Kyren Williams attempts to stop his slide out of the RB1 range, Bucky Irving hopes to keep ascending the RB2 ranks, and Isiah Pacheco gears up to return for the Chiefs.

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

Week 13 Running Backs

RB Notes: Saquon Barkley needs to average 119 yards over his final six appearances to set the single-season rushing record. That number must increase to 143 if he wants to do it in the same 16 games Eric Dickerson got in 1984. … Joe Mixon has finally been suppressed in two of his past three starts. It’s not going to be 3-of-4 vs. a Jaguars defense coughing up the second most RB fantasy points. … David Montgomery (shoulder) is good to go for Thanksgiving Day against the Bears. But is he good to go hard? With the Lions monumental 10-point favorites and the playoffs beginning to appear over the horizon line, it wouldn’t be surprising for the Lions to feature D-Mont a little less than usual. The Lions’ implied total is such that he still cracks the top 20, while Jahmyr Gibbs is rocking and rolling in the top 3-4. … Don’t look now, but Derrick Henry’s 1,325 yards rushing are already the fourth most of his career. … De’Von Achane is the RB3 by average PPR points since Tua Tagovailoa’s return. His extension of the running game receptions figure to be in high demand Thursday evening.

Tyler Allgeier played a season-low seven percent of the Falcons’ snaps heading into the Week 11 bye. Undoubtedly a one-game blip in dire comeback mode, but it’s become impossible not to notice Bijan Robinson slowly but surely supplanting Allgeier in essentially every game situation, as he should. With the Falcons home ‘dogs vs. the Chargers, Sunday doesn’t really profile as an Allgeier script unless Atlanta gets an early lead and plays cowardly keepaway. … Christian McCaffrey has posted negative rush yards over expected in 2-of-3 appearances for the banged up 49ers. Now they are headed on the road as touchdown underdogs. This would normally be a spot where CMC goes off with his pass catching, but maybe the offense is too dysfunctional at the moment. He still projects for enough high-value touches to slot in as an RB1. … Alvin Kamara has finished in the top 18 both games since Dennis Allen’s firing. He is again leading in running back receptions. He has a great Week 13 setup as a narrow home ‘dog in a high-totaled contest with a bottom 10 run defense in terms of RB fantasy points allowed.

Maybe post-bye is when Khalil Herbert finally gets more involved for the Bengals. We still wouldn’t bet on it after Chase Brown went into the off-date averaging a monumental 27 touches in three games since Zack Moss’ injury. … Kyren Williams remains stuck in something of a low-end RB1 holding pattern, commanding a modest 31 carries over the past two weeks to go along with zero targets. He also can’t stop fumbling. We are not expecting a committee to develop, but it seems clear Kyren has peaked for 2024. … Anthony Richardson’s return under center hasn’t gone as expected for Jonathan Taylor. The quarterback is not only stealing raw volume and goal-line carries, he’s making the Colts’ offense too predictable. Taylor’s rushing lanes are further closed instead of opening up. We are cautiously optimistic a matchup with the Patriots’ everything-funnel defense will change that. … Breece Hall (knee) is suddenly questionable for the collapsed Jets. In normal times, his absence would maybe make Braelon Allen a plug-and-play RB1. In this “when is Aaron Rodgers getting benched?” epoch, Allen woul cautiously slot into the top 24.

Bucky Irving seems to have at long last seized command of the Bucs’ backfield. The lopsided nature of the Bucs’ 30-7 Week 12 victory over the Giants means he still played just 52 percent of the snaps, but that number would have been higher had the game been at all competitive. The Panthers do present something of a “Giants problem,” but Carolina has been better than New York of late. It’s possible Irving even starts seeing more goal-line work after Sean Tucker’s red-zone giveaway against the G-Men. … At long last the sole occupant of the Cowboys’ backfield, Rico Dowdle’s Week 13 setup is his best in a long time. The Cowboys are solid home favorites against a Giants defense that gets annihilated on the ground. You can never count your chickens before they hatch in a Cooper Rush-led offense, but Dowdle is an RB1 dark horse. … Opposing Dowdle will be Tyrone Tracy, who continues to look explosive: And lose critical fumbles. Good news still abounds. In looking-forward mode, the Giants can hardly consider a punitive benching for a rookie they must evaluate heading into the offseason. Drew Lock’s insertion under center also boosts the entire offense’s odds for Turkey Day.

It appears Tony Pollard will again have the Titans’ backfield to himself with Tyaje Spears (concussion) yet to gain clearance. In theory, Pollard should flirt with RB1 value, though the Titans are somewhat sizable road ‘dogs vs. a decent Commanders run defense. You are starting Pollard, but in the RB2 mid-range. … Kareem Hunt has done heroic work as a plug-and-play RB2, but the party is stopping for Week 13 with Isiah Pacheco’s (leg) return. We don’t know what the workload split is going to be — OC Matt Nagy has said it will be determined in game — only that with all 32 teams active for Week 13, there’s too much uncertainty to insert either Hunt or Pacheco into the top 24. … The Commanders’ running back situation is all messed. Austin Ekeler (concussion) is out. Brian Robinson (ankle) is surprisingly practicing, but he is on his third injury in only a matter of weeks. It adds up to a situation where neither Robinson nor Jeremy McNichols can be trusted in the top 24. Chris Rodriguez remains an early-down option if B-Rob ends up sitting. … With Tank Bigsby the most game-script sensitive back in football, only Travis Etienne has any real FLEX potential against the struggling but still road-favored Texans.