Top Fantasy RBs for Week 8
Here are the top Week 8 running backs, with usage and matchup details that drive their positioning in the Week 8 RB rankings.
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1. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
Jahmyr Gibbs
DETRB1on
Jahmyr Gibbs gave fantasy managers a scare with a missed practice on Wednesday. But he returned on Thursday, and we’ve seen no indication that his shoulder will limit him against the Vikings.
2. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
Bijan Robinson
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Bijan Robinson finished as RB17 in Week 7 with 20 carries for 63 yards and 5 catches for 59 yards. He ranks RB3 in points per game with a 65.8% carry share and a 16.7% target share (RB5). The Buccaneers have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to RBs, so this is a tough draw. His receiving role keeps him an elite RB1 regardless.
3. Kenneth Walker III, Kansas City Chiefs
Kenneth Walker III
KCRB3on
Kenneth Walker smoked Denver for 191 total yards and 2 TDs back in Week 1. The Broncos have remained more beatable on the ground than through the air since. They sit first in our pass-defense power rankings but 22nd in run defense. Expect a Walker-heavy game plan from the Chiefs in Sunday’s rematch.
4. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
Kyren Williams
LARRB4on
The Rams head toward Sunday as a 6.5-point favorite over the Chargers, who have been a slightly positive matchup for RB scoring so far. That should set Kyren Williams up with plenty of touch volume amid positive rushing game script. He has logged 18+ touches in four of the past five games.
5. James Cook, Buffalo Bills
James Cook
BUFRB5on
James Cook should return refreshed after the bye, especially following a stretch of 22+ carries in four of five games. Baltimore ranks third in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs, making this one of his tougher matchups. But don’t overlook the scoring environment. The Bills enter as home favorites with a 28.75-point implied total, giving Cook a strong chance to add to his 6 TDs.
6. Javonte Williams, Dallas Cowboys
Javonte Williams
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Javonte Williams became the first RB to finish as an RB1 without a target this season. He set season highs in both volume and efficiency with 25 carries and 6.2 yards per carry. Williams ranks as the RB8 on the season with 18.6 PPR points per game and projects for another RB1 finish in Week 8 against a Cardinals defense that’s allowed the most total points.
7. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
Derrick Henry
BALRB7on
Derrick Henry has seen 23+ carries in Baltimore’s four wins and 17 or 16 in the three losses. His efficiency has also lagged, with four of the past five games including 3.4 yards per carry or less. Buffalo’s soft run defense (fourth-friendliest to RB scoring) should help this week, as should the return of QB Lamar Jackson.
8. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
Chase Brown
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Chase Brown
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Chase Brown regained his backfield lead over Samaje Perine last time out, garnering 75.5% of the snaps and running a route on 58.8% of Joe Burrow’s dropbacks. That didn’t translate to much production against the Ravens, which might keep him vulnerable. But a far more favorable matchup with a Titans D that just traded away its best player — DT Jeffery Simmons — should set Brown up for more success in Week 8.
9. Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bucky Irving
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Irving finished as RB2 in Week 7 with 24 carries for 106 yards and 2 TDs. He averages 17.1 carries per game (RB8) in an offense running at the seventh-highest rate. The Falcons have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to RBs (23.4 per game), and the Buccaneers are 2.5-point favorites. Irving is an RB1 this week.
10. Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
Played Thursday night
11. Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
Ashton Jeanty
LVRRB11on
Ashton Jeanty continues to struggle on the ground but keeps scoring fantasy points. He’s finished as a top-18 PPR RB in two straight and five of seven games overall, thanks largely to his 6.3 targets and 4.9 catches per game. Next up is a Jets defense that ranks 22nd in RB coverage DVOA and notably allowed a 7-65-1 receiving line to Jahmyr Gibbs back in Week 3.
12. D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
D’Andre Swift
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D’Andre Swift ranks as the RB10 this season with a career-high 17.5 PPR points per game. While his 48.5% carry share and 11.2% target share both rank outside of the top 20 RBs, he’s one of just nine RBs averaging at least 1 TD per game. But playing against a Seahawks defense that’s allowing the fourth-fewest rushing TDs and sixth-fewest passing TDs, Swift projects as a fringe RB1.
13. Bhayshul Tuten, Jacksonville Jaguars
Bhayshul Tuten
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Bhayshul Tuten comes off his most difficult rushing matchup of the season to face what might be his easiest. The Colts already looked soft on D before trading away veteran DT DeForest Buckner this week. Combine that with Jacksonville arriving as a 10-point favorite, and you should have strongly favorable rushing conditions for the Jags’ lead back.
14. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
Jonathan Taylor
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Jonathan Taylor lost his best blocker when the Colts traded G Quenton Nelson to the Seahawks earlier this week. Now his team heads into a matchup with Jacksonville’s league-best run defense (by DVOA) as a 10-point underdog. We’re still expecting plenty of touch volume for Taylor, who has yet to finish a game with fewer than 18 touches this season. But it could be a rough outing.
15. Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
Jaylen Warren
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Warren finished as RB19 in Week 7 with 18 carries for 101 yards and 3 catches for 36 yards. His role is secure with a 68.0% carry share (RB9) and 4.9 targets per game (RB7). The Browns have allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points to RBs, but they were torched last week by Tony Pollard, who had 129 rushing yards and 3 TDs. The Steelers being 3.5-point favorites should help. Warren is a solid RB2.
16. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers
Played Thursday night
17. Breece Hall, New York Jets
Breece Hall
NYJRB17on
Breece Hall is seemingly on track to return from the quad injury that cost him the last four games. He was getting strong usage before going down, averaging 17.0 carries and 3.3 targets over the first three weeks. Don’t expect that much volume in his first game back, especially with RB Braelon Allen running well. But the matchup against the Raiders’ 25th-ranked RB defense should put Hall in most starting lineups.
18. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
Rhamondre Stevenson
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Rhamondre Stevenson has operated as New England’s lead back for three straight weeks. Last week, that included a 43% carry share and a surprising 17% target share, which helped him produce a career-high 93 receiving yards. He’s an RB2 option against one of the league’s worst defenses in Miami.
19. Rachaad White, Washington Commanders
Rachaad White
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Rachaad White drew a season-high 43.8% carry share with fellow RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt being placed on IR with a groin injury. His 14.3% target share ranked seventh among Week 6 RBs and combined with the carry share to position him as the clear lead back for the Commanders. White projects as an RB2 facing an Eagles defense reducing RB points by 8.1%.
20. Ollie Gordon, Miami Dolphins
Ollie Gordon II
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Ollie Gordon has emerged as Miami’s clear lead back, commanding a 63% carry share over his past three games. Still, his limited receiving production raises concerns. He’s totaled only 14 receiving yards in three outings without De’Von Achane, making his four-game TD streak especially important. A negative matchup with New England further solidifies Gordon as an RB2.
21. Jeremiyah Love, Arizona Cardinals
Jeremiyah Love
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Jeremiyah Love returns from the ankle injury that cost him the past two games. Before tweaking his ankle, Love posted 21.9 PPR points in Week 3, trailing only RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson. With two extra weeks to heal, Love projects as an RB2 against a Cowboys defense boosting RB points more than any other defense.
22. Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans
Tony Pollard
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We all know Tony Pollard’s not likely to come close to last week’s explosion again. This week could swing him way back in the other direction, though. Cincinnati arrives as the No. 7 run defense by DVOA and a 12.5-point favorite, which points to game script likely to sap Tennessee’s rushing volume.
23. Quinshon Judkins, Cleveland Browns
Quinshon Judkins
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Quinshon Judkins finished as RB3 in Week 7 with 17 carries for 96 yards and 2 TDs. He holds a 60.4% carry share and averages 15.0 carries per game (RB17), though he’s scored 1.3 fewer points per game than expected. The Steelers have allowed the 22nd-most fantasy points to RBs. The Browns’ 18.0-point implied total caps his TD upside, making him a low-end RB2.
24. Blake Corum, Los Angeles Rams
Blake Corum
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Blake Corum has so far seen just a 21.0% share of expected fantasy points for the Rams backfield when the team’s trailing, compared with 40.6% when they’re leading or tied. That presents upside in a matchup with the Chargers that finds the Rams favored by 6.5. He still falls short of being a “safe” bet for touches, though. The Rams entered Week 6 as heavier favorites over the Cardinals before losing that game 18-16.
25. Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings
Jordan Mason
MINRB26on
Jordan Mason’s Week 7 return included 15 carries to match his Week 1 total. That’s an OK level, though he’d be better off if Aaron Jones’ knee forces the veteran out of this game at some point. There’s potential for a lightened Jones workload after he aggravated the knee injury last week. Mason’s total lack of receiving adds risk to his profile, though.
26. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
Saquon Barkley
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Saquon Barkley returned from a hamstring injury that kept him out for the previous two weeks. Unfortunately, he played limited snaps before leaving with a back injury on his final snap in the third quarter. Barkley is considered iffy at best for Week 8, but if he goes, he holds a fringe RB2 projection against a Commanders defense allowing the seventh-fewest points to RBs.
27. Rico Dowdle, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rico Dowdle
PITRB27on
Dowdle finished as RB21 in Week 7, catching all 6 targets for 45 yards with 9 carries for 41 yards. He holds just a 34.4% carry share behind Jaylen Warren, but his 4.3 targets per game (RB13) give him PPR value. The Browns have allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points to RBs, but Tony Pollard just torched them last week for 129 rushing yards and 3 TDs. Dowdle is an RB3/flex in PPR leagues.
28. Braelon Allen, New York Jets
Braelon Allen
NYJRB28on
Breece Hall is seemingly on track to return for Week 8. He figures to resume lead duties, but Allen might have earned a bigger role with his strong play over the last few weeks. Add an excellent matchup against the Raiders’ 25th-ranked RB defense, and Allen remains in play as a RB3 or flex this week.
29. Jonah Coleman, Denver Broncos
Jonah Coleman
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Jonah Coleman
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Jonah Coleman returned from his high-ankle sprain last week and immediately led Denver’s backfield in snaps, routes, and carries. But it was still a three-man committee, with RJ Harvey stealing targets and J.K. Dobbins getting the team’s only carry inside the 5-yard line. With his volume still questionable and Kansas City’s 13th-ranked RB defense up next, Coleman is only a RB3 or flex play.
30. Emanuel Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
Emanuel Wilson
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Emanuel Wilson handled 24 rush attempts for a season-high 100 yards and a TD while adding another 15 yards on a reception for 18.5 PPR points last week. He’s now met with RB Zach Charbonnet practicing in full and RB Jadarian Price returning from IR, leaving his grasp on this backfield murky at best. Wilson projects as an RB3 against a Bears defense allowing the sixth-fewest points to RBs.
31. Omarion Hampton, Los Angeles Chargers
Omarion Hampton
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We’ll see what the Chargers’ backfield looks like coming out of the bye, but Omarion Hampton logged season lows in carries (7) and rushing yards (18) his last time out, while managing a season-low 39 total yards for the second straight game. We’ll start his post-bye section still not believing in the former second-round fantasy pick.
32. RJ Harvey, Denver Broncos
After racking up 21 targets over his first 3 games, Harvey has just 7 over his last 3. He also hit season lows last week in snap rate (26.2%) and route rate (25.7%) as Jonah Coleman turned this into a 3-man backfield. RJ Harvey gets a plus pass-catching matchup Sunday against the Chiefs, who rank 27th in RB coverage DVOA. But don’t treat him as more than a RB3 or flex play.
33. Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings
Aaron Jones
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Jones took a positive step Thursday, returning to a limited practice after missing Wednesday’s session with a knee injury. We expect him to play against a Detroit defense that sits 22nd in run defense DVOA. But even with the favorable matchup, Jordan Mason’s involvement keeps Jones in flex territory.
34. Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers
Kimani Vidal
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Kimani Vidal set season highs with 4 targets, 3 catches, 19 receiving yards, and 10 touches his last time out. That marked his fourth straight touch increase. We’ll see if anything changes coming out of the bye, but there’s some deep PPR appeal if you’re in need.
35. Keaton Mitchell, Los Angeles Chargers
Keaton Mitchell
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Keaton Mitchell fell from three straight games of 3+ catches and 9+ touches to just 1 target and a season-low 2 touches his last time out. The Chargers’ backfield remains highly variable, so we’ll see what it looks like coming out of the Week 7 bye.
36. Chris Rodriguez, Jacksonville Jaguars
Chris Rodriguez
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Chris Rodriguez’s mere one game of double-digit carries to date doesn’t point to much Week 8 upside. But it came the last time we saw him — before the Week 7 bye — and this week’s matchup boosts the whole team’s rushing outlook. The Colts arrive as 10-point underdogs and just sold the top D-lineman (DeForest Buckner) from an already weak run D. There’s volume upside for the Jacksonville backfield in this one, and TD upside for Rodriguez. He’s an intriguing deep option, especially in non-PPR formats.
37. TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots
TreVeyon Henderson
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The Miami matchup is nice; they sit 23rd in run defense DVOA and 30th in adjusted fantasy points allowed. But TreVeyon Henderson is tough to trust after games of 4, 7, and 3 carries over his past three outings. New England’s desire to mix in a third RB — Corey Kiner — only adds to the downside risk here.
38. Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks
Zach Charbonnet
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Zach Charbonnet put in a full week of practice before being ruled out for Week 7, which puts him on track to return in Week 8. He returns to a Seahawks backfield led by RB Emanuel Wilson’s 54.7% carry share, while RB Jadarian Price was just activated from IR. Charbonnet projects as a fringe RB3 against a Bears defense reducing RB points by 6.9%.
39. Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns
Dylan Sampson
CLERB39on
Sampson finished as RB28 in his season debut in Week 7, turning 6 carries into 45 yards and catching three passes for 32 yards. He took a 20.7% carry share behind Quinshon Judkins. The Steelers have allowed the 22nd-most fantasy points to RBs. Sampson is an RB4 until his role grows.
40. J.K. Dobbins, Denver Broncos
J.K. Dobbins
DENRB40on
J.K. Dobbins was out-carried 9-6 by Jonah Coleman last week and didn’t draw a target. His 23.0% snap rate and 5.7% route rate were both season lows. Dobbins mustered just 36 total yards in a bigger role against the Chiefs back in Week 1. He’d be a weak fantasy start in Sunday’s rematch.
41. Tyler Allgeier, Arizona Cardinals
Tyler Allgeier
ARIRB41on
Tyler Allgeier produced 6.9 PPR points per game alongside fellow RB Jeremiyah Love through the first five weeks, before producing 6.9 PPR points per game over the past two weeks that Love missed. He’s accounting for a 29.4% carry share with Love playing, which leaves him projected as an RB4 facing a Cowboys defense allowing the eighth-most points to RBs.
42. Justice Hill, Baltimore Ravens
Justice Hill
BALRB43on
Justice Hill has hit 2+ catches in four straight games, but he’s simply not seeing enough rushing volume to be a useful fantasy option. He’s totaled only 8 carries over the past month. Even against a struggling Buffalo defense, Hill should remain out of lineups.
43. Elijah Mitchell, Philadelphia Eagles
Elijah Mitchell
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Elijah Mitchell was left as the Eagles last RB in Week 7 after they lost both RBs Saquon Barkley and Dameon Pierce to injuries against the Cowboys. Pierce was placed on IR ahead of Week 8 while Barkley has sat out of practice and appears iffy at best, leaving Mitchell as the possible Eagles RB1. He projects as an RB4 with Barkley still input to play against the Commanders.
44. Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals
Samaje Perine
CINRB44on
Samaje Perine fell from a season-high 16 touches before the Week 6 bye to just 4 touches (no targets) last time out. He remains merely a handcuff-level asset … unless the Bengals show us they were disappointed in Chase Brown’s lackluster Week 7 production vs. Baltimore.
45. Mike Washington, Las Vegas Raiders
Mike Washington Jr.
LVRRB45on
Mike Washington continues to look like the Raiders’ best runner, but he hasn’t reached 10 carries in a game this season and has totaled just 6 targets. He’s a weak fantasy bet unless and until that volume grows.
46. Kenneth Gainwell, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Kenneth Gainwell
TBRB46on
Kenneth Gainwell had 14 carries for 88 yards in Week 7, finishing as RB35 with the team limiting Baker Mayfield’s passing due to his thumb injury and having a large lead. On the season, he holds just a 16.1% carry share (RB63 of 67) behind Bucky Irving. The Falcons have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to RBs, but the volume is unlikely to repeat. Gainwell is a deep-league RB4.
47. Roschon Johnson, Chicago Bears
Roschon Johnson
CHIRB47on
Roschon Johnson is expected to step into the Bears’ RB2 role again with RB Kyle Monangai likely out for a fourth-straight week. Johnson’s season-high 14.5 PPR points, good for RB14 in Week 6, came against a Falcons defense allowing the fifth-most points to RBs. Facing a Seahawks defense reducing RB points by 10.8%, he projects as a fringe RB4.
48. Ty Johnson, Buffalo Bills
Ty Johnson
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Ty Johnson’s unlikely to help your fantasy lineup, but he did hit 4 catches against the Chargers and Rams; the first a game in which Buffalo fell behind, the latter a tight battle that went to OT and found WR D.J. Moore inactive. The best hope for Johnson’s Week 8 outlook would be Baltimore jumping out to a lead with Lamar Jackson’s return.
49. George Holani, Seattle Seahawks
George Holani
SEARB49on
George Holani’s outlook is a bit at the mercy of how Seattle’s various RB questions sort out. He collected just 11 total touches over the past two games, though, so there’s not a scenario that makes him attractive.
50. Jeremy McNichols, Washington Commanders
Jeremy McNichols
WASRB50on
Jeremy McNichols got his first offensive action of the season before the Week 7 bye, in the first game after Jacory Croskey-Merritt landed on IR. That amounted to just 5 carries, though, with no targets.
Time to Set Your Lineup
Before you check your Team Dashboard, check out the start-sit recommendations Jared and Matt deliver in this Week 8 preview video.