Ed Williams
At this point in the season, it’s quite clear which running backs are the every-week starters in fantasy football. Guys like Joe Mixon, Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley, and Derrick Henry have been carrying teams to victories throughout the season. If you have any of these players on your roster, you’re likely quite happy with how they’ve been performing.
However, not everyone is lucky enough to roster a stud who’s going to deliver them 15-20 points nearly every week. Some people have to decide if they want to start Rico Dowdle or Najee Harris each week. If that sounds like your team, hang in there and keep trudging along.
Regardless of which end of the spectrum you fall on, it’s important to evaluate your running back’s outlook each and every week. With the Sporting News’ running back rankings, you should know exactly how your team’s running backs stack up with the rest.
WEEK 13 FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/ST | Kickers
Rankings based on PPR scoring. These rankings will be updated throughout the week, so check back often.
Despite the Texans putting up 27 points in a surprising loss to the Titans, Joe Mixon was only able to muster 22 yards on the ground. He did add five receptions for 23 yards as well. The one positive to take away from the game, though, is that Mixon was the only running back to touch the ball for the Texans. He’s a true bell cow back, and this week’s matchup against the Jags is the perfect bounce-back scenario. The Jags give up the second-most points to running backs, so look for Mixon to feast in Jacksonville.
The Jets are definitely a team that’s reeling, but they’re giving up the 10th-fewest points to the running back position. That being said, Kenneth Walker is the engine that makes the Seattle offense go. Walker has become a much bigger part of the passing game this year, which has taken his fantasy production to another level. It also gives his managers a little protection for those games in which they’re just not moving the ball via the run. And as mentioned earlier, the Jets are a mess right now, and there’s a chance the team just doesn’t show up this week.
Jonathan Taylor struggled against the Lions in Week 12 against the Lions, but his matchup this week against the Pats should be much more favorable. He only had 11 carries in the loss against the Lions, but he had a combined 45 carries the two weeks before that. If he can get closer to the 20 touches, which should be doable as they’re likely to be in a positive game script, then Taylor could have a splash week, which his fantasy managers have been waiting for.
There aren’t any teams on bye in Week 13, with three games taking place on Thanksgiving on Thursday, Nov. 28. The Broncos, Colts, Patriots, Commanders, Ravens, and Texans will be on bye in Week 14.
It is slim pickings on the waiver wire at this stage of the season, especially at the running back position. With both Alexander Mattison and Zamir White inactive on Sunday, Ameer Abdullah go the start for Las Vegas against the Broncos. It was a committee-approach with Abdullah, Dylan Laube, and Sincere McCormick, but Abdullah appears to be the leader of the committee and is also the preferred option in the passing game. If White and Mattison both have to sit again, Abdullah should have a big role against the Chiefs.
D’Andre Swift is the still the lead back in Chicago, but Roschon Johnson has been eating away at the goal line opportunities. While Johnson does have some minimal standalone value when facing weaker defenses, this would be more of a stash in case Swift has to miss any time later this season. He was questionable with a groin injury coming into this one, but was able to play through it.
MORE: FULL LIST OF WEEK 13 WAIVER WIRE RECOMMENDATIONS
Nick Chubb still hasn’t had a monster yardage game since returning from his devastating knee injury, but he did score two touchdowns on Thursday Night Football against the Steelers. The Browns have the Broncos up next, and the best way to attack Denver’s defense is on the ground. While Jarome Ford gets involved at times, Chubb handled 20 carries against Pittsburgh in Week 12. Look for him to see plenty of volume against the Broncos.
Bucky Irving has proven he’s the most electric runner in the Tampa Bay backfield, but Rachaad White continues to see plenty of carries. He’s also typically very involved in the passing game. Mike Evans did return in Week 12, which could be a reason why White only had one reception. Irving hauled in six catches, so the backs were still getting plenty of targets – they were just all going to Irving in this one, and that was likely more of a fluke than by design. The Panthers give up the most points to running backs in the entire league, so there should be plenty of touches for both Irving and White in this one.
As mentioned earlier, Alexander Mattison (ankle) and Zamir White (quad) both had to sit this week. They didn’t get in any practice all week and were listed as doubtful by Friday. Given that scenario, we’ve left them unranked for now. Check back often for updates on this situation, though.
All indications were that Isiah Pacheco was on track to make his return from a broken leg in Week 12, but he ended up inactive, giving Kareem Hunt another game as the Chiefs’ bell cow back. There’s a good chance that Pacheco does come back this week against the Raiders, but without any concrete news, we’re leaving him unranked.
Austin Ekeler and Brian Robinson both suffered injuries in a surprising loss to the Cowboys. Robinson went down in the first play of the game in what looked to be an ugly leg injury, but he did return to the game. While he did return, he didn’t see any carries in the second half, though, so it’s possible this injury could cause him to miss some time. And Ekeler went down with just 10 seconds left in the game after a brutal hit on a kickoff return. He suffered a concussion on the play, so he’s now in protocol. If neither can go, then look for Jeremy McNichols to see plenty of carries.
Ed Williams is a Fantasy Sports Editor at The Sporting News. A two-time Sports Emmy Award winner, he brings two decades of experience in sports media including a 16-year run at NBC Sports/Rotoworld, most recently as the Sr. Director of Content for Fantasy Sports and Sports Betting. He is also the founder of Macklyn Sports Media Consulting.
