We'll be missing Joe Mixon, Samaje Perine, David Montgomery, Khalil Herbert, David Johnson, Phillip Lindsay, Saquon Barkley and Devontae Booker on byes for Week 10. Then there are a bunch of other big name running backs out injured, but we carry on in Fantasy.
Jamey Eisenberg has his Start and Sit calls for RB here. His Waiver Wire column also can direct you to the best options who may be still available. And don't forget to check out Heath Cummings' running back preview for more help with matchup notes, Week 9 numbers to know and more.
START 'EM & SIT 'EM
Running Backs
Start 'Em
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Nick Chubb (illness) is out this week after being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. With Kareem Hunt (calf) still on injured reserve, that means Johnson will once again be in the spotlight for the Browns. We saw this in Week 7 against Denver when Johnson started, and he finished with 22 carries for 146 yards and a touchdown, along with two catches for 22 yards on two targets. This won't be an easy matchup against the Patriots, but six running backs have scored at least 12 PPR points against New England in the past five games. I like Johnson as a top 15 running back this week.
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Zack Moss (concussion) could be out this week against the Jets, which means Singletary could be looking at a big workload. Over the past two seasons, Moss has missed four games, and Singletary is averaging 11.8 PPR points per game over that span, including two outings with at least 16 PPR points. This is a beautiful matchup against the Jets, who allow the most Fantasy points to opposing running backs this year. For the season, the Jets have allowed 15 running backs to score at least 13 PPR points. If Moss is able to play this week then consider both Bills running backs as no worse than high-end flex options given the matchup.
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In four starts in place of Clyde Edwards-Helaire (knee), Williams has two outings with at least 16 PPR points. He has at least 19 total touches in three of those outings, and he should continue to be the lead running back in Kansas City until Edwards-Helaire is back. For this week, Williams is taking on a Raiders defense that has allowed a running back to score or gain at least 100 total yards in all but one game this season. And the last time these two teams met in Week 11 last year, the Chiefs had three rushing touchdowns against the Raiders from Edwards-Helaire (two) and Le'Veon Bell.
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Gordon and Javonte Williams are both worth starting this week against the Eagles, with Gordon a No. 2 running back and Williams a high-end flex. Gordon comes into Week 10 having scored at least 17 PPR points in each of his past two games, including a season-high 23 total touches in Week 9 at Dallas. And Williams just had the first 100-yard game of his career and has scored at least 11 PPR points in two of his past three outings. The Eagles are No. 8 in Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, so Gordon and Williams again have the chance to be successful Fantasy options this week.
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It appears like Latavius Murray (ankle) is out again for Thursday night's game at Miami, so Freeman should again be the lead back for the Ravens. In Week 9 against Minnesota, Freeman played the most snaps of any Ravens running back this year (57), and he finished with 13 carries for 79 yards, along with two catches for 4 yards and a touchdown on three targets. He's now scored a touchdown in three games in a row, and he should stay hot against Miami. The Dolphins have allowed a running back to score in seven of nine games this year, and Freeman grew up in South Florida and went to Miami Central High School.
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Sleepers
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McKissic will likely be needed in this game since the Tampa Bay run defense is amazing, so he should be heavily involved in the passing game. McKissic has scored at least 16 PPR points in three of his past five games, and he has four games this season with at least five catches and 44 yards. The Buccaneers are No. 4 in receptions allowed to running backs this season with 59, and seven running backs have scored at least six PPR points with just their receiving stats alone. In PPR, McKissic is a low-end starter, and he's a decent flex in all other formats as well.
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In three games since Jon Gruden left the Raiders, Drake has scored at least 16 PPR points in all three outings. He has three touchdowns over that span, including 11 catches. Josh Jacobs is a quality No. 2 Fantasy running back this week, but Drake is a solid flex option. The Chiefs have allowed 10 running backs to score at least 11 PPR points this season, and Drake should find a way to be productive in tandem with Jacobs again this week.
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Dillon has at least 12 total touches in each of his past two games, and hopefully he continues to get quality work in tandem with Aaron Jones. He had four catches for 44 yards on four targets in Week 9 at Kansas City, and hopefully he remains a part of the passing game in Week 10 against Seattle. The Seahawks are No. 5 in receptions allowed to running backs, and seven running backs have at least four receptions against Seattle this year. Jones is a must-start running back in all leagues, but Dillon has the chance to be a flex option in this matchup.
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The Patriots are dealing with injuries to Damien Harris (head) and Rhamondre Stevenson (head), and if both are out then we could see Bolden and J.J. Taylor as the top running backs in Week 10 against Cleveland. I like Bolden more given his expected role in the passing game, and he has three games with at least three receptions in his past six outings. This isn't an easy matchup against the Browns, but Cleveland has allowed five touchdowns to running backs in the past three games against Denver, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.
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Alvin Kamara (knee) is out for Week 10 at Tennessee, so consider Ingram as a top-20 running back in all leagues. He should be looking at a heavy workload, and Sean Payton won't hesitate to trust him. In his second game with the Saints in Week 9 against Atlanta, Ingram had nine carries for 43 yards against the Falcons, along with five catches for 21 yards. He could be looking at around 20 total touches, with a sizable role in the passing game, and Ingram is a No. 2 running back with upside since Kamara can't go.
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Sit 'Em
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Davis might pop up with 10 or 11 PPR points like he's done four times in his past six games, but I'm done trusting him. He's also scored two PPR points or less in two of his past three games. The Dallas run defense was bad in Week 9 against Denver, but for the season the Cowboys are still No. 11 in fewest Fantasy points allowed. Cordarrelle Patterson remains a must-start Fantasy option in all leagues, but Davis is a flex option at best in deeper formats.
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Peterson made his Titans debut in Week 9 at the Rams and looked like a 36-year-old running back playing in his first game this season. He had 10 carries for 21 yards and a touchdown, and he added one catch for 5 yards on one target. He shared playing time with Jeremy McNichols and D'Onta Foreman, and I like McNichols the best of that trio in this matchup. The Saints are No. 5 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to running backs, and only six running backs have scored against New Orleans this year.
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Howard has been great in two games without Miles Sanders (ankle). He had 12 carries for 57 yards and two touchdowns in Week 8 at Detroit, and he followed that up with 17 carries for 71 yards and a touchdown in Week 9 against the Chargers. But I would try to avoid him this week, especially in PPR, since he doesn't have a target in those two outings. If he doesn't score a touchdown then he might be terrible, and the Broncos have allowed just five rushing touchdowns to running backs this year, with none in the past two games against Washington and Dallas. Howard will also share playing time with Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell, and Howard should only be considered a flex option in non-PPR leagues this week.
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Bust Alert
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Gibson has been struggling the past three games, and he's combined for just 19 PPR points over that span. He's hopefully healthy coming off a bye, but he hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 5 and has just seven catches in his past three outings. This is a bad matchup for Gibson against the Buccaneers, who are No. 10 in Fantasy points allowed to running backs. I like McKissic more than Gibson this week given the matchup, and I would only use Gibson as a flex against the Buccaneers.
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