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Running back PPR rankings for Week 8 fantasy football

We take you through some of the best PPR running backs going in Week 8 for fantasy football, including a few viable streamers.

The Ross Tucker Football Podcast | Greg Cosell’s 2021 Week 8 Preview

The Week 7 bye took out a lot of our top-tier running backs, so fantasy managers should rejoice as Austin Ekeler, Ezekiel Elliott, Dalvin Cook and Najee Harris rush back into lineups. In their absence, we saw plenty of interesting names sneak into the top-12 rankings this week, including D’Ernest Johnson, Elijah Mitchell and (once again) Khalil Herbert.

Injury news

Raiders RB Josh Jacobs suffered a chest injury in Week 7 and will get the Week 8 bye to recover. Kenyan Drake handled 17 touches for 79 scrimmage yards and a score on Sunday and would be in for a potentially nice day for fantasy against the Giants after their bye this week, who are allowing 150 scrimmage yards to opposing RBs.

Eagles RB Miles Sanders was carted off of the field and subsequently ruled out of Sunday’s contest with an ankle sprain. It looks as though he’s avoided major injury, though he could still miss some time. Rookie RB Kenny Gainwell has been a viable receiving threat even with Sanders on the field, so with him out of the lineup, he should be set to see some extra work.

RB Mike Davis appeared to suffer an unknown injury late in the Falcons last minute win over the Dolphins as he limped off the field. There hasn’t been any news released about the mystery injury or whether or not it could affect his availability moving forward, so keep an eye on practice reports ahead of Week 8.

Bye weeks

The Raiders and Ravens are on bye this week, knocking Josh Jacobs and the RB carousel of Devonta Freeman, Le’Veon Bell and Ty’Son Williams out of commission.

Streaming options

Damien Harris, New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Chargers

You’re probably already starting Damien Harris after his performance as the RB3 in Week 7, but consider this your vote of confidence that Harris is a must-play against the Chargers as they return from the bye. The Chargers have allowed three one hundred yard rushers and three weeks allowing scores to multiple running backs. Harris doesn’t have much PPR upside, but his likelihood of a score is too good to pass up. The Chargers are giving up the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing RBs this season.

Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals vs. New York Jets

This streaming option isn’t for the faint of heart. Perine has had at least 11 rush attempts in each of the last two outings and at least one target in each game this season. The Jets are unable to stop much of anything against opposing RBs, having allowed the second-most receiving yards to RBs and a league-high 10 rushing scores. Even with Perine’s limited role behind Joe Mixon, he could see just enough work against a defense that was bad enough to produce three top-13 running backs in the Patriots in Week 7. Consider Perine an “in case of emergency” option.

Running back PPR rankings for Week 18

Rk Name Team Opp
Rk Name Team Opp
1 Jonathan Taylor IND @ JAC
2 Austin Ekeler LAC @ LV
3 Alvin Kamara NO @ ATL
4 Dalvin Cook MIN vs CHI
5 Nick Chubb CLE vs CIN
6 David Montgomery CHI @ MIN
7 Joe Mixon CIN @ CLE
8 Najee Harris PIT @ BAL
9 Josh Jacobs LV vs LAC
10 Elijah Mitchell SF @ LAR
11 Rashaad Penny SEA @ ARI
12 Devin Singletary BUF vs NYJ
13 Darrel Williams KC @ DEN
14 Sony Michel LAR vs SF
15 D'Andre Swift DET vs GB
16 Rhamondre Stevenson NE @ MIA
17 D'Onta Foreman TEN @ HOU
18 Antonio Gibson WAS @ NYG
19 Javonte Williams DEN vs KC
20 Boston Scott PHI vs DAL
21 Ezekiel Elliott DAL @ PHI
22 Saquon Barkley NYG vs WAS
23 Melvin Gordon III DEN vs KC
24 James Conner ARI vs SEA
25 Chase Edmonds ARI vs SEA
26 Damien Harris NE @ MIA
27 Cordarrelle Patterson ATL vs NO
28 Devonta Freeman BAL vs PIT
29 Dare Ogunbowale JAC vs IND
30 Rex Burkhead HOU vs TEN
31 Patrick Taylor Jr. GB @ DET
32 Tony Pollard DAL @ PHI
33 Jamaal Williams DET vs GB
34 Tevin Coleman NYJ @ BUF
35 Jeff Wilson Jr. SF @ LAR
36 Duke Johnson Jr. MIA vs NE
37 Kareem Hunt CLE vs CIN
38 Ronald Jones II TB vs CAR
39 Michael Carter NYJ @ BUF
40 Ke'Shawn Vaughn TB vs CAR
41 Ty Johnson NYJ @ BUF
42 Mike Davis ATL vs NO
43 AJ Dillon GB @ DET
44 Chuba Hubbard CAR @ TB
45 Devontae Booker NYG vs WAS
46 Le'Veon Bell TB vs CAR
47 Jordan Howard PHI vs DAL
48 Aaron Jones GB @ DET
49 Justin Jackson LAC @ LV
50 Derrick Gore KC @ DEN
51 Jaret Patterson WAS @ NYG
52 Nyheim Hines IND @ JAC
53 Jeremy McNichols TEN @ HOU
54 Mark Ingram II NO @ ATL
55 Latavius Murray BAL vs PIT
56 Alexander Mattison MIN vs CHI
57 Craig Reynolds DET vs GB
58 Kenneth Gainwell PHI vs DAL
59 Dontrell Hilliard TEN @ HOU
60 Ameer Abdullah CAR @ TB
61 Phillip Lindsay MIA vs NE
62 Austin Walter NYJ @ BUF
63 Zack Moss BUF vs NYJ
64 DeeJay Dallas SEA @ ARI
65 Peyton Barber LV vs LAC
66 Cam Akers LAR vs SF
67 Brandon Bolden NE @ MIA
68 Myles Gaskin MIA vs NE
69 Samaje Perine CIN @ CLE
70 D'Ernest Johnson CLE vs CIN
71 David Johnson HOU vs TEN
72 Khalil Herbert CHI @ MIN
73 Alex Collins SEA @ ARI
74 JaMycal Hasty SF @ LAR
75 Jonathan Williams WAS @ NYG
76 Royce Freeman HOU vs TEN
77 Kyle Juszczyk SF @ LAR
78 Ryquell Armstead JAC vs IND
79 Michael Burton KC @ DEN
80 Benny Snell Jr. PIT @ BAL
81 Damien Williams CHI @ MIN
82 Eno Benjamin ARI vs SEA
83 Joshua Kelley LAC @ LV
84 Wendell Smallwood WAS @ NYG
85 Kene Nwangwu MIN vs CHI
86 Wayne Gallman Jr. MIN vs CHI
87 Travis Homer SEA @ ARI
88 Jalen Richard LV vs LAC
89 Ty Montgomery NO @ ATL
90 Corey Clement DAL @ PHI
91 Reggie Bonnafon CAR @ TB
92 Jake Funk LAR vs SF
93 Demetric Felton CLE vs CIN
94 Nathan Cottrell JAC vs IND
95 Elijhaa Penny NYG vs WAS
96 Keith Smith ATL vs NO
97 Deon Jackson IND @ JAC
98 Jakob Johnson NE @ MIA
99 Godwin Igwebuike DET vs GB
100 Clyde Edwards-Helaire KC @ DEN