Posted on by

Fantasy Football: RB Report Week 7

Fantasy Football: RB Report Week 7

Running backs remain the king of fantasy football. Although it seems like there are more elite quarterbacks and wide receivers than ever before, the number of consistent, reliable running backs is dwindling. This makes it all the more important to value running backs in fantasy football. To help you with this, each week I’ll be looking at some backfields that stand out based on current trends or new information we’ve learned.

Injuries are increasing in the NFL. With six weeks of football in the rearview mirror, it feels like more and more starters are leaving every week, especially at the ever-fickle position of running back. This means replacements and handcuffs are even more important, as it’s entirely possible for starters to simply sit on the waiver wire. Let’s get into some of my key backfield takeaways from this week, with a focus on guys taking on bigger roles after injury.

With Rachaad White missing Week 6 with a foot injury, Bucky Irving was quite effective as the Bucs’ running back. He converted 14 carries into 81 yards and ran for a touchdown while adding two catches for 24 yards through the air. Although Irving was impressive, he was actually overshadowed by second-year Sean Tucker.

Tucker also saw 14 carries but managed an impressive 136 yards and also scored. Tucker’s stats are padded by garbage time – he had six carries for 64 yards and a score on the Bucs’ final drive of the game, when they led by 17 points – but his efficiency is still notable.

It’s unclear how long Rachaad White will be out, but I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say he’s the third-best running back on the team. The Bucs are a potent offense with over 30 points in four of their six games and will certainly be able to support several fantasy-relevant running backs. I’m still very comfortable starting Irving in fantasy even if White returns, and I expect White and Tucker to eat into each other’s workloads when they’re both on the field. Tucker is worth an addition this week, but I wouldn’t use him unless White misses more time.

The Chargers placed free-agent signee Gus Edwards on IR last week, leaving JK Dobbins and Kimani Vidal as primary defenders. Dobbins dominated the volume on Sunday, hauling in a season-high 25 carries, which he converted into 96 yards and a score. With Edwards out for at least four weeks, Dobbins can be considered a safe top-15 running back for the week. Dobbins was already playing better than Edwards before the injury, and given the Chargers’ propensity for running the ball, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Dobbins continued to see 20+ runs per game.

Vidal, who the Chargers selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, was a favorite of the fantasy community during the offseason. He played his first game of the season on Sunday and made an immediate impact, scoring a beautiful 38-yard score on his first career contact:

Vidal played 19 total snaps to Dobbins’ 57, and I would expect the Chargers to work him a little more into the offense with Edwards out. Dobbins doesn’t exactly have the best health, so Vidal has moved into the top tier of handcuffs. I would take him into deeper leagues and keep an eye on his use in the next games.

Going into the season, it was expected that the Titans would have a standard timeshare between Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears in their backfield. Six weeks later, it looks like Pollard has taken the reins from Spears and is the clear top running back. Pollard has scored at least 16 runs in five of six games this season, quietly putting up consistent fantasy production – he’s currently the RB19 overall. The Titans’ offense as a whole hasn’t been all that valuable in terms of overall production, but Pollard has made the most of his volume. Pollard is now almost two years removed from his broken leg and looks much more like himself. He ranks in the top 10 in yards by contact per attempt and forced missed tackles.

Spears left Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury and is considered week-to-week, but he wasn’t particularly productive beforehand anyway. He only scored one touchdown all year and was less effective than expected in the passing game. Spears only has 12 total receptions this season, which is actually four fewer than Pollard. I’d rather leave Spears out in most formats, as I can’t see how he becomes fantasy relevant in a well below average offense. He’s far closer to an insurance policy than a viable flexible player, even when healthy.

Devin Singletary has missed the last two weeks with a groin injury, but the Giants haven’t missed a beat. Rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. has represented Singletary admirably with back-to-back, productive fantasy performances. Tracy’s versatility was on display. In Week 5, he beat the Seahawks’ poor run defense for 129 yards on 18 carries. In Week 6, he was less efficient on the ground aside from a one-yard score, but totaled six receptions for 57 yards. He played 84% of the snaps Sunday night and seemed to be a great safety valve for Daniel Jones as a former wide receiver in college.

Singletary will likely return soon, but Tracy has proven he deserves a major role in this offense. With Singletary back, I expect the Giants to work a lot more on Tracy’s passing downs, giving him a solid fantasy base. The Giants’ offense probably isn’t good enough to maintain two fantasy-relevant running backs in Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson, but Tracy should still definitely be added to your league if he’s not already on the roster. For now, I’d keep Tracy on your bench if Singletary also plays, but I’ll be keeping a close eye on the Giants’ backfield split between the two going forward.

49ers starter Jordan Mason suffered a sprained ACL in their Week 6 TNF night win over the Seahawks. Mason missed most of the game due to the injury and it is uncertain whether he will be ready for the 49ers’ Week 7 game against the Chiefs. If Mason is still injured, rookie Isaac Guerendo would be the next man up. Guerendo was the 49ers’ top running back after Mason went down, putting an exclamation point on the score with a 76-yard run (which probably would have been a touchdown had it not been for an intentional slide) late in the fourth their victory quarter. Guerendo should be a high priority this week if he is still available for waivers.

Although Mason could still play, the 49ers would be wise to give him time to rest considering how easily different running backs can thrive in the friendly Shanahan run program. If Guerendo can continue the trend, he would be a top-15 running back option right away, so I would be willing to take the risk and place Guerendo on waivers this week, especially if you desperately need a win or a starting spot.