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Week 18 Running Back Preview: Gainwell Has Top-10 Potential
Top Fantasy RBs for Week 18
Here are the top Week 18 running backs, with usage and matchup details that drive their positioning in the Week 18 RB rankings.
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1. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
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McCaffrey has some back tightness during last week’s game, but he appears good to go for the 49ers' fight for the top seed against the Seahawks. If the 49ers are going to win this, it will be with CMC. Expect a heavy rushing dose like we saw last week, with some receptions mixed in. A must start.
2. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
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Robinson is up to 2,255 yards from scrimmage -- 254 yards shy of the NFL record. Can he get there in Sunday's finale vs. the Saints? Robinson already has games of 238 and 229 total yards this season.
3. Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
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Gibbs has been held under 3.7 yards per carry in five straight games. The Bears could be the elixir this weekend. Chicago is allowing 4.9 yards per carry to RBs on the season and 4.5 over the last five weeks. Gibbs smoked them for a 12--94-1 rushing line back in Week 2.
4. Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals
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Brown enters the season finale as fantasy’s RB2 (behind Bijan Robinson) over the past five weeks.
5. De'Von Achane, Miami Dolphins
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Keep an eye on Achane’s health, as he missed practice on Wednesday/Thursday with a shoulder injury.
6. RJ Harvey, Denver Broncos
Harvey has averaged 17.1 PPR points per game since taking over as Denver's starter in Week 11. That ranks 11th among all RBs. This week, the Broncos will go all out to secure the No. 1 seed. Harvey will get plenty of touches against a defense that will be missing starters. Harvey is a strong RB1 with top-5 upside in Week 18.
7. Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
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Despite QB Lamar Jackson's return, expect the Ravens to lean on Henry in Sunday night's must-win game vs. the Steelers. He carried 25 times for 94 yards in the Week 14 meeting with Pittsburgh. The Steelers' run defense has played very well since, allowing just 2.9 yards per carry to Dolphins, Lions, and Browns RBs over the last three weeks.
8. TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots
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Henderson returned from a Week 16 concussion to post 19 carries for 82 yards vs. the Jets. He remains a strong volume bet at home as a 10.5-point favorite.
9. Kenneth Gainwell, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Gainwell had a dud, along with the rest of the Steelers, in last week's loss to the Browns. But he still handled seven of 19 RB carries and four targets on a 10.3% share. With WR D.K. Metcalf and TE Darnell Washington out for Sunday night's game vs. the Ravens, expect Gainwell to be a focal point of the offense, on the ground and through the air.
10. Ashton Jeanty, Las Vegas Raiders
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Jeanty's disappointing rookie season trudged on last week with just 73 scoreless yards against a bad Giants defense. He's now finished better than RB24 in PPR points in just one of his last five games. Projected volume keeps him in fantasy lineups, but it's impossible to get excited about the upside in Sunday's finale against the Chiefs' ninth-ranked RB defense.
11. Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Irving carried 19 times for 71 yards against the Panthers in Week 16. He dipped to just nine carries last week, but should see his volume rebound here against a Carolina defense that has given up the eighth-most fantasy points per game to RBs. Irving's season-best six targets last week were an encouraging development and helped boost his Week 18 outlook. Irving is a top-12 start in the regular-season finale.
12. Travis Etienne, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Oddly, Etienne's worst fantasy outing of the season came in Week 13 against the Titans. But we like his chances of rebounding in this week's tilt. Etienne has averaged 18.8 touches and 20.1 PPR points per game since playing the Titans five weeks ago. Jacksonville is implied to lead the league in scoring this week. This is a favorable scenario for Etienne to command 18-plus touches and contend for top-5 fantasy production in Week 18.
13. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
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The past four games -- starting with the week Daniel Jones went down -- have found Taylor averaging just 3.3 yards per rush. He has, however, garnered 21+ carries in three of those four games and scored in three of four. Taylor might not be as good a bet for receptions with Riley Leonard taking over for Philip Rivers. And his offense plus matchup add downside risk. That's why you'll find Taylor a little lower in our rankings than he sat for most of the season. But you'd have to be real strong at RB to sit him for the finale.
14. Malik Davis, Dallas Cowboys
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Davis is listed on the injury report with an eye/calf injury, which forced a missed practice on Wednesday/Thursday. If he’s active – and if Javonte Williams (shoulder) sits – Davis will be a volume-based fantasy option vs. the Giants.
15. Rico Dowdle, Carolina Panthers
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Week 18 brings a good matchup for Dowdle against a Buccaneers defense allowing the 11th-most fantasy points to RBs and the most receiving yards to the position. He out-touched Chuba Hubbard 15 to 7 last week and ranks top-15 among RBs in targets and catches. Dowdle practiced fully on Thursday after a brief toe issue and, with Carolina in a must-win spot plus hefty contract incentives, he profiles as a high-end RB2.
16. Breece Hall, New York Jets
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Hall came back from near-oblivion for a big, 14-111-1 rushing line against New England last week. Now he gets a Bills D that ranks near-worst against the run even at full strength. Buffalo adds upside by being a candidate to rest key starters. To get to that matchup, though, Hall needs to first outrun the knee issue that kept him out of practice to open the week.
17. Dylan Sampson, Cleveland Browns
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Sampson out-carried Raheim Sanders 11-8 in Week 17. Sampson also held the edge in targets (3 to 2), although Sanders came out ahead in route rate (34% to 28%).
18. D'Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
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The Bears lock up the NFC's No. 2 seed with a win on Sunday, so expect Swift and the rest of the starters to play their usual roles. The Lions rank 24th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs over the last five weeks.
19. Woody Marks, Houston Texans
Marks returned from injury to reclaim the backfield lead last week. That produced his third straight (healthy) game of 19+ carries and 20+ touches.
20. Audric Estime, New Orleans Saints
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Estime got workhorse usage last week, playing 79% of the Saints' offensive snaps and handling 14 of the team's 23 carries. It seems like Taysom Hill's big Week 16 was a one-game blip, making Estime a solid volume bet in Week 18 fantasy lineups.
21. Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants
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Over the past three weeks, Tracy has held a clear edge in carry share over Devin Singletary (58%-31%). Tracy’s an RB2 candidate against a beatable Dallas run defense.
22. Jaylen Warren, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Warren has tallied 15, 16, and 12 opportunities in his last three games. He should be plenty involved on Sunday night with WR D.K. Metcalf and TE Darnell Washington out. But the matchup is tough against a Ravens defense that's limited enemy RBs to 3.5 yards per carry over the last five weeks. That stretch includes an 8-carry, 13-yard outing from Warren.
23. Kenneth Walker III, Seattle Seahawks
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Walker continues playing well, but he loses red zone touches and some drives to Zach Charbonnet. The 49ers' run defense has been suspect at times, so Walker could break off a long run. He is an RB2 who needs a TD to pay off.
24. Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills
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Davis could see backfield-leading touches if the Bills rest James Cook for their finale. He'd likely still share work with Ty Johnson in that case, though, adding downside risk. A matchup with the hapless Jets adds upside to whoever does play for Buffalo.
25. Tony Pollard, Tennessee Titans
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Pollard's three-game streak with 100-plus rushing yards ended last week, but he still mustered 85 yards on 18 carries. His volume (20 touches per game) has been excellent during Tennessee's four-game surge. Pollard averaged 6.0 yards per carry against the Jaguars in Week 13. If his recent increase in volume continues, Pollard will approach RB2 numbers in Week 18.
26. Michael Carter, Arizona Cardinals
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Carter only had 9 touches last week for 43 total yards, splitting amongst the other Cardinals’ RBs. With their reliance on the pass and Carter’s lack of snap volume, he should be a sit this week. The only upside would be a Rams defense that was torched by Bijan Robinson last week, but it is difficult to see Carter doing the same.
27. Tank Bigsby, Philadelphia Eagles
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If we find out ahead of Sunday's game that Saquon Barkley won't play at all, Bigsby will carry intriguing upside against a Washington D that's ranked sixth-friendliest to RB scoring. He'd likely share work with Will Shipley to some degree, though, lowering the floor.
28. Rhamondre Stevenson, New England Patriots
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Stevenson went off against the Jets last week, but he still saw just a 25% carry share. (TreVeyon Henderson led the way with 59%.) Treat Stevenson as a back-end RB2/Flex vs. Miami.
29. Emanuel Wilson, Green Bay Packers
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Josh Jacobs will likely rest in anticipation of the playoffs, giving Wilson full rein over the backfield. The Vikings' defense has been stout in recent weeks, and they certainly haven’t given up, but Wilson should still see a heavy workload. He is an RB2 this week.
30. Aaron Jones, Minnesota Vikings
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If he plays, Jones should come through with a solid fantasy performance. Last week, he went 18-53-1 on the ground and 3-10-0 through the air. The Packers sitting some of their defenders should give Jones a path to an RB2 day.
31. Zach Charbonnet, Seattle Seahawks
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Charbonnet continues getting goal-line work and could be a good TD bet against a leaky 49ers run defense this week. His split with Kenneth Walker gives Charbonnet a low floor if he doesn’t find the end zone, but Charbonnet can give you a flex option this week.
32. Kyren Williams, Los Angeles Rams
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The Rams could realistically rest their starters for part of the game, depending on how other games go and how they assess the need for getting the 5 seed over the 6 seed. If Williams does play, it likely would be for a limited time, so he is a risky start.
33. Will Shipley, Philadelphia Eagles
Even if Saquon Barkley rests, Shipley figures to run second to Tank Bigsby in the Philly backfield. And the Washington matchup doesn't look likely to drive passing volume.
34. Isiah Pacheco, Kansas City Chiefs
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Pacheco has handled 51% of Kansas City's carries over the last three weeks. The Chris Oladokun-led Chiefs are actually 5.5-point favorites over the Raiders on Sunday, so Pacheco could get enough volume to be a low-end fantasy play.
35. Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears
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The Bears lock up the NFC's No. 2 seed with a win on Sunday, so expect Monangai to play his usual 1B role behind D'Andre Swift. The Lions rank 24th in adjusted fantasy points allowed to RBs over the last five weeks.
36. Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans
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Spears did nothing as a runner in his previous game against this defense, but he did haul in all six of his targets. Spears has been in on 80% of Tennessee's long-down and distance snaps and 68% of the team's 2-minute snaps. The Jaguars are 11.5-point favorites, which sets up a favorable game script for Tennessee's passing game. Spears has Flex appeal in deeper PPR leagues.
37. Ronnie Rivers, Los Angeles Rams
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With Blake Corum likely out and the Rams potentially resting Kyren Williams for at least part of the game. Rivers playing with the back-ups doesn’t present much fantasy upside appeal, though, so he should stay on the bench.
38. Chris Rodriguez, Washington Commanders
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Did Jacory Croskey-Merritt earn a larger workload with his big game against the Cowboys? We'll see. But he went 18-96-1 last time Rodriguez missed, and then Rodriguez carried 15 times to JCM's eight the following week. Croskey-Merritt also tallied most of last week's rushing production on a single 72-yard run. So we're rolling with Rodriguez as the better carry bet this week, barring word to the contrary from Washington coaches.
39. Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers
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Vidal got in a full practice session on Thursday. He looks like the best bet to lead LA's backfield in Week 18, with Omarion Hampton not expected to play. Vidal topped 100 rushing yards in all three games this season in which he tallied 15-plus carries. Vidal didn't play against the Broncos in Week 3, but Hampton rushed for 70 yards and a TD on 19 carries. Denver has allowed the fewest fantasy points to RBs, so it's a negative matchup overall for LA's backfield. There is a path to Vidal getting 15-plus touches again, so he's got some Week 18 Flex appeal.
40. David Montgomery, Detroit Lions
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Montgomery has topped 32 rushing yards in just one of his last seven games. He's a TD-dependent fantasy start. Sunday brings a Bears defense that's struggled against the run all season but has surprisingly allowed just nine RB rushing TDs (tied for the ninth fewest).
41. Devin Singletary, New York Giants
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Over his past three, Singletary's carries have gone 5, 11, 8. His targets: 1, 1, 4. As the No. 2 behind Tyrone Tracy, Singletary's just a deep-league Flex.
42. Ty Johnson, Buffalo Bills
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We're expecting Buffalo to rest starters this week, including RB James Cook. Although we're projecting Ray Davis for the larger role and more fantasy points, Johnson could easily lead the backfield receiving. He logged 3 receptions in four of his past six games, even with Cook involved.
43. Jordan Mason, Minnesota Vikings
Mason appears ready to return to the lineup. With the Packers set to play most of their backups, he could have a solid rushing day with TD potential.
44. Raheim Sanders, Cleveland Browns
With Quinshon Judkins and Jerome Ford out, Sanders will continue to play a complementary role alongside Dylan Sampson. Last week, Sanders totaled 9 touches for 31 yards in a close win over Pittsburgh.
45. Tyler Allgeier, Atlanta Falcons
Tyler Allgeier
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Tyler Allgeier
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The Falcons are 3-point home favorites vs. the Saints on Sunday, making it a solid spot for Allgeier. He's averaged 11.7 carries per game in wins this season vs. just 6.0 in losses.
46. Chuba Hubbard, Carolina Panthers
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Hubbard's snap share, carries, and yards have declined for four consecutive weeks. He hasn't scored more than 5 PPR points since Week 13, but gets a solid rebound opportunity in Week 18 against a Tampa defense that has allowed the 11th-most fantasy points to RBs. Hubbard lags behind Rico Dowdle, but could see enough touches to warrant Flex consideration in deeper leagues.
47. Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs
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The Chiefs are 5.5-point favorites over the Raiders on Sunday and might be able to feature the ground game. Hunt has been out-carried 28 to 16 by Isiah Pacheco over the last three weeks, though, and would be a desperation fantasy play.
48. Samaje Perine, Cincinnati Bengals
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Perine has scored in back-to-back games, but he's totaled only 10 carries over that stretch. He's just a deep-league FLEX against Cleveland.
49. Emari Demercado, Arizona Cardinals
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Demercado got a healthy dose of snaps last week, leading the RBs at 53% snap rate. His pass-catching could come into play if the Cardinals get behind, but Michael Carter is a better TD bet. Demercado should stay on the bench.
50. Rachaad White, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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Carolina allows the eighth-most fantasy points per game to RBs. While White is squarely behind Bucky Irving, he's played 85% of Tampa's long-down and distance snaps. He'll see a handful of change-of-pace carries and targets in a good matchup. Consider White a modest Flex play in deeper PPR leagues.
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