Are you frustrated with the running back position yet? Usually, the first two weeks of the season aren't too kind to the position, as injuries always make an impact. This year, Marlon Mack and Saquon Barkley have already been lost for the year, while Le'Veon Bell and Phillip Lindsay are set to miss at least a few more weeks. Throw in a potential ailments to Christian McCaffrey, Cam Akers, and Raheem Mostert, and potential sleepers/waiver wire pickups are figuring more prominently into our Week 3 fantasy RB rankings.
Committees are also having a big effect on our rankings, especially with a few of them facing highly favorable matchups in Week 3. The Chargers RBs have a great matchup against a porous Panthers run defense. That will make Austin Ekeler a likely RB1 in standard and a sure-fire RB1 in PPR formats while Joshua Kelley looks like a legit RB2. Additionally, the Bears backs, David Montgomery and Tarik Cohen, should get a chance to do some damage against the Falcons defense, while the Ravens backfield trio of Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards, and JK Dobbins are all potentially in play because of how bad the Chiefs run defense is.
WEEK 3 PPR RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
On the flip side, you have a few committees that are either thoroughly confounding or facing tough matchups. The Bills committee of Zack Moss and Devin Singletary square off against the Rams, who haven't been particularly good against RBs but it's tough to tell which back is worth more. (Update: Moss is out this week, making Singletary a must-start RB2.) The Bucs backfield is similarly frustrating. It's led by two good runners and has a decent matchup against Denver, but will Leonard Fournette or Ronald Jones II get more touches? Your guess is as good as ours.
WEEK 3 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST | Kicker
The Dolphins (@ Jaguars) and 49ers (@ Giants) are also in good spots, but the Giants (vs. 49ers) and Rams (@ Bills) are in much more precarious positions. Consider all of their backs no more than flex plays. (Update: With both Mostert and Tevin Coleman out because of knee injuries, Jerick McKinnon becomes a safe start and Jeff Wilson Jr. is an interesting sleeper.)
WEEK 3 DFS TOURNAMENT LINEUPS: Yahoo | DraftKings | FanDuel
Reminder: As always, we expect to make plenty of changes to these RB rankings throughout the week, so check back for updates.
WEEK 3 DFS CASH LINEUPS: Yahoo | DraftKings | FanDuel
Week 3 Fantasy RB Rankings (Standard)
These rankings are for non-PPR leagues.
WEEK 3: Sleepers | Busts | Start 'em, sit 'em
| Rank | Player |
| 1 | Derrick Henry, TEN @ MIN |
| 2 | Dalvin Cook, MIN vs. TEN |
| 3 | Ezekiel Elliott, DAL @ SEA |
| 4 | Kenyan Drake, ARZ vs. DET. The Lions were absolutely gashed by the Packers running backs last week to the tune of 8.0 yards per carry and 72 yards and a TD through the air. They simply don't stop the run well, and only the Bengals have allowed more than the Lions' 353 rushing yards. Drake logged 95 total yards against a tough Washington front seven, so he can be trusted as an RB1 in a much more favorable matchup. |
| 5 | Jonathan Taylor, IND vs. NYJ. So much for Taylor and Nyheim Hines splitting touches in Marlon Mack's absence. Taylor handled 26 carries for the Colts and turned them into 101 yards and a TD against Minnesota's defensive front. Now, he'll get to take on a Jets defense that allows 24.7 fantasy points per game (FPPG) to RBs and just let Raheem Mostert scamper untouched for an 80-yard TD on the first play of its Week 2 game. |
| 6 | Alvin Kamara, NO vs. GB |
| 7 | Austin Ekeler, LAC vs. CAR. Ekeler has a juicy matchup against a Panthers defense that has allowed three rushing TDs to RBs in each of their first two games of the season after allowing a league-high 27 rushing TDs to the position last year. Ekeler may be splitting carries with Joshua Kelley, who got 23 carries compared to Ekeler's 16 against the Chiefs, but Ekeler was more efficient (5.8 yards per carry to Kelley's 2.8) and offers more as a receiver. |
| 8 | Clyde Edwards-Helaire, KC @ BAL. Can you trust Edwards-Helaire to bounce back after a middling outing against the Chargers? It won't be easy against the Ravens, who are tied with the Chargers for the fewest FPPG to RBs at 9.1, but he should get plenty of opportunities to produce once again. If the Chiefs can avoid falling behind and give him more than the 10 carries he saw on Sunday, he should be positioned to rack up some yardage. |
| 9 | David Montgomery, CHI @ ATL. Atlanta's defense is allowing an average of 39 points per game to offenses and has allowed the fourth-most catches to RBs (15) and the most receiving TDs (2). Some may think this sounds like a smash spot for Tarik Cohen, but after Montgomery caught three passes for 45 yards and a TD in Week 2, he could be in for a huge game in Week 3. |
| 10 | Miles Sanders, PHI vs. CIN. The Bengals have allowed the most rushing yards to RBs this season (358) and the second-most total TDs (5). Start Sanders, who just racked up 131 total yards and a TD against the Rams, with confidence. |
| 11 | Aaron Jones, GB @ NO |
| 12 | Josh Jacobs, LV @ NE |
| 13 | Nick Chubb, CLE vs. WAS. Chubb just had a huge game against the Bengals, but two things keep him from being an RB1 against Washington. First, Washington has been great against RBs so far this year and is one of four teams yet to surrender a touchdown to the position as of this writing (the Ravens, Chargers, and Saints are the other three). Second, Kareem Hunt is still the preferred receiving back, so he may see more action in a game where Cleveland could struggle to find running room against Washington's top-tier defensive line. You can still start Chubb with confidence, just don't expect another massive game. |
| 14 | Joe Mixon, CIN @ PHI. Mixon is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry and the Eagles are allowing just 3.9 yards per carry. His value will likely depend on scoring a touchdown, but luckily, the Eagles have surrendered three to the RB position, good for third-most in the NFL. |
| 15 | James Conner, PIT vs. HOU. So much for the Benny Snell takeover that looked imminent after Week 1. Conner bounced back against a solid Denver defense and posted 106 yards and a score. He can be trusted against a Houston defense that has allowed 339 rushing yards and the seventh-most RB FPPG (25.1) through two weeks, good for the third in the NFL. |
| 16 | Melvin Gordon, DEN vs. TB. The Bucs have allowed the most receiving yards to RBs (168) and the second-most receptions (18). Gordon should continue to serve as the Broncos' top backfield option with Phillip Lindsay (toe) likely out another week, so he can be trusted in a matchup that suits his receiving skills well. |
| 17 | Chris Carson, SEA vs. DAL. Carson continues to be the lead back for the Seahawks and has already racked up three receiving TDs on the year. He can be trusted against a porous Dallas defense that has allowed an average of 110.5 rushing yards and a rushing TD per game. |
| 18 | Jerick McKinnon, SF @ NYG. With Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman both out because of knee injuries, McKinnon should do well against a Giants defense that is allowing 4.6 yards per carry to RBs. He showed his versatility last week by running for 77 yards and a score after scoring through the air in Week 1. He should get 15-plus touches with Jeff Wilson Jr. picking up the rest of the RB touches. |
| 19 | Todd Gurley, ATL vs. CHI. Gurley hasn't done much yardage-wise through two games, as he has just 117 rushing yards and a single receiving yard. However, he is a TD threat for a very good Falcons offense that should see some red-zone opportunities against a Bears defense that has allowed 4.0 red-zone trips per game to start the season. |
| 20 | James Robinson, JAX vs. MIA. In each of his first two games, Robinson has gotten 16 carries for the Jaguars. He had his first 100-yard game and TD against the Titans last week and should have a chance to do well against a Dolphins team that is allowing 4.8 yards per carry to RBs this season. |
| 21 | Devin Singletary, BUF vs. LAR |
| 22 | Mark Ingram, BAL vs. KC |
| 23 | Joshua Kelley, LAC vs. CAR. Kelly currently ranks eighth in the NFL in red-zone carries with eight. He saw 23 carries against the Chiefs, and it's clear that the Chargers want to use him in tandem with Ekeler. Much like the Ekeler-Gordon tandem of previous years, both Chargers backs can be trusted as starters, especially in a matchup with the Panthers and their weak run defense. |
| 24 | David Johnson, HOU @ PIT. Johnson handled all of the RB work for the Texans last week with Duke Johnson out, but he has a tough matchup with the Steelers in Week 3. The Steelers are allowing just 48.5 rushing yards per game and have mostly contained Saquon Barkley and Melvin Gordon through two contests, though both did do some damage through the air. Johnson is still an RB2 for volume/pass-catching reasons, but he'll have to work for his production. |
| 25 | Kareem Hunt, CLE vs. WAS. As mentioned earlier, Hunt matches up better against Washington than Chubb does. As such, he's a fringe RB2 this week and could be in for a big game, especially in PPR formats. |
| 26 | Antonio Gibson, WAS @ CLE. Gibson emerged as the leader in the Washington backfield last week with 13 carries and scored his first touchdown. That said, the Browns have allowed just 15 FPPG to RBs this season, so Gibson will be a boom-or-bust flex play this week. |
| 27 | JK Dobbins, BAL vs. KC. Despite getting just three touches against the Texans, Dobbins racked up 61 total yards and showed off some explosive playmaking ability. He may still be behind Mark Ingram and, at times, Gus Edwards, in the pecking order, but his upside gives him some flex appeal. |
| 28 | Leonard Fournette, TB @ DEN. Has Fournette emerged as the top ball-carrier in Tampa Bay? It sure looks like it. Fournette had 103 yards and two scores on just 12 carries in Week 2. Granted, it came against a poor Carolina run defense, but he vastly outperformed Ronald Jones, who lost a key fumble. Fournette should get a majority of the carries in Week 3, but he's only a flex play until we can be sure that he is the lead back. |
| 29 | Malcolm Brown, LAR @ BUF |
| 30 | Sony Michel, NE vs. LV |
| 31 | Darrell Henderson, LAR @ BUF |
| 32 | Dion Lewis, NYG vs. SF. With Saquon Barkley out, Dion Lewis takes over as the top back in the Giants' backfield. Right off the bat, he gets a tough matchup with a San Francisco 49ers team that has allowed only 16.4 FPPG to RBs this season, good for the 11th-fewest in the NFL. |
| 33 | Mike Davis, CAR @ LAC. Davis seems like the top candidate to replace Christian McCaffrey who is expected to miss multiple weeks with an ankle injury. This isn't a good matchup for him, however, as the Chargers have been one of the best defenses against the run and have allowed a league-best 9.1 FPPG to RBs. They have allowed 12 receptions, good for sixth most in the league, but Davis is simply a low-ceiling flex play. |
| 34 | Frank Gore, NYJ @ IND. Well, we know what the Jets are going to do with Le'Veon Bell out. They're going to ride Gore. Gore saw 21 carries for the Jets in their game against the 49ers, and while he averaged just 3.0 yards per carry, the volume is there for him to be an effective flex option. He might be more of a TD-dependent player, but he's still worth considering despite his tough matchup with the Colts (13.5 FPPG to RBs). |
| 35 | Ronald Jones II, TB @ DEN |
| 36 | D'Andre Swift, DET @ ARZ. Swift appears to be the only Lions RB with a clear-cut role, as he is the team's top receiving back. He has seen five targets in each of his two outings this season and should have a chance to fare well against a Cardinals defense that has allowed 159 receiving yards to RBs (good for the second-most in the league) and two receiving TDs (tied for the most in the league). Obviously, he has more value in PPR leagues, but Swift is a decent option in standard leagues, too. |
| 37 | Tarik Cohen, CHI @ ATL. Speaking of teams that have allowed two receiving TDs, the Falcons are one of them. They have allowed two TDs to RBs as pass-catchers so that could give Cohen some value, especially if the Falcons jump out to an early lead and the Bears have to play from behind. |
| 38 | Myles Gaskin, MIA @ JAX. Miami will continue to split carries among the three top backs in their backfield, but Gaskin is currently the team's leader in carries. The Jaguars have allowed 17 receptions for 142 yards and a TD to RBs this year, and Gaskin just caught six passes for 36 yards against the Bills. He could be a sneaky-good flex play in this matchup on a short week. |
| 39 | Gus Edwards, BAL vs. KC. Edwards actually led the Ravens backfield in carries (10) and rushing yards (76) against the Texans. He should get flex consideration because of the Ravens' excellent rushing offense, but it's hard to trust him given that Greg Roman likes to split up the carries and change up the lead back on a weekly basis. |
| 40 | Jeff Wilson Jr., SF @ NYG. With both Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman out, Wilson Jr. will get a chance to serve as the top backup to Jerick McKinnon. Wilson had four TDs on just 27 carries last year, so perhaps he will be the goal-line complement to McKinnon. |
| 41 | Jordan Howard, MIA @ JAX |
| 42 | Kerryon Johnson, DET @ ARZ |
| 43 | Adrian Peterson, DET @ ARZ |
| 44 | Wayne Gallman, NYG vs. SF. Gallman didn't get a touch for the Giants after Barkley's injury last week as he was inactive for the game, but he figures to factor into the rotation with Dion Lewis this week. Starting Gallman would be the ultimate dart throw, so it's probably better to stash him on your bench until we see just how much action he sees on Sunday. |
| 45 | Matt Breida, MIA @ JAX |
| 46 | Nyheim Hines, IND vs. NYJ. After dominating the Jaguars in Week 1 and recording two TDs, Hines played just 12 percent of the offensive snaps against the Vikings. It could've just been viewed as a poor matchup for Hines, but his lacking production was very concerning. He has a good matchup against the Jets, but if he isn't getting snaps, then it's hard to play him. |
| 47 | Latavius Murray, NO vs. GB |
| 48 | Jamaal Williams, GB @ NO |
| 49 | Carlos Hyde, SEA vs. DAL |
| 50 | Rex Burkhead, NE vs. LV |
| 51 | Chris Thompson, JAX vs. MIA. After doing nothing in his first game with the Jaguars, Thompson saw four targets and caught three of them for 20 yards and a TD. He has PPR upside, but given that he has only seen two carries in total this season and Laviska Shenault seems to be serving as a WR/RB hybrid, Thompson's value solely comes in PPR. |
| 52 | LeSean McCoy, TB @ DEN. Speaking of PPR values, McCoy saw seven targets from Tom Brady on Sunday, good for second most on the team, and grabbed five passes for 26 yards. The numbers aren't flashy, but you could do worse as a PPR flex. He should be avoided in standard formats, however. |
| 53 | Boston Scott, PHI vs. CIN |
| 54 | Alexander Mattison, MIN vs. TEN |
| 55 | Darrynton Evans, TEN @ MIN |
| 56 | Royce Freeman, DEN vs. TB. Phillip Lindsay (toe) is likely out another week, so Freeman will back up Melvin Gordon again. It's hard to trust him against a good run defense after he only got three touches last week. |
| 57 | Chase Edmonds, ARZ vs. DET. Edmonds could rip off a long run against a poor Lions run defense, but Kenyan Drake and Kyler Murray will do most of the damage on the ground. |
| 58 | Benny Snell Jr., PIT vs. HOU. It was disappointing to see Snell handle just three carries for five yards after a promising 2020 debut. He's firmly behind James Conner on the Steelers' depth chart, especially after he lost a fumble against the Broncos. |
| 59 | Darwin Thompson, KC @ BAL |
| 60 | T.J. Yeldon, BUF vs. LAR |
| 61 | Giovani Bernard, CIN @ PHI |
| 62 | Tony Pollard, DAL @ SEA |
| 63 | Peyton Barber, WAS @ CLE. Barber is losing work rapidly to Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic. He's nothing more than a short-yardage back who may punch in the occasional TD. |
| 64 | Trenton Cannon, CAR @ LAC. Cannon is the new top handcuff in Carolina with Christian McCaffrey out short-term. |
| 65 | Brian Hill, ATL vs. CHI |
| 66 | Corey Clement, PHI vs. CIN |
| 67 | La'Mical Perine NYJ @ IND. The Jets can't keep giving Frank Gore 21 carries a game, right? Perine has value as a handcuff, but he can't be trusted as a starter until he eats into Gore's workload move. |
| 68 | J.D. McKissic, WAS @ CLE |
| 69 | Devontae Booker, LV @ NE |
| 70 | AJ Dillon, GB @ NO |
| 71 | Jalen Richard, LV @ NE |
