What if I told you the weather’s been too nice, this fine autumn season, for me to wax rhapsodic about the relatively banal comings-and-goings this week in the NFL media circus, Panthers defensive staff aside. Just feels like a waste of breath to flourish the reality of this league—poor officiating, obvious organizational signaling that player health and safety is secondary to bottom lines, the literally-world-wearying and ever-imperializing schedule of international games, etc.—such as it stands instead of watching the leaves fall and lighting a fire in the yard with my dogs. You’re here for lineup advice. I’ve got it.
How to sort through it all this week? Pray for clean football and no flags. I play. Sort of. Of course—I’m here with the Five Lists of Five: Week 8 edition. The season’s turning edition.
For the (somehow) newly-ordained: Soundbite-length blurbs with advanced analysis on my favorite plays of the week. We begin now with my Top five must-start running backs for fantasy football Week 8. Here are my other offerings in this edition:
- Top five must-start WRs for fantasy football Week 8
- Top five FLEX plays for fantasy football Week 8
- Top five sleepers and upside plays for fantasy football Week 8
- Top five streamer plays for fantasy football Week 8
All data provided by Fantasy Points Data Suite 2.0, unless otherwise noted.
Fantasy football Week 8: Top five running backs to start
1. Ashton Jeanty, LV (at Jets)
Though the thought has crossed my mind plenty of times. I’m not yet benching Las Vegas running back Ashton Jeanty. At least not while Kirk Cousins is throwing him this many footballs. Jeanty managed a measly 15 rushing yards on eight carries against the Rams—it was the Rams—and he’s averaged just 0.99 yards before contact per attempt this season. The Raiders have made running the ball an exasperating business for this stud two years going now.
Jeanty has nevertheless averaged seven targets and 5.3 catches over his last four games. He caught eight passes for 61 yards and a touchdown against Los Angeles, rescuing that miserable rushing afternoon. Across the season, he has commanded 20.6 expected PPR points per game, second among running backs. Cousins has been giving him plenty to do even when the blocking collapses, and they tend to love him especially on those red zone wheel routes to the endzone pyon.
The Jets have allowed 106.6 rushing yards per game to backs, and Jets defensive tackle T’Vondre Sweat missed both Wednesday and Thursday with a knee injury. Jeanty could finally reach the line with room to accelerate. I’m starting him as an RB2 with RB1 upside, with his receiving work doing most of the persuading. Hopefully this is the week he returns some of that crazy draft capital.
2. Bhayshul Tuten, JAC (vs. Colts)
Please don’t come out of Jacksonville’s bye talking yourself out of running back Bhayshul Tuten just because fellow Jaguars back Chris Rodriguez got some internationa carries. Tuten has averaged 16.5 carries over his last four games. Before the bye, he ran routes on 56% of Jacksonville’s dropbacks to Rodriguez’s 14%, caught two touchdowns, and had another three-yard score erased by a hold. He gets chances to finish drives, too! And, more importantly, as we know from the eye test, just like a younger Jaylen Warren: he creates them. Rodriguez will take snaps and a goal-line opportunity or two, all while Tuten has a terrific fantasy afternoon between the twenties.
The Jaguars are back stateside, leading the AFC South, with three divisional games in their next five. I expect Jacksonville coach Liam Coen to attack this stretch, with Tuten helping tighten their grip on the division. Indianapolis has allowed 2.25 adjusted yards before contact per rushing attempt and 38.7 receiving yards per game to backs. Tuten has forced a missed tackle on 23% of his carries, so he can punish them after finding that initial room. I’m thrilled to have him back against this particular defense.
3. Rhamondre Stevenson, NE (at Dolphins)
Boy has it gotten bad for offensive weapons in Foxboro. Rhamondre Stevenson’s fumbling can make you wince, but fellow Patriots back TreVeyon Henderson has lost just as many fumbles this season: one. Henderson is also, documentedly so, considerably worse at protecting quarterback Drake Maye. He whiffed on a pickup on second-and-10 against Chicago last week, helping the Bears drag Maye down for a ten-yard loss. Stevenson has been handling that work far more convincingly for far longer. Holding onto the ball is a problem for both backs, but Henderson is going to keep losing snaps to Kiner if he can’t pass protect.
Miami gives New England a particularly good reason to get Stevenson involved in the running game, where he’s great. The Dolphins have allowed 41.5 receiving yards per game to running backs, and Stevenson owns a 12% target share. He has also handled 74% of New England’s short-yardage snaps. I’m starting him as an RB2, with catches and finishing work both available against this defense.
Stevenson’s bizarre 48-yard receiving touchdown against Chicago is as flushable a good thing as a prior-week dud. He only carried six times in that game, so we’re still working through a committee. I like his chances to earn the valuable work within it, especially with Henderson falling off.
4. Bucky Irving, TB (vs. Falcons)
Back-to-back weeks for Bucky, here, and with pleasure. Tampa Bay running back Bucky Irving rewarded last week’s recommendation by hammering Carolina for 106 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. The Buccaneers ran all over them, and Irving did his share of the trampling.
He also did his work before Tampa Bay gave its reserves the fourth quarter. Through three quarters, Irving played 75% of the snaps and handled three of the four carries inside the five. Fellow Buccaneers backs Kenny Gainwell and Sean Tucker getting their own chances didn’t erase Irving’s lead. I’m starting him as an RB2 with another RB1 finish very much available.
Atlanta has allowed 37.3 receiving yards per game to backs, giving Irving somewhere else to hurt them. He has reached 15 carries in six straight games, although he hasn’t topped 12 receiving yards in any of those six. Tampa Bay should throw to him more often against this defense, giving him a chance to add catches to all those carries.
5. Rachaad White, WAS (vs. Eagles)
I’m excited about making an extremely unsexy trade for Washington running back Rachaad White. Send an offer before Sunday night’s game against Philadelphia. White could spend the next few weeks quietly making someone’s RB2 problem considerably less miserable, and I would rather that someone be you.
With Commanders back Jacory Croskey-Merritt on injured reserve until at least Week 11, White played 69% of Washington’s snaps in their last game. He caught four of five targets for 30 yards and a touchdown, adding seven carries for 27 yards. He had 11 touches, and Washington should find him more carries against this front.
Philadelphia has just conceded 120 and 155 rushing yards to the last two lead backs it faced. The Eagles have been stingier against receiving backs, allowing 19.6 yards per game, so White needs to help on the ground, too. I’d start him as an RB2 here and try to buy him at a FLEX price. I’m perfectly happy to get excited about an unsexy acquisition.
