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With it being Week 7 in the NFL, we are starting to see bye weeks and injuries play a major factor in fantasy football. Fantasy managers are scrambling to find replacements at certain position or making that tough decision to cut a player that is underperforming for whatever reason.
Below we’ll be looking at a few running backs that you either need to pick or start and three you need to completely forget about.
Running Back Starts
Darrell Henderson, Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions
Heading into the regular season, many fans and analysts were wondering how the Los Angeles Rams running back room would shape itself out with Darrell Henderson Jr. and Sony Michel. Through six weeks of the season, it’s clear that Henderson is the RB1 and is thriving in Year 3 under head coach Sean McVay.
The former Memphis running back is coming off another strong performance in Week 6 against the New York Giants. Henderson had 78 rushing yards on 21 carries and a score, along with two receptions for 29 yards and a receiving touchdown. All in all, Henderson scored a season-high 24.7 fantasy points, solidifying his spot as a must-start RB1. He will now have another favorable matchup against the Detroit Lions, who are giving up 132.2 rushing yards per game and league-worst 27.4 fantasy points per game to RBs this year.
Cordarelle Patterson, Atlanta Falcons vs. Miami Dolphins
The ultimate FLEX player is back in action this week after the Atlanta Falcons were on a bye in Week 6. Patterson has been one of the best players in fantasy football this season and is someone that is guaranteed to score double-digit fantasy points.
In Week 5 against the New York Jets, the veteran running back had 54 rushing yards on 14 carries, to go along with seven receptions for 60 receiving yards. For his efforts, Patterson scored 18.4 fantasy points. He’ll now get ready to face the Dolphins, who have allowed 23.5 fantasy points per game and seven rushing touchdowns (third-most in the NFL) to running backs this season.
Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders vs. Philadelphia Eagles
If you have Jacobs on your roster, this is the perfect week to start him against a Philadelphia Eagles’ defense that has struggled against the run this season. The Eagles’ defense is giving up 135.3 rushing yards per game and 22.1 fantasy points per game to running backs. Jacobs had a solid game against the Denver Broncos, recording 53 yards on 16 carries, along with a reception for 29 yards. In his last three games, the 23-year-old RB is averaging 14.2 fantasy points per game.
Running Back Sits
Devontae Booker, New York Giants vs. Carolina Panthers
If you are looking for a streaming option at RB this week, do not go with Booker. Last week, the veteran running back had 41 yards on 12 carries, along with four receptions for 28 in a blowout loss against the Los Angeles Rams. Booker scored 10.9 fantasy points, which is not bad for an RB2. However, he’ll be going up against a Panthers’ defense that is giving up the least amount of points to RBs this season (12.3 fantasy points per game). Carolina has also allowed the least amount of receiving yards to running backs with 71.
Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The rookie running back out of Virginia Tech has played well over the last two weeks for the Bears. But the Bears are facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense this week, which is the best at stopping run (54.8 yards per game). The Bucs’ defense has also only allowed 13.1 fantasy points per game to opposing running backs this season. With that in mind, do not set your expectations high for Herbert.
Jamaal Williams, Detroit Lions vs. Los Angeles Rams
The veteran running back has been a quality RB2 in fantasy this season, but was hampered by a hip injury last week. Williams only had 11 yards on four carries and scored a season-low 1.9 fantasy points against the Cincinnati Bengals. Heading into this week’s tilt against Los Angeles, Williams is not a viable option at the RB2 spot. The Rams are giving up 17.7 fantasy points per game to RBs, but only one receiving touchdown. If D’Andre Swift struggles, do not expect Williams to be better.