can reasonably hold until we get proof that Irving is close to full strength, but you don’t need to. There isn’t a clean path to Tucker hitting your lineup, and at this point in the season, that means he’s on the chopping block should depth issues arise.

This offense is dealing with all sorts of injuries, and that opens up opportunities, but I’d rather throw darts at the pass game than pray for work on the ground.

Travis Etienne Jr. | JAX (at HOU)

Volume is valuable, but it doesn’t always carry with it tremendous upside.

Travis Etienne had 22 carries and caught all five targets against the Raiders, usage that is nearly impossible to avoid.

I was underwhelmed by the performance (84 rush yards) and discouraged by the Bhayshul Tuten touchdown, but the workload isn’t going anywhere, and that locks him into your lineup, whether you like it or not.

Sunday was his fourth game with at least 16 carries, one of which came in Week 3 against these Texans (56 yards and a touchdown). He also has six games with at least three targets, and that creates a valuable 10-point floor.

That said, I could not be less interested in DFS formats. No running back has posted a 20-point game against the Texans this season, and in four of the past six games, the opposing team didn’t see an RB score 12 PPR points.

TreVeyon Henderson | NE (at TB)

I really hope we didn’t miss our chance.

Rhamondre Stevenson missed last week with a toe injury and opened the door for TreVeyon Henderson to play 75% of the snaps. He got 18 touches against a Falcons defense that coughed up 34 points, at home, to the Dolphins the week prior.

With that information alone, we’d expect a peak Rico Dowdle-type of game where the coaching staff can’t ignore the potential.

We didn’t get it.

He was fortunate to finish the week as RB15, benefiting from six targets. That’s, of course, part of the math in loving his profile, but 3.9 yards per carry without a single one of the attempts gaining more than eight yards?

Week 9 Participation

Henderson: 75% snaps, 29 routes, 3 red zone touches (18 total)
Terrell Jennings: 25% snaps, 4 routes, 3 red zone touches (12 total)
- Consecutive red-zone carries in Q2 (result: 3-yard TD)

Should Stevenson miss another game, I’m dialing back my expectations. I thought he had RB1 upside if given the lead opportunity, but that’s not the case in this matchup and might not be the case anyway.

The Bucs are stingy between the tackles, but a couple of bailout targets, and Henderson ends up this week right where he was last week.

Trey Benson | ARI (at SEA)

Trey Benson (arthroscopic surgery on his meniscus) is eligible to return from injured reserve this week and, should he trend in that direction (initial timetable: 4-6 weeks), he profiles as the leader of this backfield.

These teams played back in Week 4, and Arizona ran 17 times for 89 yards, but Kyler Murray was responsible for 41 of those yards on five attempts. Arizona entered with a clear game plan (Murray: 41 pass attempts, six sacks, and five rush attempts), and it largely worked with Emari Demercado tying the game with a TD reception before the Seahawks walked it off with a 52-yard FG.

Benson last played in Weeks 3-4, and he was one of seven backs with at least four targets and 35 rushing yards in both of those weeks. The others:

Jonathan Taylor
Saquon Barkley
Christian McCaffrey
Bijan Robinson
Breece Hall
Omarion Hampton

I don’t love this matchup, and there is certainly an injury risk to consider should Benson make his return. But given the lack of depth at the position league-wide, if he plays for Arizona, I think he will play for you.

Tyler Allgeier | ATL (at IND)

We are nearing the point of the season where a player like Tyler Allgeier becomes expendable.

The idea of a handcuff like this is an injury happening ahead of him, and as the season progresses, his utility naturally declines.

I’m not there yet, but at some point, this bet against Bijan Robinson won’t be worth the roster spot. This isn’t a week where you’re likely to be gutted by byes, and hopefully, injuries aren’t too impactful on your roster.

If that’s the case, you have no reason to move on. But the second you find yourself backed into a corner, cutting ties from a player in Allgeier who has 10 total carries during this three-game losing streak is within the range of acceptable moves.

Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG (at CHI)

We thought that Tyrone Tracy was going to fill a role similar to Cam Skattebo’s and thus provide us with low-end RB2 numbers, thanks to his versatility and a lack of surrounding talent.

Week 9 Usage

Devin Singletary: 55.4% snaps, 15 routes, 10 touches
- Played all 6 red zone snaps (Tracy: 0)
Tracy: 44.6% snaps, 19 routes, 8 touches

Six of New York’s first eight rushing attempts went to Singletary, a sign that the usage was planned and not a result of how the game was unfolding.

In Los Angeles, following the Omarion Hampton injury, the Chargers felt conviction to what they had behind him and locked in Kimani Vidal as their new bellcow. That’s what we hoped would happen in this situation, but the G-Men are clearly indifferent as to which RB carries the mail, and that makes both parties unusable for us.

My hope is that, in this matchup against the fourth-worst pre-contact rushing defense in the NFL, we get some separation that provides clarity for the remainder of the season.

That’s probably wishful thinking on my part.

You’re holding whichever side of this backfield you have, but not considering playing either unless you are truly in a desperate spot.

Woody Marks | HOU (vs JAX)

I think you can stop using brain power on the Houston backfield at this point.

I still prefer Marks over Chubb, but it’s become clear that the Texans aren’t looking for a bellcow, and, behind a below-average offense, that robs them of having an RB that we can play consistently.

Marks has one game this season with at least a dozen carries and was on the wrong side of an 11-10 split last week against the Broncos. The lone saving grace is the fact that he’s earned at least three targets in three straight, but again, you’re grasping at straws if you’re playing either Marks or Chubb against the fifth-best rush defense by success rate through nine weeks.

Zach Charbonnet | SEA (vs ARI)

I really don’t know the purpose of Zach Charbonnet in this offense.

In theory, I do. He’s the fall-forward guy to Kenneth Walker’s sporadic style, but if “fall- forward-guy” is failing to gain yardage on 28.7% of his carries, the second-worst rate among 43 qualifiers, at what point do you just commit to the big-play threat on a full-time basis?

This feels like that weird transition period in baseball, where the league gradually shifted from bunting runners over to encouraging every hitter to swing from their heels. Or during the early years of the Steph Curry revolution in the NBA, where not everyone was on board with the math of three-pointers.

If Walker carries come with the upside of flipping the field and the alternative is getting stuck for little to no gain, what’s the harm?

We can only hope that this train of thought dawns on the Seattle coaching staff at some point.

For the record, I don’t think it will. Assuming it doesn’t, Charbonnet is still unusable. He has more than 12 carries once this season (Week 2), and without a rush of more than 15 yards this season, you’re chasing a touchdown to bail you out.

That’s not how I like to play the game. Jordan Mason is in a similar spot, but he’s the back in Minnesota that I believe has more juice. That’s not the case in Seattle, and that’s why Charbonnet is rarely going to reside in my top 30 at the position.

He’s RB33 as things stand right now for me in Week 10.

Soppe’s Fantasy RB Start-Sit Week 10 Players Include Aaron Jones Sr., Saquon Barkley, Breece Hall, and Others