Fantasy RB Rankings Week 6: Who to start, sit at running back in fantasy football

Sloan Piva

Fantasy RB Rankings Week 6: Who to start, sit at running back in fantasy football image

The 2022 NFL season has been full of drama and excitement. In just five weeks, we have seen multiple key injuries to stud running backs and countless young players stepping up in their places. With health, bye weeks, and tough matchups all factoring into this week's docket, it will be imperative to check for updates to our Week 6 fantasy RB rankings right up until game day. 

We're missing at least five key backs with the Lions (Jamaal Williams and D'Andre Swift), Raiders (Josh Jacobs), Texans (Dameon Pierce), and Titans (Derrick Henry) on bye this week. Moreover, we're missing the top-two RB matchups, as Detroit's and Houston's putrid run defenses won't be available to pick on.

Our top 10 looks like a throwback, with veterans Saquon Barkley (vs. Ravens in Week 6), Dalvin Cook (@ Dolphins), Leonard Fournette (@ Steelers), and Christian McCaffrey (@ Rams) all playing well to start the 2022 season. Nick Chubb (vs. Patriots) might be the most dominant so far, but his ranking takes a slight hit because of his matchup.

WEEK 6 STANDARD RANKINGS:
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Joining those guys in the must-start conversation is Rhamondre Stevenson (@ Browns), who will see a usage spike with Damien Harris (hamstring) ailing. Rookie Kenneth Walker III — who broke loose for a long TD in Week 6 — also gets a big bump with Rashaad Penny (leg) likely to miss the rest of the season. These could be league winners given how often their teams run.

WEEK 6 PPR RANKINGS:
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Speaking of run-heavy teams with key injuries, the Broncos' Melvin Gordon III (@ Chargers) remains a weekly must-start with Javonte Williams (knee) out for the season. Continue locking in San Francisco's Jeff Wilson Jr. (@ Falcons), too. Handcuffs Mike Boone (@ Chargers) and Tevin Coleman (@ Falcons) also have some potential flex value in thin weeks like this.

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Could this be the week James Conner (@ Seahawks) finally breaks out for the Cardinals? First, he'll have to shake off a rib injury, but if he plays, he has major upside against a Seattle defense that has surrendered nearly 700 yards and four TDs to RBs this season. If Conner is out, Eno Benjamin figures to take over and be worth an RB2/flex spot. The same is potentially true for Indy's Deon Jackson (vs. Jaguars) if Jonathan Taylor (ankle) and Nyheim Hines (concussion) can't go. 

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Continue to start James Robinson (@ Colts), but consider playing second-year back Travis Etienne Jr. this week, too. The Colts have been abysmal without Shaq Leonard (back, concussion), and Etienne is coming off his best game of the season. You probably don't want to play both Brian Robinson Jr. and Antonio Gibson, but a favorable matchup against Chicago should help one -- likely Robinson -- have a flex-worthy day.

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A few players make the top 36 but give us pause. Miles Sanders (vs. Cowboys) faces the daunting task of running against Dallas, but it could be a little easier if Micah Parsons is banged up. Similarly, Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard (@ Eagles) will have a tough go against Philly's front-seven. Clyde Edwards-Helaire (vs. Bills) will be a volatile flex against Buffalo, and Breece Hall (@ Packers) is a high-upside PPR play but a slightly lower-floor standard-league start. We do like him better than Michael Carter in all formats, though. We don't want anything to do with a similar situation in Atlanta (vs. 49ers), especially with Damien Williams (ribs) potentially coming back to crash the Tyler Allgeier-Caleb Huntley party.

A few more backs are even tougher to trust because of middling play. Despite taking over the Rams' backfield, Cam Akers (vs. Panthers) has been brutal all season, and now he faces an underrated Panthers D. Najee Harris (vs. Buccaneers) can't even get garbage-time touches and now draws one of the toughest matchups of Pittsburgh's season. Kareem Hunt's ceiling keeps lowering, and a date with the Patriots will make it even lower. It's tough to sit these backs in 12-team leagues, but in 10-team leagues, they're on the chopping block.

As always, be sure to roster any available handcuffs. If Fournette goes down, Rachaad White (@ Steelers) could win you some weeks. The same applies with Joshua Kelley (vs. Broncos) should the injury-prone Ekeler get hurt. If Najee Harris becomes the second Harris to miss time, Jaylen Warren (vs. Buccaneers) will see his stock skyrocket. Any Edwards-Helaire ding would launch Isiah Pacheco (vs. Bills) season. ("Pacheco season" — that sounds even more alluring than fall foliage and pumpkin spice lattes.) In future weeks like this, backs like that could even have deep-league flex value.

Note: We'll be updating these RB rankings throughout the week, so check back for analysis and the latest player movement.

Week 6 fantasy RB rankings for standard leagues

Rankings based on standard, non-PPR scoring leagues

Rank    Player
1    Saquon Barkley, Giants vs. Ravens
2    Dalvin Cook, Vikings @ Dolphins
3    Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers @ Steelers
4    Nick Chubb, Browns vs. Patriots
5    Austin Ekeler, Chargers vs. Broncos
6    Christian McCaffrey, Panthers @ Rams
7    Joe Mixon, Bengals @ Saints
8    Alvin Kamara, Saints vs. Bengals
9    Aaron Jones, Packers vs. Jets
10    Rhamondre Stevenson, Patriots @ Browns
11    Kenneth Walker III, Seahawks vs. Cardinals
12    Eno Benjamin, Cardinals @ Seahawks
13    Devin Singletary, Bills @ Chiefs
14    Melvin Gordon III, Broncos @ Chargers
15    James Robinson, Jaguars @ Colts
16    Jeff Wilson Jr., 49ers @ Falcons
17    AJ Dillon, Packers vs. Jets
18    JK Dobbins, Ravens @ Giants
19    David Montgomery, Bears vs. Commanders
20    Raheem Mostert, Dolphins vs. Vikings
21    Miles Sanders, Eagles vs. Cowboys
22    Darrell Henderson Jr., Rams vs. Panthers
23    Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Chiefs vs. Bills
24    Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys @ Eagles
25    Deon Jackson, Colts vs. Jaguars
26    Breece Hall, Jets @ Packers
27    Najee Harris, Steelers vs. Buccaneers
28    Travis Etienne Jr., Jaguars @ Colts
29    Khalil Herbert, Bears vs. Commanders
30    Brian Robinson Jr., Commanders @ Bears
31    Tyler Allgeier, Falcons vs. 49ers
32    Michael Carter, Jets @ Packers
33    Mike Boone, Broncos @ Chargers
34    Phillip Lindsay, Colts vs. Jaguars
35    Tony Pollard, Cowboys @ Eagles
36    Kareem Hunt, Browns vs. Patriots
37    Caleb Huntley, Falcons vs. 49ers
38    Rachaad White, Buccaneers @ Steelers
39    Chase Edmonds, Dolphins vs. Vikings
40    Kenneth Gainwell, Eagles vs. Cowboys
41    Mark Ingram, Saints vs. Bengals
42    Jerick McKinnon, Chiefs vs. Bills
43    Tyrion Davis-Price, 49ers @ Falcons
44    Zack Moss, Bills @ Chiefs
45    Kenyan Drake, Ravens @ Giants
46    Antonio Gibson, Commanders @ Bears
47    Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs vs. Bills
48    DeeJay Dallas, Seahawks vs. Cardinals
49    J.D. McKissic, Commanders @ Bears
50    Latavius Murray, Broncos @ Chargers
51    Samaje Perine, Bengals @ Saints
52    Joshua Kelley, Chargers vs. Broncos
53    Malcolm Brown, Rams vs. Panthers
54    Alexander Mattison, Vikings @ Dolphins
55    Jaylen Warren, Steelers vs. Buccaneers
56    Sony Michel, Chargers vs. Broncos
57    James Cook, Bills @ Chiefs
58    Matt Breida, Giants vs. Ravens

Week 6 RB fantasy projections, rankings from Draft Sharks

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Sloan Piva

Sloan Piva Photo

Sloan Piva is a content producer for The Sporting News, primarily focused on betting, fantasy sports, and poker. A lifelong New Englander, Sloan earned his BA and MA in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts and now lives in coastal Rhode Island with his wife and two kids.