Week 8 Fantasy Football Rankings: RB

Austin Ekeler hopes to finally get on track against the Bears, Breece Hall readies for a smash spot in the Giants, and Jonathan Taylor prepares for more work vs. the Saints.

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

Updated 10/29 at 12:00 PM ET. Decided to keep Jerome Ford un-ranked. I have not seen enough evidence to suggest he will actually play. I, of course, am merely trying to divine the tea leaves.

Week 8 Running Backs

RB Notes: Christian McCaffrey’s efficiency has waned along with the rest of the 49ers’ offense over the past few weeks, but he still has four scores in his past three contests. The load will not be lightened with Brock Purdy (concussion) on the shelf. … Tied with CMC for the NFL’s touches lead, Travis Etienne is encountering a surprisingly soft Steelers run D for Week 8. … Via ESPN’s Mike Clay: Austin Ekeler has drawn six-or-fewer targets in eight consecutive contests, most recently clearing that number last Week 14. That is not sustainable in an offense missing Mike Williams. The Bears are one of just five Ds to cough up at least 40 running back receptions. Hopefully Ekeler’s tide begins to turn this weekend. … Tony Pollard is second in red zone carries even after the Cowboys’ Week 7 bye. Sixth in running back receptions with 25, Pollard remains fantasy’s most obvious positive regression candidate. … The Saints have made it sound like they don’t plan to limit Jamaal Williams to only five touches again, but there is basically zero reason to expect Alvin Kamara to notch fewer than 20 handles vs. the Colts’ fantasy generous run defense.

Running right at Myles Garrett and company is a lot easier when Deshaun Watson is on the shelf, as will be the case for Week 8. P.J. Walker and company can’t sustain drives, keeping the other offense on the field as long as they don’t turn the ball over a million times, a la Gardner Minshew. The Seahawks are operating as healthy home favorites against the QB-less Browns. … It’s shaping up as a Breece Hall kind of week for a Jets team coming off bye. The Giants are one of just four defenses to surrender over five yards per carry, while the Jets are three-point favorites for a neutral site showdown with their cross-town rivals. There should be big-play opportunities galore. … The same logic applies to Saquon Barkley, who is averaging 26 touches in two games since returning from his ankle injury. As long as the Jets don’t put Daniel Jones down into the ground, Barkley will get one opportunity after another against a defense that’s more vulnerable on the ground than through the air. … Quietly up to 12th in running back receptions, Isiah Pacheco is ninth in red zone carries (20). Touchdown road favorites against the Broncos profiles as a TD spot.

D’Andre Swift has just one score over the past three weeks but has compensated by catching 17 passes. Washington is soft against everything. … Jahmyr Gibbs played 87 percent of the Lions’ Week 7 snaps with David Montgomery (ribs) on the shelf. There was no Craig Reynolds end-around. Four quarters of comeback game script probably had something to do with that, but Gibbs remains in the RB1 mix against a Raiders defense handing out the fifth most RB fantasy points even if we allow for a few more Reynolds touches in a home contest where the Lions should be playing from ahead. D-Mont’s healthy return would bump Gibbs back down to the RB18-22 range. … Raheem Mostert (ankle) was one of one million Dolphins not to practice Wednesday. If Mostert can go, the ‘Fins will undoubtedly be more run game oriented if Tyreek Hill (hip) is on the shelf. Jeff Wilson and Salvon Ahmed would form an unpredictable committee if Mostert sits. … Josh Jacobs has yet to average more than 3.6 yards per carry in any one game. Putrid. Working in his Week 8 favor is the return of Jimmy Garoppolo and his continued zero backfield touch competition. The Lions are run-tough. It won’t be an upside week.

Finally up to 50 percent of the Colts’ snaps in Week 7, Jonathan Taylor easily out-produced Zack Moss even though they remained at a carries standstill (18). With Moss now battling heel and elbow issues, Taylor’s share of the pie will only grow against the Saints. … Derrick Henry turned in one of his best performances before the Titans’ Week 7 bye but must now endure a Will Levis start against the Falcons’ strong run defense. It could be another week on the pain train. Working in Henry’s favor is continued Vegas skepticism about the Falcons, who are modest 2.5-point road favorites. … Which brings us to Bijan Robinson. Coach Arthur Smith still hasn’t bothered to explain his one-touch Week 7. The league is investigating while Smith pontificates like the world’s lamest politician. Even Smith is certain to acknowledge this has to be a squeaky wheel Sunday for the Falcons’ embattled first-rounder, but what exactly does that get us against a Titans run D that remains one of the league’s most stout? … This would normally be the Jerome Ford zone, but he’s out with a … “low” high-ankle sprain? Whatever. With Deshaun Watson out, Kareem Hunt will gobble up work as the “1A,” with Pierre Strong projecting for enough handles to merit desperation FLEX consideration.

D’Onta Foreman was one of Week 7’s biggest fantasy stories. He follows up his three-touchdown extravaganza against a Chargers defense that has tightened up on the ground at the cost of getting obliterated through the air. The real problem is the return of Roschon Johnson (concussion). There’s little doubt Foreman will be the 1A in this Khalil Herbert-less committee, but Tyson Bagent could get devoured, derailing the Bears’ entire offensive operation. … Always-injured Aaron Jones (hamstring) is back to DNPs. Another Jones absence would be enough to battering ram AJ Dillon into the low-end RB2 ranks. … Week 7 was Javonte Williams’ best overall game of the season. The problem is, there is only so far he can ascend with Jaleel McLaughlin siphoning off change-of-pace work and the Broncos’ backfield getting almost no run in the red zone. … Miles Sanders (shoulder) has resumed practicing in full. Sanders is no longer standalone relevant, but his presence is enough to render Chuba Hubbard an uncertain FLEX. … I wouldn’t consider it “case closed” in the Rams’ backfield, but you don’t need to read this column to know Darrell Henderson will get the first shot at re-establishing the hot hand against the Cowboys. … Things were bleak for Dameon Pierce heading into the Texans’ bye. Sunday will settle the score on whether he has any RB2 juice left.