Week 9 PPR Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings
With Henry set to miss the rest of the season and McCaffrey still being out, how do the new rankings shape up?
Top 25 Running Backs:
Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers, Opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
With Derrick Henry opting to get surgery and being out indefinitely, Ekeler is the #1 RB every single week until Christian McCaffrey returns. Ekeler can score 25+ fantasy points in any game. He put up 24+ fantasy points last weekend against a very tough Patriots defense so expect another big game against a way worse Eagles defense.
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints, Opponent: Atlanta Falcons
Kamara will tear up this Falcons defense after putting up 33+ fantasy points two weeks ago and 17 fantasy points this last weekend Expect a huge day for Kamara.
Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers, Opponent: Chicago Bears
Harris should have a monster day as the focal point of Pittsburgh’s offense. Start him with confidence as Harris remains a threat in the passing game as well as the run game.
Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts, Opponent: New York Jets
The Jets actually won last weekend, but they should go back to the norm against a tough Colts team. Expect a huge game again for Jonathan Taylor who flourishes in both the run game and the passing game.
Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings, Opponent: Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have been up and down on the defensive end, but Dalvin Cook is starting to get it going in both the passing game and the run game, so expect another big day for Cook who will be the focal point for the Vikings offense.
Darell Henderson, Los Angeles Rams, Opponent: Tennessee Titans
The Titans are a great offensive team but lack a good defense. Henderson is coming off of back-to-back monster fantasy performances and has quieted the haters that questioned whether the Rams would have a run game after Cam Akers’ injury. Henderson is a must-start every single week now.
Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers, Opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
Jones is always a threat to put up massive numbers and this weekend he has the awful Chiefs defense. Start him with supreme confidence.
Ezekiel Elliot, Dallas Cowboys, Opponent: Denver Broncos
The Broncos have a great defense, but Elliot has been consistent over the course of the year, so I would slot him in at RB1 or RB2 just because of his track record.
Cordarelle Patterson, Atlanta Falcons, Opponent: New Orleans Saints
The Saints have one of the best run defenses in all of football, but Patterson is ranked in the top 10 because, with Calvin Ridley out due to personal reasons, he will be a huge part of the passing game. Start him, but not with confidence because if his receptions are limited, he could have a dud of a game.
James Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars, Opponent: Buffalo Bills
Robinson is going up against one of the best defenses in football and the Jaguars haven’t looked good offensively all year. However, if Robinson plays (he is questionable at the moment) he is always the focal point of the Jags’ offense so slot him in at RB1 or RB2.
Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns, Opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have a pretty good defense when they aren’t playing the Jets. However, Nick Chubb is coming off of his worst game all season long and I would be surprised if he has another dud of a game with Kareem Hunt continuing to be out.
Devontae Booker/Saquon Barkley, New York Giants, Opponent: Las Vegas Raiders
It is still a long shot that Barkley plays this week, and Devontae Booker has played very well as of late. Either way, the Raiders don’t have a good defense so whichever RB plays is a good start this weekend considering Saquon Barkley is a dominant rusher and Booker is an amazing pass-catcher.
Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco 49ers, Opponent: Arizona Cardinals
Mitchell is always limited because he is never involved in the passing game, but he is just so good in the run game to warrant a top 13 ranking at Running Back.
He is coming off of two almost 20 fantasy point performances in a row and you better believe he will be a huge part of the 49ers offensive scheme again this weekend. Start him. He could get a touchdown or two depending on how much he is used in the Red Zone.
Chubba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers, Opponent: New England Patriots
It is hard to produce a big fantasy performance type of game against this defense unless you are Austin Ekeler. However, Hubbard has been pretty good ever since his second start in place of Christian McCaffrey so he should be started this week, but with caution since he is going up against a dominant defense.
Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals, Opponent: Cleveland Browns
The Browns have a very good defense and even though Joe Mixon is having a great year, I would be surprised if he has a fantastic day against the Browns’ dominant defense. However, he has proven me wrong every week this season and if he does it again, I will have to rank him in the top 10 next week.
Boston Scott, Philadelphia Eagles, Opponent: Los Angeles Chargers
Scott, Jordan Howard, or Kenneth Gainwell? No one really knows what Nick Sirianni is going to do with these three Running Backs against the Chargers. However, after Scott’s 2 touchdown game last weekend against the Lions in only 3 quarters, I would assume he is the guy this weekend.
However, Howard had 2 touchdowns in a quarter and a half, so he could be due for some extra touches as well. Scott and the rest of the players on this list are way too inconsistent to start because of the inconsistencies in snap count.
Myles Gaskin, Miami Dolphins, Opponent: Houston Texans
I am not as confident about Gaskin as I was a couple of weeks ago. Although I predicted his monster game against the Falcons, I can’t say he is going to carve the Texans up unless Tua Tagovailoa gets him the ball in the passing game. If Tagovailoa does throw to Gaskin then he could have a big game. However, nothing is guaranteed.
Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears, Opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
Herbert is the obvious lead back at the moment for the Bears, but the Steelers only gave up 61 rush yards to Nick Chubb, who was top 3 in yards per carry in the NFL entering the Browns’ game against the Steelers last weekend. Sit Herbert with confidence this week.
Zack Moss, Buffalo Bills, Opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
The Bills use both Moss and Devin Singletary as their RB’s, but Moss has the most touchdown potential. However, I can’t confidently start Moss this week.
Damien Harris, New England Patriots, Opponent: Carolina Panthers
Harris is the obvious lead back for the Pats, but the Panthers haven’t given up many rush yards to any RB all season long so don’t expect Harris to have a big day. Sit him with confidence, even after great performances the past three weeks.
Devonta Freeman, Baltimore Ravens, Opponent: Minnesota Vikings
Freeman wasn’t supposed to be the #1 guy for the Ravens’ backfield, but he is
(at least until last weekend when Le’Veon Bell out-snapped him), and when he gets the snaps, he gets a touchdown every week so far. Obviously, this could change, but if he is given the snap counts we’ve grown accustomed to seeing, Freeman is poised for a good day against the Vikings.
Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders, Opponent: New York Giants
The Giants don’t have a great defense but Josh Jacobs isn’t good. Plain and simple. Don’t play him.
Michael Carter, New York Jets, Opponent: Indianapolis Colts
Carter could lose some of the snap count to Tyler Johnson after his big day, but Carter has also been very consistent over the past 3 weeks. He is an obvious sit because you can’t trust anyone on the Jets, but he also could have a good day.
Darrel Williams, Kansas City Chiefs, Opponent: Green Bay Packers
The Chiefs don’t use Williams at all, and even though the Packers don’t have an elite defense, Williams won’t be used enough in the gameplay to warrant a start.
Chase Edmonds, Arizona Cardinals, Opponent: San Francisco 49ers
Edmonds is ranked low because he is facing the 49ers and their dominant defensive line. Kyler Murray will exploit the 49ers’ secondary issues, and I don’t think Edmonds will get downfield fast enough to be a part of the passing scheme exploiting the secondary on deep passes. However, he always could have a good game because of his pass-catching ability.