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 go around the league to 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.
Hat tip to the PFF Twitter crew for posting handy graphics of Week 4’s snap counts, carries, and targets for every NFC and AFC team. Our RB Handcuff Index is another useful resource to keep bookmarked as a bird’s-eye view of the ever-changing running back landscape.
| STOCK UP | WK 4 RB SNAPS % / SEASON % | STOCK DOWN | WK 4 RB SNAPS % / SEASON % |
| Latavius Murray | 33.9 / 13.8 | Theo Riddick | 25.7 / 36.6 |
| Alex Collins | 24.6 / 17.9 | Chris Thompson | 52.0 / 44.8 |
| Ameer Abdullah | 47.1 / 46.2 | Tarik Cohen | 26.5 / 43.2 |
| Wayne Gallman | 38.8 / 38.8 | Chris Johnson | 40.7 / 35.6 |
| Eddie Lacy | 33.8 / 25.6 | Buck Allen | 58.0 / 57.5 |
Arizona Cardinals
| Fantasy Starter | Backup to Own |
| Chris Johnson | Andre Ellington (PPR) |
Chris Johnson has assumed the lead back role with 36 attempts on the season. However, he is averaging a paltry 2.6 YPC with a long run of 11 yards and is best left on fantasy benches for now. Andre Ellington leads all running backs with 29 targets through four weeks, and only Ezekiel Elliott has gone out on more pass routes than Ellington’s 116. Ellington is a flex option in PPR.
Atlanta Falcons
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Devonta Freeman | Tevin Coleman |
Tevin Coleman ranks fourth among RBs with a 49.2 breakaway percentage, having produced 15-plus yards on three of his 29 rushing attempts on the season while playing 38.8 percent of the snaps (compared to 63.5 percent for Freeman). Outside of perhaps Derrick Henry, there’s not a backup running back (or “1B”) in the league with more upside than Coleman, who continues to carry weekly flex appeal as the No. 19 scoring PPR back through four games. The Falcons have a bye this week.
Baltimore Ravens
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Alex Collins | Javorius Allen |
Last week, I pointed out Alex Collins’ elusive rating and said he was the back to own in Baltimore. With four weeks now in the books, Collins leads all running backs with a 68.9 breakaway percentage. Six of his 25 rushing attempts have gone for 15-plus yards, which is pretty incredible. In comparison, Terrance West has zero such runs in 37 attempts. Collins is averaging 4.5 yards after contact with eight missed tackles forced on 25 carries, as his 143.3 elusive rating trails only Kareem Hunt (144.1) and LeGarrette Blount (199.0). Javorius Allen ran 32 pass routes on Sunday, which tied Ezekiel Elliott for the second-most in Week 4. He’ll remain involved especially on passing downs, while West is looking more like the odd man out.
Buffalo Bills
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| LeSean McCoy | Mike Tolbert (12+) |
Mike Tolbert has played 28.1 percent of the Bills’ offensive snaps but has averaged only 3.5 yards on 34 carries. He remains the clear handcuff on a run-heavy team but is not a must-own. The Bills’ thin WR corps also presents a challenge for positive game scripts.
Carolina Panthers
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Christian McCaffrey | Jonathan Stewart (12+) |
Christian McCaffrey’s 107 snaps in route are the sixth-most among RBs, and the rookie is averaging 1.93 yards per route run. However, McCaffrey has gained 10-plus yards on only one of his 31 carries behind a Panthers’ offensive line that is generating only 1.5 yards before contact. Put simply, McCaffrey needs the ball in space, and he’s not getting a lot of that right now. Still, he ranks 20th in PPR scoring and has out-snapped Jonathan Stewart (180-109), who is the RB34 in PPR and entirely touchdown-dependent.
Chicago Bears
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Jordan Howard | Tarik Cohen (PPR) |
Tarik Cohen’s 68.0 breakaway percentage trails only Alex Collins, as four of Cohen’s 30 rushing attempts have gone for 15 or more yards. However, we knew the week-to-week usage would be game script-dependent, and Week 4 illustrated Cohen’s low floor as he was doubled up by Jordan Howard in snaps (35-18) and touches (20-10) against the Packers. With no touchdown to boot, Cohen finished as the No. 35 PPR RB in Week 4. His volatile role makes him a risky RB2 for fantasy owners counting on him as a weekly starter.
Cincinnati Bengals
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Joe Mixon | Giovani Bernard (PPR) |
The good news is the Joe Mixon is playing more snaps and touching the ball more as the season has progressed. The bad news is that of his 52 rushing attempts, 33 (64 percent) have gone for three yards or less. The rookie is getting only 0.29 yards before contact, which is the lowest average among all RBs with at least 15 carries. Combined with the continued involvement of Giovani Bernard (and, to a lesser extent, Jeremy Hill), it’s tough to trust any Bengals’ RB as more than a flex play for the time being.
Cleveland Browns
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Isaiah Crowell | Duke Johnson (PPR) |
Last week I told you that Duke Johnson’s time was coming, and he continues to siphon off more work while outproducing starter Isaiah Crowell. Johnson has seen his targets and receptions increase every and now ranks seventh among RBs with 106 pass route snaps, plus he’s even scored a rushing TD in each of the last two games. All told, Johnson is currently 16th in PPR scoring, while Crowell is 47th and coming off his lowest snap share since Week 8 of the 2015 season. Johnson is very much in the RB2 mix in PPR formats (he’s our No. 15 RB in our Week 5 consensus rankings), whereas Crowell has faded into flex territory (No. 29 Week 5 rank).
Dallas Cowboys
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Ezekiel Elliott | Alfred Morris |
Ezekiel Elliott ran 32 pass routes in Week 4 and leads all RBs with 123 pass routes run. Even if his suspension gets upheld, the most likely scenario would see Alfred Morris handle more of the early-down work, with Darren McFadden mixing in and taking over on passing downs. Rod Smith’s presence complicates things, as does the fact that Elliott has seen only 0.49 yards before contact, the third-worst average out of 56 qualifiers. In other words, there’s no clear-cut handcuff to prioritize here.
Denver Broncos
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| C.J. Anderson | Jamaal Charles |
C.J. Anderson has not allowed a single pressure in 34 pass-blocking snaps, and that has given coach Vance Joseph plenty of incentive to keep Anderson on the field. Jamaal Charles has acquitted himself well enough to be an intriguing plug-and-play in the event of an injury to Anderson, but he offers no standalone value given his limited usage. The Broncos have their bye this week.
Detroit Lions
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Ameer Abdullah | Theo Riddick (PPR) |
Coming off a disappointing Week 3 effort, Ameer Abdullah got his first-ever 20-carry game in Week 4 and went for a career-high 94 yards and a goal line touchdown against Minnesota. In all likelihood, a fourth-quarter ankle injury was the only thing that kept Abdullah from becoming the Lions’ first 100-yard rusher since 2013. He ranks eighth out of 26 RBs in elusive rating and is on pace for 264 carries and 1,028 rushing yards. Theo Riddick played a season-low 25.7 percent of the offensive snaps this past week and finished with five touches. Riddick is no longer a must-hold in PPR.
Green Bay Packers
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Ty Montgomery | Jamaal Williams (12+) |
Injuries to Ty Montgomery (ribs) and Jamaal Williams (knee) led to rookie Aaron Jones getting 48 yards and a TD on 13 carries in Week 4. However, everyone returned to practice in some form on Wednesday, and Montgomery looks on track to play in Week 5 as long as his ribs can withstand the trauma. It’s a good bet that Montgomery’s workload will be scaled back a bit after pacing all running backs with 205 snaps through three weeks.
Houston Texans
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Lamar Miller | D’Onta Foreman |
With double-digit touches in three straight games, rookie D’Onta Foreman isn’t going anywhere. After all, the knock on Lamar Miller last year was that he struggled to hold up to a heavy workload for a full season. Foreman would vault into RB2 status if Miller were to miss time. To his credit, Miller quelled some doubters by putting up 131 total yards and two TDs in Week 4. He has also run 94 pass routes, eighth-most among RBs.
Indianapolis Colts
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Frank Gore | Marlon Mack |
Marlon Mack sat out Week 4 with a shoulder injury, and Robert Turbin and Matt Jones combined for 10 touches to Frank Gore’s 15. Gore has averaged just 3.1 YPC this season, but only 13.6 percent of his yardage has come before contact as only Mixon and Riddick have been given less room to run before contact. Mack remains the backup to own in Indy, but the absence of Andrew Luck combined with poor run blocking (No. 27 PFF grade) limits any fantasy upside here.
Jacksonville Jaguars
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Leonard Fournette | Chris Ivory (12+) |
Chris Ivory played only five fewer snaps than Leonard Fournette in Week 4 but got 18 fewer touches, and at the quarter point he’s only the RB44 in PPR despite being on the field for 39.4 percent of the offensive snaps. One of the more underrated parts of Leonard Fournette’s game is his receiving ability, as he has drawn 14 percent of the Jaguars’ target share and is on pace for 60 catches. In fact, Fournette led all Week 4 RBs with an average of 5.36 yards per route run (11 snaps in route).
Kansas City Chiefs
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Kareem Hunt | Charcandrick West (12+) |
Nothing fluid about this backfield. For Kareem Hunt owners with a spare bench spot, Charcandrick West has averaged 14 PPR points in the 12 career games that he’s gotten double-digit carries. He’s not a must-add.
Los Angeles Chargers
| Starter | Backup to Know |
| Melvin Gordon | Branden Oliver (12+) |
Melvin Gordon has been playing through a knee injury but is a full practice participant this week. His backups are replacement-level.
Los Angeles Rams
| Starter | Backup to Know |
| Todd Gurley | Malcolm Brown (12+) |
Replacement-level backups
Miami Dolphins
| Starter | Backup to Know |
| Jay Ajayi | Kenyan Drake (12+) |
Replacement-level backups
Minnesota Vikings
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Latavius Murray | Jerick McKinnon (PPR) |
Latavius Murray is one of this week’s hottest waiver pickups, but expectations should be kept in check. Murray said his ankle still isn’t 100 percent after offseason surgery, but added that he’s ready for a big workload on Monday if needed. Still, he saw about twice the amount of snaps as Jerick McKinnon, who is dealing with an ankle injury of his own. Neither back has created much yardage after contact, and the two have combined to force only four missed tackles across 34 touches.
New England Patriots
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Mike Gillislee | James White (PPR) |
The roles here have become more clearly defined as the season has progressed. James White saw another 12 targets and ran 36 pass routes on Sunday. After four weeks, White has out-snapped Mike Gillislee, 147-93. White ranks fifth among RBs with 108 snaps in route and is the No. 22 PPR RB. Gillislee (RB26 in PPR) has averaged just 3.4 YPC, and of his 57 rushing attempts, only one has gone for 15-plus yards. With zero targets as a receiver, Gillislee is settling in as a low-ceiling, touchdown-dependent RB2.
New Orleans Saints
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Mark Ingram | Alvin Kamara (PPR) |
Alvin Kamara was a “Stock Up” player in this space entering Week 4, and then he went out and caught 10-of-10 targets for 71 yards and a TD plus another 25 yards on five carries against Miami. Kamara averaged 3.94 yards per route run on Sunday and ranks 11th out of 48 RBs in that category after four weeks. Still, he played only 26 snaps compared to 46 for Mark Ingram. With the Saints going on their bye in Week 5, Kamara is a solid “get ahead” add and remains available in more than half of ESPN leagues. Adrian Peterson was given only six snaps as the third option this past week, and he’s managed only 81 yards on 27 carries with only one gain longer than 10 yards.
New York Giants
| Starter | Backup to Know |
| Wayne Gallman | Shane Vereen (PPR) |
You know things are bad when a guy averages 3.8 yards on 11 carries and Giants twitter goes nuts. In all fairness, it’s tough to find daylight when you’re often met with defenders right after taking the handoff.
Paul Perkins has 32 attempts for 61 yards and is seeing just 0.63 yards before contact behind a Giants’ O-line ranked 26th in PFF run-blocking grade. Rookie Wayne Gallman may be next in line, but it’s not worth getting excited about any member of this backfield.
New York Jets
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Bilal Powell | Matt Forte |
It’s no given that Matt Forte reclaims his previous role whenever he’s ready to return. Bilal Powell has averaged 16 PPR points in the seven games that Forte has missed during his time with the Jets, and Elijah McGuire has shown well with 23 carries for 156 yards. McGuire has seen his number of carries increase each week.
Oakland Raiders
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Marshawn Lynch | Jalen Richard (12+) |
It might be time to officially start worrying about Marshawn Lynch. A week after getting only six carries, Lynch managed only 12 rushing yards in Week 4 and is averaging just 3.4 YPC on the season. Granted, the Raiders were playing from behind on the road in each of their last two games, but with Derek Carr sidelined 2-6 weeks, more negative game scripts won’t help Lynch’s fantasy prospects. Jalen Richard hasn’t gotten much work in 2017 but was PFF’s most elusive RB last season.
Philadelphia Eagles
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| LeGarrette Blount | Wendell Smallwood |
After attempting only 33 rushes over the season’s first two weeks, the Eagles have run the ball 81 times for 407 yards over their last two games. It’s been decades since the Eagles pounded the rock that many times and gotten that much production from the ground game. LeGarrette Blount didn’t even get a carry in Week 2 but is now the Eagles’ back to own coming off one of the most impressive rushing performances of the season in terms of forced missed tackles and yards after contact. With the Eagles putting up 20-plus points in eight straight games, the offense may also be able to support Wendell Smallwood as a flex option for those in deeper leagues.
Pittsburgh Steelers
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Le’Veon Bell | James Conner |
Le’Veon Bell touched the ball 39 times last week and has only missed 16 games over the last two seasons. Owners with a bench spot to spare would be wise to scoop up James Conner as insurance.
San Francisco 49ers
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Carlos Hyde | Matt Breida |
Other than Carlos Hyde’s hip issue, one area of concern is that he allowed a league-high three pressures in Week 4, although it’s worth noting that his 14 pass-blocking snaps also led the position. On the season, he’s allowed six pressures on 32 pass-blocking snaps. That might just open up more opportunities on passing downs for rookie Matt Breida, who has seen his snap share increase in each of the last three weeks. Breida has been asked to block on only five snaps but has not allowed a pressure.
Seattle Seahawks
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Eddie Lacy | Thomas Rawls |
| C.J. Prosise (PPR) |
Just when we got some clarity with Chris Carson, the Seahawks backfield is once again a guessing game. I’d be lying if I claimed to know exactly how this situation will pan out. Eddie Lacy churned out 52 yards on 11 carries in place of Carson after being inactive the two previous weeks. With Thomas Rawls working his way back from injury, Lacy may end up taking the first snap but the two are expected to rotate. And then there is the potential return of C.J. Prosise and the emergence of J.D. McKissic. Weight issues notwithstanding, Lacy has consistently ranked among PFF’s most elusive backs throughout his career, whereas Rawls has thus far failed to replicate his breakout 2015 season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Doug Martin | Jacquizz Rodgers |
Doug Martin returns from his suspension, although there has been no indication from the coaches or from Martin himself about how much playing time he’ll get on Thursday night. Martin’s production has been up and down from year to year, but he stood out throughout the Bucs’ offseason program and training camp. Jacquizz Rodgers produced 108 total yards last week but won’t be seeing another 59 percent of the backfield snaps. He can be dropped.
Tennessee Titans
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| DeMarco Murray | Derrick Henry |
Negative game script sabotaged both DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry in Week 4’s blowout loss to Houston. As mentioned last week, the Titans O-line generates plenty of room in the run game, and Henry has outperformed Murray in getting yards after contact (3.0 vs. 2.1) and forcing missed tackles (MT every 5.7 touches vs. every 8 touches).
Washington Redskins
| Starter | Backup to Own |
| Robert Kelley | Chris Thompson (PPR) |
| Samaje Perine (12+) |
Last week in this space, I laid out several reasons to expect a negative regression for Chris Thompson, and that’s exactly what happened in Week 4. Thompson still has PPR value – his average of 3.92 yards per route run leads all RBs with at least 12 snaps in route – but it’s awfully tough to lean on a player who gets 8.5 touches per game and is not involved in short-yardage packages. Thompson even played a season-high 52 percent of the snaps on Monday night. Robert Kelley will use the bye to let his ribs heal up, meaning the Redskins’ backfield will once again be one to avoid in Week 6.
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