Week 8 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings: Biggest Risers, Fallers & Sneaky Starts (Ep. 2299)

Ranked 35 in ECR as a flex RB3 option this week.

Has played well over the last two games and is expected to remain involved in the Cardinals offense even when Jeremiah Love returns. The team has an 'obsession' with using Knight on third downs, limiting Love's passing-game role.

Blake Corum is mentioned as a handcuff running back that fantasy managers should pseudo-consider rostering this season, part of the broader trend of needing to carry more handcuff running backs in 2024 than in previous years.

Braylon Allen has played extremely well during Breece Hall's four-game quad injury absence. Against the Raiders' league-worst run defense, Allen should still get a decent chunk of touches even with Hall's return. The source notes that the Jets have talked about a 'hot hand' approach, meaning if Allen gets going early, they may continue to feature him. Both Hall and Allen have decent upside this week, though capped ceilings due to shared volume.

Ranked 25 in ECR as a flex RB3 option this week.

Breece Hall returns against the Las Vegas Raiders, who allow the most rushing yards per game to opposing running backs. Last week, both Blake Corum and Kyron Williams smashed against the Raiders. The source expects the Jets to feature both Hall and Braylon Allen given how well Allen has played, and both running backs should thrive in this matchup.

The Jets have been adamant that Breece Hall is their workhorse bell cow starter returning from his quad injury. Coaches have explicitly stated Hall is their starter and Braylon Allen will get his touches, but Hall is the primary back. The source expects Hall to return to his incumbent starter role despite Allen's strong play during Hall's four-game absence.

Robinson is identified as one of the few clean, essential handcuffs in the league; if the starter in front of him goes down, he will play approximately 80 percent of snaps and get most of the running back touches, making him hugely valuable and worth acquiring even before Thanksgiving.

Brian Robinson is cited as an example of a handcuff running back that fantasy managers have needed to roster this season. The source suggests that 2024 has required more handcuff holdings than typical years, with Robinson being one of the key names in that category alongside Kalen Black and Blake Corum.

Chase Brown faces the Tennessee Titans defense, which has given up the seventh most rushing yards to running backs. The Bengals are a high-powered offense playing at home as a double-digit favorite. The Titans were just run over by the Cleveland Browns rushing attack, suggesting the matchup is favorable for Brown.

Chase Brown regained his typical snap share split after the bye week, returning to a 70-30 split with Samajie P. Ryan (compared to a 50-50 split the previous week). He out-touched P. Ryan 15-4 last week and remains involved as a receiver out of the backfield. The source notes that while Brown leads running backs in fantasy points scored under expectation through the first seven weeks, he also led that category last year through week seven and finished the season very strong.

Chase Brown is averaging 2.7 yards per carry over his last three games and has not gotten to 40 rushing yards in a game since week three. The source worries that Samajie P. Ryan will continue to horn in on Brown's territory because the Bengals like what P. Ryan gives them in the running game when they're in shotgun, and Joe Burrow prefers shotgun formation. The Bengals have scrapped their plans to be under center more because Burrow is more comfortable in shotgun.

Recommended as a deep play outside the top 36 of ECR against the Colts defense, which just traded away one defensive lineman and may trade away another. Rodriguez is coming off a season-high 55 rushing yards on 11 carries and 'looked pretty good' in his last appearance for the Jaguars. The Colts defense is not good, and Rodriguez could find his way into the end zone in short-yardage situations.

Christian McCaffrey is out this week due to injury (initially reported as thigh, now hamstring). The source expresses concern about his status post-bye week, noting that a Wednesday DNP designation would signal a problematic recovery timeline. McCaffrey owners should prioritize securing a handcuff like Kalen Black before waivers to mitigate risk.

Chuba Hubbard is ranked ninth in the week eight running back rankings on the FantasyPros consensus board.

Hubbard is positioned for a bounce-back spot against Green Bay; Carolina is 7-0 against the spread on the road after a loss, and the Packers tend to be overrated at home when heavy favorites by more than a field goal. Hubbard has shown he's up for the task and continues to operate at a really high level as a full-blown bell cow, three-down skill set; he looks way more explosive than he did last year and has passed the eye test.

Kiner is identified as a potential backup option who might see work if Ramondre Stevenson gets injured, meaning he is not a clean handcuff and would share carries with Trevion Henderson.

The source characterizes Daniel Jones as playing 'the worst football of his career' and 'arguably the worst quarterback in the NFL right now' in terms of efficiency and performance under pressure, particularly following his Achilles injury recovery. This poor quarterback play negatively impacts Jonathan Taylor's fantasy outlook, as the Colts' offensive struggles limit run-game effectiveness.

Ranked 28 in ECR but the source has him at 24 (Fitzmaurice) and 22 (Erickson), viewing him as an RB2 this week. Despite averaging only 3.6 yards per carry this season, Wilson had 24 carries for 100 yards and a touchdown against the Chiefs last week and now faces a Bears run defense ranked 26th in DVOA. The source prefers to wait on Wilson in a Monday night game against a favorable matchup rather than start other flex options, citing his ability to get 20+ carries and his upside in the second half when the team 'rides him.'

Part of Denver's three-headed committee with Jonah Coleman and RJ Harvey. Last week, Dobbins had eight carries to Coleman's nine carries and did not touch the ball in the fourth quarter as the team wanted to see more of Coleman in cleanup duty. Averaging 3.4 yards per carry, Dobbins is less efficient than Coleman and is being phased out in favor of the younger back. Against Kansas City's strong run defense, Dobbins is viewed as a touchdown-dependent play with limited upside.

Eligible to come off injured reserve this week for week eight. The Seahawks head coach Mike McDonald was coy about whether Price and Charbonnet could play, saying 'yes' to both possibilities but also 'yeah' to the scenario where neither plays. This uncertainty limits clarity on his role and fantasy relevance.

Lost to a season-ending injury; was the number three receiver for the Cardinals. This loss reduces the passing game depth and may force the Cardinals to lean more on the run game, potentially benefiting Jeremiah Love.

James Cook is ranked sixth in the week eight running back rankings on the FantasyPros consensus board, completing the top six tier.

Javante Williams is ranked seventh in the week eight running back rankings on the FantasyPros consensus board.

May not play for the Broncos; if he is out, targets from the offense would need to be distributed among other pass catchers like Cortland Sutton and Evan Ingram, or funneled to running back dump-offs for the trio of running backs (Jonah Coleman, J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey).

Jalen Warren is ranked tenth in the week eight running back rankings on the FantasyPros consensus board.

Drafted as a handcuff with upside potential, Wright was the RB2 to start the season but got injured and lost the job to Ali Gordon; the investment in holding him has amounted to nothing.

Ranked 33 in ECR but Fitzmaurice has him as a top-20 RB (18th) this week against Dallas, assuming he is active. Love was the number three overall pick for a reason and is 'good at football.' The Cardinals are mid-pack in pass rate over expected (13th), and with the loss of Jalen Brooks to a season-ending injury, they may lean more on the run game. The Cowboys give up the eighth-most fantasy points per game to running backs and are 23rd in EPA per play against the run and 27th in DVOA against the run. Saquon Barkley had only 62 rushing yards on seven carries against Dallas last week.

Ankle injury is a concern; Deepak Chona indicated he did not expect Love to return until week nine. Even if suited up for week eight, his health status is uncertain. The team has been taking him out of games in the second half to monitor his ankle, and if the Cowboys get up big, Love may be rested. Additionally, the Cardinals do not use him in passing situations as much as they should, and Bam Knight has played well over the last two games, so Love's role may remain limited even upon return.

The source emphasizes aggressive waiver wire pursuit of Jonah Coleman despite a crowded backfield with multiple competing running backs. Coleman is characterized as the only immediately playable running back available on waivers this week and warrants priority acquisition given the scarcity of viable running back options outside the top 24.

Jonah Coleman was expected preseason to become viable around week eight, and that projection proved absolutely correct; the source notes it took a couple turns and weaving before getting there, but the timeline and emergence materialized as anticipated.

Ranked 29 in ECR but the source has him at 27-28, viewing him as the lead back in Denver's committee. However, the matchup against Kansas City is poor; the Chiefs allow the second-fewest rushing yards per game to opposing running backs. Sean Payton said they need to 'get more touches for Jonah Coleman,' but the source is skeptical, comparing this to past instances where Payton made similar statements about other backs (Audrick Estime) that did not pan out. Coleman has been efficient (4.9 yards per carry, 52.7% rushing success rate, 23.5% of runs for 10+ yards), but in a three-headed committee with J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey, he may not return top-10 or top-20 production.

The source ranks Jonathan Taylor at ECR 8 (Fitzy at 7), but Erickson has him at RB16—a significant 9-spot drop that the source notes is unusually large for a top-10 ECR running back. The source describes this as 'not a great spot' with 'squirrely names' ranked ahead of him, indicating low confidence in Taylor's week-to-week production despite his RB1 status.

Jonathan Taylor is ranked eighth in the week eight running back rankings on the FantasyPros consensus board; the source notes this represents a significant difference from previous rankings and suggests there is a storyline to piece together regarding his ranking movement.

The source expresses concern about Jonathan Taylor's role and offensive circumstances; the Colts' offensive line has deteriorated further after trading away Quentin Nelson, one of their best offensive guards. Additionally, the source notes uncertainty around Taylor's future with the team, citing trade rumors and the increased involvement of Seth McGowan, a 25-year-old rookie running back, in recent games. The source questions why McGowan would receive increased role opportunities if Taylor were not potentially being shopped, suggesting the timing of McGowan's elevated usage coincides with trade speculation.

The source ranks Jonathan Taylor at RB16 this week due to a difficult matchup against Jacksonville, who rank #1 in the NFL allowing just 51.5 rushing yards per game; the next-closest team allows 73 yards. Over the last two seasons, only Jonathan Taylor has rushed for 70+ yards against Jacksonville. Last year in two matchups against the Jaguars' elite run defense, Taylor was RB12 and RB20, placing him in a tough spot despite his historical ability to produce against them.

Drafted as the handcuff to McCaffrey with expected upside, Jordan James got injured and lost the job to Kalen Black, rendering the handcuff investment worthless.

Jordan Mason is the RB1 in the Vikings offense. Aaron Jones has not played a full game this year without leaving with a knee injury, and the source questions why the Vikings continue to trot him out when he's not 100% healthy, especially with Mason back in the lineup. Last week, Mason drew the majority of opportunities with a 64% snap share and 65% of running back opportunities; he had 15 carries for 68 yards with two targets (though both were air-mailed by Kyler Murray).

Jordan Mason faces the Detroit Lions, who are bottom-10 in EPA per rush defense. While the Lions have been better against running backs than pass catchers this season, that's because teams have elected to throw all over Detroit, not because their run defense is elite. The matchup is favorable for Mason's workload projection.

Jordan Mason is non-existent as a pass catcher. Last week he received two targets but Kyler Murray missed him on both throws. Mason will not contribute in the passing game, which limits his ceiling in PPR formats.

While the Lions' overall run defense ranks bottom-10 in EPA per rush, they are much better against the run at home, giving up only 69.7 rushing yards per game at home. This is a different beast than their road performance, which tempers the matchup quality for Mason.

Josh Jacobs is ranked twelfth in the week eight running back rankings on the FantasyPros consensus board.

Kenneth Walker is ranked third in the week eight running back rankings on the FantasyPros consensus board.

Kyron Williams is ranked fourth in the week eight running back rankings on the FantasyPros consensus board, part of the top six tier.

Recommended as a deep play for the Raiders if desperate. Washington has been effective with 4.9 yards per carry, whereas Ashton Gentry has not been effective as a runner. Gentry's ankle injury is clearly affecting him over the last three weeks, so the Raiders may start to get Washington more involved in the running game on early downs.

Stevenson is the starter in a backfield where Trevion Henderson serves as the primary handcuff, though Corey Kiner might also see work if Stevenson were to get injured.

Ranked in the flex RB3 range (27 in ECR). The source notes he is one spot ahead of Emmanuel Wilson but prefers to wait on Wilson for the Monday night game against the Bears rather than start Dowdle.

Ranked 30 in ECR but the source views him as a manageable flex option, particularly if Jalen Waddle does not play for the Broncos. Harvey gets involved in the red zone and catches passes; if Denver is chasing points, he could see more involvement in the passing game. However, he is less efficient than Jonah Coleman (3.6 yards per carry) and is part of a three-headed committee.

Not fully healthy; had only 62 rushing yards on seven carries against Dallas last week, indicating limited effectiveness and potential continued health concerns.

The source highlights Seth McGowan's increased role in recent games, particularly noting his most involved usage of the entire season in the game against the Vikings. The source speculates that McGowan's elevated role may be connected to trade rumors surrounding Jonathan Taylor, suggesting the Colts are testing McGowan's capabilities as a potential replacement or trade asset.

Henderson has transitioned from a starter role to a handcuff role; he is no longer a starter and should not be ranked as such unless buys are involved. If Ramondre Stevenson goes down, Henderson would be the primary backup, though Corey Kiner might also see work.

Activated from IR last week but did not play, likely due to a three-week window requirement. Even if he plays this week, he is not expected to see significant snaps; the source notes he is nine months removed from a torn ACL and the team is 'spoon feeding him back into the lineup' rather than going 'full go.' This limits his fantasy upside against the Bears.