Joe Mixon hopes to stay scorching in Tennessee, Brian Robinson Jr. readies for his best matchup of the year in the Cowboys, and Tyrone Tracy Jr. ponders life after Daniel Jones.
Other positions: Quarterback | Receiver | Tight End/Kickers/Defense
Updated 11/22 at 6:30 PM ET. Removed Isiah Pacheco. Moved D’Andre Swift down.
Week 12 Running Backs
| 1 | Christian McCaffrey | SF | at GB |
| 2 | Joe Mixon | HOU | vs TEN |
| 3 | Saquon Barkley | PHI | at LAR |
| 4 | Derrick Henry | BAL | at LAC |
| 5 | Jahmyr Gibbs | DET | at IND |
| 6 | De’Von Achane | MIA | vs NE |
| 7 | Kyren Williams | LAR | vs PHI |
| 8 | David Montgomery | DET | at IND |
| 9 | Brian Robinson Jr. | WAS | vs DAL |
| 10 | Josh Jacobs | GB | vs SF |
| 11 | Jonathan Taylor | IND | vs DET |
| 12 | Kenneth Walker | SEA | vs ARI |
| 13 | James Conner | ARI | at SEA |
| 14 | Kareem Hunt | KC | at CAR |
| 15 | Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG | vs TB |
| 16 | Aaron Jones | MIN | at CHI |
| 17 | Rhamondre Stevenson | NE | at MIA |
| 18 | Tony Pollard | TEN | at HOU |
| 19 | Najee Harris | PIT | at CLE |
| 20 | Chuba Hubbard | CAR | vs KC |
| 21 | J.K. Dobbins | LAC | vs BAL |
| 22 | Nick Chubb | CLE | vs PIT |
| 23 | Bucky Irving | TB | at NYG |
| 24 | D’Andre Swift | CHI | vs MIN |
| 25 | Austin Ekeler | WAS | vs DAL |
| 26 | Rachaad White | TB | at NYG |
| 27 | Rico Dowdle | DAL | at WAS |
| 28 | Jaylen Warren | PIT | at CLE |
| 29 | Javonte Williams | DEN | at LV |
| 30 | Audric Estime | DEN | at LV |
| 31 | Roschon Johnson | CHI | vs MIN |
| 32 | Cam Akers | MIN | at CHI |
| 33 | Gus Edwards | LAC | vs BAL |
| 34 | Ameer Abdullah | LV | vs DEN |
| 35 | Justice Hill | BAL | at LAC |
| 36 | Trey Benson | ARI | at SEA |
| 37 | Jaylen Wright | MIA | vs NE |
| 38 | Jerome Ford | CLE | vs PIT |
| 39 | Devin Singletary | NYG | vs TB |
| 40 | Raheem Mostert | MIA | vs NE |
| 41 | Zach Charbonnet | SEA | vs ARI |
| 42 | Jonathon Brooks | CAR | vs KC |
| 43 | Dylan Laube | LV | vs DEN |
| 44 | Jordan Mason | SF | at GB |
| 45 | Kenneth Gainwell | PHI | at LAR |
| 46 | Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN | at LV |
| 47 | Samaje Perine | KC | at CAR |
| 48 | Blake Corum | LAR | vs PHI |
| 49 | Emanuel Wilson | GB | vs SF |
| 50 | Cordarrelle Patterson | PIT | at CLE |
RB Notes: Christian McCaffrey has 42 touches in two games since returning and has yet to play fewer than 88 percent of the snaps. A touchdown deluge will arrive soon enough. … A veritable weekly guarantee for 20/100, Joe Mixon is also reaching the end zone at an absurd rate. Week 12 sets up beautifully with the Texans massive home favorites against a Titans defense that’s more vulnerable on the ground than through the air. … Saquon Barkley’s average touchdown distance is 20.4. Compare that to 10.0 for Joe Mixon and 16.1 even for somebody like Jahmyr Gibbs. We love the long scores, but Barkley needs more short conversions. At some point, he is going to stop getting tackled at the one- or two-yard line and yoke his scoring totals even more. … Speaking of Jahmyr Gibbs, he keeps chugging as the RB6 overall by average PPR points despite mediocre touch totals. He continues to combine big-play prowess with elite conversion rates on his scoring opportunities. The Colts’ defense has improved a bit on the ground, but this is Gibbs smash spot with the Lions almost two score favorites in a game with a total hovering around 50.
De’Von Achane is averaging 19 touches for 106 yards in four games since Tua Tagovailoa’s return. That includes four total scores and catching at least four passes each time out. The Patriots boast the league’s most average run defense, while the Dolphins have been phasing out early-down complement Raheem Mostert. … Kyren Williams has “just” 15 total carries in each of his past two games. That ties for his second lowest total of the season, and was combined with zero targets in Week 11. You aren’t afraid of featuring Williams as your RB1, but the reality is that Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp’s returns have eroded Williams’ upside and chipped away at his touchdown opportunities. … David Montgomery’s 12 carries inside the five-yard line are tied for the second most in the league. Wheels up in this Colts setup. … Kenneth Walker has been brick-walling on the ground as his ridiculous mid-season target totals predictably come back down to earth. We keep him in the top 12 because of his continued lack of touch competition and his Week 12 status as a home favorite for a high-totaled contest.
Jonathan Taylor’s 25 touches in Anthony Richardson’s Week 11 return were a new season high. Awesome stuff. Now don’t ask what he did with all that work. Although the scoreless day was frustrating — and Taylor’s receiving work remained nonexistent — fantasy managers can trust the lanes will soon open up considering the terrorizing runs dual-threat Richardson put on film against the Jets. … To the surprise of absolutely nobody, the Dallas Cowboys have surrendered the most rushing touchdowns in football. With Jayden Daniels (ribs) seemingly still ailing and the Commanders operating as mammoth home favorites, expect at least 2-3 goal-line looks for Brian Robinson. … Rather quietly averaging 122 yards from scrimmage over his past three appearances, Josh Jacobs suddenly saw his snap share ascend to a season high 80 percent in Week 11. With MarShawn Lloyd out with yet another new injury, Jacobs remains all the way locked in as a high-floor RB1. … Catching passes again over the past month, James Conner has shored up both his floor and ceiling as the Cardinals have started to play their best football. Week 12 opponent Seattle probably has one of the league’s five worst run defenses.
The Giants, unsurprisingly, are expected to “lean on” the run as they transition to meme man Tommy DeVito under center. Tyrone Tracy was going to be the stretch-run offensive focus even had the G-Men not benched Daniel Jones. Now we just need to hope DeVito’s, shall we say, “limited” skill-set doesn’t make it too easy for opposing defenses to take Tracy away. … Slumping badly as his usual stable of mid-season injuries have started to accumulate, Aaron Jones finds himself suddenly ceding real work to Cam Akers. Jones will continue to dominate the money touches, but it’s likely we have probably already seen his 2024 peak. … Tony Pollard is mired in a mini-slump, as well, but Tyjae Spears’ expected absence with a concussion keeps Pollard inside the top 20. There is nowhere else for Tennessee to shovel these touches. … Playing through a groin issue, D’Andre Swift has a bigger issue on the depth chart: Roschon Johnson looking like a legit 1B back in the Bears’ first game following former OC Shane Waldron’s firing. Johnson saw not only work, but goal-line work. Maybe it was a one-week trial. It was still enough to knock Swift down the RB2 ranks as we await more data points.
It would be incorrect to say Kareem Hunt is running on fumes since he’s never been all that gassed up to begin with during his Chiefs revival. But both the eye test and efficiency marks have revealed a less effective back in recent weeks. That, coupled with Isiah Pacheco’s likely return understandably knock Hunt out of the top 20. The question is Pacheco’s fitness level. He should be considered a volatile FLEX option for his first appearance since Week 2. … Jonathon Brooks is finally making his NFL debut. All signs — most notably Chuba Hubbard’s recent four-year extension — point toward something of a snap count for the talented rookie. I’m leaving Hubbard in the top 20 and Brooks beyond FLEX relevance. … The never-ending Bucky Irving/Rachaad White saga is holding serve in a week with six teams on bye. They’re hold your nose RB2/FLEXes. … The latest Javonte Williams/Audric Estime rug pull is the least appealing one yet. They are limited floor, nonexistent ceiling FLEX plays in an admittedly plush Raiders matchup. … Neither Ameer Abdullah nor Dylan Laube can be considered anything more than a desperation FLEX in Alexander Mattison (ankle) and Zamir White’s (quad) expected absences.
