Melvin Gordon hunts for RB1 relevance, Breece Hall looks to prove he belongs in the RB1 mix, and Ken Walker hopes to stabilize the Seahawks’ post-Rashaad Penny backfield.
Other positions: Quarterback | Receiver | Tight End/Kickers/Defense
Updated 10/15 at 11:30 PM ET. Removed Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines. Added Deon Jackson and Phillip Lindsay.
Week 6 Running Backs
RK | Player | Opp |
1 | BAL | |
2 | DEN | |
3 | NE | |
4 | @MIA | |
5 | @LA | |
6 | @CLE | |
7 | @PIT | |
8 | @NO | |
9 | CIN | |
10 | @GB | |
11 | NYJ | |
12 | @ATL | |
13 | ARI | |
14 | WAS | |
15 | DAL | |
16 | @LAC | |
17 | @SEA | |
18 | MIN | |
19 | BUF | |
20 | NYJ | |
21 | NE | |
22 | Najee Harris | TB |
23 | CAR | |
24 | @PHI | |
25 | @KC | |
26 | @IND | |
27 | @PHI | |
28 | James Robinson | @IND |
29 | @NYG | |
30 | @CHI | |
31 | SF | |
32 | @LAC | |
33 | Michael Carter | @GB |
34 | @PIT | |
35 | JAC | |
36 | @MIA | |
37 | @CHI | |
38 | @CHI | |
39 | CIN | |
40 | TB | |
41 | WAS | |
42 | JAC | |
43 | DEN | |
44 | ARI | |
45 | SF | |
46 | BUF | |
47 | MIN | |
48 | @NO | |
49 | @KC | |
50 | @ATL | |
51 | BUF | |
52 | CAR |
RB Notes: Averaging 29 yards receiving, Saquon Barkley has yet to be held below 70 yards on the ground. … Although the Patriots are bottom eight in running back fantasy points allowed, they are surrendering a healthy 4.8 yards per carry and 129 rushing yards per game. Game script is unlikely to get away from Nick Chubb‘s home-favored Browns in this one. … Predictably, the early-season Austin Ekeler hand-wringing ended up farcical. He is now the No. 1 overall back by average PPR points. The Chargers are five-point home favorites against an unimpressive Broncos run defense. Behind Ekeler, Joshua Kelley just had a better game than Sony Michel has managed all year. … Maintaining 20-touch workloads, Dalvin Cook finally got the scores in Week 5. … Colts coach Frank Reich is “optimistic” Jonathan Taylor (ankle) will return after missing last Thursday’s short-week date — and worst game of the year — with the Broncos, but he didn’t practice on Wednesday. If Taylor can go, I will probably leave him outside the top three against a Jaguars defense allowing just 3.7 yards per carry. That has more to do with Taylor’s health than anything else. Ankle issues are a re-injury magnet, especially on this quick of a turnaround.
Expect the coacheless Panthers to circle the wagons this week. In Carolina, that means as many Christian McCaffrey touches as he can handle. It is worth noting that CAR/LAR projects as a ghastly game environment with a 41.0 total between two of the league’s lowest-scoring teams. … Although he was supposedly limited in Wednesday’s practice, Damien Harris (hamstring) is expected to miss another contest. Rhamondre Stevenson turned 27 touches into 175 yards in Harris’ Week 5 absence. The Browns are coughing up the fifth most running back fantasy points. Consider the dots connected. … Leonard Fournette still isn’t running worth a damn, but he has 17 receptions for 140 yards and two touchdowns over the past two weeks. That’s a big deal even in standard leagues. With the Bucs operating as eight-point road favorites in Pittsburgh, it is possible Fournette even gets re-established on the ground this Sunday. … As Pro Football Focus’ Ian Hartitz points out, Joe Mixon is averaging an unsightly 1.95 yards after contact, the second-lowest mark in the entire league. It is particularly problematic since Mixon’s blocking remains some of the worst in football. His workload keeps him in the RB1 mix, but it is of the empty calorie variety.
Alvin Kamara has a number of Week 6 red flags, including the checkdown-averse Jameis Winston‘s potential return under center and the run-tough Bengals arriving in New Orleans. Working in Kamara’s favor is the Saints’ injury carnage at wideout. Even Winston might have to be looking for backfield targets. … Melvin Gordon ceded major Week 5 snaps and workload to Mike Boone, but he still won the touch war 18-10. It is difficult to believe the Broncos’ staff will view career committeeman Boone as anything more than a change-of-pace option, albeit one who is heavily involved. For Week 6, Gordon gets a Chargers run defense that remains the worst in the league. … Breece Hall has by no means put Michael Carter away. But he is the first option on all three downs, and got to show off his explosive pass-catching ability in Week 5. I will point chase a bit vs. a Packers run defense surrendering 4.8 yards per carry and 126 yards per game. Fantasy managers must still be prepared for the possibility that game script gets extremely negative with the Jets 7.5-point road ‘dogs in Green Bay.
Speaking of, the Packers have no receivers and still refuse to throw to Aaron Jones. He has yet to exceed three receptions. Jones remains a spiked week waiting to happen, but huge home favorites against the Jets, this could be a week for the Pack to put AJ Dillon into road-paving mode. … The Bears limited David Montgomery‘s workload a bit in his Week 5 return and he still remained comfortably ahead of Khalil Herbert both from a snaps and touches perspective. I am expecting a much heavier dose for Thursday night’s short-week slopfest with the Commanders. … Jeff Wilson weathered the two-touchdown Tevin Coleman storm in Week 5 with 17/120/1 on the ground. I would not write off Coleman — or whomever — as a threat, but game script should remain favorable enough for Wilson to continue getting home with the 49ers as 5.5-point road favorites against a Falcons defense that has not distinguished itself on the ground. … Raheem Mostert has rendered Chase Edmonds completely irrelevant. Edmonds can be dropped. If Mostert gets hurts, it is possible Edmonds wouldn’t even lead the post-Mostert committee. He has played that poorly in what is supposed to be a running back-friendly attack.
DeeJay Dallas figures to remain frustratingly involved as the Seahawks’ pass-catching back, but Ken Walker has a luxury Rashaad Penny lacked: No competition on early downs. RB18 could end up being his rankings floor. … James Conner (ribs) is day to day. Darrel Williams (knee) is out. If Conner can’t go, Eno Benjamin will be a legit plug-and-play RB2 vs. a Seahawks run defense hemorrhaging the most yards in the league. … Najee Harris continues to play terribly as both a runner and receiver and now the Steelers are pledging to get Jaylen Warren more involved. Uh oh. Warren played 51 percent of the Steelers’ snaps in their blowout Week 5 loss to the Bills. Harris’ lone path to upside in this wretched offense was locked-in volume. He currently has a one-way ticket to Zekeville, only in a far worse offensive environment. … Travis Etienne is winning the third-down war in the Jags’ backfield. That could be less relevant for what will likely be a close game with the Colts, but James Robinson will be running into a Colts defense that has been strong on the ground. I’ll put on my blindfold and give Etienne the rankings advantage. … Expect the touch disparity between Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson to quickly grow.
