Every week, fantasy football brings surprises, shakeups, and new hidden gems to the forefront of NFL action. With every game, managers are faced with key decisions that could make or break their seasons.
Whether you’re looking for that breakout pickup or debating who to start on your roster, staying ahead of the trends is crucial. Ready to see which situations could define this week’s fantasy football matchups?
Aaron Jones Sr. | MIN (vs CHI)
I believed Aaron Jones would be something of a situational back to Jordan Mason’s lead. That Minnesota would lean on the veteran when behind and the younger, more explosive option in neutral-to-positive situations.
I still think the first part of that statement is accurate, but with Jones handling all 10 first-quarter snaps last week as an underdog against the Ravens, might he just be a reliable source of volume moving forward?
I’ll wait one more week before locking into that thought, but things are certainly trending in that direction. This is a great spot as a home favorite to test the prior thought: if Jones is featured out of the gates, this team has made their decision, and we treat him as an RB2.
If not, this is another backfield that we can’t trust.
I’m hoping for some clarity and am cautiously ranking it this way: Jones is my RB24.
Ashton Jeanty | LV (vs DAL)
The rushing volume has been there from the jump, and his target share is trending toward what it should have been all along (6.5% through Week 4, but 15.8% since). But the supporting cast makes it hard to get too excited about a player in Ashton Jeanty, whom we view as a potentially generational RB.
The average NFL running back gets hit behind the line of scrimmage roughly 25% of the time. Jeanty’s rate sits at 32.2% through 10 weeks, and with Geno Smith unable to back defenses off the line of scrimmage, why would we expect that to change?
Jeanty has found the end zone in three of his past four games thanks to his raw talent, but don’t take those fantasy point totals as an excuse to label this rookie as a safe option.
Vegas offers as low an offensive floor as any team in the NFL. This matchup is golden, and if/when an elite talent like this has a big game in a primetime spot, the reflex is to overreact.
I’m getting ahead of that. The upside in anything but elite matchups is capped, and after this week, there’s no other above-average spot for the Raider run game until after Christmas.
Bhayshul Tuten | JAX (vs LAC)
Bhayshul Tuten was one of the late risers late in the draft process this summer. While he’s produced 30% of expectations on his limited run this year, the opportunity to grow into a meaningful role simply hasn’t presented itself.
There’s no hope at standalone value this season outside of an injury, but I do want to see some explosive potential before his rookie year comes to a close (45 carries, and his longest run is 11 yards).
Travis Etienne will be a UFA this summer, opening the door in a major way for Tuten. Use the final weeks of this season as a time to form an opinion on this prospect, not as a time to consider him for your lineup.
Bijan Robinson | ATL (vs CAR)
Was it frustrating to see Tyler Allgeier not only handle the red zone work early, but be the trusted running back on a gotta-have-it drive at the end of regulation?
Very.
Is there anything you can do but shake an angry fist at the TV screen?
Not really.
Robinson remains one of the elites in this game and deserves to be treated as such, both in how you view him in season-long and your roster construction strategy for DFS.
When these teams met in Week 3, Robinson averaged 5.5 yards per carry, caught 83.3% of his targets, and finished with 111 yards from scrimmage. I have no issue with penciling in similar levels of success, and if he can add a touchdown to the production line, he has a shot to be the most productive RB in the sport this week.
Shake off last week. It’s annoying, but not predictive of anything that requires you to panic.
Blake Corum | LAR (vs SEA)
Blake Corum has handled 13 carries in consecutive blowout wins, and that may have you interested in chasing an expanding role, but you’re smarter than that.
All 26 of those rushing attempts (and 61.2% for the season) have come with the Rams up by at least seven points, and banking on such a situation in a game like this is dangerous at best.
I’ve been impressed with the general skill shown by the second-year back (he has more 10+ yard gains than attempts stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage) and would be inclined to rank him as a viable RB2 should Kyren Williams miss time.
That makes him rosterable, but with no signs of fatigue for RB1, Corum remains a bench piece with no lineup equity.
Brashard Smith | KC (at DEN)
I was let down by Brashard Smith, who only earned a 17.5% snap share in Week 9 against the Bills with Isiah Pacheco sidelined, but reports have surfaced that the Chiefs are interested in a more even split between the two in neutral spots.
That’s interesting.
The rookie had a run of four straight games with 3+ receptions earlier this season and saw 29.9% of his collegiate touches come in the passing game. If we can get him trending toward 8-12 carries per game, that would open up Smith to be the most valuable Kansas City RB and a weekly flex option.
I’m not there yet. Talk is cheap, and we know that Andy Reid is more than happy to lean into creative schemes to keep the defense off balance. That said, things do seem to be moving in a positive direction, and if he can push 15 opportunities coming out of the bye, I won’t be slow to move him up in my future rankings.
Bucky Irving | TB (at BUF)
After Bucky Irving (foot/shoulder) was hurt in Week 4, the general idea was that he’d be good to go in Week 10 following the team’s bye, but that didn’t prove to be the case after an entire week of missed practices.
At this point, I’m trending in the direction of needing a game of proof health-wise before locking Tampa’s RB1 back into my lineup. Irving’s value in September was volume (90 touches in those four games helped offset 3.3 yards per carry), and it’s fair to think that a team with hopes of playing deep into January is cautious with their explosive 23-year-old RB.
Keep tabs and do your homework. Reporting around this injury has largely been strong, and I think it stands to reason that we will have a good idea of just how much work Irving will be counted on for ahead of his return, whenever that is.
Until then, Rachaad White remains a viable RB2. There’s a world in which he holds onto flex value for the week until Irving returns, as his role in the pass game is a specific skill that has tremendous value to an offense battling through various receiver injuries.
Chase Brown | CIN (at PIT)
Chase Brown has scored 65.6 PPR points in Joe Flacco’s four starts, a massive improvement from the 49.5 he scored in the five games prior, his efficiency driving the ship.
- In Flacco starts: 1.13 PPR points per touch
- Pre-Flacco: 0.60 PPR points per touch
The ability to find holes and hit them for big chunk gains seems to be much easier with this offense opening up, and I think we can bank on that sustaining (20.9% of his carries have gained 10+ yards, up from a pathetic 1.5% prior).
It’s been a season of ups and downs for the Pittsburgh defense, which widens the range of potential outcomes, but I’m not hesitating to start Brown in this spot. These teams last met in Week 7, and Brown picked up yardage on 100% of his carries in his only game this season, reaching triple-figure rushing yards.
Expecting that level of production might be a bit optimistic, but 100 total yards is reasonable on a role that figures to see 12-14 carries and five-ish targets.
You drafted Brown as a weekly starter, and after a brutal start, I think that’s what you have for the remainder of the season.
Chris Rodriguez Jr. | WAS (at MIA)
All three Washington running backs played 31-44% of the snaps, ran 6-9 routes, and handled at least one red zone touch.
That’s about as even of a three-way split as you’ll see, and while the game script factored into some of that, there is no denying that this backfield lacks clarity.
Did I mention that the trio of Chris Rodriguez, Jeremy McNichols, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt combined for 14.5 PPR points?
There isn’t enough juice to squeeze from this backfield if it were all concentrated.
Christian McCaffrey | SF (at ARI)
Christian McCaffrey is a workhorse running back who is averaging a target for every two rush attempts this season.
He has 69 catches and 180 carries this season; no other running back with 145+ carries has more than 32 targets.
We are dealing with a truly unique player with the highest floor we’ve seen in quite some time. McCaffrey is averaging 3.5 yards per carry and hasn’t had a run gain more than 16 yards; it doesn’t matter.
The Brian Robinson drive last week (the first of the second half) was a pain, but your complaining is going to fall on deaf ears. You got a discount on the most fantasy-friendly role of a generation: it’s on you to build a winner around him.
The 49ers get the Titans, Colts, and Bears during the fantasy postseason. CMC is going to do his job; you can count on that.
Chuba Hubbard | CAR (at ATL)
Dave Canales indicated before Week 9 that this backfield was shifting in Rico Dowdle’s favor, and he has been holding a 43-8 carry edge over Chuba Hubbard since those comments. I think it’s safe to say we have a bellcow situation.
Clear handcuffs have a spot on very good fantasy rosters, but if you’re clawing for every win you can get, Hubbard doesn’t need to be rostered. The Panthers still have the bye ahead of them (Week 14). With the only matchup that looks advantageous moving forward being a rematch of what we saw over the weekend against the Saints (Carolina ran 23 times for 73 yards), there’s next to no chance that we get a situation where this backfield supports multiple running backs.
Rostering a handcuff isn’t wrong. Rostering a handcuff in a below-average offense that has a tough remaining schedule?
That’s a different story if you’re pressed for roster space.
D’Andre Swift | CHI (at MIN)
D’Andre Swift entered Week 10 listed as questionable with the groin injury that held him out of Week 9, but you wouldn’t have known it.
Week 10 vs. Giants
- 92.3% gain rate
- 65% of RB carries
- 3.4 yards per carry after contact
Kyle Monangai, following Cole Kmet into the end zone from eight yards out, was frustrating, but it was Swift out there to start the game, Swift with the edge in red-zone touches, and Swift with an 8-1 advantage in targets.
The involvement in the passing game is what most interests me, given how this offense is opening up and why I think he has nothing to worry about when it comes to work.
Chicago has scored 24+ points in six of its past seven games, making this a favorable environment for all of its regulars. The schedule does the Bears no favors moving forward, and while I think that could cap his upside, 15+ touches for a versatile player at the center of a Ben Johnson offense is enough for me to lock in Swift every week in which he is healthy.
David Montgomery | DET (at PHI)
No one skill has dramatically dipped from last season, but David Montgomery is losing on the fringes everywhere.
- 2024
- 14.7% above PPR expectations
- 0.80 points per rush
- 13.2 carries per game
- 41.5% snap share
- 85.4% rush gain rate
- 2025
- 6.1% above PPR expectations
- 0.73 points per rush
- 11.6 carries per game
- 41.5% snap share
- 84.6% rush gain rate
The volume is trending down, but not enough on its own to sink him. Where Montgomery managers are feeling the squeeze is the 34.2% decline in red-zone touches per game, and with Jahmyr Gibbs running wild, there’s zero reason to think things will improve over time.
Dan Campbell took over the offensive play-calling last week, and while Montgomery got his work, Gibbs topped him in touches in each of the first three quarters before the game got out of hand.
This is a tough matchup, but it wouldn’t shock me if Detroit played a bit of a smash-mouth brand of ball against an Eagles team on a shorter week after playing on Monday night. I’ve got Montgomery ranked as a low-end RB2, ahead of both running backs for the Vikings, Giants, Seahawks, and Bears, to name a few.
The upside may not be there, but you’re getting double-digit touches in an explosive offense than at this point in the season; that’s the profile of a fantasy starter.
De’Von Achane | MIA (vs WAS)
De’Von Achane plays for a Dolphins team that hasn’t been in the news for positive on-the-field reasons for much of this season, and I think that has some overlooking just how good a player we are looking at.
Profile 1
- 36.1% over PPR expectations
- 25.3 PPR PPG
- 5.0 receptions per game
Profile 2
- 20.2% over PPR expectations
- 26.6 PPR PPG
- 4.2 receptions per game
Both of those résumés are obviously impressive, but can you place them?
I’ll buy you some time to guess.
He ripped off a pair of impressive touchdown runs in the fourth quarter last weekend against the Bills, helping them get that upset to the finish line. The first was a 59-yard burst where he’s one of very few who cashes it in thanks to his rare blend of agility, power, and speed; the second a 35-yarder that iced the game.
With this island game, I hope that more people will be exposed to Achane than on a standard Sunday when plays are happening left and right. This is a player that I think could have a real case to be the top running back selected ahead of the 2026 season.
- Profile 1: Achane in wins or one-score games this season
- Profile 2: The best season of Todd Gurley’s career
Derrick Henry | BAL (at CLE)
We’ve yet to get the spike Derrick Henry game since Lamar Jackson’s return, but it’s bubbling beneath the surface.
More importantly, the Ravens are winning ball games and looking good in doing so. They’ve rattled off three straight wins, and that’s put Henry in position to touch the ball 20+ times in each of those contests, something that has been the expectation for The King since joining this team.
Justice Hill punched in a one-yard score last week as part of a sped-up drive, and that’s a pain, but again, trust the direction of this offense more than its production lately.
If you survived the lean days of Henry this season, he could well be the reason you cross the finish line.
Remaining Schedule
- Week 12 vs. Jets
- Week 13 vs. Bengals
- Week 14 vs. Steelers
- Week 15 at Bengals
- Week 16 vs. Patriots
- Week 17 at Packers
Dylan Sampson | CLE (vs BAL)
Quinshon Judkins entered the Week 9 bye a little banged up, and that caused Dylan Sampson to pick up some ownership heading into Week 10 in hopes that the rookie may get an extended opportunity to prove himself for a team that is best served to be looking beyond this season.
Not even close.
Sampson was on the field for just 27.1% of the offensive snaps in the loss to the Jets, while Judkins handled 24 of 28 running back touches.
The Browns are the fourth-worst scoring offense in the NFL, and given their lack of versatility, there’s no need to carry a handcuff running back any longer. In very deep leagues, Sampson did play more than Jerome Ford, and I think that sticks, but I’m not sold that even a Judkins injury would get him into my top 30 for any one week.
Isiah Pacheco | KC (at DEN)
A Week 8 MCL sprain cost Isiah Pacheco one game, but the well-timed bye has that seeming like the only action he’ll miss.
Of course, as far as fantasy managers are concerned, missed time was a blessing as it prevented the mistake of starting him.
In the four weeks before the DNP, Pacheco had one top 30 finish at the position, quite an accomplishment given the form of this offense as a whole. How does that happen?
Well, in those first eight weeks, he posted a 15.7% red zone touch share. Kareem Hunt is the clear top option, but Patrick Mahomes and Brashad Smith (both with a 14.3% share over that stretch) were effectively just as likely to touch the ball in valuable situations as Pacheco.
A four-way split with Rashee Rice coming on fast?
That’s a tough pill to swallow, not to mention whispers surfacing last week that we could be looking at “split carries” between him and Smith, cutting into the small niche role that he had access to.
I thought Pacheco was running hard pre-injury and was trending in the right direction, but another injury introduces more risk than the previous profile had room for reward. We just saw Ashton Jeudy get hit within two yards of the line of scrimmage on 15 of 19 carries against these Broncos on Thursday night, making this a spot where you’re best off searching for any warm body over a less-than-full-strength Pacheco.
J.K. Dobbins | DEN (vs KC)
This offense is inconsistent at best and broken at worst, but J.K. Dobbins remains the bellcow, and given the strength of this defense, he’s close to immune to being scripted out of a game, hence his seven contests with 75+ rushing yards this season.
“Close.”
Facing the Chiefs after a bye that came after a loss is certainly one of the spots where Denver could be playing from behind for the majority of the game, and considering that his next 3+ target game with this franchise will be his first, it is concerning.
Does Sean Payton lean a little more into the spike play ability of RJ Harvey in an underdog spot like that?
It’s at least possible, and in pairing that with the projected flow of this game, Dobbins is a low-end RB2 for me this week, a handful of spots below his normal range.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt | WAS (at MIA)
Not every team has to have a viable running back, and the Commanders are doing a wonderful job of reminding us of that.
Jacory Croskey-Merritt is the lead in terms of volume, but he’s doing nothing with i,t and with this offense spinning its wheels, there’s no way to play anyone attached to this team with confidence.
As their RB1, Croskey-Merritt has gone four straight games without a 10+ yard run, and it’s even worse in the passing game: he has two receiving yards across those games.
He had every chance to be a bellcow running back in an offense that needed it, but he’s failed to produce, and until we get a healthy Jayden Daniels back, what is the scoring ceiling of this offense, even in a good matchup?
Croskey-Merritt is my RB30, and I might be too high.
Jahmyr Gibbs | DET (at PHI)
And this is exactly why we never panic about the elite of the elite after a single poor showing.
Over the course of a season that runs 4+ months, players are going to have ups and downs; it’s the nature of the game. You’re not drafting star players under the pretense that they will be perfect, but with the idea that, more often than not, they’re going to give you a leg up on the competition, and I’d say Jahmyr Gibbs checked that box over the weekend with his third top-3 finish at the position this season.
He had his touchdown reception on the first drive, a design that had him running out of the backfield and demanding that the poor linebacker get help. The Commanders opted not to do that, and he scored without much issue.
The duality is back for Gibbs (3+ catches in three straight games after totaling five receptions in a three-game run), and with Dan Campbell assuming control of this offense, I think it sticks.
Detroit has had its bye, still has games against the Giants/Cowboys on the schedule, and plays their final fantasy game with weather concerns this week: could Gibbs be the highest-scoring flex player the rest of the way?
James Cook | BUF (vs TB)
James Cook fought an ankle issue for much of last week, but wasn’t on the final injury report, and it didn’t seem to be an issue with him catching five balls against the Dolphins (one reception in the month prior).
He did, however, lose a fumble inside the 30-yard line and posted a game without a 20-yard gain for the fifth time in six contests.
I’m not at all sounding the alarm in terms of worry because there’s no real competition for work. A bet on Cook is essentially a bet on Buffalo, and recent history has taught us that we make that bet.
Cook Scoring Splits, Last 17 Games
- Wins: 21.5 PPR points per game, 46% over expectations
- Losses: 7.6 PPR points per game, 26.4% below expectations
Compared to last season, Cook’s gain rate (88.6%) and chunk rush rate (13.9%) are both pacing favorably, trends that have led many to view him as an easy top-10 option at the position the rest of the way.
Javonte Williams | DAL (at LV)
We are nearing Thanksgiving, and Javonte Williams is the only Cowboy with 30 carries this season.
He’s been a little up-and-down of late (last five games: three top-10s and two finishes outside of the top 25), but his role is borderline elite, and that’s all you can ask for from your RB2. Williams has multiple red zone touches in every game this season (three games with at least five,) and the overall success of this offense should outweigh any efficiency concerns that you may have.
The Cowboys get the Commanders on Christmas Day and thus leave you open to unwrap a fantasy championship.
Jaydon Blue | DAL (at LV)
Sometimes we see rookies pick up more usage coming out of a bye, but when you consider that Jaydon Blue was a healthy scratch in Week 9 and has just 23 touches this season, you’re wishing beyond logic if you’re holding.
It’s Javonte Williams or bust in this backfield. If he were to get hurt, I’d expect this offense to lean even more into the pass game, thereby limiting Blue’s contingent value.
Redraft managers should have moved on a while ago.
Jaylen Warren | PIT (vs CIN)
If you remove a game against the best run defense in the league, Jaylen Warren has produced 5.9% above his PPR expectations this season, an impressive feat given the struggles of this offense that lacks creativity.
He’s caught multiple passes in every game this season and has over a dozen attempts on the ground in four straight, usage patterns that project well against a Bengals defense that struggles across the board.
Asking for another 20-touch, 158-yard game isn’t wise (what Warren gave us a month ago in this matchup), but his skill set opens him up to a productive afternoon regardless of the game script, and that puts him in the RB1 discussion this week for me.
I currently have him ranked as the top running back in this game, ahead of much bigger names like Kyren Williams and Breece Hall.
Jeremy McNichols | WAS (at MIA)
Jeremy McNichols got a season-high five carries last week against the Lions due to the blowout nature of that game and was easily the most effective of the Washington RBs on the ground.
Week 10 vs. Detroit
- Jacory Croskey-Merritt: 11 carries for 30 yards
- McNichols: 5 carries for 25 yards
- Chris Rodriguez Jr.: 6 carries for 16 yards, TD
Rodriguez got the short touchdown, but does it matter? If you’re chasing touches in this backfield, I guess that you’re simply playing out the string of a lost season and potentially tanking for draft position in 2026.
The Dolphins matchup is still a good one, even with them looking better over the past three weeks, but unless rules come down that ban them from putting 11 men on the field, I’d rather avoid this backfield altogether.
Croskey-Merritt remains the lead back, and that role keeps him on the back-end of rosters, while the other two deserve no consideration.
Jordan Mason | MIN (vs CHI)
Jordan Mason didn’t play a snap in the first quarter last week against the Ravens, while Aaron Jones was on the field for all 10 offensive plays and got his hands on the ball six times.
We knew Minnesota would lean on Jones’ direction in the passing game, but they told us last week they also want to start the game with the veteran, which makes Mason’s path to production awfully thin.
For him to hit your lineup, you need the Vikings to jump out to an early lead, but ideally not at the hand of Jones (why take Jones off the field if he is producing?). This gets even more difficult when you consider that J.J. McCarthy has struggled with consistency and hasn’t gotten Justin Jefferson as involved as Carson Wentz does.
That’s a fine needle to thread, and one I’d rather not deal with. I’m OK with holding onto Mason in a ‘next man up’ sort of way for an offense that needs balance, but asking him to provide standalone value alongside Jones is a serious leap of faith into an ultra-specific game script.
Josh Jacobs | GB (at NYG)
The Packers noted that Josh Jacobs was past his lingering calf issue ahead of Monday Night Football last week, and their usage of their star running back confirms as much (21 of Green Bay’s 22 running back carries in the 10-7 loss to the Eagles).
The offense struggled for much of the night, but even in a game like that, Jacobs gets his multiple red zone touches (something he’s done in every game this season) and scores (six straight games with a touchdown after his 11-game streak was snapped in Week 3).
At 3.8 yards per carry, we aren’t talking about the most efficient runner on the planet, but that’s kind of the story of 2025 at the running back position. He’s caught at least three passes in six of his past seven games, positioning himself as a script-agnostic running back that you can count on for low-end RB1 numbers every single week.
He’s been a top-10 running back in four of five games since the bye. With the Giants getting decimated by the past two top-flight running backs they’ve faced (Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey both cleared 30 PPR points against them), Jacobs is in position to post a big week and could be the answer to a loaded RB slate in DFS.
Kareem Hunt | KC (at DEN)
The Chiefs leaned into Kareem Hunt as their featured back in Week 9 in Buffalo with Isiah Pacheco sidelined (80.7% snap share with a 21-5 route edge over Braschad Smith), and he continues to keep virtually all of the work in close (six more red zone touches before the bye).
With all of that working in his favor, Hunt touched the ball 12 times, the seventh time in nine games that he’s been in the 7-12 range.
Reports emerged late last week that this offense wants to lean into an expanded role for Smith, and given that they appear locked into what they want from Hunt, that’s more likely to subtract from Pacheco’s bottom line.
That said, this does feel like shuffling chairs to some degree: this is a pass-oriented offense that has Patrick Mahomes scrambling at a career-high rate. If one back were to project for 15+ touches a week, I’d be ranking them (regardless of which one of these three it is) as a top 15 play at the position, but without any semblance of a weekly floor, I’m not comfortable playing any of them in this brutal spot.
Kansas City knows what Hunt and Pacheco are: if I had to gamble on one of these backs for upside the rest of the way, it would be Smith as the lesser-known quantity that thus has more room to impress.
Kenneth Gainwell | PIT (vs CIN)
Kenneth Gainwell is comfort food.
He’s there when you need him and doesn’t disappoint, but you’re not going to feature him unless something dramatic happens.
He was on the field for three more snaps than Jaylen Warren on Sunday night, but finished with 14 fewer touches and, honestly, I forgot he was active for a large portion of the game.
He ran a route on 96.2% of his snaps, and that means fighting for targets in an offense that lacks creativity and has a handful of players all running similar routes.
We will always have that Week 4 game in Dublin against the Vikings, where Gainwell touched the ball 25 times for 134 yards and a pair of scores, but with no more than seven touches in a game over the past month, he’s a handcuff and nothing more.
Kenneth Walker III | SEA (at LAR)
The Seahawks score 44 points and have a pair of rushing touchdowns.
Those rushing scores do not go to Kenneth Walker despite another efficient day at the office.
Rinse and repeat.
He has multiple red-zone touches in every game this season, so not all hope is lost, but the closer we get, the worse the outlook becomes. With Jaxon Smith-Njigba threatening to score from anywhere, those short-yardage touchdowns are really the only value looks for this running game.
Seahawks RB Valuable Touch Rates
- Walker: 3.8% of touches come inside the five-yard line
- Zach Charbonnet: 9.9% of touches come inside the five-yard line
With Charbonnet coming off of easily his best showing on the ground of the season (14 carries for 83 yards after averaging 2.9 yards per carry through the first two months), it’s hard to envision much of a change in this huge game.
I used to lean toward Walker when the touch count was split, wanting access to his home-run ability. But after a good game from Charbonnet against Arizona, I’m more inclined to chase the touchdown, thinking that he’s the favorite to lead in rush attempts and valuable opportunities.
Both come with a low floor, and that’s concerning enough to look elsewhere for your flex in a week where only two teams are on a bye.
Kimani Vidal | LAC (at JAX)
The script on Sunday night fed into the Kimani Vidal profile, and he pounded away. In the win over the Steelers, the 2024 sixth-round pick picked up 95 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. He had his moments of explosion (four runs of 10+ yards) and struggled at other times, but this is clearly his backfield and, given the desire for balance, I think projecting 17+ touches in games where LA is favored makes plenty of sense.
We can cross the Omarion Hampton bridge when we get to it, but right now, you have a locked-in RB2 who is facing the fifth-worst red zone defense in the league.
Kyle Monangai | CHI (at MIN)
Kyle Monangai got the short TD plunge to bail you out last week, and now it’s on you to not make the same mistake again.
I’m not calling D’Andre Swift Bijan Robinson, but that is kind of how I see this backfield, with Monangai being the Tyler Allgeier complement.
He played 39.1% of the snaps in the win and was out-touched 18-7 by Swift. We know Ben Johnson gets creative with the passing game, which is why I think this situation stays as is and doesn’t trend toward a committee.
Swift was targeted on eight of his 23 routes over the weekend, while Monangai saw one look on 16 routes. The rookie was shown respect with some early work, but this offense very much shifted in Swift’s favor over time (14-4 snap edge in Swift’s favor during the fourth quarter).
I don’t think he’ll be fully scripted out, and that’s an important note. Probably not this week, with only two teams on bye, but in future weeks, seven to 11 touches on a good offense might be enough to warrant flex consideration.
You’re keeping the man with an elite first name, but more as a depth piece than someone you’re planning on plugging in.
Kyren Williams | LAR (vs SEA)
Blake Corum is getting some usage, but this is still Kyren Williams’ backfield, and it’s not a debate (73% snap share in the first half last week).
Williams has scored eight times in nine games this season and 39 times in 37 games since the beginning of 2020, establishing himself as one of the league’s premier goal-line runners.
His success has been amazing this season, as he’s doing it alongside a thriving passing game that features a volume king in Puka Nacua and a generational red-zone threat in Davante Adams. The subtraction of opportunity rate has been more than offset by the sheer number of scoring chances MVP candidate Matthew Stafford is providing, and that’s the leading factor in why Williams is an RB1 moving forward.
The Seattle defense is nasty, and that certainly makes a downgrade reasonable, though not actionable. Williams typically resides just inside my top 10 at the position, and this week, he’s just outside, but you’re still playing him.
Seattle does own the third-best goal-to-go defense in the league, however, and that’s one of the primary reasons why I’m looking elsewhere when structuring my DFS lineups this week (check out the FREE PFSN Betting newsletter to see where I land!).
Nick Chubb | HOU (at TEN)
We finally saw the Texans wave the white flag on the Nick Chubb experience last week, and that means we can move on, guilt-free.
Week 10 Texan RB Participation Report
- Woody Marks: 75.9% snap share, 8 routes, 11.4 PPR points
- Dare Ogunbowale: 13.8% snap share, 3 routes, 0 PPR points
- Chubb: 10.3% snap share, 2 routes, 1.8 PPR points
- Brittish Brooks: 6.9% snap share, 0 routes, 0 PPR points
Houston seems to have committed to the rookie as their lead, a move that was weeks in the making. Chubb handled just one of their 10 first-half rushing attempts and really hasn’t shown much juice for a month.
It’s been a great career for Chubb, fantasy and otherwise, but there’s no reason to hold him any longer.
Ollie Gordon II | MIA (vs WAS)
With Jaylen Wright getting run and Ollie Gordon healthy, neither needs to be rostered.
De’Von Achane isn’t producing elite fantasy numbers because of the situation; he is a special player in a featured role. Should he go down, we don’t have enough evidence that the backup (whichever young back gets the first crack at it) would have either of those things, making that player a committee option in a bad offense.
Gordon or Wright will likely make my top 10 for handcuff running backs next season, should we get some clarity on the hierarchy, but as it stands for the rest of 2025, this is not a backfield I feel the least bit obligated to corner.
Omarion Hampton | LAC (at JAX)
Omarion Hampton had a pair of top-7 finishes at the position before getting hurt, and while Kimani Vidal has run well in his place, this team is clearly trying to make the most of a strong roster, and the rookie adds multiple dimensions to their upside.
Reports have surfaced that his window to return won’t open until after the Week 12 bye, and that’s a pain for fantasy managers. Still, their patience with the budding star increases the chances that he hits the ground running and with a Cowboys in Week 16, Hampton very well could bookend this season with elite fantasy production and give you a boost at the perfect time.
Quinshon Judkins | CLE (vs BAL)
The Browns are low on options, and that is more clear with each passing week.
Dillon Gabriel has shown some signs of growth recently, but Quinshon Judkins has four games this season with more than 20 carries, and this team largely looks content to keep the clock rolling on their season.
Judkins gets all of that work despite little help. For the season, the rookie is averaging 0.56 yards per carry before contact, and that’s resulted in him checking in under 3.5 yards per carry in four straight games.
He’s far from a high-usage player in the passing game (eight receiving yards across those four contests), and that’s what gives me pause this week as more than a touchdown underdog at home.
I’m not at all confident that the Browns can keep up, and that means a swarming Ravens defense around this limited offense. Judkins remains on the flex radar because there are only so many options who can get this level of work on a routine basis. Still, something like last week (3.5 yards per touch with limited touchdown equity) is what I’m expecting on Sunday.
Rachaad White | TB (at BUF)
Sean Tucker became the first running back to run for 50 yards against the Patriots this season, a surprising development on a multitude of fronts.
If I roster Rachaad White, I’m not too worried about it.
It was a weird instance, but White still played 71.2% of the offensive snaps and more than tripled Tucker’s route count in an offense that wants to move the ball through the air.
Bucky Irving hasn’t played since Week 4, and if we assume he remains sidelined, I have no issue with going back to White as a top 20 play. His fluency in the pass game was on display last week with five catches, and the Bills have had their issues stopping the run at times.
White would enter the week with a 12-14 carry and 4-6 target projection in a game that is projected to see 50 points put on the board.
I don’t care how you feel about White’s between-the-tackle vision: that profile is profitable more often than not in PPR leagues, and we are here to play the odds.
Ray Davis | BUF (vs TB)
There are some handcuffs that I’ll hold onto until the very end of the season, but Ray Davis isn’t one of them.
The backup RB has picked up 44 yards on his 24 carries this season, and if James Cook (two career missed games) were to go down, wouldn’t it stand to reason that the Bills would just put the ball in the hands of Josh Allen more?
You’re not cutting him without a plan to use the roster space better, but I would encourage you to at least look at who is available: I guess there is someone who has a better chance of making your lineup than Davis.
Rico Dowdle | CAR (at ATL)
Rico Dowdle has scored five times in his five games with more than 10 carries this season, a run he built on during a very impressive first drive against the Saints last week (seven touches and the score).
New Orleans actually bottled him up after that, and he finished with just 63 yards on 20 touches, but much like Quinshon Judkins in Cleveland, this is his backfield in a major way, and that is going to hold value, even if you have little faith in the offense as a whole.
Dowdle has touched the ball 18+ times in five of his past six games, and barring an injury, I see little reason to think we will see a change in his bellcow responsibilities moving forward.
You’re allowed to have game script concerns, but 6.2 yards per target this season isn’t bad, and with him holding a large percentage of the scoring equity in this offense, you can feel fine about plugging him in as your RB2 in all scoring formats.
RJ Harvey | DEN (vs KC)
Entering last week, RJ Harvey’s 200-touch pace was 17.4 touchdowns.
You deserve the blame if you started him last week, even in a good spot against the Raiders, and felt burned by his 3.8 PPR performance.
Sean Payton is motivated to extend Harvey because it would look good for his draft savvy, but even he saw through the scoring binge and kept Harvey on the sidelines for more than two-thirds of the offensive snaps.
JK Dobbins continues to run hard, and until that changes, Harvey should be firmly off of your flex radar. In this scheme as it is, he’s a change-of-pace back that infuses upside for short spurts.
That’s great for Denver, but it’s irresponsible for fantasy managers to rely on him in any sort of weekly way. The checkered injury history of Dobbins demands you hold tight (Harvey would essentially replace Dobbins to a tee should an injury pop up). Still, until we see this backfield turn into a touch/snap split, I’m never going to chase touchdown variance.
Saquon Barkley | PHI (vs DET)
It’s been far from a banner year for Saquon Barkley (30.1% over expectation in 2024, but only two games at that level through 10 weeks this season), but a season-high 25 touches in the win over Green Bay on Monday night points to a healthy version of him, and that’s really all we can ask for.
The Eagles are built around the ground game, and even with their star RB losing more than a full yard in yards gained per carry before contact this year compared to last, he’s picking up 10+ yards on over 10% of his attempts, and that’s stabilizing his value.
The fall from an 82.9% gain rate to 73.8% is obviously concerning and lowering his floor, but better times should be ahead with three games remaining against bottom-6 pre-contact run defenses.
He may not be the value you were hoping for in the first round, but you could have done worse, and I believe the best days are in front of him this season.
Sean Tucker | TB (at BUF)
Sean Tucker now sits atop the RB rush yard leaderboard in terms of performances against the Patriots this season (53 yards), and I think that could earn him a little more run as this season progresses.
We know that Rachaad White isn’t an efficient runner (3.8 yards per carry for his career and 3.7 this year), so in the absence of Bucky Irving, why not give the pride of Syracuse a little more work?
Sadly, the path to truly mattering for us isn’t clear. White is clearly the preferred option, and Irving is working his way back. The impact of any Tucker growth is subtractive from those around him more than additive to his profile.
As long as Irving is hampered, Tucker is deserving of a stash, but once he falls to third on this depth chart, there really isn’t much utility to chase.
Tony Pollard | TEN (vs HOU)
Tony Pollard is threading a thin needle: used enough to eliminate any hope of a Tyjae Spears breakout, but not enough to matter in standard formats on any consistent basis.
Not fun.
He’s failed to clear 12 touches in four straight games and is pacing for a third consecutive season, with his production coming in at least 10% under expectations.
The Titans are averaging 0.78 red zone trips per game, a rate that, if sustained, would be the second-worst of the decade (worst: 2023 Jets, 0.71). I’m not sure if the situation or the player is more to blame, but it doesn’t matter: Pollard isn’t a top 25 RB in any matchup with Spears active and isn’t a top 30 option for me in this tough spot.
Travis Etienne Jr. | JAX (vs LAC)
The offensive environment isn’t great in Jacksonville these days, and yet, Travis Etienne has been able to hold his own.
As the unquestioned lead back in this system, he has a rushing score or at least three catches in six of his past seven games, a level of versatility that lands you in fantasy lineups with regularity.
Brashad Tuten was viewed as a true threat this summer, but we’ve yet to see any real signs of that, and that’s largely why I think you should be comfortable in starting him every week.
This matchup results in a lowering of expectations (it’s been three weeks since the last time a running back reached a dozen PPR points against the Bolts), but that doesn’t knock Etienne outside of my top 20 at the position.
Trey Benson | ARI (vs SF)
Trey Benson (arthroscopic surgery on his meniscus) was eligible to return from injured reserve last week and, should he trend in that direction (initial timetable: 4-6 weeks), he profiles as the leader of this backfield.
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
Bam Knight is averaging 3.3 yards per carry this season and dealing with an ankle injury. At the same time, Emari Demercado has flashed so far in November but was hardly used when Benson was healthy.
Arizona running backs ran 21 times for 64 yards (29 coming on one Benson attempt) when these teams met in Week 3. I’d keep expectations measured should he return, but I do think you have a reasonable asset moving forward (Week 17: at Bengals).
Tyjae Spears | TEN (vs HOU)
Tyjae Spears has caught 13-of-14 targets this season and had the Week 8 splash run against the Colts (41 yards), but with Tennessee unwilling to commit to him, there’s just not enough within this offense to land him in the flex tier.
I’m not holding out much hope for a role change, even though I believe it’s the right move. Tony Pollard is averaging 4.0 yards per carry this season and hasn’t seen any of his 119 carries gain more than 21 yards, and yet, Spears can wrestle the lead role away from him.
Neither of these backs is worth your time, and if you can avoid this team as a whole, your Sunday experience will be more enjoyable.
Tyler Allgeier | ATL (vs CAR)
With the game on the line, the Falcons elected to pound Tyler Allgeier and were rewarded for it.
The late touchdown drive caught the attention because it meant Atlanta was resting Bijan Robinson, but the first red-zone carry of the game went to Allgeier, suggesting this was more of a plan than anything else.
The backup RB has a career-high six rushing scores this season, five of which have come in his past six games. The touch count rarely overwhelms, the versatility is limited, and the scoring equity on this offense isn’t always there, but he’s been fine when called upon.
I still can’t rank him as a player I’m comfortable flexing. He’s little more than a 50/50 bet to clear six touches, and with his limited ability to make splash plays, you’re betting a little too much on a short score for my liking.
You have a top-20 RB should Robinson ever miss time, but without that happening, Allgeier isn’t going to crack my top 30.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG (vs GB)
More information is generally a good thing. I’ve lived my life under this assumption, and I don’t regret it.
That said, when the additional information contradicts the initial, paralysis by analysis can occur.
What data points can we trust? Is there a split to consider? Have we learned anything of value?
I’m as guilty as anyone of overthinking these types of things, and I’m going to show personal growth here.
I don’t know who the Giants are going to run their backfield through, and I don’t think they do either.
Week 9 vs. 49ers
- Tyrone Tracy: 44.6% snaps, 4 targets, 8 touches
- Devin Singletary: 55.4% snaps, 2 targets, 10 touches
Week 10 at Bears
- Tyrone Tracy: 65.7% snaps, 2 targets, 15 touches
- Devin Singletary: 34.3% snaps, 3 targets, 11 touches
Weeks 9-10
- Tyrone Tracy: 56.3% snaps, 6 targets, 23 touches
- Devin Singletary: 43.7% snaps, 5 targets, 21 touches
READ MORE: Soppe’s Week 11 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em Sit ‘Em: Analysis for Every Player in Every Game
I don’t think we know anything, and in a matchup against a strong defense like the Packers roll out, I’m not the least bit tempted to guess.
Tracy’s receiver background has him higher in my ranks than Singletary this week because of the projected game script, but my conviction is low.
And my interest … lower.
If you’re fielding a competitive team this week, the odds are good that you’re not relying on either Giant RB, and if you are, you don’t have any other options.
Woody Marks | HOU (at TEN)
We’ve now got buy-in from the team; it’s just a matter of whether this roster has the pieces to make it work.
Before last week, Woody Marks had never reached a 61% snap share, but in the comeback win over the Jags, the rookie was on the field for 78.3% of offensive snaps, a pretty clear sign that the Texans have committed to the fourth-round pick over Nick Chubb.
Baby steps.
He turned 16 touches into 81 yards and a touchdown last week, production that I’m cautiously optimistic we can get a repeat of with the seventh-worst yards-per-play defense on the other side and the road team favored.
Marks played through an ankle injury for the majority of last week, and that needs to be watched, but assuming all physical hurdles are cleared, this is lining up to be the first real chance we’ve had to play Marks and be rewarded for it.
It should go without saying that there is risk involved in counting on a running back behind a bad offensive line, but if Woody can make his mark, there are matchups with the Cardinals and Raiders waiting at a very opportune time (Weeks 15-16).
Zach Charbonnet | SEA (at LAR)
Zach Charbonnet’s two lowest snap shares of the season have come over the past two weeks, and while his touch ceiling seems to be 15, it’s his six games with 3+ red-zone touches that are driving his value.
We can argue all we want about the touch distribution, but the top five 26 finishes at the position work. I’m not sure that Charbonnet is anything other than average (4.3% chunk gain rate, 36th of 37 qualified running backs), but until that is reflected in his role, he deserves flex consideration.
The ceiling is low, and I worry about the floor against the third-best red zone defense in the NFL. In a perfect world, I don’t think you’re relying on any Seahawk not named Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
This week or any week.