We have passed the midway point of the 2021 NFL season and are approaching the home stretch. As fantasy managers desperately search for a blockbuster trade or league-winning waiver wire addition, it’s important to forecast players’ stocks over the remainder of the season rather than solely judge them for what they’ve done thus far.
There’s no better way to do just that than by offering a team-by-team and position-by-position perspective in one piece. Here, Andersen Pickard looks at every team’s running back room to identify exactly what each player brings to the table down the stretch.
Every player’s header is accompanied by where they rank in Pickard’s updated rest-of-season half-PPR rankings. Keep in mind that any player not listed here is either not relevant in fantasy football or would only have relevance in the event of a massive injury bug.
Andersen Pickard is running a midseason check-in for all core fantasy positions. You can find every position here.
Arizona Cardinals
James Conner — RB16
Conner, who currently leads the NFL in touchdowns from scrimmage, looked good when Chase Edmonds was healthy, but he’s looked even better now that he’s the clear lead back in the Arizona offense. The has RB1 potential with Edmonds out but should maintain mid-range RB2 status after the receiving back returns.
Chase Edmonds — RB43
Edmonds was a fine low-end RB2 option when healthy, but an ankle injury in Week 9 prompted him to land on IR. It remains to be seen when he’ll return, but the fact that Conner has been so dominant likely means that Edmonds will be an RB3 at best when he takes the field again.
Eno Benjamin — RB87
Benjamin has averaged seven touches and 21 scrimmage yards per game since Edmonds’ injury. He’s only on the fantasy radar in deeper leagues, and even then, he’s purely a handcuff.
Atlanta Falcons
Cordarrelle Patterson — RB19
Patterson is currently dealing with an injury, which hurts his stock a bit. However, he should return soon, and when he does, he’ll be a weekly must-start once again. The veteran kick returner has put together a phenomenal year as a weapon in the Falcons’ offense and has emerged as a candidate for Comeback Player of the Year.
Qadree Ollison — RB50
One week ago, Ollison wasn’t on the fantasy radar in any format. In fact, he didn’t even touch the ball prior to Week 11, when he came out of nowhere and posted an efficient nine carries for 34 yards in Patterson’s absence. While his upside is capped due to the Falcons’ struggling offense, Ollison showed last Thursday that he is capable of being Atlanta’s lead back until Patterson returns to the field.
Mike Davis — RB62
Davis was a steady option to open the year, finishing as an RB35 or better in each of the first five weeks. Since then, however, he has been an RB36 or worse in every game. Even during the game that Patterson missed, Davis rushed three times for one yard and added 20 receiving yards on three catches. He can be dropped to waivers in most formats.
Wayne Gallman Jr. — RB81
Gallman had one good week when Patterson first went down as he finished as the RB31. Outside of that one game, though, he has not been fantasy relevant. Likely a healthy scratch once Patterson returns, Gallman can be left on waivers in all formats.
Baltimore Ravens
Devonta Freeman — RB33
An injury to Latavius Murray opened the door for Freeman to become the lead back and he capitalized on it. Over the last five weeks, Freeman has four top-22 finishes, including a pair inside the top-10. He has scored four times during this span while proving that he can be a steady lead back in Baltimore’s fast-moving offense.
Latavius Murray — RB39
Murray might have lost his starting job to Freeman, but he still carries some low-end fantasy relevance. This backfield doesn’t feel like it has very stable roles and it’s very possible that one big game could thrust Murray into the lead role once again. He’s worth rostering in leagues with 12 teams or more, especially as the running back portion of the waiver wire becomes barer with every passing week.
Ty’Son Williams — RB100
Williams is the very last running back in my rankings, and that simply speaks to the fact that he deserves to be getting touches in the Ravens’ offense but, for some reason, is being held back by the coaching staff. Ever since totaling 187 scrimmage yards and a touchdown over his first two games, he has posted just 77 yards. It doesn’t make sense.
Buffalo Bills
Devin Singletary — RB44
Singletary has been the Bills’ lead back for the majority of this season, but that doesn’t say much considering how much Buffalo depends on its passing game. Singletary can get involved as a receiver, but his upside is still limited due to the state of the offense.
Matt Breida — RB51
Breida is trending upwards after totaling 117 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns over the course of his last three games. As is the case with Singletary, Breida’s upside is somewhat capped. However, he offers elite speed and appears to have supplanted Zack Moss as Buffalo’s No. 2 running back.
Zack Moss — RB59
Speak of the devil. Through nine games, Moss has totaled a respectable 431 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns. However, much of his success came against weak opponents during games in which the Bills simply wanted to kill the clock. A healthy scratch this past Thursday, Moss has some very challenging matchups over the next four weeks and isn’t on the redraft radar for the time being.
Carolina Panthers
Christian McCaffrey — RB2
The Panthers might be hitting their stride all of a sudden with McCaffrey back on the field and Cam Newton under center. The dual-threat back is an elite talent and will lead fantasy managers to success down the stretch. As long as he stays healthy, McCaffrey is a must-start on a weekly basis.
Chuba Hubbard — RB70
Hubbard was solid during McCaffrey’s absence, but he swiftly fell out of fantasy relevance when the star running back returned. Fantasy managers who roster McCaffrey could consider holding onto Hubbard as a handcuff, but he’s not worth rostering if you don’t have shares of McCaffrey.
Ameer Abdullah — RB78
Abdullah has carved out a significant role as a pass-catcher as of late (18 rushes for 55 yards and 11 catches for 92 yards from Weeks 8 to 10), but it’s hard to tell if his usage is truly sustainable. He’s still not worth rostering.
Chicago Bears
David Montgomery — RB12
The fantasy football community continues to underrate Montgomery, which is a shame considering the top-tier numbers he posted at the end of last season and even during his stretch of healthy games this year. The third-year back will continue to play a role in both the passing and running games, and it looks like neither Khalil Herbert nor Damien Williams poses much of a threat to Montgomery’s value.
Khalil Herbert — RB71
Herbert impressed during Montgomery’s absence, suggesting that he could continue to have a role even when the lead back returned. However, that was not the case. In three games since Montgomery stepped back on the field, the rookie has totaled just 22 scrimmage yards. He can be dropped in all redraft formats.
Damien Williams — RB89
Everyone rushed to add Williams when Montgomery went down, but his burst of fantasy value was short-lived due to placement on the COVID-19 list and a nagging knee injury that followed. Even when healthy, Williams will be the No. 3 back in this offense.
Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Mixon — RB6
Mixon has been phenomenal lately, finishing as a top-four fantasy running back in four of his last five games. He has also found the end zone in seven straight games, logging a total of 10 touchdowns during that span. Not only is Mixon an athletic and talented runner, but he can also get involved in the passing game.
Samaje Perine — RB54
Perine’s usage has been inconsistent this season, but he has shown that he can be a solid backup option behind Mixon. He’s an intriguing handcuff option for fantasy managers who are relying on Mixon down the stretch.
Chris Evans — RB82
Evans, a rookie, has shown explosiveness from time to time, as well as an ability to get involved in the passing game. However, he’s still the No. 3 back in this offense and has been limited to just 140 scrimmage yards and one touchdown this year. He is not on the redraft radar.
Cleveland Browns
Nick Chubb — RB7
The Browns have the best backfield in the NFL, and it’s headlined by bruising running back Nick Chubb. The Georgia product has totaled 934 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns through just eight games this season. He has also proven that he can be relevant even when Kareem Hunt is healthy. Fantasy managers should continue to treat the star as a weekly must-start at the running back position.
Kareem Hunt — RB18
Hunt (calf) will return from a five-week absence against the Ravens on Sunday night. He was impressive when healthy, totaling 522 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns through five weeks despite playing as the No. 2 behind Chubb. We don’t quite know what his role will look like post-injury, but it’s safe to assume he’ll fall somewhere in the RB2 range.
D’Ernest Johnson — RB57
If he weren’t stuck behind two of the best and most talented running backs in the NFL, Johnson would be a top-24 player. In fact, he has totaled 325 scrimmage yards and one touchdown through two games without Chubb and Hunt this season. Those are otherworldly numbers, but until he carves out a clear lead-back (or even backup) role, he’s not on the redraft radar.
Demetric Felton — RB76
A true gadget player, Felton offers upside as a capable pass-catcher who is listed as a running back but will probably spend most of his career in a wide receiver’s role. He has just 165 scrimmage yards and one touchdown this season but could break off a big play at any point.
Dallas Cowboys
Ezekiel Elliott — RB9
Elliott has been very impressive so far, bouncing back after a sour 2020 campaign. He has totaled 948 scrimmage yards and nine touchdowns through 11 contests as the Cowboys shift to a run-heavy approach. However, it looks like Dallas could give him some time off so that he can recover from a nagging knee injury and be fully healthy for the playoffs. The risk of missing several games hurts Elliott’s rest-of-season stock and drops him to the low-end RB1 territory with the potential to slip even further.
Tony Pollard — RB23
Pollard was an RB3 option even when Elliott was healthy, but the former jumps to RB2 territory amid reports that the latter could miss time. He has 787 scrimmage yards and one touchdown this season, plus an additional 100-yard kick return touchdown from Thanksgiving Day.
Denver Broncos
Javonte Williams — RB26
Williams leapfrogs Melvin Gordon in the rankings just in time for this article. The rookie has looked impressive this season, posting 650 scrimmage yards while splitting time with Gordon. The biggest concern here is goal-line usage. Williams has just two touchdowns while Gordon has seven — and it doesn’t look like this pattern will change anytime soon.
Melvin Gordon — RB27
Gordon falls into the high-end RB3 range thanks in large part to his potential for finding the end zone. He also has a higher floor than Williams despite ceding receiving work to the rookie: Gordon has three top-11 finishes while Williams has yet to finish inside the top-14.
Detroit Lions
D’Andre Swift — RB10
The Lions as a whole are a mess, and their backfield is somewhat cluttered, too. However, one constant has been Swift, who notched 975 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns through his first 10 games of the season. A shoulder injury suffered on Thanksgiving Day is worth monitoring, but if he’s cleared of this ailment, the second-year back would remain a must-start RB1.
Jamaal Williams — RB53
Williams finished as the RB4 in Week 1 and hasn’t finished inside the top-20 since then. However, Swift’s shoulder injury could lead to more usage for the veteran back. He could be trending upwards for the time being.
Jermar Jefferson — RB86
Jefferson has touched the ball just nine times this year, but he was explosive on these nine occasions, posting 70 scrimmage yards and a pair of touchdowns. However, he didn’t record a touch on Thanksgiving Day even after Swift went down. He’s not fantasy relevant right now.
Godwin Igwebuike — RB89
Igwebuike saw a little bit of usage during Williams’ injury and also rushed once after Swift went down on Thanksgiving. He’s an intriguing change-of-pace weapon but is nestled too far down the depth chart to have fantasy relevance.
Green Bay Packers
Aaron Jones — RB13
A recent knee injury forced Jones out of action, but it appears he’s nearing a return. With that said, the Packers will be smart when handling him and won’t force him back too soon. In fact, even when he returns, Green Bay will surely look to further incorporate rising star A.J. Dillon. Jones falls into the RB2 territory over the rest of the season, which is a rarity for him.
A.J. Dillon — RB24
Dillon will hold onto a sizable role even when Jones returns. He offers young and fresh legs and is capable of getting involved in both the passing and running games. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable starting him throughout the remainder of the season.
Patrick Taylor Jr. — RB75
Taylor has rushed six times for 18 yards during Jones’s absence. The minimal usage he has found as a backup will further dissipate when he returns to the third-string role.
Houston Texans
Rex Burkhead — RB47
Burkhead was an impactful weapon during his time in New England and seems to be finding himself in a significant role as a member of the Texans, too. He rushed 18 times against the Titans in Week 11, and although he only totaled 40 yards, his showing prompted Houston to cut backfield-mate Phillip Lindsay. Burkhead has a favorable rest-of-season schedule and should be rostered in leagues with 12 teams or more.
David Johnson — RB49
Johnson has been the definition of “just a guy” in fantasy football this season. Sure, he’ll get some lead-back touches, but he’s turned 46 rushes into a mere 137 yards and a touchdown. He has added 198 yards in the passing game, but even that isn’t enough to give him fantasy relevance. Johnson can be dropped in most formats.
Royce Freeman — RB99
Freeman looked promising during six games with the Panthers but was the odd man out after Christian McCaffrey returned. He has yet to touch the ball with Houston but should get involved in Week 12 following the departure of Lindsay.
Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor — RB1
This is a bad man. Taylor scorched a strong Bills defense for 204 yards and five touchdowns last Sunday. In total, he has notched 1,444 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns this season. As long as he stays healthy, Taylor should finish as the overall RB1 in fantasy football.
Nyheim Hines — RB48
Hines is a great change-of-pace option for the Colts, but he’s not going to have true fantasy relevance unless Taylor were to suffer an injury. Fantasy managers with shares of Taylor could add Hines as a handcuff. Otherwise, he can be left on waivers in most formats.
Jacksonville Jaguars
James Robinson — RB14
Last year’s undrafted standout, Robinson has posted 737 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns through nine games this season. He has filled the lead back role after rookie Travis Etienne suffered a season-ending injury in training camp and has no competition creeping up behind him. The fact that he is a capable pass-catcher is huge considering the Jaguars are often playing from behind.
Carlos Hyde — RB63
Hyde saw a little bit of usage during Robinson’s foot injury, totaling 145 scrimmage yards through parts of two games. However, he’s not a great pass-catcher and the Jaguars don’t have many reasons to get him on the field other than to give Robinson a breather.
Kansas City Chiefs
Clyde Edwards-Helaire — RB20
Edwards-Helaire returned from IR with a bang last week as he totaled 76 yards and a touchdown. The lead back in a high-powered Chiefs offense, Edwards-Helaire’s ranking at No. 20 should come as no surprise. He’ll continue to get involved in both the passing and rushing games as the Chiefs fight for a playoff spot.
Darrel Williams — RB35
Williams was impressive during Edwards-Helaire’s absence and should maintain a significant role despite the second-year back’s return. Williams, who has 640 yards and five touchdowns to his name this season, is a low-end RB3 option and should continue to be started in deeper leagues.
Jerick McKinnon — RB79
McKinnon saw a little bit of usage during Edwards-Helaire’s stint on IR, but he has been largely relegated to special teams.
Derrick Gore — RB88
One big drive in Week 8 claimed responsibility for the majority of his 22 touches and 93 scrimmage yards this season. He’s not a viable fantasy option, and the return of Edwards-Helaire only hurts Gore’s value.
Las Vegas Raiders
Josh Jacobs — RB21
Jacobs has been solid this season, totaling 618 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns through nine games. Although Kenyan Drake steals some of his volume, Jacobs is the lead back and remains a low-end RB2 option for the remainder of the season.
Kenyan Drake — RB36
Drake is one of the better backups in the NFL. The former Dolphin and Cardinal has posted 537 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns through 10 games while handling a significant workload as a pass-catcher. He’s an intriguing play at a position that has struggled to stay on the field.
Peyton Barber — RB97
Barber tallied 174 yards and one touchdown through his first two games of the season but has been held to just three total yards since then. The returns of Jacobs and Jalen Richard have impacted his usage drastically.
Los Angeles Chargers
Austin Ekeler — RB3
Ekeler has been phenomenal this season, finishing as a top-six fantasy running back in six of his 10 games. He plays in a high-powered offense, offers dual-threat ability, and has a nose for the end zone. Ekeler is a fantasy manager’s dream and finds himself as a weekly must-start in all formats.
Justin Jackson — RB85
Jackson has posted 137 scrimmage yards through seven games. He’s the clear backup to Ekeler, but that doesn’t make him fantasy relevant.
Joshua Kelley — RB92
Kelley has been held to 40 scrimmage yards through four games. He’s merely a depth option for Los Angeles.
Larry Rountree III — RB93
Rountree, a rookie, has shown some big-play ability while also giving the Chargers stability through nine games. Still, he can’t compete with Ekeler for touches.
Los Angeles Rams
Darrell Henderson — RB15
Henderson has filled in admirably for Cam Akers this year. Despite recent struggles during negative game script situations, the 24-year-old is capable of being a high-end RB2 over the remainder of the season.
Sony Michel — RB61
Michel is a fine handcuff option, especially in a strong offense like the Rams’. However, unless anything happens to Henderson’s health, the former Patriots first-round pick is not on the redraft radar.
Miami Dolphins
Myles Gaskin — RB25
Gaskin has nestled himself into a quirky and highly frustrating pattern in which he only has good games during odd-numbered weeks. Wacky patterns aside, the Dolphins’ running back seems to be trending in the right direction now that Tua Tagovailoa has returned from injury. He’s on the RB2/RB3 fringe for the time being.
Salvon Ahmed — RB67
Miami’s young running back was expected to see an increase in touches following an injury to Malcolm Brown, but that never happened. Instead, he was a healthy scratch in Week 11 and remains off the redraft radar.
Duke Johnson Jr. — RB91
With Ahmed inactive last Sunday, Johnson made his Dolphins debut and rushed four times for 18 yards. This seems like it’s probably his ceiling and we don’t even know how long Miami intends to keep the veteran on its roster.
Malcolm Brown — RB94
A quad injury forced Brown to land on IR after Week 7. He was the No. 2 in Miami’s offense when healthy, totaling 135 scrimmage yards and one touchdown over the course of seven games. The former Ram can be dropped in all formats.
Minnesota Vikings
Dalvin Cook — RB4
Cook has been explosive this season while showing off his dual-threat ability. He has totaled 872 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns through eight games thus far. The biggest concern with Cook is that players like Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson, and Tyler Conklin are stealing some of his touches, especially as Kirk Cousins shows significant progress as a passer. Despite this competition, Cook remains a weekly must-start.
Alexander Mattison — RB55
During the two games that Cook missed, Mattison posted a whopping 324 scrimmage yards and one touchdown. As such, the handcuff is a solid addition for fantasy managers who also have Cook on their roster.
New England Patriots
Rhamondre Stevenson — RB29
Stevenson, a rookie out of Oklahoma, has ascended these rankings at an exponential clip and now checks into the mid-range RB3 territory. From the Patriots’ perspective, Stevenson appears to be the preferred option over Damien Harris, though the gap is small and the latter is better during goal-line opportunities.
Damien Harris — RB32
As mentioned, Harris’ starting job is slipping away but he still has the edge in the touchdown department. Fantasy managers can continue to start the third-year back in their lineups, but a slew of unfortunate injuries and fumbles rid him of a starting role.
Brandon Bolden — RB68
Bolden is a back who embodies the Patriot Way and Bill Belichick’s system. A season-ending injury opened the door for the veteran, who has tallied 383 scrimmage yards and one touchdown thus far. However, the emergence of Stevenson has dampened Bolden’s value for the time being.
J.J. Taylor — RB98
For a little while, Taylor and Stevenson were alternating weeks of being active versus being healthy scratches. However, now that the rookie is climbing the ladder, Stevenson is stuck on the weekly inactive list. Through five games, he has totaled 45 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara — RB8
We don’t quite know when Kamara will return, but it’s eye-opening that this injury came out of nowhere and has now forced him to miss three games. The star running back totaled 840 yards through eight games and will find his way back into the high-end RB1 territory whenever he returns to the field.
Mark Ingram — RB42
Ingram was traded from the Texans to the Saints at just the right time. During two games without Kamara, the veteran back posted 221 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. However, Ingram is also dealing with a knee injury that forced him out of action on Thanksgiving Day, so it remains to be seen whether he’ll have an opportunity to start another game before Kamara returns.
Tony Jones Jr. — RB69
The hype around Jones peaked on Thanksgiving Day when both Kamara and Ingram were ruled out due to knee injuries. The result? A 16-carry, 27-yard day from Jones. He couldn’t get anything going against a stern Bills defensive front, and the same will likely be true if he’s forced to start against Dallas in Week 13.
New York Giants
Saquon Barkley — RB11
Barkley has been battling injuries this season, but he has managed to play in parts of six games to this point. The former first-round pick has 381 total yards and three touchdowns to his name thus far. If he can stay healthy, Barkley offers tremendous upside to fantasy managers down the stretch. However, that’s a fairly big ask.
Devontae Booker — RB64
Booker strung together some good games during Barkley’s absence, but he has since been relegated to the backup role again. Given the never-ending injury concerns surrounding Barkley, fantasy managers in deeper leagues might consider stashing Booker in case he finds himself in a starting role again.
Elijhaa Penny — RB97
Even when Booker was the starter, neither Penny nor Gary Brightwell carved out steady backup roles. Barkley’s return causes their roles to shrink even further.
New York Jets
Michael Carter — RB28
Carter, a rookie, came on strong prior to the midway point of the season. He seemed to have found a clear role in both the running and short-route receiving games, but a recent ankle injury will force him out of action for a few weeks. When he returns, he’ll be a low-end RB2.
Ty Johnson — RB32
Johnson has shown good burst this season and found some usage in the passing game, but his position at No. 32 stems directly from Carter’s recent injury. Johnson might not draw the start, but he’ll still remain very involved as a pass-catcher out of the backfield.
Tevin Coleman — RB46
Here’s the complement to Johnson. While Johnson will catch passes out of the backfield, Coleman should get the start and draw the majority of New York’s carries during Carter’s absence.
Philadelphia Eagles
Miles Sanders — RB30
The Eagles have become a very good team when it comes to running the ball, but the four players involved in the effort have yet to establish clear roles. Sanders appears to be the lead back after returning from injury last week and rushing 16 times for 94 yards. However, most of his production only came after Jordan Howard went down with an injury.
Jordan Howard — RB41
Speaking of Howard, the veteran impressed during Sanders’ absence (51 rushes, 274 yards, and three touchdowns over four games) but is now dealing with a knee injury of his own. During his absence, he’ll likely lose ground to Sanders. Therefore, it’s uncertain what Howard’s role will look like when he returns.
Kenneth Gainwell — RB56
A healthy scratch in Week 11, Gainwell hasn’t found much usage despite opening the season as the No. 2 back and offering receiving upside. He’ll be active this coming Sunday with Howard ruled out, but even then, it’s hard to predict how he’ll be used.
Boston Scott — RB58
Scott had no role early in the season, but he emerged as a legitimate weapon when Sanders went down. He now has 252 total yards and five touchdowns over the course of his last five games. It’s possible that Scott remains fantasy relevant while Howard recovers from his knee injury.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Najee Harris — RB5
Not only is Harris the heart and soul of the Steelers’ backfield, but he’s the centerpiece of their offense, too. The rookie has been very involved in both facets of the offensive attack, garnering 188 rushes for 685 yards on the ground in addition to 49 receptions for 337 yards through the air. He has found the end zone seven times, ranks seventh among running backs, and should be started as an RB1 on a weekly basis.
Benny Snell Jr. — RB95
Snell has 45 scrimmage yards through 10 games. Despite being Harris’ backup, he’s not fantasy relevant whatsoever. Fantasy managers can drop Snell in all formats.
San Francisco 49ers
Jeff Wilson — RB31
The 49ers love rolling with the hot hand at running back. One guy gets injured, and then his replacement gets lead-back duties until the replacement gets hurt, too. It’s an endless revolving door and it’s one that will allow Wilson to remain the 49ers’ starter until he also suffers an injury. He’s a solid RB3 option as long as he remains healthy.
Elijah Mitchell — RB38
Mitchell’s rib injury is what forced Wilson into the lead role in the first place, but we can’t forget how Mitchell himself was thrust into action. The rookie was active in Week 1 over Trey Sermon and ended up having a solid game after Raheem Mostert suffered an injury. Now, Mitchell is dealing with rib and finger injuries. He’s closing in on a return, but he has lost a firm grasp on lead-back duties.
Trey Sermon — RB72
Sermon has been limited to just 193 yards and one touchdown this season. However, between Mitchell’s rib issue and the other inevitable injuries that will surely plague San Francisco down the stretch, Sermon should continue to be active and find touches here and there.
Kyle Juszczyk — RB74
The best fullback in the NFL, “Juice” has seen a steady flow of volume through 10 games this season. The problem is that he’s unpredictable, so fantasy managers will never know when to cash in on his occasional touchdown or big receiving day.
JaMycal Hasty — RB77
Hasty has carved out some work in the passing game, prompting him to finish between RB34 and RB56 in all five of his games this season. However, he’s currently dealing with an ankle injury and has no return in sight. Even when he does take the field again, he will surely find himself behind Wilson and Mitchell on the depth chart.
Seattle Seahawks
Alex Collins — RB34
The Seahawks’ offense is a mess right now and their backfield is no exception. With Chris Carson (neck) done for the season, Collins has been the team’s lead back. However, his 454 scrimmage yards and two total touchdowns have not translated to much fantasy value. He’s a low-end RB3 in a unit that lacks fantasy appeal.
Travis Homer — RB80
There might be a 46-spot gap between Collins and Homer, but make no mistake: Collins is far from the clear lead back in the Seattle offense. However, the fact of the matter is that Homer hasn’t done much, either, totaling just 194 scrimmage yards and one touchdown.
DeeJay Dallas — RB83
Dallas totaled 27 yards and one touchdown this past week, but that deviated from the trend he has been following all season long. Through 10 games, he has just 132 scrimmage yards to his name.
Rashaad Penny — RB94
Penny has rushed for 43 yards through four games. He cannot stay healthy and therefore offers no stability to the Seattle backfield.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Leonard Fournette — RB17
Fournette has quieted down after a pair of top-eight finishes earlier in the season. Still, he has maintained a very steady role while running the ball and catching passes from Tom Brady. Most notably, Fournette has continued to distance himself from Ronald Jones in a backfield that had its fair share of question marks coming into the season. Fantasy managers should comfortably view Fournette as a mid-range RB1 for the rest of the season.
Ronald Jones II — RB66
Jones has certainly gotten involved and mixed into the Bucs’ offense here and there, but he’s purely a backup and won’t have fantasy value unless something happens to Fournette. He can be left on waivers in all redraft formats.
Giovani Bernard — RB73
Bernard is Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay version of James White, if that makes any sense. The former Bengal has been a valuable receiver out of the backfield, totaling seven rushes, 22 catches, 171 scrimmage yards, and three touchdowns this year. Although his numbers aren’t awful, he’s still nestled in a depth role in an offense that prefers other weapons in the passing game.
Tennessee Titans
D’Onta Foreman — RB45
It’s really hard to visualize what the Titans’ backfield will look like over the remainder of the season. Derrick Henry is done for the year, Adrian Peterson has been cut, and Foreman, Jeremy McNichols, and Dontrell Hilliard have all shown flashes of potential. Foreman has been the most consistent (if you can even say that) during the time since Henry’s injury took place, totaling 147 yards. Still, he’s not worth starting at this point.
Jeremy McNichols — RB52
McNichols maintained a very steady role in the passing game when Henry was active, so it would seem like he should find himself in a similar position over the remainder of the season. He’s at 284 yards and one touchdown on the year.
Dontrell Hilliard — RB60
Much like Foreman drew hype after Week 10, Hilliard made a name for himself in Week 11 by totaling 82 yards from scrimmage. However, we’re going into this blind and judging the entire backfield based on the smallest sample sizes possible. For the time being, Hilliard is nothing more than a speculative stash. Starting him is way too risky.
Washington Football Team
Antonio Gibson — RB22
A shin injury and poor quarterback play have taken away from the immense upside that Gibson offers. He has seen a reduced workload due to his injury and hasn’t been able to run the ball as much since Washington is playing from behind so often. Still, he’s a phenomenal athlete and thus should be viewed as a low-end RB2 with RB1 upside.
J.D. McKissic — RB40
McKissic has looked solid this season, but he has still taken a step backward since his RB24 finish in 2020. Right now, he ranks as the RB30 over the entire year but has finished worse than RB30 six of his 10 games. Starting him as an RB3 is justifiable, but he remains a risky option due to the ever-changing state of the Washington offense.
Jaret Patterson — RB65
Patterson has seen usage this year due to Gibson’s lingering shin injury, totaling 113 yards through 10 games. At this point, he’s merely a stash in dynasty leagues or deeper redraft formats just in case Gibson is forced to miss time.
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