The 2021-22 NFL season is past its halfway point. Fantasy Football playoffs will start soon and bye weeks will continue to take place. This means that running backs like Aaron Jones and Nick Chubb will be out this week. On top of that injuries have started to mount up at this point of the season. It is always a great idea to evaluate backup options so that way fantasy managers are prepared if star players miss time. Here are the Fantasy Football Week 13 running back rankings.
*Ratings are subject to change due to injury reports or possible move to reserve/COVID-19 list*
(Check out the section below for details on players already rumored to possibly miss this week and how their replacement options rank for the week)
Key:
Must Start- a player who is in your lineup regardless of the matchup or most circumstances. They Will likely finish near the top of the league in points that week and in most weeks.
Starting RB1- a player who makes fantasy owners comfortable starting week after week. Regardless of the matchup, this player has a high floor.
High-End RB2- a player who may isn’t likely to carry a lineup that week, but has the ability to have a breakout game and is teetering between RB1 and RB2 category.
Starting RB2- a player who should be started in most lineups and should reach their point projection. This player is started is because of their consistency and moderately high floor
Low RB2- a player who may not be a lock to start for a team every week, but will start more times than not. Their production may not be pretty or win a person their lineup but the production is consistent enough to make a fantasy owner comfortable starting them.
Flex- a player who could float around the territory of being benched, but is started due to the potential to play better than their point projection. However, this player has the potential to flop and causes a fantasy team to lose if he has a bad game.
Deep League Flex- a player who is more of a Hail Mary throw at the position. There are enough reasons to leave this player on the bench, but their upside makes them an attractive option. Desperate times may call for a player like this to be inserted into starting lineups.
Leave on the Bench- a player who should be avoided in all lineups that week. Many times this player could even be left on waivers.
Category | Name | Opponent | Ranking |
Must Start | Jonathan Taylor | vs Houston Texans | RB1 |
Must Start | Austin Ekeler | vs Cincinnati Bengals | RB2 |
Must Start | Joe Mixon | vs Los Angeles Chargers | RB3 |
INACTIVE | Alvin Kamara* | vs Dallas Cowboys | OUT |
Starting RB1 | James Conner | vs Chicago Bears | RB4 |
Starting RB1 | Alexander Mattison | vs Detriot Lions | RB5 |
Starting RB1 | Cordarrelle Patterson | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | RB6 |
High-End RB2 | Najee Harris | vs Baltimore Ravens | RB7 |
High-End RB2 | Antonio Gibson | vs Las Vegas Raiders | RB8 |
High-End RB2 | Leonard Fornette | vs Atlanta Falcons | RB9 |
High-End RB2 | James Robinson | vs Los Angeles Rams | RB10 |
High-End RB2 | Elijah Mitchell | vs Seattle Seahawks | RB11 |
High-End RB2 | Ezekiel Eliott | vs New Orleans Saints | 6.7 points |
Starting RB2 | Jamaal Williams | vs Minnesota Vikings | RB13 |
Starting RB2 | Darrell Henderson* | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | RB14 |
Starting RB2 | Myles Gaskin | vs New York Giants | RB16 |
Low RB2 | Javonte Williams | vs Kansas City Chiefs | RB17 |
Low RB2 | Josh Jacobs | vs Washington Football Team | RB18 |
Low RB2 | Saquon Barkley | vs Miami Dolphins | RB19 |
Flex | David Montgomery | vs Arizona Cardinals | RB20 |
Flex | Clyde Edwards-Helaire | vs Denver Broncos | RB21 |
Flex | Melvin Gordon* | vs Kansas City Chiefs | RB22 |
Flex | Miles Sanders* | vs New York Jets | RB23 |
Flex | Damien Harris | vs Buffalo Bills | RB24 |
Flex | J.D. McKissic* | vs Las Vegas Raiders | RB25 |
Deep League Flex | Devonta Freeman | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | RB26 |
Deep League Flex | Tony Pollard | vs New Orleans Saints | 15.4 points |
Deep League Flex | Tevin Coleman | vs Philadelphia Eagles | RB28 |
Deep League Flex | Boston Scott* | vs New York Jets | RB29 |
Deep League Flex | Rex Burkhead | vs Indianapolis Colts | RB30 |
Starting RB2 | Mark Ingram | vs Dallas Cowboys | 3.6 points |
Deep League Flex | Jordan Howard* | vs New York Jets | RB32 |
Deep League Flex | Devin Singletary | vs New England Patriots | RB33 |
Deep League Flex | Rhamondre Stevenson | vs Buffalo Bills | RB34 |
Deep League Flex | Matt Breida | vs New England Patriots | RB35 |
Deep League Flex | David Johnson | vs Indianapolis Colts | RB36 |
Deep League Flex | Alex Collins | vs San Francisco 49ers | RB37 |
Leave on the Bench | Kenyan Drake | vs Washington Football Team | RB38 |
Leave on the Bench | Latavius Murray | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | RB39 |
Leave on the Bench | Ronald Jones | vs Atlanta Falcons | RB40 |
Leave on the Bench | Darrel Williams | vs Denver Broncos | RB41 |
Leave on the Bench | DeeJay Dallas | vs San Francisco 49ers | RB42 |
Leave on the Bench | Brandon Bolden | vs Buffalo Bills | RB43 |
Leave on the Bench | Jeff Wilson Jr. | vs Seattle Seahawks | RB44 |
Leave on the Bench | Samaje Perine | vs Los Angeles Chargers | RB45 |
Leave on the Bench | Nyheim Hines | vs Houston Texans | RB46 |
Leave on the Bench | Sony Michel | vs Jacksonville Jaguars | RB47 |
Leave on the Bench | Ty Johnson | vs Philadelphia Eagles | RB48 |
Leave on the Bench | Eno Benjamin | vs Chicago Bears | RB49 |
Leave on the Bench | Mike Davis | vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers | RB50 |
Leave on the Bench | Zack Moss | vs New England Patriots | RB51 |
INACTIVE | Tony Jones Jr. | vs Dallas Cowboys | OUT |
Leave on the Bench | Phillip Lindsay* | vs New York Giants | RB53 |
Leave on the Bench | Kene Nwagnwu | vs Detroit Lions | RB54 |
Leave on the Bench | Jaret Patterson | vs Las Vegas Raiders | RB55 |
Leave on the Bench | Kyle Juszczyk | vs Seattle Seahawks | RB56 |
Leave on the Bench | Chris Evans | vs Los Angeels Chargers | RB57 |
Leave on the Bench | Austin Walker | vs Philadelphia Eagles | RB58 |
Leave on the Bench | Devontae Booker | vs Miami Dolphins | RB59 |
Leave on the Bench | Kenneth Gainwell Jr. | vs New York Jets | RB60 |
Changes that already happened
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
Alvin Kamara will be missing his fourth straight game with a knee injury. Mark Ingram now moves up to RB15 between Darrell Henderson and Myles Gaskin. Tony Jones Jr. then moves up to RB52 between Zack Moss and Phillip Lindsay.
Possible Changes that can occur before Sunday
RB15 Darrell Henderson, Los Angeles Rams
Darrell Henderson missed practice Wednesday with a thigh injury. If he was to miss this week’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars then Sony Michel would move up to RB18 between Josh Jacobs and Saquon Barkley.
RB22 Melvin Gordon, Denver Broncos
Melvin Gordon didn’t practice Wednesday because of a hip and shoulder injury. If Gordon was held out of this game then Javonte Williams would boost up to RB13 between Elijah Mitchell and Ezekiel Elliott.
Philadelphia Eagles Running Backs: RB23 Miles Sanders, RB29 Boston Scott, RB32 Jordan Howard
The Philadelphia Eagles running back room is banged up right now, Miles Sanders is dealing with an ankle issue, Jordan Howard missed last week’s game with a knee injury, and Boston Scott missed Wednesday’s practice with an illness. Whoever ends up starting for the Eagles this week has a great matchup against the New York Jets. It will be important to check out the practice report from Thursday to see who their starter could be. If any of them were to miss time the other running backs would become more valuable. Philadelphia is expected to use a committee even though they could be without running backs.
RB25 J.D. McKissic, Washington Football Team
J.D. McKissic missed practice Wednesday with a concussion. If he was to miss this week against the Las Vegas Raiders then Antonio Gibson should see work on passing downs and Jaret Patterson would move up to RB51 between Zack Moss and Phillip Lindsay
RB53 Phillip Lindsay, Miami Dolphins
Miami’s newest running back Phillip Lindsay was limited in practice Wednesday with an ankle injury. If Lindsay was to miss this week against the New York Giants then Salvon Ahmed would be the next man up in the Dolphins backfield.