Week 15 Fantasy Football Rankings: RB

James Cook goes big game hunting vs. the Cowboys, Jahmyr Gibbs hopes for the right game flow against the Broncos, and Breece Hall angles for receptions in Miami.

Other positions: Quarterback | Receiver | Tight End/Kickers/Defense

Updated 12/7 at 10:30 AM ET. Removed AJ Dillon. Ticked De'Von Achane up.

Week 15 Running Backs

Sign up to stream the NFL Holiday Exclusive between the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Chargers, only on Peacock, Saturday, Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Visit PeacockTV.com/NFL for more details.

RB Notes: Kyren Williams is averaging 25 touches in three games since returning and has yet to handle the ball fewer than 22 times. Although the air is Washington’s great vulnerability, that also means the Rams should have plenty of drives to finish inside the five as they operate as touchdown home favorites. … The Saints are battered by injury issues, but Alvin Kamara has stayed surprisingly healthy. Like Kyren, Kamara is a nearly touchdown home favorite, making for positive game flow and scoring opportunities. Taysom Hill’s expected return would take a bite or two out of Kamara’s apple. … Bijan Robinson has been a wild ride but he keeps catching passes and converting goal-line opportunities. The Falcons are road favorites vs. an awful Panthers run defense. It remains difficult to separate wishcasting from reality with Bijan, but his Week 15 setup is hard to quibble with. … Rachaad White is handling ever bigger workloads, and the Packers remain leaky on the ground. White is combining raw overall volume with all of the Bucs’ most valuable touches. He’s also managed to display better efficiency as a rusher of late.

I’m betting big on David Montgomery for Week 15. The Lions' passing attack is falling apart and coach Dan Campbell is in circle-the-wagons mode. They are solid home favorites against a strong defense that is nevertheless amongst the league’s most vulnerable on the ground. Everything about this game screams Montgomery game script and touchdown chances. … Travis Etienne and Saquon Barkley have been handling similar workloads of late. Both have tough Week 15 assignments. Etienne is facing the stronger defense in Baltimore, but doing so at home and in a better overall offensive environment. I’ll let that break the tie in his favor as Barkley prepares to head down to New Orleans. … Undersized De’Von Achane is injured again, this time battling a toe issue on a short week. This, after his underwhelming Week 14, albeit one where he was functionally the Dolphins’ WR3. We don’t know if Achane will play, but we do know it is Raheem Mostert who keeps cash moneying touchdowns. The Jets, of course, are easier to get on the ground than through the air.

David Montgomery’s land-o-plenty setup also applies to Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs is a practical lock for 15-plus touches with at least 4-5 of them coming through the air. Only five teams have surrendered more running back receptions than Denver. … Derrick Henry was a surprising Week 14 fantasy success as a massive road underdog. Now the Titans are home favorites vs. a crumbling Texans squad. The Big Dog is no longer guaranteed to eat, but he is positioned well for the first week of the fantasy playoffs. … With the Cowboys operating as rare road underdogs, Tony Pollard’s floor is not as high as usual. That’s a problem since he keeps failing to reach his ceiling. … Zack Moss’ efficiency has predictably cratered since his unsustainably hot start, though he continues to monopolize the Colts’ snaps in Jonathan Taylor’s absence. Even an inefficient back is going to start piling up touchdowns on the kind of volume and high-value touches Moss is handling. Fantasy managers just need to hope T.J. Watt and company don’t wreck the Colts’ entire offense. … It’s been quality over quantity for James Cook. It’s hard not to like his projected looks vs. Big D.

Breece Hall was getting some of that sweet, sweet James Cook action in Week 14, posting a season-best 8/86/1 line through the air. There is no path to a Jets victory without a repeat performance from their lead back. … Ezekiel Elliott is here to handle 20–plus touches and … well, really that’s it. He is the purest of volume plays. We just have to hope one of them ends up in the end zone vs. Kansas City’s stout defense. … Austin Ekeler revived in Week 14 only for the bottom to fall out of the entire Chargers operation. With Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen on the shelf, Ekeler in theory projects for all of Los Angeles’ most important work, but it’s more likely that the Bolts’ offense goes precisely nowhere, let alone the red zone. … Brian Robinson (hamstring) has yet to resume practicing following the Commanders’ bye week. It’s certainly looking like an Antonio Gibson revival spot, one where he’ll have an RB3 floor but arguably RB1 ceiling in the Commanders’ leaking-oil but high-octane offense. … Aaron Jones’ (knee) status is clear as mud, while AJ Dillon (thumb) isn’t practicing. Whomever starts, don’t expect RB2 numbers.

Josh Jacobs (quad) seems unlikely to go for Thursday Night Football. With a doomsday offensive environment awaiting the committee duo of early-down man Zamir White and pass-catching back Ameer Abdullah, don’t plan on RB2 numbers from either back. … The tidings should be gladder for Ty Chandler against the Bengals with Alexander Mattison (ankle) seeming likely to sit. Chandler doesn’t feel like a true top-24 back, but unlike White and Abdullah, he might actually sneak in. On their fourth quarterback yet only narrow road ‘dogs against a soft run defense, Minnesota should be expected to establish it. … Opposing Chandler will be Joe Mixon and Chase Brown. All signs point toward Brian Flores absolutely dominating Jake Browning. Expect boffo Mixon volume, if inefficiency and a paucity of goal-line opps. Brown is merely a shoot-for-the-moon FLEX. … No one in the Chiefs backfield is doing enough to earn anything more than floor-based FLEX appeal. There is no ceiling in Isiah Pacheco’s absence. … Ken Walker and Zach Charbonnet will remain a frustrating committee vs. Philadelphia’s ground-tough defense. Walker maintains goal-line, and ergo, fantasy favoritism.