Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season has arrived, putting us past the halfway point of the regular season and approaching the fantasy football playoffs. Two months of NFL stats and matchups help shape our Week 9 fantasy rankings, as we evaluate who the top running backs are facing. Let’s immediately dive into the fantasy RB rankings for Week 9.
20. Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers – vs New Orleans Saints
While he’s stuck on the worst team in the NFL, Chuba Hubbard keeps producing. The Carolina Panthers running back has cleared 50-plus rushing yards in every game since Week 2. In the last seven games, he’s averaged 82.7 rush ypg and 5.2 yards per carry. In Week 9, he faces a New Orleans Saints defense that has allowed 170.5 rush ypg, 5.7 yards per carry and 9 rushing touchdowns in the last six games. At the very least, Sanders is a proven RB2.
Related: Week 9 fantasy waiver wire targets
19. Josh Jacobs, Green Bay Packers – vs Detroit Lions
On the one hand, this Detroit Lions defense has allowed 297 rushing yards and a 5.6 yards per carry average in the last two weeks. However, from Weeks 1-6, opponents averaged just 83.2 rush ypg against Detroit. Josh Jacobs has been great this year and he’s a proven RB2, but the players ahead of him in our Week 9 fantasy RB rankings simply have better matchups.
Related: Week 9 fantasy QB rankings, evaluating stats and matchups for best QBs
18. James Conner, Arizona Cardinals – vs Chicago Bears
It has been some tough sledding for James Conner in recent weeks, averaging just 3.87 ypc and 59.3 rushing yards per game. However, he’s also tacking on about 30 receiving yards per contest onto those totals. In Week 9, Conner takes on a Chicago Bears defensive front that surrendered 4.8 ypc and 125 rushing yards per game in the last five contests.
17. James Cook, Buffalo Bills – vs Miami Dolphins
James Cook took advantage of a woeful Seattle Seahawks defense in Week 8 turning 20 touches into 133 scrimmage yards and 2 touchdowns. He draws another strong matchup on Sunday, facing a Miami Dolphins defense responsible for allowing 4.4 ypc and 123.7 rush ypg. Plus, Cook had 2 touchdowns and 95 scrimmage yards the last time he faced Miami.
16. David Montgomery, Detroit Lions – @ Green Bay Packers
It’s been the Jahmyr Gibbs show lately, with David Montgomery receiving just 18 carries total in the last two games. While there’s a possibility of that changing, it’s not something that can be relied upon. At the very least, Montgomery is a strong bet for a rushing touchdown against the Green Bay Packers and if he’s the hot hand early, we could be looking at 80-plus yards and 2 touchdowns.
Related: Week 9 fantasy TE rankings, evaluating stats and matchups for best fantasy TEs
15. Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings – vs Indianapolis Colts
Only two teams (Houston Texans and Chicago Bears) have failed to rush for 120-plus yards and average at least 4 yards per carry against the Indianapolis Colts. Aaron Jones probably won’t be joining that group. With Minnesota Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw lost for the season, this team needs to run the ball more to prevent defenses from dialing up the pressure. This is an excellent spot for Jones and the Vikings’ offense.
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14. Brian Robinson Jr, Washington Commanders – @ New York Giants
Before facing the Pittsburgh Steelers on MNF, this New York Giants defense allowed 164 rush ypg and a 6.5 yards per carry average to its last three opponents. Meanwhile, the Washington Commanders are averaging 143.6 rush ypg and 5.3 yards per carry since Week 1. Brian Robinson Jr’s upside is lowered by the fact that he rarely gets work on passing downs and he’s limited to around 16 carries per game. Against the Giants defense, that could still be 70-plus yards and a touchdown.
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13. De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins – @ Buffalo Bills
With Tua Tagovailoa back under center, Miami Dolphins running back hauled in 6 receptions for 50 receiving yards. In his first two games of the season, with Tagovailoa under center, he averaged 7 receptions per game for 73 receiving yards. This isn’t even to mention his 174 rush yards and 6.96 ypc average in the last two weeks. The Buffalo Bills run defense is a bit hit-and-miss, but Achane comes with immense upside.
12. D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears – @ Arizona Cardinals
In his last four games, Chicago Bears running back D’Andre Swift is averaging 5.4 yards per carry and averaging over 120 scrimmage yards per game. He’s simply been outstanding. While do expect Chicago will use this matchup against a bottom-five pass defense as an opportunity to get Caleb Williams going, Swift still offers RB1 upside and there’s a strong probability of him delivering high-end RB2 numbers for fantasy managers.
11. Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans – vs New England Patriots
We certainly didn’t envision before the season that Tony Pollard would be one of the best fantasy running backs in 2024, but here we are. In his last four games, Pollard is averaging 4.5 yards per carry and 95 scrimmage yards per game. He also draws a very favorable matchup against a New England Patriots defense that surrendered 158.2 rush ypg, 4.7 ypc and 1.3 rushing touchdowns per game over the last six weeks.
Related: NFL defense rankings, Week 9 fantasy defense rankings
10. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts – @ Minnesota Vikings
In his first game back after a three-week absence, Jonathan Taylor turned 21 touches into 117 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. His opponent, the Minnesota Vikings, has allowed 251 rushing yards in the last two weeks. Taylor is the only chance the Colts have to win on Sunday Night Football and he should be the focal point of their offense in Week 9.
9. Breece Hall, New York Jets – vs Houston Texans
Drafted by fantasy managers expecting him to be a league-winner, Breece Hall was relatively quiet until this recent three-game stretch. From Weeks 6-8, he’s averaged 5.02 yards per carry with a stellar 133 scrimmage yards per game average. As for the matchup, this Houston Texans defense has allowed its last six opponents to average 5 yards per carry and 125.5 rush ypg.
8. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints – @ Carolina Panthers
This is all about the matchup for Alvin Kamara. Opponents average 154.6 rushing yards per game (most in the NFL) against this Carolina Panthers defense. Making things even more appealing, Carolina is responsible for a league-high 14 rushing touchdowns allowed. For as bad as the New Orleans Saints offensive line is, this could be a huge day for Kamara and his fantasy managers.
7. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions – @ Green Bay Packers
Our Week 9 fantasy RB rankings are just following the hot-hand approach the Detroit Lions are using. Jahmyr Gibbs is the guy right now and it’s pretty evident why since he’s averaging 6.8 yards per carry and 91.8 rushing yards per game over the last six weeks. While it’s a bit disappointing to see him averaging just 2.5 receptions per game, he’s an RB1 because his big-play ability behind a dominant offensive line is pure gold.
Related: NFL Week 9 power rankings
6. Joe Mixon, Houston Texans – @ New York Jets
Since his return in Week 6, Joe Mixon has cleared the 100-yard mark in every game all while scoring a rushing touchdown in each contest. If the 130 scrimmage yards per game average isn’t enough for you, this New York Jets defense is also allowing 125.6 rushing yards per game with 10 touchdowns in eight games this year.
Related: NFL Week 9 predictions
5. Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks – vs Los Angeles Rams
We absolutely love the matchup. Los Angeles Rams’ opponents are averaging nearly 140 rushing yards per game and 4.6 yards per carry this season. That’s even after Minnesota totaled just 64 yards and a 2.9 ypc average last week. The issue that prevents Kenneth Walker III from being even higher in our Week 9 fantasy rankings is that he’s only averaging 10.8 carries per game in the last five weeks. He is involved in the passing game (25 receptions in the last five games), but we’d love to see him fed more.
4. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons – vs Dallas Cowboys
For the second consecutive week, the Atlanta Falcons gave Bijan Robinson 20-plus touches. He rewarded them with 243 scrimmage yards and a pair of touchdowns. Now he gets to face the second-worst run defense in the NFL, with the Dallas Cowboys ceding 154.6 rush ypg and 12 rushing touchdowns. Robinson is a weekly RB1, but his fantasy production in Week 9 could be especially great.
Also Read: Heisman Watch 2024
3. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens – vs Denver Broncos
Following a rough Week 1 performance, Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry is averaging 128.6 rushing yards per game and 6.82 yards per carry. He’s also scored 10 total touchdowns over that seven-game span as well. While we’d have loved an easier matchup for Henry – Denver has the seventh-best run defense in the NFL – his workload and situation always makes him an elite starter.
2. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams – @ Seattle Seahawks
Over the last five games, Kyren Williams is averaging 23 touches per contest. He’s made the most of those opportunities, averaging 103 scrimmage yards per game. In Week 9, he goes up against a Seahawks defense that has allowed 155.4 rush ypg, 5.1 yards per carry and 8 rushing touchdowns since Week 2. Seattle will already have its hands full with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, setting up Williams for a monster performance.
Also Read: Week 10 college football rankings
1. Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles – vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Outside of a Week 7 matchup against the lifeless New England Patriots offense – 38 yards and 2.5 yards per carry average – opponents are averaging 110 rushing yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now they have to face Saquon Barkley, who is averaging 5.9 yards per carry this season with an even higher ypc average (6.7) in the last five games. Locked into 20-plus touches, Barkley felt like the obvious choice atop our fantasy RB rankings this week.