Week 16 Fantasy Football Rankings: RB

Rachaad White tries to win leagues for fantasy managers, Jonathan Taylor returns for the Colts, and Ty Chandler readies for another RB2 spot start.

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

Updated 12/24 at 10:00 AM ET. Removed D'Onta Foreman and Jerick McKinnon. Added Alexander Mattison.

Week 16 Running Backs

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RB Notes: Kyren Williams is averaging 146 yards from scrimmage since returning four weeks ago. The Saints’ run defense is not what it once was. … Rachaad White is receiving more carries than Alvin Kamara at the moment. Kamara is still catching more passes. They are scoring with similar regularity. Kamara gets the tiebreak, though both players have top-five floors with easily attainable ceiling. … Is this point chasing with James Cook? It’s hard to say. What’s not difficult to discern is the Bills are 12-point road favorites against an awful defense without a coach or quarterback. Buffalo finally has living proof it can put a game on Cook’s shoulders. Expect something similar in “SoFi Stadium” Saturday night. … I am rush returning Jonathan Taylor to the top 12. The Colts are surprisingly fighting for a playoff spot, and Zack Moss was a disaster during Taylor’s recent absence. I’m expecting something akin to “all” the touches being heaped on Taylor’s plate vs. the Falcons. Atlanta does boast a tough run defense, though its five rushing scores against feels flukily low.

Raheem Mostert is touchdown dependent. Guess who scores a lot of touchdowns? The lead back for an elite offense in a 49.5-totaled showdown. Mostert can keep “getting away with it.” … Although the Lions are road favorites against the Vikings’ stout run defense, I will give “lightning” back Jahmyr Gibbs the rankings advantage over David Montgomery. Between the tackles banging doesn’t work as well vs. Brian Flores’ unit, while on the flipside, only five teams have coughed up more running back receptions. This game also has a sneakily high total, hinting at a plus offensive environment even with Nick Mullens under center for Minny. That same environment keeps D-Mont and his strong touchdown odds on the RB1/2 borderline. … Isiah Pacheco is back for the Chiefs, and not a moment too soon for the offense. Kansas City’s running game went nowhere with Pacheco on the shelf. It does seem Pacheco’s absence may have propped open the door for what is becoming Jerick McKinnon’s now-annual high-value touch hoovering, but Pacheco’s ground yards and scoring odds are still the only thing worth banking on in this backfield.

Neither Tony Pollard nor Travis Etienne have been inspiring of late. Pollard gets the slight Week 16 rankings advantage because of the near-50 total in Miami. Etienne remains in the top 12 because his receptions could creep up from the 4-5 range to 6-7 with Zay Jones joining Christian Kirk on the shelf. … Joe Mixon’s best three-game fantasy stretch has come with Joe Burrow on the shelf. Go figure. With Cincinnati surprisingly still alive for a playoff spot, Mixon’s handles have grown even more important with Ja’Marr Chase (shoulder) sidelined. … With Alexander Mattison (ankle) trending toward another inactive, Ty Chandler is flirting with plug-and-play RB1 status as a near-every snap player in a desperate offense in a must-win game. The Lions’ run defense is a tougher test than Cincinnati, but it doesn’t really matter with Vegas forecasting a close game and plus scoring setup. … Josh Jacobs (quad) seems likely to return against the Chiefs. You can’t quibble with his workloads since Antonio Pierce became coach, but the efficiency still leaves something to be desired. The Raiders are massive road ‘dogs for a 1PM ET Christmas game they would probably rather not be playing.

De’Von Achane has gone two weeks without scoring. He has become the de facto WR3 for the Dolphins’ top-heavy offense. Although Raheem Mostert dominates goal-line looks, Achane does not lack for high-value touches. They could produce a fantasy bonanza in Sunday’s likely Cowboys shootout. … It had been a while since Arthur Smith was Bijan Robinson humbled. If his solemn Monday press conference was any indication, he has once again remembered he should probably feature his best running back in the running game. It’s still a matter of … how many more rug pulls can we endure? That’s if you somehow survived last Sunday’s fiasco. Robinson is in the RB16-18 range by average PPR points depending on your games played sliders. That feels like an appropriate rank for the semifinals. … Derrick Henry has 33 carries for 43 yards over the past two weeks. So, uhh, not great. He will nevertheless remain the obvious offensive focal point for a Titans team missing its quarterback against a soft ground defense. … Opposing Henry will be Kenneth Walker/Zach Charbonnet. With everything on the line for the Seahawks, Walker finally took back control of his RB2 workloads in Week 15. I wouldn’t expect anything to change Sunday.

Chuba Hubbard is averaging 23 touches over the past three weeks. Good. Just don’t expect that workload to come with many, if any, touchdown opportunities. … D’Andre Swift has become a reliable weekly rug pull. His Week 16 fortunes project a little better with the struggling Eagles likely to finally dominate the pace of play against the hapless Giants. … The Panthers are an A+ Aaron Jones matchup … just in time for AJ Dillon to return. Believe a Jones spiked week when you see it. … The Jets are somehow favored against the Commanders. Breece Hall still feels too risky for a genuine RB2 investment. Leave him on the borderline. … The destitute man’s Keaton Mitchell behind Gus Edwards, Justice Hill isn’t worth a Hail Mary FLEX. … It has become impossible to rely on Austin Ekeler in this bottomed-out Chargers attack. Easton Stick could have trouble even getting the offense inside the 20 vs. a business tripping Bills squad. … Brian Robinson (hamstring) still isn’t practicing, but Antonio Gibson isn’t producing. … It’s not worth watching the next episode in “As The Bears’ Backfield Turns.”