Christian McCaffrey makes his return for a short-handed 49ers offense, Alvin Kamara looks to follow up a career outing, and Tyrone Tracy travels to Germany in search of a spiked week.
Other positions: Quarterback | Receiver | Tight End/Kickers/Defense
Week 10 Running Backs
| 1 | Saquon Barkley | PHI | at DAL |
| 2 | Derrick Henry | BAL | vs CIN |
| 3 | Bijan Robinson | ATL | at NO |
| 4 | Kyren Williams | LAR | vs MIA |
| 5 | De’Von Achane | MIA | at LAR |
| 6 | Joe Mixon | HOU | vs DET |
| 7 | Breece Hall | NYJ | at ARI |
| 8 | Christian McCaffrey | SF | at TB |
| 9 | Alvin Kamara | NO | vs ATL |
| 10 | Jahmyr Gibbs | DET | at HOU |
| 11 | D’Andre Swift | CHI | vs NE |
| 12 | Tyrone Tracy Jr. | NYG | at CAR |
| 13 | James Cook | BUF | at IND |
| 14 | Aaron Jones | MIN | at JAC |
| 15 | Jonathan Taylor | IND | vs BUF |
| 16 | Chase Brown | CIN | at BAL |
| 17 | Kareem Hunt | KC | vs DEN |
| 18 | James Conner | ARI | vs NYJ |
| 19 | David Montgomery | DET | at HOU |
| 20 | J.K. Dobbins | LAC | vs TEN |
| 21 | Tony Pollard | TEN | at LAC |
| 22 | Najee Harris | PIT | at WAS |
| 23 | Rhamondre Stevenson | NE | at CHI |
| 24 | Chuba Hubbard | CAR | vs NYG |
| 25 | Rico Dowdle | DAL | vs PHI |
| 26 | Brian Robinson | WAS | vs PIT |
| 27 | Javonte Williams | DEN | at KC |
| 28 | Raheem Mostert | MIA | at LAR |
| 29 | Bucky Irving | TB | vs SF |
| 30 | Tank Bigsby | JAC | vs MIN |
| 31 | Jaylen Warren | PIT | at WAS |
| 32 | Rachaad White | TB | vs SF |
| 33 | Austin Ekeler | WAS | vs PIT |
| 34 | Tyler Allgeier | ATL | at NO |
| 35 | Ray Davis | BUF | at IND |
| 36 | Devin Singletary | NYG | at CAR |
| 37 | Travis Etienne Jr. | JAC | vs MIN |
| 38 | Braelon Allen | NYJ | at ARI |
| 39 | Justice Hill | BAL | vs CIN |
| 40 | Tyjae Spears | TEN | at LAC |
| 41 | Isaac Guerendo | SF | at TB |
| 42 | Audric Estime | DEN | at KC |
| 43 | Jonathon Brooks | CAR | vs NYG |
| 44 | Roschon Johnson | CHI | vs NE |
| 45 | Jaleel McLaughlin | DEN | at KC |
| 46 | Cam Akers | MIN | at JAC |
| 47 | Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | vs PHI |
| 48 | Trey Benson | ARI | vs NYJ |
| 49 | Jaylen Wright | MIA | at LAR |
| 50 | Khalil Herbert | CIN | at BAL |
| 51 | Kimani Vidal | LAC | vs TEN |
| 52 | Samaje Perine | KC | vs DEN |
| 53 | Antonio Gibson | NE | at CHI |
| 54 | Sean Tucker | TB | vs SF |
| 55 | Trey Sermon | IND | vs BUF |
| 56 | Blake Corum | LAR | vs MIA |
RB Notes: Top 10 in rushing yards per game, Bijan Robinson is second in raw running back receptions. The Saints are the latest in a string of soft defensive matchups. … Kyren Williams’ four-game low for touches is 21. Operating as a home favorite for a 50.5-totaled contest is a beautiful spot to be. … De’Von Achane has turned 36 touches into 268 yards from scrimmage in two games since Tua Tagovailoa’s return. That, to put it mildly, is more like it. Now he is greeted by a 50-plus total for a road game against the Rams’ soft run defense. With the Dolphins struggling to get anything going down-field, expect Achane’s short passing to remain a point of emphasis. … Pretty much the only thing working in the Texans’ offense right now, Joe Mixon is 5-for-5 in 100-yard performances in games he has played to completion. The Lions’ tough defense is going to test that with the Texans operating as home underdogs. Of course, they are only tough in a raw output sense. Per play, Detroit coughs up 4.8 yards per carry. That’s because teams can’t keep it close and stick with the run. That is C.J. Stroud’s Week 10 challenge.
We were hoping Davante Adams’ acquisition might improve the Jets’ overall offensive environment. It’s way too early to tell, but Breece Hall has posted his second- and third-highest rushing totals over the past two weeks. The Cardinals’ defense is not imposing on the ground. … You can never entirely know what to expect when a player returns mid-season, though we are positive the 49ers took things slow with Christian McCaffrey’s return. Even if CMC is “limited” to 12-15 touches, we know that’s more than enough for him to produce high-end RB1 returns. The Bucs are amongst the league’s least efficient run Ds. … Alvin Kamara’s 35 Week 9 touches were a new career high by three, while his 215 yards from scrimmage were a new personal best by 18. Even this version of the Saints should be able to keep things close enough for AK to clear 20 touches at home vs. a mediocre Falcons ground defense. … Jahmyr Gibbs keeps producing RB1 on returns on the “is awesome” principle. His moderate workloads will eventually lead to a rough fantasy day, but that’s not a bet worth placing on a player this good in an offense this dangerous.
Even in a down Week 9, D’Andre Swift reached 22 touches. He’s in a good rebound spot as a 6.5-point home favorite vs. the Patriots’ everything-funnel defense. … Tyrone Tracy’s biggest problem: Touchdowns are hard to come by in this offense because so are red-zone opportunities. At least on paper, 6.5-point underdog Carolina solves that problem for Week 10. No team surrenders more rushing yards or RB fantasy points. … James Cook is stuck between 50 and 60 percent of the Bills’ snaps, but there are worse places to be than north of 50 in an elite offense. With the Bills’ receiver corps beset by injury, Cook could be in for one of his bigger workloads in a while vs. the Colts’ bottom-barrel run defense. … The Vikings seem to be working in a new change-of-pace back in Cam Akers behind Aaron Jones, but that didn’t stop Jones from reaching 25 touches in Week 9. The Vikes probably want to take it easier on veteran Jones and his hamstrings, though even if they do, the Jags would still be a high-end RB2 spot even were Jones to take “just” 12-15 handles. … As for Akers, there aren’t enough reasons to yet get him into the top 40.
One game without Zack Moss (neck) equaled 32 touches for Chase Brown. The Bengals probably don’t want to do that again, as evidenced by Khalil Herbert’s trade acquisition. Be that as it may, the unquestioned lead back for the week’s highest-totaled game is a beautiful Thursday night spot for Brown. … Colts coach Shane Steichen was cagey when asked about Jonathan Taylor’s late Week 9 benching. Ultimately not a concern. The same is not true of Taylor’s efficiency with Joe Flacco under center. A far better Week 10 matchup — the Bills permit the second most RB fantasy points — should be beneficial for all involved. … Tyjae Spears (hamstring) continues to inch toward a return, while Titans coach Brian Callahan has talked of wanting to cool it on Tony Pollard‘s workloads (link). Will Levis’ (shoulder) long overdo return would be another concern. None of it is enough to leave productive and efficient Pollard out of the top 24. … Najee Harris has reached 100 yards rushing in three straight appearances for the first time in his career. That includes each of Russell Wilson’s first two starts. It’s a healthier overall offense heading into a matchup with a Commanders defense that is far more forgiving on the ground than through the air.
Chuba Hubbard probably has one more game on the RB2/3 borderline. Rookie Jonathon Brooks is making his NFL debut in Germany, but it would make more sense for the Panthers to ramp up his usage for real following their Week 11 bye week. … Rico Dowdle conclusively proved he deserved the Cowboys’ backfield to himself just in time for Dak Prescott to get hurt and wreck the entire offensive environment. Owner Jerry Jones will probably also use it as an excuse to reason an off-suspension veteran Ezekiel Elliott deserves a second 1B chance following Dalvin Cook’s flop. Dowdle does at least provide FLEX upside, if also downside. … The Broncos keep talking up bigger workloads for Audric Estime. I believe it will eventually happen. It’s also “believe it when you see it” territory, especially since a trail-mode road contest in Kansas City probably isn’t the most likely place for the Broncos to change their backfield guard. … Brian Robinson’s (hamstring) health questions have gotten pervasive enough that it’s a little difficult to trust him in the top 24. … Bucky Irving and Rachaad White continue to cannibalize each other’s fantasy work, but they are seeing enough touches to hang around the top 30 because of the sorry state of RB at this part of the board.
