Welcome one and all to another edition of the Running Back Roundup. This week we’ll discuss what to make of big Week 10 stat lines from David Johnson, Aaron Jones, Nick Chubb, Rashaad Penny, Derrick Henry, Mark Ingram, and more.
You’ll see the vast majority of the league’s backfields covered here, but if you don’t see one, don’t freak out, it just means my thoughts on that backfield haven’t changed. For instance, if you’re interested in one of the teams that were on bye in Week 10, check out last week’s Roundup or just shoot me a question on Twitter.
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Arizona Cardinals
David Johnson had his best game of the season against the Chiefs, and his usage was reminiscent of the 2016 version of Johnson, when he was a true difference-maker for fantasy owners. For more details, check out this week’s edition of “10 Things We Learned.”
Rookie Chase Edmonds remains Johnson’s direct backup, and while there are probably other backups with more upside, Edmonds is one of about five-to-10 widely available RBs out there who would clearly see a major boost in touches if their team’s starter were to go down.
Atlanta Falcons
Tevin Coleman had a disappointing game in the box score against Cleveland, but his usage was still very encouraging. Coleman handled five carries inside the 11-yard line, and while he didn’t score on any of them, positive touchdown regression will come if he continues to see those opportunities. Coleman also received 5+ targets in the passing game for the second straight week, after that didn’t happen in any of the first seven games. Coleman can be a borderline RB1/2 with that kind of red zone and passing game usage.
Meanwhile, Ito Smith continues to play 35-40 percent of the RB snaps. He also had a quiet week, but could still have some flex appeal in favorable matchups going forward.
Buffalo Bills
LeSean McCoy had easily his best game of the season in the Bills’ shocking demolition of the Jets, breaking 100 rushing yards for the first time in 2018 and also scoring his first two touchdowns of the season. The big game was a nice reward for frustrated fantasy managers who have been stuck with McCoy all season, but it doesn’t dramatically change his rest-of-season outlook. The Bills are not going to score 41 points most weeks, and McCoy is still a low-end RB2 who will need to depend on sheer volume rather than scoring opportunities most weeks.
Carolina Panthers
Christian McCaffrey is on an absolute roll right now, piling up seven touchdowns in his last three games. McCaffrey was an RB1 all along thanks to his bell cow usage in both the running and passing games, but he’s looking like an increasingly high-end RB1 for the stretch run.
McCaffrey has played a higher share of his teams snaps than any back in the league, which is another way of saying that much-ballyhooed free agent addition C.J. Anderson has barely seen the field. That’s not what Anderson was expecting when he signed in Carolina, so the Panthers accommodated Anderson by giving him his walking papers this week. If you’re looking to handcuff CMC for the stretch run, Cameron Artis-Payne is now the name to know.
Chicago Bears
Tarik Cohen was held to just 44 total yards against the Lions in Week 10, but he did score a rushing touchdown, and his 13 touches were right around the number Cohen owners can realistically hope for each week. The concern with Cohen is that he is game script-dependent, so it’s particularly encouraging that he got those 13 touches in a game where the Bears led 26-0 midway through the second quarter.
The reverse can be said of Jordan Howard. Even though Chicago led by multiple touchdowns for almost the entire game, Howard had just 12 touches for 32 yards against one of the league’s worst run defenses. We shouldn’t overreact to one game, but Howard has surpassed 47 yards just once in the last four games.
Cohen remains the preferred RB2 play in this backfield, while Howard is a touchdown-dependent RB3/flex — think of him as a rich man’s Derrick Henry.
Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Mixon didn’t get a ton of work in the Bengals’ blowout loss to the Saints, but his 11 carries don’t look awful when you consider that no other Cincinnati back received more than two. Mixon isn’t quite an every-down player — Giovani Bernard is going to remain involved, especially on passing downs — but Mixon should still be able to approach RB1 value in favorable matchups where the Bengals are unlikely to abandon the run. Following this week’s trip to Baltimore, his schedule improves considerably. Bernard is a desirable handcuff/lottery ticket, but he may struggle to provide standalone value if his first game back is any indication.
Cleveland Browns
I covered Nick Chubb’s huge Week 10 performance in “10 Things We Learned,” so click on through for all the analysis. One week after he caught nine passes, Duke Johnson’s usage was disappointing against the Falcons, as he received just four targets in the passing game this time around. Johnson did manage to find the end zone, so fantasy managers who flexed him came out just fine, and the fact that the Browns were playing with a lead may have limited his touches. But Johnson is going to be very hard to trust until we see him consistently get double-digit touches.
Dallas Cowboys
After a couple relatively quiet weeks, Ezekiel Elliott reminded everyone why he was a consensus top-five pick in fantasy leagues this year, piling up 187 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns against the Eagles. Zeke may still be held back a bit at times by the Cowboys’ inconsistent offense, but he’s still an elite option in fantasy leagues.
Now that we’re getting through the final bye weeks of the season, it’s time to start thinking about grabbing handcuffs and lottery tickets like Rod Smith. Smith is Elliott’s direct backup and would undoubtedly be in line for a major workload if something were to happen to Zeke.
Detroit Lions
Kerryon Johnson reached the 20-touch threshold for just the second time this season against the Bears, producing 89 total yards and two touchdowns. Kerryon continues to split the carries roughly 70-30 with LeGarrette Blount, but that ratio could skew more in Johnson’s direction as the Lions fall further out of playoff contention. The fact that Johnson has continued to see 5+ weekly targets since Theo Riddick returned is another promising sign for Johnson’s chances of returning high-end RB2 value over the rest of the season. Blount has little in the way of standalone or handcuff value, but the Golden Tate trade has further solidified Riddick’s flex appeal in PPR formats.
Green Bay Packers
I covered Aaron Jones’ breakthrough performance in “10 Things,” so click on through to the other side for details. Jamaal Williams, meanwhile, is little more than a handcuff at this point. His lack of rushing ability limits his upside as a bench stash, but any starting running back for the Packers would have at least some value, so Williams would get interesting in a hurry if something happened to Jones.
Indianapolis Colts
The Marlon Mack hype train came to a screeching halt in Week 10, as he produced just 38 yards and a two-point conversion on 14 touches in a tough matchup with Jacksonville. Mack is still earning the lion’s share of the work in Indy’s backfield, but Mack’s big stat lines in cushy matchups with the Jets, Bills, and Raiders may have set unrealistic expectations for what he can do going forward. He’s still very much on the RB2 radar, just don’t get carried away. Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins have both faded from fantasy relevance with Mack’s emergence, and they would likely form a fairly even committee if Mack were injured, limiting their appeal as bench stashes.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Leonard Fournette’s return was another one of the big RB storylines I covered in this week’s “10 Things We Learned” column, so head there to see what it means for Fournette’s fantasy value going forward. As I expected, T.J. Yeldon maintained a passing down role behind Fournette in Week 10, while Carlos Hyde didn’t get much run as Fournette’s direct backup. If Fournette were to get hurt again — always a distinct possibility — Hyde would likely assume most of Fournette’s between-the-tackles work, while Yeldon’s role might only marginally expand.
Kansas City Chiefs
Kareem Hunt had a relatively quiet Week 10, but it’s nothing to be concerned about — the only real change from previous weeks was that he didn’t find the end zone. He’s still locked in as a top-five RB for the stretch run.
Spencer Ware did score against the Cardinals, but he’s not getting quite enough run to have any standalone flex value. He is one of the higher upside handcuffs/lotto tickets out there, however.
Los Angeles Rams
Todd Gurley produced 160 total yards and a touchdown in a tough matchup with the Seahawks last week. In other words, just another day at the office for fantasy football’s top running back.
Malcolm Brown is the Rams’ version of Spencer Ware — a high upside handcuff who is scoring the occasional TD, but not getting enough work for standalone flex value.
Los Angeles Chargers
Melvin Gordon predictably had another huge game against the Raiders and remains an easy top-five RB for the stretch run. Austin Ekeler, meanwhile, has seen his standalone flex value dwindle over the last month, but remains one of the more enticing handcuffs/lotto tickets to stash on your bench.
Miami Dolphins
Old man Frank Gore surpassed 100 yards from scrimmage for the second time this season in Week 10, as Gore continued to work well ahead of Kenyan Drake in Miami. With Gore the clear favorite for weekly touches and Drake the one with the far more dynamic skill set at this stage of their careers, both are just RB3/flex options in fantasy leagues. Gore is fairly safe, but lacks upside, while Drake possesses upside but is very boom-or-bust.
New England Patriots
The Patriots’ offense was an all-around dumpster fire against Tennessee, so it’s probably best not to take too much from this game. Still, it is worth noting that Sony Michel’s return led to James White getting just a single carry, after White averaged double-digit carries over the previous three games. White proved earlier in the season that he can approach RB1 value even with Michel earning a heavy workload, but he does take a little bit of a hit with Michel back in action.
Michel also had a forgettable game against the Titans, but he did handle virtually all of the work in the running game until the fourth quarter when Cordarrelle Patterson took over in garbage time. Michel is best viewed as a high-end RB2 at the moment, but he could again push for low-end RB1 value if he can keep Patterson and Rex Burkhead — who’s eligible to return at the end of the month — from infringing on his rushing workload.
New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara topped 100 total yards and scored twice in the Saints’ blowout victory over the Bengals, and Mark Ingram also got in on the fun with 162 total yards and a score of his own.
Ingram matched Kamara in touches, but Ingram hadn’t done much in the previous three games and is still losing out to Kamara at the goal line. This game was a reminder of the upside that Ingram will have each week in an explosive Saints offense, but his usage didn’t change dramatically and he’s likely to remain a high-variance RB2. Kamara is a high-end RB1, but you already knew that.
New York Giants
Saquon Barkley has been one of the most consistent fantasy performers in the league this season. He reached 100 yards from scrimmage on the nose in Week 10, marking the eighth time he’s accomplished that feat in nine games (he had a measly 94 yards in Week 7). Barkley hasn’t scored in either of the last two games, but his seven touchdowns on the year aren’t too shabby considering he’s playing for a subpar offense. He’s been the sixth-best fantasy RB thus far, so imagine what he’ll be able to do if the Giants ever get their act together.
Wayne Gallman continues to serve as Barkley’s direct backup, but Gallman would probably struggle to deliver much fantasy value if Barkley were to go down. There are higher upside bench stashes available in most leagues.
New York Jets
The Jets got embarrassed at home by the Bills in Week 10, so it wasn’t a day where New York was able to feature the running game. Isaiah Crowell, Elijah McGuire, and Trenton Cannon all saw five-to-10 touches — McGuire was the most effective on a per-touch basis, but Crowell got the team’s lone touchdown.
This team is struggling badly right now, so none of the Jets’ RBs can be viewed as anything more than an RB3/flex option. But it looks like McGuire is on the verge of overtaking Crowell as the most desirable of the bunch.
Oakland Raiders
Doug Martin continues to provide workmanlike production for fantasy owners. His upside is capped by the Raiders’ overall offensive ineptitude, but he’ll be a legit RB2 in favorable matchups like this week’s game against Arizona.
Meanwhile, Jalen Richard remains a non-factor in the running game, but has caught at least four passes for 45 yards in five straight games. You could do worse as a flex option in PPR formats.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles’ backfield has been a mess all season, and there is no end in sight. Josh Adams has established himself as the primary ball carrier over the last two games, but he’s still yet to receive double-digit carries in a game as coach Doug Pederson continues to employ a three-way committee. Adams is currently the best fantasy bet in Philadelphia, but he’s hard to trust as an RB3/flex option.
Wendell Smallwood appears to still be the team’s primary passing-down back, but his touches are on the decline, and he’s no longer an appealing flex option in most leagues. Corey Clement looks to be merely a change-of-pace back behind Adams, meaning he is well off the fantasy radar.
Pittsburgh Steelers
It’s official: Le’Veon Bell is sitting out the entire 2018 season, thereby ensuring that James Conner remains a bonafide RB1 for the rest of the season (and likely beyond). Conner has been in the concussion protocol since last Thursday’s game, but coach Mike Tomlin has made it clear that Conner is expected to be ready to go for Week 11.
Tomlin also had praise for rookie running back Jaylen Samuels, making Samuels a name to know should anything happen to Conner going forward. However, Samuels and Stevan Ridley each saw eight touches with Conner in and out of the Week 10 game, so it’s quite possible that they would form a committee if Conner were to ever miss a game. Samuels is the more intriguing stash of the two — particularly in Yahoo leagues, where he has tight end eligibility — but neither is as appealing as someone like Malcolm Brown or Spencer Ware.
San Francisco 49ers
Matt Breida looked as healthy as he has in a month against the Giants in Week 10, producing 132 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. With Raheem Mostert on IR and Alfred Morris a shell of his former self, the path is clear for Breida to put up high-end RB2 value down the stretch. He should be even healthier coming out of San Francisco’s Week 11 bye.
Seattle Seahawks
Make that three Seattle running backs who have had 100-yard games this season. Rookie Rashaad Penny joined the club against the Rams in Week 10, finally delivering the kind of big fantasy performance that many fantasy owners expected to see much earlier.
But before you go overboard on Penny, remember that Chris Carson was out for this game and that Mike Davis had a solid game himself. The Seahawks have already announced that Carson will return and start this week against the Packers, and it’s far from certain that Penny has jumped Davis on the depth chart, either. The Seahawks have shown a preference to go with one main ball carrier for most of the season, but it will be interesting if Pete Carroll decides to ease Carson back in and go with more of a committee approach, at least in the short term.
With a much-improved offensive line, Seattle has been an excellent running team all season, so whoever is getting the bulk of the carries in this offense is a must-start player. For now, that player is still most likely Carson, who is on the RB2 radar for this week. Davis and Penny are both worth owning while we see what happens, but they are best viewed as high-upside bench stashes.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Peyton Barber continues to dominate the rushing work in Tampa Bay, but it is only translating into RB3/flex value. Barber is in the same tier of running backs as Frank Gore. Think of him as a slightly inferior version of Doug Martin.
In a blast from the past, Jacquizz Rodgers was a fantasy factor in Week 10, catching eight passes for 102 yards. But before you go rushing out to add Rodgers, realize that Rodgers more than doubled his receiving yards for the season in this game and he hasn’t topped 25 receiving yards in any other game. There’s no doubt that Rodgers’ role is solidified with Ronald Jones out, but he doesn’t need to be added in most leagues until it’s clear this game wasn’t an anomaly.
Tennessee Titans
I went over Derrick Henry’s big game in my “10 Things We Learned” column. It’s safe to say I’m still a skeptic. Dion Lewis is clearly the back to own in Tennessee, and while he didn’t have huge numbers in his “revenge game” against the Patriots, he’s still solidly on the RB2 radar going forward.
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Andrew Seifter is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Andrew, check out his archive and follow him @andrew_seifter.
