Week 8 fantasy RB rankings: Evaluating stats, matchups for 20 best fantasy running backs this week

With Travis Etienne sidelined last week, Tank Bigsby erupted for 118 yards and 2 touchdowns. Etienne’s status for Week 8 is up in the air and Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Pederson already made it clear that Etienne is the leader in this backfield. For now, we’re projecting Bigsby playing into a timeshare against a Green Bay Packers run defense that has had some rough moments at times against running backs but is also a modest 14th in rushing yards allowed per game (114.6).

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Even in a blowout loss, Chuba Hubbard still helped fantasy football managers out with 52 rushing yards and a touchdown. Remarkably, considering the state of this Carolina Panthers offense, it was his lowest rushing total since Week 1 and just the second time he’s dipped under 50 yards this year. The Denver Broncos are allowing just 111.7 rushing yards per game, but we’ve learned to trust Hubbard either finding the end zone or chipping in 60-plus yards.

The Denver Broncos rushing offense finally broke free in Week 7, in large part thanks to Javonte Williams turning 14 carries into 88 yards (6.3 ypc) and 2 touchdowns. He now gets to face the worst run defense in football, with Carolina allowing the most rushing yards per game (162.1) and the most rushing touchdowns (13). Williams is a surefire RB2 this weekend.

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In his first game back from a concussion, De’Von Achane turned 15 carries into 77 rushing yards (5.13 ypc). Now, he gets Tua Tagovailoa back in this Miami Dolphins offense. Something to keep in mind, Achane had 7 receptions in each of Miami’s first two games with Tagovailoa under center. Plus, Arizona Cardinals’ opponents average 153 rushing yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry. Achane has a very high upside, but even his floor feels like safe RB2 production.

Najee Harris looks like a different running back in the last two games. The Pittsburgh Steelers ball carrier has eclipsed the 100-yard mark with 1 touchdown in each of his past two contests, averaging 4.9-plus yards per carry in both starts. Jaylen Warren will always be a constant presence in this backfield, getting 10-12 touches, but Harris can turn his 16-plus carries into 80-plus on Monday Night Football. Through seven games, the New York Giants have allowed 138.1 rushing yards per contest and an alarming 5.4 yards per carry average.

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One of the most beloved players in the NFL, David Montgomery’s streak of five consecutive games with a touchdown ended in Week 7 due to a minor injury. Jahmyr Gibbs made the most of his expanded workload and might have a small edge in the battle for touches. Fantasy managers still have to lock Montgomery in as a reliable RB2, even with the Tennessee Titans allowing the eighth-fewest rushing yards per game (105.5) this season.

While the emergence of Caleb Williams is rightfully generating all the headlines, D’Andre Swift is just as big of a part of the Chicago Bears’ improvements offensively. In three games before the bye, Swift averaged 4.76 yards per carry and averaged 85.7 rushing yards and 49 receiving yards per game. There’s a chance he could put up RB1 numbers, but we’ll pencil him in as a high-end RB2 this week.

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As bad as this Jacksonville Jaguars defense has been this season, it enters Week 8 surrendering the seventh-fewest rushing yards per game (102.6) and the eighth-lowest yards per carry average (4.2). The Green Bay Packers will win this game through the air, diminishing Jacobs’ ceiling quite a bit and lowering him in our fantasy RB rankings this week.

While the Kansas City Chiefs passing offense is lifeless right now, 29-year-old running back Kareem Hunt is turning back the clock for this ground game. Behind an outstanding Chiefs interior offensive line, Hunt now has consecutive games with 22-plus carries a touchdown and 78-plus rushing yards. He isn’t super efficient (3.67 ypc) with his touches, but the volume is what matters against a bad Las Vegas Raiders run defense (136.7 rush ypg, 4.8 ypc allowed) in Week 8.

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Against a top Minnesota Vikings run defense last week, Jahmyr Gibbs went off for 116 rushing yards (7.7 yards per carry) with two touchdowns. He’s also recorded 5-plus receiving yards with at least 3 receptions in every game this month. While the Tennessee Titans have one of the best run defenses in the league (105.5 rush ypg, 3.9 ypc allowed) Gibbs just proved he can overcome bad matchups.

The emergence of Ray Davis has certainly taken James Cook down a tier among the best fantasy running backs. It also doesn’t help that he averaged just 2.7 yards per carry in Week 7 and didn’t see a single target from Josh Allen. While there are long-term concerns here, we trust the Bills to go after a Seattle Seahawks run defense that has allowed 7 touchdowns, 5.0 yards per carry and 146.1 rushing yards per game this season. If Cook can’t deliver here, he’s an RB2 moving forward.

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The Minnesota Vikings had a top-3 run defense before facing the Detroit Lions, then allowed 144 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns and a 5.3 yards per carry average. For as great of a running back as Kyren Williams is, the Los Angeles Rams don’t have the offensive line to replicate what Detroit did. Demonstrating that is the fact that Williams averaged just 3.6 ypc against the Las Vegas Raiders a week ago. Williams is still one of the best fantasy running backs this year, but the Rams’ offensive line could lead to numbers that are closer to how teams performed vs Minnesota’s run defense in the first five games (67.2 rush ypg, 3.6 ypc average).

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Even Alexander Mattison, in a bottom-five offense, eclipsed over 100 scrimmage yards against the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams defense has allowed the fourth-most rushing yards per game (151.7) and the ninth-highest yards per carry average (4.7). Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell loves a strong run game and Aaron Jones is still playing at a Pro Bowl level. Jones has eclipsed 100 scrimmage yards in four of five games he’s finished this season. Quite frankly, we’re not sure why consensus fantasy RB rankings aren’t higher on him.

While Tyler Allgeier is still a factor in this backfield, Bijan Robinson has received at least 18 touches in each of the past two games. He’s been outstanding as of late, averaging 86.3 rushing yards per game with a 5.4 yards per carry average and 22 receiving yards per game over a three-week span. The icing on the cake, Tampa Bay allows the highest yards per carry average (5.3) in the NFL this year with a 132 rush ypg allowed line.

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The Houston Texans offensive line is an obvious problem, but running back Joe Mixon has still rushed for 100-plus yards in every game he’s started and finished this season. The consistency itself is partially responsible for where he ranks in weekly fantasy RB rankings. What makes this Week 8 matchup even better is the fact that the Indianapolis Colts have allowed six of seven opponents to rush for 120-plus yards and average over 4 yards per carry this season. Of those six, three went for over 180 yards. Houston is a run-first team and Mixon will have a field day.

With George Kittle (ankle) hurt and Deebo Samuel (pneumonia) joining Brandon Aiyuk (ACL) and Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) among those out for Week 8, it will become the Jordan Mason show. The San Francisco 49ers don’t have the offensive line to dominate this Dallas Cowboys defense like the Detroit Lions did. However, Mason still has a strong shot at 80-plus yards and a touchdown with Dallas allowing 143.2 rushing yards per game, 4.5 yards per carry and 10 touchdowns (second-most).

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Breece Hall was more involved in the passing game than we anticipated post-Davante Adams trade, but that might’ve been a direct result of the Pittsburgh Steelers pass rush. While we don’t expect Hall to be nearly as productive as a receiving back in Week 8, we love his potential on the ground against a New England Patriots defense that has ceded 167.4 rush ypg, 7 touchdowns and 4.8 yards per carry average over the last five games (Pro Football Reference).

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III made the most of his opportunities this past Sunday, making a big impact both on the ground and in the receiving game. He now faces a Buffalo Bills defense that is allowing the 13th-most rush ypg (132.9) and has surrendered the third-highest yards per carry average (5.1). Seattle will want to keep the football away from Josh Allen as much as possible and one of the wisest strategies to accomplish that is feeding Walker and eating up the clock.

The game script is certainly in Derrick Henry’s favor with the Baltimore Ravens heavy favorites in Week 8 against the Cleveland Browns. However, slight concerns with his ceiling bump him down a spot in our fantasy RB rankings this week. Cleveland has improved against the run in recent weeks, holding its last two opponents to a 2.9 ypc average and 87.5 rush ypg. Henry is still an elite fantasy starter, we just like Saquon Barkley’s ceiling and matchup more in Week 8.

Coming off one of the best performances in his career, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley draws another great matchup. Before Cincinnati faced the Cleveland Browns (Week 7), its defense was allowing 146 rush ypg and 4.4 yards per carry in the first six games. This is one of the worst defenses in the NFL and Barkley should have another outstanding day for fantasy managers.