- Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Sean Tucker breakout could be short-lived: With Bucky Irving primed to return to the field, HC Todd Bowles saying they will go with the “hot-hand” at running back, and their tough matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, it will be hard to trust Tucker in fantasy lineups this week.
- New England Patriots should keep TreVeyon Henderson as lead back when Rhamondre Stevenson returns: With Stevenson on the sidelines, Henderson has put up 330 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns over the last three weeks. In his three starts, Henderson has averaged 5.8 yards per touch compared to Stevenson’s 4.5 yards per touch in his nine starts in 2025.
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Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
Below are the top running back takeaways from Week 11 that could have a significant impact on fantasy points in Week 12 and beyond.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Sean Tucker has a career day in Week 11
With the running game struggling with Rachaad White at the lead, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shifted to feeding second-year running back, Sean Tucker, last weekend. Tucker was given a career-high 21 touches in Week 11, and he did not disappoint, putting up 140 yards and three touchdowns in the game. Tucker has now led the Bucs in rushing yards in back-to-back games with 53 rushing yards on nine carries in Week 10 against the tough New England Patriots run defense. Overall, the Buccaneers' run game has been highly inefficient this season, as White has averaged just 3.9 yards while Bucky Irving has averaged 3.3 yards on the ground in 2025. However, Tucker has found great efficiency behind the same offensive line, gaining 4.6 yards per carry this season.
There is no doubt that the Buccaneers' run game looks much better when it leans on Tucker over White, but there are unfortunately multiple things working against Tucker’s fantasy outlook moving forward. First off, Bucky Irving has returned to practice and could play in Week 12 after a six-game absence due to foot and shoulder injuries. Secondly, head coach Todd Bowles stated on Monday that the plan moving forward is for the team to “go with the hot hand” in the backfield. Lastly, the Buccaneers will face the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12, and they have allowed the third-fewest points per game to the running back position this season.
Upcoming matchups: at Rams, vs. Cardinals, vs. Saints
TreVeyon Henderson continues to thrive with Rhamondre Stevenson sidelined
In the last two weeks combined, TreVeyon Henderson has scored five touchdowns and 60.3 fantasy points. With Rhamondre Stevenson missing the last three games, Henderson has been given 82% playing time since Week 9. In that span, Henderson has racked up the fifth-most scrimmage yards among all running backs with 330 yards, behind only De’Von Achane, Christian McCaffrey, Jahmyr Gibbs and Jonathan Taylor.
Stevenson is expected to return to practice this week, which could bring Henderson’s playing time back down … but that would be a big mistake by the Patriots coaching staff, as Henderson offers the Patriots backfield home-run hitting, game-changing upside that Stevenson lacks. In nine starts this season, Stevenson averaged just 3.4 yards per carry, 4.5 yards per touch and 56 scrimmage yards per game while scoring just three touchdowns. Henderson has been far superior in his three starts, averaging 5.6 yards per carry and 5.8 per touch while finding the end zone five times.
If Henderson continues to lead the Patriots' backfield, he should have no issues continuing to ball out with the Patriots’ juicy upcoming schedule. This week, they face the Cincinnati Bengals, who have the worst defense in the NFL and are allowing a league-high 34.1 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs in 2025. Then, in Week 13, the Patriots will host the New York Giants, who have allowed a league-high 5.8 yards per carry and the third-most fantasy points on average to the running back position this year.
Upcoming matchups: at Bengals, vs. Giants, BYE
Woody Marks handles a career-high 78.3% of the Houston Texans’ rush attempts in Week 11
Woody Marks has started the last two games for the Texans after Nick Chubb started in each of their first eight games this season. Marks had a career-high 18 carries in Week 11 while handling 78.3% of the Texans' rushing attempts in the game. That was the fourth-highest team rushing percent among all running backs that week. On the other hand, Chubb saw a season-low three carries in that game. The keys to the backfield have officially been handed off to Marks, who has racked up 35 touches over the last two weeks compared to Chubb’s eight. Marks has seen at least 15 touches in three of the last four weeks, and he gets a fantastic matchup in Week 12.
The Buffalo Bills have allowed the second-most rushing yards per game (153.0) and most rushing touchdowns (17) in the NFL this season. In the last two weeks, De’Von Achane (40.5 points) and Sean Tucker (34.0) each had monster fantasy performances against the Bills.
Upcoming matchups: vs. Bills, at Colts, at Chiefs
Emanuel Wilson plays 70% of the offensive snaps due to Josh Jacobs going down with an injury
Emanuel Wilson‘s workload shot up in Week 11 with Josh Jacobs sustaining a knee injury early in the second quarter that kept him sidelined the remainder of the game. After Jacobs left the game, Wilson played on 94.3% of the remaining offensive snaps in the game while getting 11 carries for 40 yards and a touchdown. Chris Brooks was the only other running back to see the field in Week 11, and he got just one carry and zero targets in the game.
Jacobs got good news on the injury front, as there was no structural damage to his knee, but he is still dealing with a contusion that could keep him off the field in the short term. If Jacobs misses Week 12, Wilson would be expected to take over his role, which has provided a ton of opportunity for fantasy points. Jacobs has the fifth most rushing attempts in the league and has been a touchdown machine, ranking second in the NFL with 11 rushing touchdowns this year, behind only Jonathan Taylor (15), who is the only player who has had more rushing attempts inside the opponent's five-yard line than Jacobs in 2025.
Upcoming matchups: vs. Vikings, at Lions, vs. Bears
Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Devin Singletary split backfield nearly 50/50
In a close game against the Green Bay Packers in Week 11, the New York Giants went with a split backfield approach, halving the ground work between Tracy and Devin Singletary nearly evenly. Tracy played 51.4% of the Patriots' offensive snaps and earned 19 carries in the game, while Singletary was on the field for 48.6% of the snaps and had 16 carries. Both players had a good fantasy day with 17 points apiece, as they split the most advantageous fantasy opportunities. Singletary dominated the goal-line work and scored two touchdowns, while Tracy got the receiving work in the backfield with four receptions for 51 yards.
Unfortunately, I don’t expect that the Giants will regularly have 35 rushing attempts to offer the backfield in upcoming games, especially given their tough schedule. Over the next three weeks, the Giants will face the Detroit Lions, New England Patriots and then have their bye. The Lions and Patriots are the top two toughest defenses against fantasy running backs this season. With the two backs splitting snaps and touches, it will be hard to trust either guy in your fantasy lineups moving forward unless it is a favorable matchup.
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