Najee Harris aims for another prodigious workload vs. the Lions, James Conner slots in as an RB1 against the Panthers, and Leonard Fournette comes off bye in Washington.
Other positions: Quarterback | Receiver | Tight End/Kickers/Defense
Week 10 Running Backs
RB Notes: Not counting Derrick Henry, Jonathan Taylor is the RB1 by average half PPR points even though he has yet to have a 20-carry contest. That will be coming soon if the Colts keep healthy scratching Marlon Mack, perhaps as early as this Sunday with the Colts running as 10.5-point home favorites against the Jags. … The NFL seems paralyzed by Dalvin Cook’s bizarre, troubling legal situation. At least as of Thursday morning, it appears he will be active against the Chargers’ No. 32 run defense. … Christian McCaffrey touched the ball 18 times on 29 snaps in his Week 9 return. Both numbers have nowhere to go but up vs. the Cardinals’ run-funnel defense. CMC does need P.J. Walker to keep the game respectable, which is not a guarantee. … You could rank Najee Harris as the RB1 overall and not be wrong. He is averaging 27 touches over his past four games heading into a matchup with a Lions defense surrendering the second most RB fantasy points. … Austin Ekeler had a quiet Week 9 against an Eagles D that is better against the run than pass. It’s the opposite for the Vikings, who are bottom three in both rushing yards allowed and yards per carry. A 53 over/under awaits.
Nick Chubb (COVID-19) seems likely to miss Sunday’s critical conference tilt with the Patriots, returning D’Ernest Johnson to plug-and-play RB1 status. The Patriots profile similarly to the solid Broncos run defense Johnson gutted in Week 7. … Alvin Kamara (ankle) began the week not practicing and is genuinely questionable to face the Titans. Even if Kamara does suit up, he seems all but guaranteed to have his workload managed, ceding more work to Mark Ingram after the ex-Texan saw his snap rate improve from 29 to 34 percent in his second Saints appearance. If Kamara sits, Ingram will vault into the top 15. … It has been quiet times for Ezekiel Elliott over the past two weeks. The Falcons normally do what they can to bust offensive slumps. Elliott’s setup could scarcely be better as a 9.5-point home favorite in a 54.5-totaled affair. … Aaron Jones was a Week 9 mega bust, handling only 12 carries and getting out-caught 4-0 by AJ Dillon. We’ll consider the latter fact a fluke heading into a date with a Seahawks D that comes out of its bye handing out the third most RB fantasy points. Aaron Rodgers should be returning for a tilt that feels destined to blow by its 49.5 projected point total.
With the health of the Cardinals’ passing attack still up in the air, a Chase Edmonds-less James Conner is an iron-clad lock to exceed 20 touches vs. a Panthers team on its second quarterback as a 10.5-point road underdog. The Patriots ran all over Carolina in Week 9. .. He does it a little bit differently each week, but Cordarrelle Patterson simply gets home. He will find a way in Sunday’s highest-totaled contest. … Leonard Fournette had his worst game in weeks before the Bucs’ Week 9 bye. With injuries all over the Bucs’ skill corps, he is probably going to be needed for 20-plus touches against a soft Football Team defense that is nevertheless better on the ground than through the air. … Even as he has come back down to earth a bit, Darrell Henderson has averaged 16 touches over his past three outings. Any time you get that kind of work in this kind of offense, you are RB1 adjacent. Typically trailing, the Niners surrender boffo run-game volume. … The game script got too bad for even D’Andre Swift in the Lions’ 44-6, Week 8 loss. He still managed to catch five passes for the fourth straight game and sixth time in eight. With Jamaal Williams (thigh) yet to resume practicing, this is a highly-conservative Swift rank.
Neither Michael Carter nor Ty Johnson could quite get home in Week 9 vs. Indy, but Carter has become the Jets’ clear early-down option. Both backs mix in for a healthy amount of targets. Carter’s matchup is problematic in a Bills D surrendering the fewest RB fantasy points. He will need receptions and goal-line carries to get home. … Jaguars coach Urban Meyer has said he expects James Robinson (heel) back, but he didn’t practice on Wednesday. Robinson has averaged right around 20 touches when healthy. If he doesn’t go, Carlos Hyde will be ready for another high-floor, low-ceiling 20 touches. … Darrel Williams’ Derrick Gore threat receded as soon as it emerged. Now it’s the Clyde Edwards-Helaire (hip) threat, with the Chiefs’ actual starter cleared to practice. It would seem CEH will sit one more week before returning. … With a close game likely for Sunday evening’s Chiefs/Raiders tilt in Vegas, Josh Jacobs should probably see enough volume to provide RB2 returns. That is especially true since the bookmakers expect north of 50 points, and because the Silver and Black are so shorthanded at wideout that Jacobs could once again catch 3-4 passes even with Kenyan Drake being the third-down back. … There is no way to trust Antonio Gibson as an RB2, and frankly, even RB3 might be a reach against the Bucs’ pass-funnel defense.
Zack Moss (concussion) seems likely to sit for a contest where the Bills are 12-point road favorites vs. the Jets. No team allows more RB fantasy points than Gang Green, making Devin Singletary a plug-and-play RB2. Just remember that Bills backs have a way of underachieving in fantasy no matter the setup. This offense does not like to run. … Neither Damien Harris (concussion) nor Rhamondre Stevenson (concussion) are practicing. It’s a particular shame for Stevenson, who looked electric in Week 9. If neither can go, Brandon Bolden will lead in high-value touches, with J.J. Taylor perhaps leading in overall handles. Bolden will be the only back Bill Belichick fully trusts. … One of my favorite Week 9 stats was the damage Javonte Williams did on nearly all 17 of his carries, churning up runs of 11, 20, seven, 17, 30, seven and 10 yards. Melvin Gordon isn’t going away, but Williams is here to stay. … It looks like we are getting one more Alex Collins week even with Chris Carson (neck) back at practice. … We aren’t any closer to clarity in the Titans’ backfield. D’Onta Foreman looked the best against the Rams, but it’s a safe assumption Adrian Peterson will get the deference near the goal line. … The Eagles’ newfound run-game commitment will be tested against a Broncos D that has not been giving on the ground. Jordan Howard is clearly ahead of Boston Scott for the time being.