Staying on top of fluid backfield situations from week to week for all 32 teams is quite the tedious task, even for fantasy diehards. To help with your fantasy preparations, my weekly RB Committee Report is your one-stop shop for tracking each and every fantasy backfield. Each week, we’ll hone in on who’s trending up or down in terms of workload distribution and volume, as well as efficiency, in order to pinpoint which backs are making the most (and least) of their opportunities.
Our RB Handcuff Index is a useful resource to keep bookmarked as a bird’s-eye view of the running back landscape. Every Thursday in this space, we’ll go in depth around the league, beginning with a snapshot of the top trending RBs for the current week.
| STOCK UP | WK 3 RB SNAPS % / SEASON % | STOCK DOWN | WK 3 RB SNAPS % / SEASON % |
| Wendell Smallwood | 56.6 / 33.6 | Matt Forte | 36.5 / 48.0 |
| Chris Thompson | 41.2 / 43.1 | C.J. Prosise | 37.0 / 28.4 |
| Jamaal Charles | 30.0 / 28.7 | Lamar Miller | 70.4 / 75.5 |
| Alvin Kamara | 29.3 / 35.1 | Terrance West | 17.2 / 27.1 |
| Alex Collins | 17.2 / 14.3 | Paul Perkins | 50.0 / 44.3 |
Arizona Cardinals
| Fantasy Starter | Backup to Know |
| Chris Johnson | Andre Ellington (PPR) |
Not that Kerwynn Williams was ever really on the fantasy radar, but coach Bruce Arians confirmed on Tuesday that Chris Johnson will remain the Cardinals’ starting running back after Williams played just one snap. He also attributed Johnson’s lackluster performance (12 carries, 17 yards) to “rust.” Game flow also played a part with the Cardinals in catchup mode late. That led to Andre Ellington producing 81 yards on 10 touches and out-snapping Johnson, 49-31.
Atlanta Falcons
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Devonta Freeman | Tevin Coleman |
Devonta Freeman out-touched Tevin Coleman by a 24-9 margin in Week 3, although Coleman was in on 41.2 percent of the offensive snaps, which is right on his season average. Coleman has averaged 4.1 yards on 20 carries to go with a team-high 12 RB targets and will continue to be involved in the weekly game plan. Freeman simply continues to be one of the most efficient backs in the game despite regularly ceding a fairly hefty share of the workload.
Baltimore Ravens
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Terrance West | Alex Collins |
Terrance West started against Jacksonville in Week 3 and had 26 yards on six carries, but he was benched in the second half after fumbling. West found the end zone in each of his first two weeks, but he’s averaged only seven carries since Week 2 and is not involved in the passing game as part of a three-way timeshare. Javorius Allen was a popular waiver pickup last week, but he is averaging only 3.5 YPC and ranks 43rd out of 49 qualifiers in elusive rating. Meanwhile, Alex Collins’ 127.0 elusive rating trails only Kareem Hunt and Tarik Cohen, as he’s forced five missed tackles on 16 carries and averaged 4.06 yards after contact. The second-year back out of Arkansas is the most intriguing of the Ravens’ RBs and worth a speculative add in 12-plus-team leagues.
Buffalo Bills
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| LeSean McCoy | Mike Tolbert (12+) |
Mike Tolbert has played 29.1 percent of the backfield snaps in Buffalo this season and has gotten double-digit carries in two of three games. In fact, he saw only three fewer carries than LeSean McCoy this past week and dropped what should have been an easy touchdown. As the No. 2 on a run-heavy team, Tolbert would be a priority waiver add if McCoy were to miss time but carries little standalone value from week to week.
Carolina Panthers
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Christian McCaffrey | Jonathan Stewart |
Jonathan Stewart had 12 carries for 57 yards against New Orleans but fell victim to game flow, as Christian McCaffrey finished with 117 yards on 13 touches (nine catches). There’s no reason to expect Stewart won’t continue to see his usual 12-18 carries a game for the foreseeable future. Particularly with Kelvin Benjamin nursing a knee injury, the rookie figures to be heavily involved in the passing game again in Week 4 when the Panthers travel to Foxborough.
Chicago Bears
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Jordan Howard | Tarik Cohen |
Jordan Howard looked iffy at best with a sprained AC joint heading into Week 3, but he dominated with 138 yards two TDs on 23 carries, forcing and a whopping 11 missed tackles along the way. It’s a credit to Howard that he is absent from this week’s injury report, although it’s tough to imagine that he is close to 100 percent after he appeared to aggravate the injury on at least one occasion. OC Dowell Loggains has done well to get Tarik Cohen the ball in space, as his average of 3.0 yards before contact ranks third-best among all RBs with at least 15 carries. With a short week, Cohen figures to get his 15 or so touches. He currently ranks eighth among running backs in PPR scoring.
Cincinnati Bengals
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Joe Mixon | Giovani Bernard (PPR) |
Rookie Joe Mixon played a season-high 55.7 percent of the Bengals’ backfield snaps in Week 3, and he also produced a season-high 101 yards on 21 touches. While it sure looks like Mixon is nearing the point of taking over this backfield as expected, he is still averaging just 3.1 YPC, a lot of which has to do with the fact that he’s getting only 0.71 yards before contact. He’s the only Bengals’ RB on the fantasy radar and is an RB2 this week at Cleveland.
Cleveland Browns
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Isaiah Crowell | Duke Johnson (PPR) |
Duke Johnson’s time is coming. Currently the No. 18 fantasy RB in PPR despite just six carries on the season, Johnson’s 160 receiving yards are the third-most by a running back, and he is tied for the team lead with 17 targets. Isaiah Crowell still out-touched him by a 14-8 margin in Week 3, although Johnson played only one less snap. In fact, Johnson has been on the field for four more snaps than Crowell this season, and his 291.2 elusive rating is tops in the league as he’s averaging 5.5 yards after contact and a missed tackle forced on every other touch. With Crowell averaging just 2.9 YPC and nursing a shoulder injury, Johnson is at worst a PPR flex play this week against Cincinnati.
Dallas Cowboys
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Ezekiel Elliott | Alfred Morris |
Wondering why Ezekiel Elliott is only the No. 14 fantasy RB? Well, the other day I tweeted about how Kareem Hunt’s offensive line has created a lot more space than Elliott’s. In other words, neither Darren McFadden nor Alfred Morris would be an RB1 plug and play even if Elliott loses his stay hearing coming up on Oct. 2. Neither backup has even touched the ball since Week 1.
Denver Broncos
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| C.J. Anderson | Jamaal Charles |
C.J. Anderson played 49 snaps to Jamaal Charles’ 21 against Buffalo, which has been about par for the course for the Broncos’ backfield split through three weeks. Charles has consistently seen 10 touches per game and is averaging 5.1 YPC. His 12-yard touchdown scamper in Week 3 was pretty much vintage Charles. While it’s conceivable his play has earned him a bigger role moving forward, understand that Denver had a 70-30 pass-to-run ratio this past week, and 38 of Anderson’s 49 snaps were on pass plays.
Detroit Lions
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Ameer Abdullah | Theo Riddick (PPR) |
Everything was lined up for Ameer Abdullah to become the Lions’ first 100-yard rusher last week against Atlanta, but he finished with 14 carries for only 47 yards (and another 39 yards receiving). Abdullah is averaging 3.5 YPC this season, of which he’s generating 3.2 yards after contact. It’s time for fantasy owners to accept his place as a low-ceiling RB3 (No. 30 in PPR scoring) along with passing-down back Theo Riddick (No. 27 in PPR).
Green Bay Packers
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Ty Montgomery | Jamaal Williams (12+) |
Coach Mike McCarthy is aware of Ty Montgomery’s workload and may lighten his load some in the interest of preserving him for the whole season. That doesn’t mean fantasy owners need to downgrade Montgomery from RB1 status for Thursday night’s game against Chicago. After all, he leads all running backs in snaps after last year reaching double-digit carries in a game only once. Rookie Jamaal Williams has played only four snaps this season but took first-team reps in training camp and was a standout pass protector at BYU. He is the likely candidate to start siphoning off some of Montgomery’s snap share.
Houston Texans
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Lamar Miller | D’Onta Foreman |
Lamar Miller’s grip on the Texans’ starting gig has come looser a bit more each week. Miller is still getting the lion’s share of the backfield work, it’s just that hasn’t done a whole lot with his opportunities. He’s averaged 3.7 yards on 49 carries and broken only three tackles, ranking 41st in PFF’s elusive rating metric. D’Onta Foreman, however, has not fared much better. Over the last two weeks, Foreman has played 25 percent of the backfield snaps and gotten 20 carries, although he has managed only 65 yards (3.3 YPC). The rookie did have an additional 65 yards on two catches in Week 3, but the passing game is not his forte. He remains more a player to monitor than a priority add.
Indianapolis Colts
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Frank Gore | Marlon Mack |
Marlon Mack sat out Week 3 with a shoulder injury and remained sidelined at Wednesday’s practice. Starter Frank Gore has averaged only 3.0 YPC (and has not cracked 4.0 YPC in a season since 2014). However, no running back has been given less room to run than Gore, who is getting only 0.31 yards before contact on 49 attempts. Until Andrew Luck returns, the Colts’ backfield is one that is best to avoid.
Jacksonville Jaguars
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Leonard Fournette | Chris Ivory (12+) |
Leonard Fournette is top-10 in fantasy scoring, but that’s largely due to him finding the end zone in all three games than his 3.5 YPC average. Chris Ivory ranks eighth in elusive rating, while Fournette is 29th out of 49 qualifiers, but Ivory is outside the top-40 in fantasy scoring as he’s yet to eclipse 10 touches in a game. Don’t expect that distribution to change, even with T.J. Yeldon a healthy scratch the last two weeks.
Kansas City Chiefs
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Kareem Hunt | Charcandrick West (12+) |
Andy Reid says he will not be scaling back rookie Kareem Hunt’s workload. Fantasy owners with a bench spot to spare may want to stash Charcandrick West just in case that workload catches up to Hunt, but he’s not a must-add. As mentioned last week, West has averaged 14 PPR points in the 12 career games that he’s gotten double-digit carries.
Los Angeles Chargers
| Starter | Backup to Know |
| Melvin Gordon | Branden Oliver (12+) |
Melvin Gordon is dealing with a bone bruise to the same knee that underwent microfracture surgery after his rookie year, although Gordon called the injury minor and said he is “good.” It bears mention that Gordon suffered the injury during practice last week and then played a season-low 42 percent of the offensive snaps in Week 3, but according to Ian Rapoport, Gordon wanted to go back in the game.
Branden Oliver played 33 snaps this past week and could be in line for more work against the Eagles on Sunday.
Los Angeles Rams
| Starter | Backup to Know |
| Todd Gurley | Malcolm Brown (12+) |
It’s Todd Gurley or bust here.
Miami Dolphins
| Starter | Backup to Know |
| Jay Ajayi | Kenyan Drake (12+) |
Jay Ajayi is expected to play through his knee injury in London this week. Even if he weren’t to suit up, Kenyan Drake would form a committee with Damien Williams.
Minnesota Vikings
| Starter | Backup to Know |
| Dalvin Cook | Latavius Murray (12+) |
Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon have combined for less than half of Dalvin Cook’s 142 snaps. Both are waiver wire fodder behind the rookie, who is currently fantasy’s No. 8 RB in PPR.
New England Patriots
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Mike Gillislee | James White (PPR) |
Thanks to four TDs in the LeGarrette Blount role, Mike Gillislee is 17th in PPR scoring and remains the preferred back to own in New England. However, he is averaging just 3.2 YPC and has been out-snapped by James White, 104-75. White is currently the No. 22 fantasy RB, although neither back ranks inside the top-40 of PFF’s elusive rating leaderboard. Both backs should be treated as low-ceiling RB2s with volatile usage.
New Orleans Saints
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Mark Ingram | Alvin Kamara (PPR) |
Mark Ingram got six carries in the opener, and then had eight carries in Week 2 and 14 in Week 3. Over the last two weeks, he’s averaged 4.9 YPC and caught 6-of-9 passes for 54 yards. Alvin Kamara played 17 snaps in Week 3, with 15 of those snaps coming on passing plays. On his two run snaps, Kamara produced 37 yards and a nifty touchdown. Adrian Peterson has averaged just 3.3 yards on his 23 carries to date, and beyond his pedigree, it’s tough to see a case for him staying involved much longer.
New York Giants
| Starter | Backup to Know |
| Paul Perkins | Shane Vereen (PPR) |
| Orleans Darkwa |
Paul Perkins is now droppable, and there really isn’t a Giants’ running back worth owning outside of very deep leagues (16-plus teams). Perkins ranks dead-last in elusive rating, and he’s gotten only 0.70 yards before contact. Orleans Darkwa had been pushing for more snaps, but he sat out Wednesday’s practice with a back injury and his status is uncertain for Sunday’s tilt with the Bucs.
New York Jets
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Bilal Powell | Matt Forte |
Matt Forte’s day was over after eight carries for 25 yards against the Dolphins, and Ian Rapoport reports that he is week-to-week and expected to sit out Week 4 against Jacksonville with turf toe. Before you go loading up on Bilal Powell shares, you should know that the Jets own PFF’s third-worst run-blocking grade, with the O-line having provided only 0.43 yards before contact on Powell’s 28 carries. Rookie Elijah McGuire had seven carries for 34 yards in Week 3 (albeit with a fourth-quarter fumble), and the team also recently signed former Saints’ passing-down back Travaris Cadet.
Oakland Raiders
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Marshawn Lynch | Jalen Richard (12+) |
Marshawn Lynch got only six carries in Week 3 as the Raiders spent most of the game playing from behind and finished with only 128 total yards. A calf injury limited Jalen Richard to just six snaps, and he was still limited at Wednesday’s practice. Although Richard has impressed when called upon, the presence of DeAndre Washington limits his upside in the event of an injury to Lynch.
Philadelphia Eagles
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| LeGarrette Blount | Wendell Smallwood |
The season-ending injury to Darren Sproles puts Wendell Smallwood firmly on the flex radar, and Smallwood out-snapped LeGarrette Blount by a 43-22 margin against the Giants on Sunday. The two were both productive on 12 carries, with Blount finding the end zone on one of his three attempts inside the five. Blount (4.3 YPC, 3.1 YAC) and Smallwood (4.2 YPC, 3.1 YAC) have each fared similarly well on the ground after three weeks, with Smallwood logging 34 percent of the backfield snaps compared to 24 percent for Blount. As noted by our Pat Thorman, the Eagles are currently tied for the league lead with 69 plays per game.
Pittsburgh Steelers
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Le’Veon Bell | James Conner |
Rookie James Conner has logged only 12 snaps on the season but remains the top option behind Le’Veon Bell and would be in line for plenty of work if Bell were to miss any time.
San Francisco 49ers
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Carlos Hyde | Matt Breida |
Carlos Hyde continues to get the job done in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, as he enters Week 4 as fantasy’s No. 6 RB in PPR. As such, rookie Matt Breida has played only 20 percent of the snaps, although he is averaging 5.0 yards on 11 carries and caught 3-of-4 targets this past week. Breida would take over as the 49ers lead back if anything were to happen to Hyde, and he’d have some instant flex appeal.
Seattle Seahawks
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Chris Carson | Thomas Rawls |
After three weeks, Chris Carson has catapulted from fourth on the Seahawks’ depth chart right into fantasy RB2 territory. It’s been quite the remarkable climb, considering Carson has 37 carries (for 166 yards) while no other Seahawks’ running back is even in double digits. What’s more, Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday that C.J. Prosise is considered week-to-week after having tests done on his injured ankle. Given Carson’s play and the fact that coach Pete Carroll was vocal this offseason about his frustration with Prosise’s inability to stay healthy, it’s fair to wonder if the third-down role will even still be waiting for him when the second-year back is ready to return. Thomas Rawls was on the field for one play last week and Eddie Lacy didn’t play a snap.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Doug Martin (suspended) | Jacquizz Rodgers |
This is the final week for Jacquizz Rodgers as a fantasy option with Doug Martin due back from suspension in Week 5.
Tennessee Titans
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| DeMarco Murray | Derrick Henry |
Although DeMarco Murray is coming off a big week, Derrick Henry still carries massive appeal behind PFF’s second-best run-blocking unit. Among RBs with at least 15 carries, Murray has benefited from the second-most yards before contact (3.49), but only Perkins and Crowell have generated fewer yards after contact than Murray (1.8). Henry is averaging 5.2 YPC, including 3.2 yards after contact, and has also forced twice as many missed tackles.
Washington Redskins
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Robert Kelley | Chris Thompson (PPR) |
| Samaje Perine (12+) |
Even though third-down back Chris Thompson has been nothing short of electric, averaging 13 yards per touch, coach Jay Gruden said on Tuesday that he has no plans to give the oft-injured Thompson more touches moving forward. You should also know that of Thompson’s 119 rushing yards, 92 have come before he’s even been touched. Robert Kelley will remain the lead back when he returns from his rib injury, perhaps this week in Kansas City. Given the tough matchup, and fluidity of the situation, plus the fact that it’s a Monday night game, it’s best to shy away from all Redskins’ RBs this week. Going back to preseason, rookie Samaje Perine has looked more like J.A.G with fumbling issues and a current No. 45 rank in elusive rating, plus now a bruised hand to boot.
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.