Start: Rhamondre Stevenson — New England Patriots (at NYG)
Kris Craig/USA TODAY Sports
Rhamondre Stevenson has come on strong in recent weeks, and turned in a solid performance against the Colts in New England’s most recent game despite being hampered with an injury. Since Week 6, Stevenson has posted at least 13.00 PPR in four of his last five games. Important to note is how the team has been using Stevenson in the passing game. One of the top pass-catching backs a year ago, Stevenson has once again become a primary option for Mac Jones, having seen 27 targets in his last five games. The Giants’ defense is capable of giving up plenty of yards, and Stevenson will be the go-to option in this one.
Sit: Joe Mixon — Cincinnati Bengals (vs PIT)
Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports
Joe Mixon had one of his best games of the season in the loss to Baltimore. Mixon carried the ball 16 times for 69 yards, and added five receptions for an additional 31 yards and a score. It was just the second time this year Mixon gained at least 100 total yards in a game. While it’s certainly a step in the right direction for Mixon individually, the Bengals suffered a massive blow with the loss of QB Joe Burrow for the year. Jake Browning managed okay in Burrow’s absence, but will have his hands full against a dominant Pittsburgh defense. Mixon and the Bengals will find it difficult to move the ball against T.J. Watt and company.
Start: Devin Singletary — Houston Texans (vs JAC)
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Devin Singletary has been excellent since taking over in Houston’s backfield. The former Bills RB has rushed for over 100 yards in two straight, and scored a touchdown in each of those games. The Texans offense is among the league’s best at moving the ball and sustaining drives. Having a dual-threat like Singletary certainly helps fantasy managers competing in PPR leagues. Keep starting him as long as the Texans continue to feed him. He’s proven to be far more successful in this offense than Dameon Pierce.
Sit: Tyler Allgeier — Atlanta Falcons (vs NO)
Joe Rondone/USA TODAY Sports
Tyler Allgeier has seen his role decrease over Atlanta’s last few games. After seeing 51 carries from Week 5-7, Allgeier has gotten just 29 totes over the last three. Though, that hasn’t exactly led to Bijan Robinson seeing more touches. The Falcons are in a desperate spot. Arthur Smith could be coaching for his job. We like to think Smith took a long look at his roster during the Bye Week, and has made the decision to turn over reins to Robinson. Allgeier will take a backseat, as Robinson receives a majority of the opportunities for Atlanta’s backfield in a must-win game.
Start: David Montgomery — Detroit Lions (vs GB)
Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
David Montgomery is having an excellent first year with the Lions. A move to Detroit has seemingly rejuvenated the former Bear as he’s been one of the best RB’s in fantasy all season. Montgomery has played six full games this year, and has scored at least 12.40 PPR in each of those contests. That kind of consistency is key to winning your fantasy matchups. You can’t have a RB post single-digits, and Montgomery has proven that he has one of the higher floors in terms of production in the league. Detroit gets another favorable matchup this week against the Packers, who have allowed the 7th most fantasy points to opposing RB’s this season.
Sit: Najee Harris — Pittsburgh Steelers (at CIN)
Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Najee Harris has been one of the biggest fantasy busts thus far. After getting drafted in the first or second round of most leagues, Harris’ production has been nowhere near that level. Most troubling is Harris has seemingly lost snaps to backup Jaylen Warren. Neither have been very productive, and the Steelers offense isn’t nearly good enough to sustain two fantasy relevant RB’s. Harris is coming off a dreadful outing (4.60 PPR), and is set to take on another tough defense in the Bengals. It’ll be difficult for any Steeler to produce a big day against Cincinnati this week.
Start: Rachaad White — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at IND)
Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports
Rachaad White has been on fire in recent weeks, and is quickly rising the ranks of top RB’s in fantasy football. White has struggled on the ground — averaging 3.3 YPC and has yet to rush for 100 yards in a game — but has been one of the steadiest pass-catching backs in the league. He caught another six passes in Tampa Bay’s last game, and converted on a short touchdown run to give him 17.80 PPR on the day. Since Week 7, White ranks fourth among RB’s in PPR scoring behind only Gus Edwards, Alvin Kamara, and Jahmyr Gibbs. He’s in a great spot this week versus a lousy Colts defense.
Sit: Alexander Mattison — Minnesota Vikings (vs CHI)
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Alexander Mattison chipped in one of his best days of the year in Week 11, but we wouldn’t get too excited about the Minnesota runner. His 81-yard rushing total was his highest since Week 4, and he was once again a non-factor in the passing game (he’s caught two or fewer passes in seven of last eight games). And, not to mention, the speedy Ty Chandler has come along as of late. It’s only a matter of time until Chandler sees more touches, and Mattison’s hold on this backfield disappears. And, Mattison isn’t nearly explosive enough to be a viable fantasy option in a lesser role.
Start: Ty Chandler — Minnesota Vikings (vs CHI)
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Speaking of Ty Chandler, the second-year back has the look of a potential league-winner down the stretch. The Vikings seem to be a more dangerous offensive team when Chandler is inserted into the game. He has the speed and elusiveness to break off big plays, and is by far the most gifted pass-catcher on the roster. He caught all four of his targets in the loss to Denver, and turned 14 opportunities into 110 total yards. We’re banking on HC Kevin O’Connell to get Chandler even more involved in a winnable game versus the Bears.
Sit: Chuba Hubbard — Carolina Panthers (at TEN)
Daniel Bartel-USA TODAY Sports
We want no part of the Panthers backfield. Miles Sanders entered the year as the starter, but has since lost that role. Chuba Hubbard has seen increased run over the last month, and has seen at least nine carries in seven straight games. Unfortunately, the increased workload hasn’t led to many results for Hubbard. He’s scored just one touchdown on the year and has caught more than two passes in a game just once since Week 2. Carolina doesn’t score many points, and Hubbard isn’t a factor in the passing game. Combine both of those factors and it’s clear that Hubbard should not be starting in your fantasy lineups anytime soon.
Start: Gus Edwards — Baltimore Ravens (at LAC)
Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
The ‘Gus Bus’ just has a nose for the end zone. Baltimore’s starting RB has reached the end zone nine times over the last five weeks. Edwards cashed in two more scores in the Week 11 win over the Bengals. This Ravens offense is humming, and it’s clear the team prefers to keep the ball on the ground near the red zone. Plus, it appears the coaching staff would rather not run Lamar Jackson down there. As such, Edwards has gotten plenty of looks at the goal line and reaped the rewards. Going up against a reeling Chargers defense, expect Edwards to add to his touchdown total.
Sit: Dalvin Cook — New York Jets (vs MIA)
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Maybe a QB change will ignite Dalvin Cook. The Jets are finally moving on from Zach Wilson, as it was announced that following their Week 11 loss to the Bills the starting role will be handed to Tim Boyle moving forward. In all likelihood, this even further handicaps the Jets offense. Boyle entered the contest versus the Bills and gained 23 total yards on 15 drop backs. Dalvin Cook saw two touches in that game, and didn’t catch his lone target. Cook, who had 295 receiving yards on 39 receptions with the Vikings last year, has not had more than two receiving yards in a game since Week 3.
Start: Isiah Pacheco — Kansas City Chiefs (at LVR)
William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports
Pacheco is in line for a big game against the Raiders. Despite looking better defensively in recent weeks, the Raiders have given up the 8th most points to opposing RB’s this year. Pacheco has been running well all year, but hasn’t been able to find the endzone as often as he’d like. We predict two scores for the Kansas City runner in this one, as the Chiefs rout their division rival.
Sit: Khalil Herbert — Chicago Bears (at MIN)
Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports
Khalil Herbert returned in Week 11, and posted a rather pedestrian line — 16 carries for 35 yards, 2 receptions for 6 yards. Herbert clearly has top priority in Chicago’s backfield when everybody’s healthy, but Roschon Johnson and D’Onta Foreman appear to have a role, as well. The latter two combined for 12 carries, ultimately cutting into Herbert’s workload. And, it appears the Bears are once again unleashing Justin Fields as a runner after the QB ran for 104 yards and a TD on 18 carries against Detroit. Herbert can be stashed, he hasn’t shown nearly enough as the No. 1 back to warrant a starting spot.
Start: Alvin Kamara — New Orleans Saints (at ATL)
Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Alvin Kamara has been the first, second, and third option for the Saints since returning from a three-game suspension. In seven games, Kamara has toted the rock 104 times and seen 56 targets in the passing game. Since the start of October, no running back in the league has seen more targets than Kamara — and that time-frame includes New Orleans’ Bye Week. Needing a win versus a division rival, Kamara will likely see close to 30 opportunities in the Saints’ Week 12 showdown versus the Falcons.
Sit: Darrell Henderson Jr. — Los Angeles Rams (at ARI)
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
With Kyren Williams likely returning in Week 12, Darrell Henderson Jr. can return to the waiver wire. Henderson had some good game filling in for the Rams, but seemingly fell out of favor in Week 11. Henderson did salvage his day with four receptions and a short touchdown run, but it was clear that Royce Freeman was the team’s go-to back. Freeman should form a solid one-two punch with Williams, as Henderson will likely be utilized primary on third-down situations given his strong pass blocking skills.
Start: Josh Jacobs — Las Vegas Raiders (vs KC)
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
One of the happiest Raiders since Josh McDaniels’ departure is RB Josh Jacobs. Last year’s rushing leader was off to a slow start to being the year, but has come on strong as of late. Jacobs’ uptick began when interim HC Antonio Pierce took over. Pierce — who is using the second-half of the season as a sort of job interview — has made it clear he wants to give Jacobs the ball as often as possible. Jacobs has 70 touches over Vegas’ last three games, and once again figures to play a big role against the Chiefs this week.
Sit: Kareem Hunt — Cleveland Browns (at DEN)
Scott Galvin/USA TODAY Sports
Kareem Hunt has been on a peculiar run since returning to the Browns. Hunt scored in every game from Week 6 to Week 10 — a five-game TD streak. However, his streak was snapped in Week 11 and his PPR total has decreased each game over the past six. Perhaps most stunningly, the Browns have shown little interest in getting Hunt involved in the passing game — 13 receiving yards over last five games. Denver’s defense has been on a heater, and should be able to shut down a Browns offense that is severely compromised.
Start: Saquon Barkley — New York Giants (vs NE)
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
The Giants’ offense finally exploded in Week 11, and Saquon Barkley (unsurprisingly) played a big part in the performance. Barkley had his best game of the year, totaling 140 yards and two scores en route to a 30.00 PPR day for fantasy managers. New York doesn’t really have much of a choice moving forward but to feed Barkley. In a winnable matchup versus the Patriots, Barkley should see more than 20 touches and should find success against a struggling team.
Sit: Derrick Henry — Tennessee Titans (vs CAR)
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Derrick Henry was held under 40 yards for the third time this year, and this Titans offense has serious problems. Three weeks after Will Levis threw for four touchdowns, Tennessee has scored just 36 points over their last three games. Like we’ve seen in past years, defenses are willing to sell out against the run versus the Titans in order to slow Henry down. And, the soon-to-be 30-year-old back doesn’t have quite the same juice in Year 8 following several injuries. He can be safely stashed on your bench when the Titans take on the Panthers this week.
Start: Jonathan Taylor — Indianapolis Colts (vs TB)
The Indianapolis Star/USA TODAY Sports
Some fantasy managers were wary of selecting Jonathan Taylor in drafts this season. Taylor — who was coming off an injury-riddled season — was set to miss the first four games of 2023 while in the midst of a contract dispute. However, Taylor made his debut in Week 5 and has looked great as of late. He’s scored in two straight games and has taken over Indy’s backfield. Zack Moss was the No. 2 rusher in the league when he was the starter, but saw just one carry to Taylor’s 23 in the Colts’ last game.
Start: Jahmyr Gibbs — Detroit Lions (vs GB)
Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
There aren’t too many RB’s doing it better than rookie Jahmyr Gibbs right now. The former Alabama star has been cooking over his last four games. Since Week 7, Gibbs has scored at least 21.50 PPR, had at least five targets, and scored a touchdown in each of Detroit’s four games. You can’t possibly sit him, even with David Montgomery carving himself a sizable role in the offense. Gibbs is too explosive and he can produce a solid fantasy day even without a ton of touches — only needed 31 touches to score 47.70 PPR over last two games.
Start: Travis Etienne Jr. — Jacksonville Jaguars (at HOU)
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Travis Etienne is coming off back-to-back tough games, but we’re not losing faith in the young RB. Etienne was the league’s top point-scorer from Week 5-8, a stretch in which he scored 7 TD’s. He’s been held scoreless in each of the last two, but that should change in Week 12. The Texans are improved defensively, but they have no qualms getting involved in a high-scoring game given their confidence with QB C.J. Stroud. The Jaguars should oblige and put up strong offensive numbers of their own, opening up the chance for Etienne to reach the end zone a couple of times.
Start: Austin Ekeler — Los Angeles Chargers (vs BAL)
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Austin Ekeler is coming off an uncharacteristically poor outing. The Chargers’ RB has been a consistent force in fantasy since entering the league, making efforts like his 7.00 PPR performance against the Packers startling. No matter, we’re confident he should bounce-back in LA’s next game. Even against a tough defense in Baltimore, Ekeler has shown to be matchup proof in the past. Getting him move involved in the passing game will be key, especially with all of the injuries sustained by Chargers wideouts this season.
Start: Christian McCaffrey — San Francisco 49ers (at SEA)
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
A new streak begins, as Christian McCaffrey was able to find the end zone in Week 11 after being held scoreless in San Francisco’s previous game. The No. 1 back in all of fantasy, McCaffrey is the surest bet to dominate his matchup every week. What separates him from other top backs is in his dual-threat ability. No players puts more stress on defenses both on the ground and through the air than CMC. And, 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan always has a play in his back pocket that goes McCaffrey’s way. He’s the top option this week and for the remainder of the year.
